I've got an idea, Modular Open Source games, for modders in light of years to come.

[FetishSergal]

The idea came to me just now, what if a game engine was made that could have independent and modular gameplay characteristics, like being able to quickly combine different modules that would build up the core gameplay experience like for example certain scripts to make the game support RPG elements, multiplayer, RTS elements etc... As well as modules for aspects like certain types of graphic or enable the use of larger terrain (for open world games)

 

It would be great if it could be made through a node system and scripted in something easy and quick to learn and modify such as .lua...  That way it would be awesome to see a community build and release modules and see how they interact ones with another, how certain FPS shooters could include RPG elements or platform elements on the go, I remember Garrys Mod had something similar with game modes and also weapons people uploaded, you could easily have things like nukes based on scripts or load saved sandbox contraptions...

 

Combine all this with reasonable and stable elements that interact in predictable and flawless manners and you could build up just about anything, the key is making modules match in a way that doesn't fuck the game up...

 

It would also need support for facegen and good char-gen sliders and shit, a basic housing system too so that enthusiasts could expand upon it...

 

If people could learn to build up games really quickly from something like this it would democratize everything in years to come...

 

The source code should always be visible and easy to analyze and improve upon, people should be able to track it...

[Storms of Superior]

Sounds fun.

[BruceWayne]

You mean like the open source games that already exist?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open-source_video_games

[FetishSergal]

Holy cow, not such a new idea after all :/

What's your opinion on that Bruce? Are any of them worth investing time?

[BruceWayne]

Well, I've played quite a lot of OpenTTD back in the day. Seeing your OP, I don't think that is what you are looking for, though. It's a fun game nonetheless. Some other noteworthy ones in my opinion: Cataclysm DDA and Liberal Crime Squad from the Dwarf Fortress creator.

 

Also a lot of Dwarf Fortress. Though I'm not sure if that is open source. It's free and there are mods for it however.