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[GENERAL DESIGN] WHAT INSPIRED YOUR GAME?
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Closeauthor=unity
Yeah, I found it really lovely and touching as well! The "will-they-or-won't-they" parts went on for a while, and there were a lot of instances of "things that would be resolved if you two would stop being stupid teenagers," but despite all of that, I really enjoyed it!
Also, having played the alpha (or pre-alpha?) of your Bossgame, it's impressive knowing what inspired them, as they are very different that the characters that inspired them, and each feel like their own unique characters.
Yea, it's definitely a dorky teen comic :P Maybe it was just a good reminder of what it was like being 16, haha. And thanks so much! I'm really glad they stuck out at all! I've had the characters in my head for a while now, but I was super super worried that they would just be bland as heck, hah :D
author=Sated
That the original Sore Losers has lots of "one-off" minigames (sniping, chase sequences, helicopter flying, a Frogger minigame** and others) is inspired by the three PS1 Final Fantasy games (7, 8 and 9). All of those titles contained plenty of "one-off" minigames that broke up the standard JRPG gameplay. FF7 was especially great at integrating those segments into the storyline (snowboarding, motorcycling, marching, the hypothermia section etc.) and so that's what I sought to emulate with Sore Losers. I think the result was hit-and-miss based on reviews, but I'm going to try to take those criticisms and use them to create better "one-off" minigames for Sore Losers: Riot Grrrl, which will follow in the same tradition.
Ahh, I played Sore Losers a long time ago iirc, but I can sort of remember the FF7-ish minigames that would pop up and I can see the resemblance. A game like that sounds pretty tough to design! Minigames take a lot of work and a lot of them only get used once. But, I suppose you could always have a Gold Saucer area where you can play the old one for coins or something, eh?
author=unity
I should have been more specific when I said "Early Dragon Quest." I tried to take the mapping aesthetics of the SNES Dragon Quests, not the 8-bit retro feel of the NES Dragon Quests. Granted, it became somewhat of a hodgepodge as it was my first time making my own graphics and I wasn't as consistent as I should have been ^_^;
I do in fact want to do a game with 8-bit inspired graphics, but that'll be for a later game.
Oh, right. But I guess I was thinking that the "tops off of roofs" style usually only works for tilesets that are 1 tile high, otherwise not everything will be visible on the screen. Still, there is quite a lot of preservation of size of buildings in Luxaren, at least in the first town where all buildings are pretty much the same size as their interiors. I think you helped make it seem less unwieldy by providing several entrances/exits for each house.
author=slash
Well, for Bossgame, I've wanted to make an RPG for a long time, but they typically take a long time to make and I'm easily distracted. So, I came up with an idea where I cut as many corners as possible - it's basically only a battle system and some dialogue.
I guess that hasn't stopped you before, with It'll Look Great On Your Resume. I like that you're using Wine & Roses and so on as templates for your big bosses. Basically, it's going to be like Shadow of the Colossus, one boss after another? Except minus all the artful wandering. I'm sure you'll sort that story stuff out.
author=Sated
Both Sore Losers and Sore Losers: Riot Grrrl also focus quite heavily on "recurring" mini-games (lockpicking, hacking, hotwiring, smashing and others***) and this was largely inspired by the minigames seen in Fallout 3, where lockpicking and hacking also feature prominently****.
I love those minigames. I haven't played either of the Sore Losers games though. Do the minigames become modified based on, say, a lockpicking skill, or are they static minigames with no modifiers as to difficulty, except for, say, the difficulty of the lock to be picked?
author=Red_Nova
One thing I forgot to mention was I loved hiking, backpacking, and camping. I tried to inject that into Soul Sunder as well, with varying results. After a long, brutal trek, the feeling of sitting down and relaxing by a campfire as you talk to your trek mates was something I really enjoyed.
I think you certainly emulated that vibe in Soul Sunder. The campfire scenes in that are a very nice touch, and if I were to make a traditional RPG, I'd probably include moments of weightlessness like that, periods during conflict that are like oases planted in the hot sands of torment and desolation. I also enjoyed the possibility for non-linear exploration of the character during these events, which is kind of like getting to know someone in real life, deep down, beneath all the pretension and without all the inhibition that comes from having to conform to some invisible social code of respect for other peoples' space and time.
~
I'll list the games I've made along with their influences and how they came about.
- Account Mu- Pure puzzle game, exploring puzzles in a non-linear fashion (Braid, The Witness, Starseed Pilgrim). Minimalist black-and-white graphics (Cursor*10). Push-pull puzzles (Sokoban) but with an increasing set of rules per level, each of which was isolated and had a defined start and finish point (Portal 1&2).
- Quincy & Amber- A co-op puzzle game (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Portal 2).
- Paper Thin- Cart Life meets Don Hertzfeldt with a dash of Charlie Kaufman.
- Champs of the Bocca- Randomized dungeons (Binding of Isaac), combined with simulated battles (Enchanted Cave).
Ramshackin
1462
I haven't really thought much about my game's influences before this thread.
One of them is definitely Guild Wars 2. Mostly combat mechanics, but also the game's mapping/environments. Exploring is such a joy in that game. There's always something interesting to see and there's a good depth of content that you're always stumbling into something new. I'm not there yet, but that's the goal for my game :)
A bigger influence is Animal Crossing. The game starts with the main character moving into a house in a new town, in debt to the guy who sold it to him. By paying off the debt, you can expand the house, which is fully furnishable. The game takes place in a single town with recurring characters, who do different stuff based on the time of day. Yep, now that I right it out, it sounds like a straight up copy.
I think my biggest influence is actually my older RPG Maker games. I started my game after watching my nephews play one of my old RPG Maker 2000 games. They were so into it! It reminded me of being a kid and my friends wanting to come over to play my RPGs. My current project is really just a nostalgia throwback to the 'old RPG Maker days'. I'm sticking pretty close to my old formula, which itself was heavily inspired by Shenmue and Kingdom Hearts. Open, explorable world filled with secrets, minigames, and collectibles.
One of them is definitely Guild Wars 2. Mostly combat mechanics, but also the game's mapping/environments. Exploring is such a joy in that game. There's always something interesting to see and there's a good depth of content that you're always stumbling into something new. I'm not there yet, but that's the goal for my game :)
A bigger influence is Animal Crossing. The game starts with the main character moving into a house in a new town, in debt to the guy who sold it to him. By paying off the debt, you can expand the house, which is fully furnishable. The game takes place in a single town with recurring characters, who do different stuff based on the time of day. Yep, now that I right it out, it sounds like a straight up copy.
I think my biggest influence is actually my older RPG Maker games. I started my game after watching my nephews play one of my old RPG Maker 2000 games. They were so into it! It reminded me of being a kid and my friends wanting to come over to play my RPGs. My current project is really just a nostalgia throwback to the 'old RPG Maker days'. I'm sticking pretty close to my old formula, which itself was heavily inspired by Shenmue and Kingdom Hearts. Open, explorable world filled with secrets, minigames, and collectibles.
For my current production, I draw quite a bit of inspiration from Final Fantasy 6 and the series' other SNES installments, in terms of gameplay/characters. As far as story goes, it's completely different; Breaking Bad and other serial dramas are what make up my inspiration pot.
Aegix_Drakan
6037
I credit Etrian Odyssey as my inspiration for a lot of my combat ideas.
In those games, there's almost always a strategy/skill/item you can use that will help in each battle. I've taken that to heart with my combat, by ensuring that there's always something useful you can do against any given boss.
As for non-game inspiration... Mayhem Maiden's base idea is about flipping the whole "damsel in distress" trope on its head, although it has a sub-story to it as well. Originally the two main characters (The playable girl breaking out, and the non-playable guy trying to save her even though she really doesn't need saving) were supposed to be a couple all the way through. ...Then my GF at the time dumped me, and it was devastating.
I didn't want to drop the game, since I had most of the combat engine done at that point, and I loved it, but I didn't want to continue the story as it was. Eventually, I realized that mirroring the sub-story between the two of them with my own would actually be an interesting idea. And it really seems to have worked out, in terms of making Cyrus' part in the story a lot more interesting. His part in the story was supposed to be purely "Let's poke fun at typical RPG tropes". Now? Now it still pokes fun at typical RPG tropes, but with actual character development going on. I actually have a few late-story scenes done, and I think it worked out for the story's benefit.
Now if I can just get myself back into dungeon-making gear and finish the game, that'd be great.
Overall, though, I just tend to have an idea, and roll with it as inspiration.
Like, for my "main" projects:
Illusions of Loyalty: "What if you worked for the bad guys? But you're still good people? ...And what if everyone else is not "good", but rather slightly lighter shades of grey?"
Heresies of Discord: "Where did the Magic come from? Also, how can I make a game with a lot of narrative to it, but without cutscene overload, and while keeping all combat tight and over in a flash?"
The End: "How can I implement all these graphics into one game?!?! They all look so neat that I want to use them all! How do I....AHA! The game will devolve in art-style throughout the game! Now, what kind of story fits this kind of mechanic?"
In those games, there's almost always a strategy/skill/item you can use that will help in each battle. I've taken that to heart with my combat, by ensuring that there's always something useful you can do against any given boss.
As for non-game inspiration... Mayhem Maiden's base idea is about flipping the whole "damsel in distress" trope on its head, although it has a sub-story to it as well. Originally the two main characters (The playable girl breaking out, and the non-playable guy trying to save her even though she really doesn't need saving) were supposed to be a couple all the way through. ...Then my GF at the time dumped me, and it was devastating.
I didn't want to drop the game, since I had most of the combat engine done at that point, and I loved it, but I didn't want to continue the story as it was. Eventually, I realized that mirroring the sub-story between the two of them with my own would actually be an interesting idea. And it really seems to have worked out, in terms of making Cyrus' part in the story a lot more interesting. His part in the story was supposed to be purely "Let's poke fun at typical RPG tropes". Now? Now it still pokes fun at typical RPG tropes, but with actual character development going on. I actually have a few late-story scenes done, and I think it worked out for the story's benefit.
Now if I can just get myself back into dungeon-making gear and finish the game, that'd be great.
Overall, though, I just tend to have an idea, and roll with it as inspiration.
Like, for my "main" projects:
Illusions of Loyalty: "What if you worked for the bad guys? But you're still good people? ...And what if everyone else is not "good", but rather slightly lighter shades of grey?"
Heresies of Discord: "Where did the Magic come from? Also, how can I make a game with a lot of narrative to it, but without cutscene overload, and while keeping all combat tight and over in a flash?"
The End: "How can I implement all these graphics into one game?!?! They all look so neat that I want to use them all! How do I....AHA! The game will devolve in art-style throughout the game! Now, what kind of story fits this kind of mechanic?"
My inspiration mainly comes from random stories I find in books and the net, or ones I had made when I was still engrossed on writing.
For game inspirations, I'll point a finger at Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Riviera: The Promised Land.
Technically, I only have one finished serious game up on the site. That one was inspired by this weird dream I had, which I wrote down into a short story, and soon after, submitted as an assignment for English class. I could no longer find or recall most of what I wrote when I started development, so the game ended up being cut short.
My current (15th or 16th attempt) project was brought about by my incessant desire to actually finish something, anything at all, before the year ends. No more extensions. Well that, and a writing prompt I found on reddit.
For game inspirations, I'll point a finger at Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Riviera: The Promised Land.
Technically, I only have one finished serious game up on the site. That one was inspired by this weird dream I had, which I wrote down into a short story, and soon after, submitted as an assignment for English class. I could no longer find or recall most of what I wrote when I started development, so the game ended up being cut short.
My current (15th or 16th attempt) project was brought about by my incessant desire to actually finish something, anything at all, before the year ends. No more extensions. Well that, and a writing prompt I found on reddit.
Pyramid_Head
16
Steel Spirit Saga is inspired by, SaGa Frontier 2, as if I don't harp on about that game enough.
Solitaire Unravelling is inspired by how corrupt and self-centered humanity has become.
Other than that I get most of my inspiration from a single idea, and it kind of grows from there.
Solitaire Unravelling is inspired by how corrupt and self-centered humanity has become.
Other than that I get most of my inspiration from a single idea, and it kind of grows from there.
Some movies, literature and video games, and personal recollection of stories from friends and family.
Most of my inspiration comes from The Mothman Prophecies, Silent Hill and A Detective Story (Animatrix short). I also have taken some inspiration from The Crow, Picture of Dorian Grey and The Raven (Poe's poem).
Most of my inspiration comes from The Mothman Prophecies, Silent Hill and A Detective Story (Animatrix short). I also have taken some inspiration from The Crow, Picture of Dorian Grey and The Raven (Poe's poem).
emmych
817
"wow they really dropped the ball on this concept, it'd be cooler if it was like <x>"
and
"i just wanna kiss girls"
and
"i just wanna kiss girls"
Lucy_Fox
1872
My current game was totally inspired by the Neverending Story. And I lent some techniques from some Daedalic adventures I played xD
(Okay, there isn't so much stuff you can make different in an P&C :/ )
But I'm also inspired by the mood of fairy tales. I like them for being - by the first look - calm and... well.. fairytale-like. But when you think about them there is allways some sort of cruel twist inside the story.
Yeah, I think, besides this, I'm inspired by the more obvious things like favourite movies and games.... Like Ni No Kuni, Journey, Star Stealing Prince. Lord of the Rings, the Inkworld books.... there are so many...
Music is inspring too.... I thing I'm more easily inspired by mood then by anything else. o.O
(Okay, there isn't so much stuff you can make different in an P&C :/ )
But I'm also inspired by the mood of fairy tales. I like them for being - by the first look - calm and... well.. fairytale-like. But when you think about them there is allways some sort of cruel twist inside the story.
Yeah, I think, besides this, I'm inspired by the more obvious things like favourite movies and games.... Like Ni No Kuni, Journey, Star Stealing Prince. Lord of the Rings, the Inkworld books.... there are so many...
Music is inspring too.... I thing I'm more easily inspired by mood then by anything else. o.O
Ike
184
author=Red_Nova
This got me thinking: There's a trend here (and I'm guilty of this as well) that a lot of our games have been inspired by other games. Which is fine, but if all we're doing is getting inspired from games that have already been made or released, it's gonna stagnate sooner or later.
True.
Maybe it's because being inspired by other games is easier to make proper games than creating something from an abstract thing, like music, experiences, (or poems xP).
I think... I tried something similar in my game...
LightningLord2
230
author=Ikeauthor=Red_NovaTrue.
This got me thinking: There's a trend here (and I'm guilty of this as well) that a lot of our games have been inspired by other games. Which is fine, but if all we're doing is getting inspired from games that have already been made or released, it's gonna stagnate sooner or later.
Maybe it's because being inspired by other games is easier to make proper games than creating something from an abstract thing, like music, experiences, (or poems xP).
I think... I tried something similar in my game...
Generally, what you want to do is find out what's bad about your inspiration and do it better.
For my current game...here's what inspired it.
I'm doing the game for the No RPG Maker event. I'm using a highly advanced engine I have no knowledge. An artist I may be, but a digital character designer I am not, and a month is no kind of time to learn, so I am stuck with the basic mannequin. Ergo, instead of trying to make him into some awesome character, I've decided he's a robot and humans are extinct. Why? Because for the immediate time being, that's the limit of my ability (unless I don't care about submitting a game for the deadline).
I'm doing the game for the No RPG Maker event. I'm using a highly advanced engine I have no knowledge. An artist I may be, but a digital character designer I am not, and a month is no kind of time to learn, so I am stuck with the basic mannequin. Ergo, instead of trying to make him into some awesome character, I've decided he's a robot and humans are extinct. Why? Because for the immediate time being, that's the limit of my ability (unless I don't care about submitting a game for the deadline).
