Design-A-Trek-Game

[msbae]

Okay, anyone have ideas for a Trek game that doesn't involve RPG or RTS style gameplay? That kind of limits the market to hardcore gamers who don't mind reading manuals. No one will make that game because it will only appeal to one demographic of gamers. (Especially when that demographic is usually very critical of the games based on their favorite Sci-Fi franchise.)

Also, let's not limit ourselves to something that can only be done on PC's. The console and portables market is too large to ignore. I personally like the idea of a Trek game on the Wii. Anyone have ideas that will work on that platform?

Finally, there will be other people besides Trek fans who will play the game if it's easily accessible to them. So, lets develop a concept that would need only a few simple controls. And please don't use the LCARS style for the user-interface. That's been done to death.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Well another, perhaps more esoteric take, could be into the adventure/mystery genre, like a 3-d version of Myst. Easy to pick up, although takes some brainpower to push through (THINK IN GAMES? GASP.) And it would be a sumple, yet highly effective way to tell a good story.

The most obvious move for the Wii controller is a shooter of some kind. Shooters are oversaturating the market, so that would be an ill-advised maneuver. Perhaps someone would think of something a bit more clever, like Klingon Bat'leth dueling or something.

Something nice and arcadey would work great for the Wii, something a bit like Star Trek Conquest on the PS2, Legacy's uglier, but much more playable sibling.

But this thread seems to be to design their own dream game. To each their own, and to me my own, eh?

 

[Balthier the Great]

Okay, anyone have ideas for a Trek game that doesn't involve RPG or RTS style gameplay? That kind of limits the market to hardcore gamers who don't mind reading manuals. No one will make that game because it will only appeal to one demographic of gamers. (Especially when that demographic is usually very critical of the games based on their favorite Sci-Fi franchise.)

Also, let's not limit ourselves to something that can only be done on PC's. The console and portables market is too large to ignore. I personally like the idea of a Trek game on the Wii. Anyone have ideas that will work on that platform?

Finally, there will be other people besides Trek fans who will play the game if it's easily accessible to them. So, lets develop a concept that would need only a few simple controls. And please don't use the LCARS style for the user-interface. That's been done to death.

Well, the reason that I'm going for an RPG is that it offers the best options for storytelling, which is something I like in Trek. I love the idea of giving the player moral dilemmas and forcing the player to live with the consequences of his actions (like KOTOR), and the idea of brains over brawn. Sci-Fi shooters are fairly similar to me, and it doesn't seem like you could put much story into one.

The other thing you could do in a console RPG is have more diverse missions. In a FPS, basicly, you can go, blow something up, and save somebody, or go blow things up and destroy a base. With an RPG, you could do those things, but also do a survey mission, find a cure for a disease (I'm thinking something like Dragon Quest 8's alchemy pot where you put in several ingredients and hopefully get some new product), you could possibly have a minigame where you argue a case in court as well (or argue a computer into malfunction). There are a lot fewer limits because you aren't limited to quests that can be solved by shooting things.


I'm not a big Wii fan, and honestly my idea is based around putting the game on PS3/XBOX360, not PC. PC might be nice, but I likes me consoles.

 

[msbae]

Well another, perhaps more esoteric take, could be into the adventure/mystery genre, like a 3-d version of Myst. Easy to pick up, although takes some brainpower to push through (THINK IN GAMES? GASP.) And it would be a sumple, yet highly effective way to tell a good story.

An adventure game just might be an interesting twist. The last time a Trek game tried something like that was the NES version of Star Trek: 25th Anniversary. That game was a little too difficult in some places but, I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The most obvious move for the Wii controller is a shooter of some kind. Shooters are oversaturating the market, so that would be an ill-advised maneuver. Perhaps someone would think of something a bit more clever, like Klingon Bat'leth dueling or something.

As a Game Designer, I see limitless potential for the Wii's control scheme. FPS games never even entered my mind, though. That has been done before with Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force and it was both well designed and successful. However, I'm also bored with FPS titles. Outside of Doom, Quake, Unreal, Metroid Prime and Call of Duty there isn't much to get anyone's attention in that genre.

Something nice and arcadey would work great for the Wii, something a bit like Star Trek Conquest on the PS2, Legacy's uglier, but much more playable sibling.

But this thread seems to be to design their own dream game. To each their own, and to me my own, eh?

How about a Battle Simulator game where you and some friends just pick a ship and place in the galaxy to duke it out? It's simple, won't cost much money or take much time to make and really fun. What Trekkie doesn't want to brag about fighting a task force of Klingon Warships with a single Galaxy class and actually winning the fight?

Well, the reason that I'm going for an RPG is that it offers the best options for storytelling, which is something I like in Trek. I love the idea of giving the player moral dilemmas and forcing the player to live with the consequences of his actions (like KOTOR), and the idea of brains over brawn. Sci-Fi shooters are fairly similar to me, and it doesn't seem like you could put much story into one.

Well, I prefer to come up with something people haven't seen before. No matter how cool the game you're emulating might be, it's still a clone. Also, I really don't like RPG's. I don't mind thinking a little in my games but RPG's go too far. My game time is about my amusement. I shouldn't have to think that much.

 

[darthraidr]

i still stand by "Battlestations" as an excellent way to go for a trek boardgame/rpg.

as for videogames... msbae, you seem to have ruled out just about every major genre... no rts, no rpg, no fps... i guess a sim/civ game might be okay (though i wouldnt expect mainstream success)

 

[msbae]

as for videogames... msbae, you seem to have ruled out just about every major genre... no rts, no rpg, no fps... i guess a sim/civ game might be okay (though i wouldnt expect mainstream success)

Not at all. I just want to make a different kind of trek game, preferably something that can appeal to a mainstream audience. That way, it will sell more copies, makes sequels more likely and keep me employed.

FPS might appeal to mainstream audiences and I haven't totally ruled it out. However, that sub-genre is a little over-indulged. (FPS is not a genre in and of itself. It's considered a sub-genre of Action.)

As for RTS and RPG, well, lots of computer gamers like those genres. However, they're still not mainstream enough for my taste. Also, designing and producing games in those genres is soooooo much more difficult than any other genre. The user-interface problems alone are enough to send many designers running away screaming in terror. Then, you have the Hit-point systems, the leveling-up systems, the different classes and races of monsters... etc. etc. etc.

 

[darthraidr]

well the current hot genre, that appeals to mainstream, is party/mini games. so you can make a trek party game. Guinan's Gameroom, or Picard's Party Games, Spock Sports, Kira Carnival, Archer's Arcade, Janeway Jamboree.

though honestly, i'm not sure you should place so much weight on 'commercial success' when designing a game. this is a star trek game, and star trek is a franchise that carries a lot of baggage (much of it negative in terms of mainstream appeal).

ideally you would design around what is a fun trek experience. don't eliminate a genre because it's too crowded, if the game would be more fun in that genre, then go for it. fun should trump all other design choices (sadly, money/funding/implementation will often trump what is fun).

if i were to do a trek game, i'd probably do an rpg and just convert "battlestations" into a more computer game friendly rule set. i'd probably throw in a dollop of the "reuptation" system from the babylon 5 rpg. (i forget what the rep system is actually called).

another idea would be to do a team based ship battle game... 4v4... but the important thing there would be to make sure everyone had something fun to do. again, battlestations did have stuff for everyone to do, but it would have to be more entertaining for a videogame player.

 

[msbae]

well the current hot genre, that appeals to mainstream, is party/mini games. so you can make a trek party game. Guinan's Gameroom, or Picard's Party Games, Spock Sports, Kira Carnival, Archer's Arcade, Janeway Jamboree.

A Trek party game is doable, especially if it's a trivia game. That might be the easiest/cheapest to design. It also runs the risk of being a You don't know Jack! - Star Trek Edition, video-equivalent to that Star Trek boardgame from years ago and/or Trivial Pursuit. It's still a decent idea , though. I'll run with this one and write a design document for it someday.

though honestly, i'm not sure you should place so much weight on 'commercial success' when designing a game.

Games don't get made unless there's a publisher who thinks it will make them money. That includes the 'free' games on the internet that are supported with ads. Therefore, I am forced to consider commercial appeal.

ideally you would design around what is a fun trek experience.

Naturally...

if i were to do a trek game, i'd probably do an rpg and just convert "battlestations" into a more computer game friendly rule set. i'd probably throw in a dollop of the "reuptation" system from the babylon 5 rpg. (i forget what the rep system is actually called).

Copying someone else's ideas happens too much in games these days. It's one of the biggest complaints I hear from both players and the professionals in the industry. It's still going to happen though because the publishers controlling the purse strings want a return on their investment. I can't blame them for not wanting to take the risk. AAA titles can cost millions to get from concept to market-ready product.

That being said, copying an idea that works and putting your own spin on things isn't bad. That's happened in all forms of entertainment since time and civilization began.

another idea would be to do a team based ship battle game... 4v4... but the important thing there would be to make sure everyone had something fun to do. again, battlestations did have stuff for everyone to do, but it would have to be more entertaining for a videogame player.

Kind of like the free-play/practice mode in Starfleet Academy? That would be cool with me. I was having a similar thought while thinking about this thread yesterday.

 

[darthraidr]

i am going to keep stressing to not focus on making money when trying to design a game... especially when this is all just blue sky anyways.

quick note, there was a trek video game in the style of you dont know jack. it was "Star Trek: The Game Show" with John DeLancie as the host. I would wager the game didnt sell very well (even though it was riding the 'you don't know jack' coattails). I didnt play the game beyond one run through.

games get made all the time without publisher support. beyond homebrew games (which can spawn some amazing games). dev studios, from my experience, are almost always working on some internal project that they hope can be shopped around eventually. but they arent really beholden to anyone other than the studio. so they tend to focus on making a game that interests them. if it's fun, it's got a good chance to sell.

i'm not saying commercial viability doesn't enter their minds. it's just not always in the forefront of designing a fun game.

copying a game can be good and bad. i think there is a lot more good with it... i think too many game 'journalists' and 'pr departments' are focused on this generations buzz word 'innovation.' there is nothing wrong with taking a game that works and making it work better.

i never played starfleet academy. the ship battle idea was based on an old conversation with capt. vulcan about the trek mmo, and how you could pull off pvp. the key is to not go big. i'd guess one reason you dont see an 11v11 football game is because it wouldnt be fun to play the majority of the characters on the field. same would apply to a trek game. too many roles, too little to do.

anyways, if you want to get into game design, play lots of games on lots of systems. write down what works and what doesn't work for games. read gamasutra, read game developer magazine... keep fun gameplay first and foremost (unless you are making a sim). also, realize that anyone can have a good idea, it's the actual implementation and execution that matters.

 

[msbae]

dev studios, from my experience, are almost always working on some internal project that they hope can be shopped around eventually. but they arent really beholden to anyone other than the studio. so they tend to focus on making a game that interests them. if it's fun, it's got a good chance to sell.

You're preaching to the choir here. The games that get started without publisher support almost never go beyond pre-production, though.

It's too bad that game show title didn't do better. If I had heard of it, I would have tried it out. John de Lancie would be an excellent game show host.

 

[Nerroth]

I think there might be a version of Battlestations set in the Star Fleet Universe in the works - though I can't quite recall if that is the game engine to be used or not.


I'd love to see a new computer game based in the SFU, as detailed in the likes of the Prime Directive RPGs, SFB, F&E and whatnot - distinct from the derivation of said seeting one can see in the Star Fleet Command games.

An RPG which let you live as one of the various member races of the Federation, ISC or Mæsron Alliance (or subject races of the Klingon Empire, or maybe as an Orion, Zosman or Jumokian raider) and take part in the economic, political, cultural and/or military aspects of life across the Alpha Octant, Omega Octant, Lesser Magellanic Cloud, and so forth.

Or, perhaps a Total War-esque game which combined the strategic turn-based viewpoint of Fed and Empire with the option of starship combat, starbase/planetary assaults, and other actions akin to those in SFB or FC. (Plus, one could expand upon a camapign mode to allow one to run a 'dawn of the Federation/Klingon Empire/etc' scenario, starting from the beginning of each power's efforts to reach into the stars, and chartign the economic, technological and political evolutions faced along the way.)


There's a ton of potential in the SFU, and a lot worth showcasing to those who aren't familiar with this setting.


(So long as one makes sure to run the idea past ADB first, though!)

 

[msbae]

This ought to be of some amusement, especially if you've owned any of the Trek games parodied in this video... (NSFW due to Language.)

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/35049.html

 

[HRHTheKING]

My ideal Trek game would be a mix of GTA-style storytelling, free roaming ability, and specific missions, and Battlefront, where you can fly space-based missions.

 

[msbae]

My ideal Trek game would be a mix of GTA-style storytelling, free roaming ability, and specific missions, and Battlefront, where you can fly space-based missions.

Basically, a 'Sandbox game' where you're free to explore the galaxy and have misadventures at your own pace. I like this idea.

However, I doubt Paramount would appreciate it if someone tried to have Orion Slave Girls take the place of GTA's streetwalkers in this title...

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

The problem with a "Sandbox" style game is that the plot usually suffers as a result. I've yet to see a free-range game with an absolutley superb plot.

 

[bradacus]

I want to see a Star Trek RPG by BIOWARE. They did Knights of the Old Republic (best action rpg ever made).

 

[bradacus]

My ideal Trek game would be a mix of GTA-style storytelling, free roaming ability, and specific missions, and Battlefront, where you can fly space-based missions.

Basically, a 'Sandbox game' where you're free to explore the galaxy and have misadventures at your own pace. I like this idea.

However, I doubt Paramount would appreciate it if someone tried to have Orion Slave Girls take the place of GTA's streetwalkers in this title...

Mass Effect is like that. Loved that game.

 

[msbae]

The problem with a "Sandbox" style game is that the plot usually suffers as a result. I've yet to see a free-range game with an absolutley superb plot.

That's the point of a Sandbox Game. You get to make your own story.