The dead end - brainstorming in progress [updated 01/23/17]

[passage]

Hello everybody,

 

to put it simply, I want to create an adult game:

• responsive: you directly control the character, and it should have an action feel.
• "win-to-sex": as opposed to most adult games with a game over resulting in rape.
• "sex-in-gameplay": sex should be an action you must do.

I'm a french gameplay programmer, with some 2D and 3D skills, and I'd like to form a small team for this project.

I'd like to add that I already worked on and finished several games, although nothing r16 or r18. That'll be a first.

I strongly tend to self-censor, and as a result, most of what I draw and design is lacking in the sexy department.

That's why I'd like to work with people on this project, people who'll be able to tell me when I'm lacking balls.

 

[ About the team ]

 

I'm currently searching for:

-1 person with a strong universe/game idea

-1 2D artist: in charge of the artistic direction, character design, and 2D graphics

-1 3D artist: Mostly characters for now.

-1 animator: Gameplay-related animations first.

 

If you think that you can handle several of this roles at once, please do!

 

Also, this is meant to be a collaborative project. I'm not here to give orders.

 

So, why a 2D artist first?

For now, the whole thing has no identity, and the first step will be to create one through brainstorming, sketches and artworks.

 

I'm not opposed to the idea of a writer position (universe, story & characters), but don't feel offended if I refuse. There's nothing I can do if I just don't like your work.

 

[ About the techno ]

 

I'm open to ideas for the game engine, but for now my first choice is Unity/C# :

• fast development
• the 3D pipeline is more open than Unreal
• the main 3D formats are .fbx (autodesk) and .blend

I'm still learning Unreal Engine/C++, but it clearly has the upper hand if the project ends up with networked multiplayer.

Both engines handle animation retargeting!

 

[ Current goal ]

1. Find at least 1 person with 2D skills who wants to work on the kind of game I presented.
2. Discuss and decide a context, a universe, maybe do a main and some supporting characters drafts.
3. Discuss and decide the gameplay (Game Design).
4. Formalize with artworks and documents.
5. Update this page with something to show at last.

[ Brainstorming ]

 

I already tried all sorts of things, and as I predicted, I ended up self-censoring.

There were nice game ideas, but nothing that is loverslab material (unless you're into motorcyclegirls battles x) ).

 

[ About this thread ]

 

It is for questioning, brainstorming and application purpose.

 

I'm updating quite frequently, so don't hesitate to subscribe and check again from time to time!

 

If you want to apply, use a message, and tell me what you want to do / can do. I'd especially like to see what you can do if you're an artist.

Nothing is definitive, if we don't find a common ground then nothing happens and that's all.

 

 

 

That'll be all, thanks for reading!

[alucrad90]

Seems interesting

 

Though I think you'd better say something about the "game play" in addition to art style, like what the game type is?

 

A 3D real time combat?

A traditional FTG with 3D character like the "Street Fighter" or "Mortal Kombat"?

A 3D Action game like the "Devil May Cry"?

A platform game like the "Castlevania"?

[passage]

Thanks for the early feedback, it seems some points weren't conveyed as I wanted them to.

 

Real Time is a must. That's what I meant with the whole "responsive" thing at the beginning.

 

 

As for the gameplay, although my personal wish is fighting (VS or beat them up), it depends of several factors.

 

VS fighting (like Street Fighter, absolutely not something like Rumble Roses)

• needs an interesting cast (moveset and design alike) and a special feature: those are a LOT of work.
• Generally speaking, the purpose of a true VS game  is dueling, and it involves hitting "play again" after each match (thus severely limiting any win-to-sex), and networked multiplayer (which is a pain).
• I'd love to just for the hell of it, but I need people as hyped as me for this.

 

BTU freeform combos (Devil May Cry 3)

• needs a tremendous amount of work put into the protagonist (who has a large moveset, thus many animations, weapons, effects, transformations...).
• more difficult to balance due to all the options the latter has against his enemies.

 

BTU target combos (Double Dragon, Ninja Gaiden Black)

• since it's simpler than the 2 above, the workload is more manageable, and it's easier to play.
• great range of possible complexity between Double Dragon (almost binary) and Ninja Gaiden (AAA rich).

 

A Castlevania-like platformer needs a shitload of level design, and it's even worse with a MetroidVania. I won't do it on my own since I prefer designing encounters and enemies.

 

 

I would personally lean toward a BTU with target combos [deprecated 01/20/17], with some kind of evolution system.

But that's just my own advice, I'm open to suggestions, even more so from potential collaborators.

 

 

Also, I'd like to add an example of what I'm aiming for quality-wise: Atelier Tia

It feels just like a professional game, I'm even considering buying it. The only obstacle is that I dislike its combat flow, and for a combat-centric game it's a real problem.

 

I'm currently sketching ideas that just came to me, stay tuned.

[alucrad90]

 

BTU freeform combos (Devil May Cry 3)

• needs a tremendous amount of work put into the protagonist (who has a large moveset, thus many animations, weapons, effects, transformations...).
• more difficult to balance due to all the options the latter has against his enemies.

 

BTU target combos (Double Dragon, Ninja Gaiden Black)

• since it's simpler than the 2 above, the workload is more manageable, and it's easier to play.
• great range of possible complexity between Double Dragon (almost binary) and Ninja Gaiden (AAA rich).

 

Hmm, I used to think DMC3 is easier than Ninja Gaiden Black ... on game designer's level.

 

Anyway it depends

 

 

 

So as your game I think it's more like a Sidescroller or 3D act. You control a girl (futa?) fight against several other girls and the beat the stage boss...

 

Then in addition to "win-to-sex" I think you can just make "sex" a grab skill (or a kill move) that play a sex scene for 3-4 seconds. With a easy QTE it will encourage the player to have sex in combat than just defeat all the enemies to have sex with one of them

[passage]

Well, to prove my point, from a pure design perspective:

Ninja Gaiden's normal combat flow is always: find an opening -> UT or combo (zone if you have ammo) -> if in a difficult position, guard/dodge until safe then repeat

Now, for DMC3, first and foremost: Dante can zone. He has firearms with unlimited ammo which work even against most bosses. That's why some of them, Beowulf in particular, were designed with counter-zoning abilities (said Beowulf's feathers). Then for defense, while Ryu can block, dodge, armor through and cause a weapon clash, Dante can also double jump (anywhere), triple dodge, air dash, teleport, block (even in the air), perfect block (even in the air), and has the invincible "release" move. At high level, Dante doesn't care about finding safe openings, he can just alternate between offense and defense in the face of his opponent-s. There are many ways to handle combat in DMC3, for both beginners and experimented players alike, and designers had to make all of them interesting in their own ways.

 

I love those two games, but if I were to design an enemy, it would be far more difficult to create an interesting one for DMC3, because there are just so much things a player can do to defeat it, yet it must not be too easy nor too hard.

 

 

From a classic BTU perspective, a stage/level with multiple enemy waves and then a boss is the classic way to go. I'll just make sure you can replay them.

I'm more inclined to do a sidescroller, because 2D gameplay is more precise and easier to code/balance.

The main character should be a girl, I don't mind futa if it's needed/suggested.

Also, I want to have something interesting to do between stages, like dress-up, evolution, crafting, dating sim...

 

 

I already thought about the sex grab/finisher (there's one in HDoom and it was fun to use), but I'd like it not to be thrown-in because the game needs sex. I don't want to build the game around it without a good reason.

For example, it IS rape, so just by having it in the seriousness/violence will already be at a peak. If the game were to have a more light-hearted atmosphere, it would simply be out of the question for a good character (because from my point of view, hentai logic alone doesn't excuse rape).

[alucrad90]

Acturally since there are so many things a player can do in DMC series, the enemy design became quite simple. Devils don't have to consider what Dante is doing while Ninja Gaiden's enemies often use special skills to break Ryu's combo

 

Slow paced actions between stages will mostly break the game play (if player dont jump them). If you want to add them I strongly recommand that you could treat the game as a RPG with act-style combat. Maybe an open-world/sandbox style RPG like Terraria?

 

As rape ... OK I hate rape too but I'm keen on tentacles. An easy way is to set the heroine to the evil part or a dark hero.

[passage]

It's the other way around, I assure you:

Since there are so few things a player can do in Ninja Gaiden, the enemy design becomes quite simple. Fiends don't have to consider what Ryu is doing while DMC's enemies often use special skills to break Dante's offense. Period.

 

 

Open world is a pain to handle alone. A whole sandbox may be an interesting path with the right ideas, but I don't have them yet.

The between-stages actions shouldn't be here just to break the flow. I mean, I like the mission menu in DMC because of the ambiance, the evolution, and the route-planning. Does it break the gameplay? No, quite the contrary even.

 

 

If I could I'd totally make Nailkaiser my protagonist x). But along with the copyright, Angel Blade has a context, a story, characters... Things I'm still researching/deciding.

So please stop suggesting gameplay elements without explaining "how they came to be? why are they here?". Your input is interesting, but so far the universe remains at a standstill.