| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

Game Ideas

Page history last edited by Kevin Cheng 14 years, 6 months ago

Ghost Hunting Game

Alpha tech demo from iphonedevcamp

 

Phase 1

 

The Hunt

  • Player receives push notifications that are alerts that ghosts are nearby. "Paranormal activity detected. Investigate? Yes/No"
  • Upon opening the application, the app detects where you are in the background.
  • A map of the area you're in appears.
  • There's an area marked around you, indicating a ghost is nearby.
  • When the phone is flat/horizontal, the device is a PKE like meter. Essentially a hot/cold meter that can tell you if you're getting closer or farther. Player walks the streets trying to get closer to the ghost while watching the meter.
  • When you get very near the ghost, the meter freaks out.
  • Holding the camera vertically switches it to ecto-goggle mode.
  • Use sound to potentially help locate
  • See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMEnIRvAOoY for example of smart orientation switch

 

Update: Lots of similarities to http://www.ghostwiregame.com but that doesn't have any GPS so isn't really AR

 

Combat / Capture - Ghostbusters Style

  • You take out your gun. Press on the screen to shoot but the stream is not easy to control and oscillates randomly.
  • Phone continuosly vibrates.
  • Ghost reacts to the beam and starts running away.
  • Player will need to continue to move their finger and the phone to keep up with the ghost.
  • Once the beam connects, player continues to hold the ghost and then points their phone down to put it in a trap.

 

Combat / Capture - Fatal Frame Style

 

Progression - Ideas

  • Players can level up to catch more powerful ghosts
  • Players may unlock
    • different ways of capturing (skills)
    • different weapons
    • different sensors (to find more menacing ghosts)
    • ability to contribute their own content
  • Achievements for variety of ghosts as well as number
  • Achievements for catching date/location specific rare ghosts
  • Ability to contribute back to the game (placing ghosts, creating ghosts, writing lore)
  • New powers:

 

Ghost placement

  • Allow players to visit a website where they submit their own / build their own ghost
  • Include "lore" on the ghost
  • Other players vote on whether this ghost should actually exist in game
  • Popular ghosts are included in the almanac and the game for capture
  • Some ghosts are rare
  • Some ghosts will utilize real lore (e.g., London specific ghosts from Jack the Ripper)

 

Relieving boredom

  • Core gameplay is active participation. Need some mechanics for the 2 minute / passing time use case
  • Idea 1: Captured Ghosts require upkeep. Different ghosts require different handling or they escape (recharging traps, feeding, etc)
  • Idea 2: "Practice" mode. Ghosts in the immediate space.
  • Idea 3: "Arcade" mode. Many ghosts coming at you. Separate high score board.

 

Multiplayer Ideas

  • Other players can play near you and using the bluetooth stack and peer to peer, you can play with them. You know each other's location and direction so we can detect if you might cross streams.
  • Could use the mic to detect noise level. If you're too noisy, the ghost will run away.
  • Some ghosts require a team to capture
  • Organized events may occur
  • Summoning a friend or getting your friend to send ghosts to you via a ouiji board

 

Mood / Style

 

Future Development / Alternatives

  • Additional collectibles like story pieces ala Bioshock
  • Maybe there can be classes. So a healer would look at a friend and see a lifebar overlay.
  • Virtual goods for new weapons
  • Perhaps instead of ghosts, it's picking up objects. You're collecting for something. Possibilities to let people buy upgrades?

 

Challenges / Questions

  • What mood do we want? Scary and suspenseful like Fatal Frame? Cheeky and irreverant like WoW?
  • Need graphics programming for the ghost and beam (but not much).
  • In dark places where the video isn't very clear, the ghosts will be easier to spot. Need to adjust for this.
  • How to make it seem like the ghost is coming in and out (make it occasionally disappear/fade).

 

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/hunt-ghosts-on-your-nintendo-dsi-with-ghostwire/

http://www.destructoid.com/monster-finder-to-be-the-dsi-s-first-exclusive-game--147048.phtml 

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.