One page quick game design ideas

These are all just rough ideas that I may elaborate on later.

“Rebirth” is a simulation game where the player is a soul who is going through levels of ‘aspects’ to obtain its body and begin life.

You start out as a formless ball of light, taking shape as you gain personality and self-realization through your journey to life. You travel through realms of abstract thought, gaining abilities to make your way through the realms. Take on a grumpy personality and gain more damage against the obstacles, or become a kind person who heals and calms those around you.

-          Travel through realms of light and sound, always moving towards your ultimate goal: life.

-          Each time you play, you experience something different.

-          The realms of thought are constantly changing, reflecting how you change and develop.

-          Personality traits affect how you can react to your environment and change the way you look.

-          Fight other souls to gain enmity in life, or befriend to gain soul mates.

Genre: Simulation

Platform: PC

Projected Rating: Everyone

Target Audience: Casual to hardcore gamers ages 10-80

“Deck” is a colorful platforming adventure game where the player becomes a lowly 2 playing card, working to rise through the ranks to become an Ace.

You start out by choosing your suit; hearts, diamonds, spades, or clubs. Each suit has their own strengths and weaknesses. You make your way through the board game cities, defeating your rival card suits and hostile game pieces to rank up, becoming more powerful with each rank. Your goal: become an Ace, and rule the deck!

-          Fun, colorful worlds composed of familiar board games.

-          Unique fights using your suit’s abilities!

-          Insane bosses and enemies that make you think on your feet, each having their own weaknesses.

-          Use your card character to slip into cracks to hide, slide down hills, or glide in the air!

Genre: Platform Adventure

Platform: DS and Wii

Projected Rating: E to E10+

Target Audience: Casual gamers ages 8-15

“Citizen” is an amusing take on superheroes; by putting the player in the role of the innocent civilian, trying to survive a super-powered fight between a hero and villain.

You play as Norm A. Guy, on your way to work one morning. A fight breaks out between one of the city’s resident superheroes and a villain, and you’re caught in the middle of it! Try to survive as you dodge flying rubble, superpowers, and the panicked crowds as you attempt to make it to work on time.

-          Dodge rocks, rubble, and even cars while hurrying to work!

-          You can take a car or walk – it’s your choice.

-          Avoid getting caught in the fight, finding the best route through the city.

-          Can you get to work on time, or will you be another victim of evil?

Genre: Action

Platform: PC, flash based

Projected Rating: E10+ to Teen

Target Audience: Casual gamers looking for an amusing game to pass the time

Short story experiment

            She was beginning to understand why it was she would stay out later and later into the night. Silence. Not like the awkward pause between the relentless questioning and her own monosyllable answers. Nor the pensive quiet while her family would take a breath before exploding with their unstoppable noise. Words words words, always talking, always yelling, always screaming... like so many angry gnats buzzing inside your ears; too small to hit and too much to ignore.

           

            No. Real silence. The sort of stillness that inspires poetry in the complete absence of the unneeded. She understood why monks would retreat into the untouched mountain peaks. Wished for the same.

           

            Movement. Her form tenses, hands automatically grabbing for a way to defend herself. Finding only dirt. The edges of panic claws her spine. Her ears hear the dry grass break under the steps of the faceless prowler. Deliberate, heavy strides; closer now.

           

            The panic grips her tightly. Her body moves with practiced silence, yet her mind rings with a thousand frightened thoughts. Her back against the stone. Soft breaths; thundering heartbeat. The question of who not even asked; it didn't matter. The desperate need to remain unseen is her only drive. The reason is unquestioned; she simply has to.

           

            Steps still too close. The shadows flowing around the wall shiver on their own. One forms itself leisurely into a wiry figure. Shakes in silent laughter. Mocking her. Shadows never had to hide. They were always such. Resentment grows in her panicked mind. The intruder still approaches her location, but the emotion refuses to stop.

           

            More of them appear. Flowing down the stone and onto the grass. Flitter across the trees. Laughing, grinning invisible smiles. Her body presses against the cool rock, hands digging into the dirt.

           

            Movement closer.

           

            Anger and spite against the laughter; against the intrusion on her rare moment of pure silence. Eyes closed against the figures, yet they still dance across her vision.

           

            Another sound, nearer.

           

            Back aching at the hard surface of the stone, but her body continues to push. Impossible desire to press against it more, deeper, darker.

           

            A voice mutters a curse as a stride misses its intended location and stumbles.

           

            Her own silent voice of shock as her body jerks backwards into shadow.

           

            Completely dark.

           

            The figures surround her.

           

            No longer shades and silence.

           

            So dark.

           

            Twisted beings and whispers.

           

            Darkness, immense darkness.

           

            Familiar surroundings mere outlines in warped world.

           

            Too much.

           

            Writhing silhouettes rasping her skin.

           

            Hysteria overwhelms her. Her body topples out of shadow and into dim moonlight. Glazed eyes betray momentary unconsciousness.

           

            The interloper tramps by her umbrous form, unaware of her ever being there.

           

            She awakens some minutes later, taking a split second to remember, and immediately decides she needs silence... of sleep. 

           She sprints to her bed, leaving behind shadows quivering in soundless laughter.

Short story theme: Greed

            Steve had always felt it necessary to follow certain rules. Don’t kill. Don’t lie. Don’t covet what is someone else's. Well, he can’t covet what is his, can he? When he wanted what belonged to someone else, he took it. Then it was his. Of course, he found that he needed to make more and more things his as time went on. It started small, at first. A few magazines, some brownies from a bake sale; things no one would miss.

Then he got into the big time. Steve began stealing furniture he wanted for his apartment. Games he couldn’t afford he simply took for himself. It was all too easy. But he wasn’t satisfied. He wanted what everyone else had, and everyone else always had something bigger and better. He felt cheated by life. If he was to not covet others’ possessions, then he had to have them for himself.

He tried to explain this, as the police cuffed him. After all, it was perfectly normal for his house to be crammed full of items. He needed a lot. And if the items in question happened to have once belonged to others, why - they didn’t now, did they?

Steve continued explaining while being driven off in the patrol car. He was simply following the rules.

            After the car left, the police began the arduous task of sorting out the thousands of items that literally spilled out of Steve’s house. And if one officer snuck a few things into his pockets while doing his job, it was earned. He hadn’t gotten a bonus in much too long.

            After all, he was simply following the rules.