GENETIC MUTATION / EVOLUTION GAME IDEA

        I've been jotting down a few ideas for games of all types over the year (future blog posts), but my brother had a concept he'd been developing in a day dream whilst stuck in traffic. He called me about it, we discussed it, and brainstormed a few ideas in an attempt to give the concept some meat. Although it unintentionally borrows inspiration from many games, books and films, I'm really excited by its setting and main USP - synergistic powers and a metropolis prison dome. 

The quick overview is as follows;

Earth's population has reached its climax, crime has reached its apparent apex, and natural selection has introduced genetic mutations, handing those selected, seemingly synergistic powers. A now totalitarian government enforced the law - "You commit any crime, you are jailed. You show any sign of powers, you are jailed". A metropolis-esque super dome holds Earth's criminals and mutations serving life sentences  leaving them to fend for themselves. Children are born, mutations work for and against, and inmates rule in this prison dome. You, an accused mutation, are thrown into this prison, forced to deal with its rulers and demons.

     The idea behind the setting is one, because its just cool (lets be honest guys). And two, it allows players to feel free, whilst enforcing a restriction that isn't just simply "Oh, sorry mate, cant go any further, we have invisible walls and shit". I like it, and we both think it's has great potential for multiple environments (divided space environment?). Maybe the prison foundations? A shanty town? A modern metropolis?

     The idea behind the synergy of powers is to flesh out the tried, and usually failed attempts, at super powers in games (Infamous and Prototype are an exception) whilst adding variety to game play and player motivation to experiment. It also offers some unique co-op game play possibilities. Why have two people fighting in a room when you can have two people using each other to fight? Army of Two is a notable comparison and as I'm aware, not many games have really attempted it have they? At least not well.

Here are some other ideas that came up in the conversation;

• Primary antagonist secretly powered.
• Powers work and compliment each other.
• Evolution facilitates payer progression.
• Player starts in shanty town area?
• Dome guarded by intense military security.

      There are countless more ideas, so rather than write it down here when I don't have much time. I'll spend tomorrow brainstorming ideas  as nothing is really set in stone (I'll post them in a future post, along with the concepts over summery). However, over the summer I'm definitely going to work with my brother to get some environmental concepts, and maybe some user interface designs completed. 

Can't wait to get stuck in!

NEXT POST: PATTERN GAME: JUSTIFICATIONS