How would you design a Godzilla game?

[Thrawn183]

So I think it was Warty Goblin who posted a thread a while back about how you would go about designing a video game that you thought was awesome.

So I was thinking, how about asking how everyone would go about designing a video game that I think is awesome?

At this point I'm still stuck on first person vs. third person. I think third person would be a lot better for seeing all of the destruction, but at the same time part of the allure, at least to me, of playing the game would be getting to see things from big G's eyes, which would require first person.

[Brother Oni]

Depends on what type of Godzilla you were going for. The Toei bloke in a rubber suit version suits a third person perspective. The american movie version, being much more agile, could be interesting as a first person.

[Kris Strife]

There was no American Godzilla movie, it was just the last thirty minutes of the second Jurassic Park movie moved to New York and extended for two hours.

[Zeful]

Of course there wasn't. (tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Discontinuity) It was just a bad dream.:smallwink:

[Narudude360]

How would I design a Godzilla ga- NOT A F***ING FIGHTER!!!!

RAGE!!!1!

[Ikialev]

Well, you would be Godzilla, and you destroy stuff.

[Mando Knight]

How would I design a Godzilla ga- NOT A F***ING FIGHTER!!!!

Then how else? Doesn't Godzilla mostly go stomping around Tokyo, beating up the random Monster of the Movie (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MonsterOfTheWeek)?

[warty goblin]

So I think it was Warty Goblin who posted a thread a while back about how you would go about designing a video game that you thought was awesome.

Does this mean I get a cut of royalties?:smalltongue:


So I was thinking, how about asking how everyone would go about designing a video game that I think is awesome? A noble endeavor. Allow me to aid you on your virteous quest!



At this point I'm still stuck on first person vs. third person. I think third person would be a lot better for seeing all of the destruction, but at the same time part of the allure, at least to me, of playing the game would be getting to see things from big G's eyes, which would require first person.

I think the answer here is both, and have it toggle. In first person mode you would move a little bit more slowly, but could use your breath weapon and some sort of stompy melee attack. In third person you would move faster, get more bashy moves, but lose the ability to use the breath weapon. Or something like that. Perhaps not even tie abilities to perspective, but allow you to choose. The point being that there are places where you want the extra situational awareness provided by third person, but others where the extra precision of first person is helpful.

I think the most useful reference point here would be driving a tank in an FPS. Much of the time you want to be aware of your envioronment, and so better move within it. This is also fine for a lot of attacks. Sometimes however you really need to make a hard shot, and the first person mode is very helpful.

[Joran]

There's already been a game kind of like a Godzilla game:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampage_%28arcade_game%29

Rampage!

[Gamerlord]

* Third Person
* Can upgrade self by leveling up, RPG style
*Earns points based on the destruction you cause
*Sandbox

[Optimystik]

If you want the "stomp-around-town-like-it's-your-sandbox" feel, just play the Transformers games. They're surprisingly good, and you can at least turn into a car or plane when you get bored squashing buildings.

I'd love an update to the Rampage franchise, myself.

[Celesyne]

Godzilla..... ON MARS!!!!! .... no, but 3rd-person view using the same engine as Red Faction: Guerrilla. Minor objectives ans mini-missions, most of which have something to do with wreaking large amounts of destruction. Upgrade your armoredness/health/destructive abilities through using some random collectible item to come from killing enemy units and destroying buildings. Every so often through in a large mission involving an Iconic Godzilla Victim, like Mothra. A dual-pronged mission involving destroying more property than your opponent and then to take out your opponnent.

[Oregano]

Monster Hunter but you're the monster. I mean that physics and animations wise with the ability to swim, fly, dig and all other funky stuff but I'd set it in a Sandbox city, a massive sandbox city as it wouldn't have to be as detailed as most sandbox game.

An RPG/Power up system could be nice as well. Also a morality system could be fun, will you save the city or destroy it?

[Crossblade]

There's already been a game kind of like a Godzilla game:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampage_%28arcade_game%29

Rampage!

Actually I think War of the Monsters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lVEZitluYg&feature=related) was a much closer to Godzilla type game.

[oyhr]

A decent game would involve you playing as one of the citizens, constantly running for your life.

[Athaniar]

The Godzilla fighting game to the Gamecube was pretty good, and I'm planning on getting the sequel to the Wii (is it as good or better than its predecessor?). I can't honestly see Godzilla and his "friends" in any game but fighting.

[Lord Loss]

Like that old game rampage, but in 3-D. And you destroy stuff more easily. And there are units trying to kill you. Character selection would span over loads of monsters, each with stat differences, weaknesses, and spec. abilities. Do Include Mothra, Godzilla, MechaGodzilla, King Gadora and even Baby Godzilla

[hamishspence]

I can vaguely recall there being an actual Godzilla platformer for one of the old consoles.

Seeing a modern incarnation would be interesting- probably 3D as mentioned.

[Thrawn183]

My biggest concern would be making Godzilla too easy to kill. On one hand, he's godzilla, on the other hand you don't want the game to be too easy. I'm torn.

[Gamerlord]

My biggest concern would be making Godzilla too easy to kill. On one hand, he's godzilla, on the other hand you don't want the game to be too easy. I'm torn.

Hard shmard, ever heard of fun?

[warty goblin]

My biggest concern would be making Godzilla too easy to kill. On one hand, he's godzilla, on the other hand you don't want the game to be too easy. I'm torn.

I suspect the thing to do here is to make the difficulty variable, but not by using a slider or anything like that.

Instead I suggest making the basic city stomping fairly easy. Not 'tape down the stomp button' easy, but something where you can quickly and simply defeat most of your enemies. After all you're a physics violating monster the height of a skyscraper with breath that causes Giger counters to whimper and die. Having tanks represent a threat is simply not in keeping with the mood.

Fighting other major monsters however should be hard. Not 'hit TV with axe' hard, but definitely a step up from the city smashing. Have these be completely optional, but totally awesome. That way you'd feel like a bit of a wimp for not beating them, but wouldn't be forced to. Maybe tie victory to some sort of additional powers, or better yet, combo attacks.

Actually, here's the best way to do it. Have a big old map of Japan, with all the major cities. Smaller than reality of course, and closer together as well, but still large and recognizable. When you start the game, you control some portion of the map- say Tokyo and a couple other cities. You can smash these at will, and while you are gone, they rebuild themselves through the power of Magic Plot.

The rest of the map is under the control of other monsters. If you want to smash their cities, you have to go over there, bury your scaly foot three hundred feet up their mutant ass, and lay claim to their metropolis. If you take all of another monster's metropoli, you defeat them permanently, and during combat with other monsters you can call them in for very powerful tag team attacks.

The one major problem I can see here is that you'd end up fighting each monster two or three times, which could get boring. Giving them different attacks depending on which city they were defending, or how many of your cities you'd conquered should solve the problem.

[Juhn]

Well, you would be Godzilla, and you destroy stuff.

So... this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla:_Destroy_All_Monsters_Melee)?

Note that I own the game, and do not regret this fact.

[Celesyne]

There was a rediculously difficult, and old godzilla game on the NES, though I can't seem to find a reference to it for a link.