Serial Killer Roguelike - I need your opinion.

[Robert Jarzebina]

Hi

So for few years I was making my own roguelike framework. I have pretty much big code base with: various location generators, modern 2d GUI, combat mechanics, AI etc. Problem is: I dont have direction and motivation for making something full and complete.

Serial Killer Roguelike. To me it was always a challenge. There were many attemps of doing such game in the past. Ofcourse all of them unsuccessful. http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=64522.0

My game:
Game mechanics and look would be similar to beloved Rogue Survivor but much more complex and modern looking.

Player would be a serial killer having big house with basement, then he would go out at night to hunt for victims, kidnaping people or killing them in their house. Player could also record snuff videos and sell them to perverts. Etc.


How it would look like?
Player character in his basement doing nasty things.

This is the graphics I can afford in such big and complex project. No animations or other fancy stuff. NO UNITY3D

So what do you think? Hmmm.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Are you okay, Robert?

 

[Turtle-Zone 3000]

You can tell this was a game made by a codexer.

 

[Robert Jarzebina]

Are you okay, Robert?

How about you will give me an opinion and vote?

 

[Hobo Elf]

Are you okay, Robert?

How about you will give me an opinion and vote?

Do it faggot. At least it's a fresh idea. I personally don't care how fucked up or depraved something is as long as it's new and, most importantly, good.

 

[lightbane]

Do it, if only to see if you'll cause mass hysteria from the unwashed masses just like Hatred did.

 

[Alex]

Are you okay, Robert?

How about you will give me an opinion and vote?

Do it faggot. At least it's a fresh idea. (snip...)

actually...

 

[Hobo Elf]

Are you okay, Robert?

How about you will give me an opinion and vote?

Do it faggot. At least it's a fresh idea. (snip...)

actually...

Other than both being about serial killers, it doesn't seem to be going for the same thing. Robert is obviously going for a glorified gore and shock shlockfest.

 

[Alex]

I just meant that it isn't completely new, although now I see the original post even mentioned it wasn't, so apologies for just repeating stuff.

At any rate, a serial killer game doesn't look like a good idea to me. I could get an assassin game, where you have to use your wits and the game's underlying systems to somehow kill a target. This kind of thing can be a fun puzzle. But a serial killer game seems to me to just be trying too hard. I mean, it seems to me that a serial killer type of game would be somewhat similar to an assassin game. But here your methods need to be more direct and crude. So you end up losing on some interesting gameplay in exchange for sickening backdrops.

 

[Robert Jarzebina]

But a serial killer game seems to me to just be trying too hard. I mean, it seems to me that a serial killer type of game would be somewhat similar to an assassin game.

Well every serial killer is an assassin, but they have more complex and fucked up motivation. In perfect Serial Killer game (my goal) you could play different characters: from brute killers, sadist, to more gentle, more planning types. Also killing people or kidnapping them changes a lot. It will be more sandbox game with freedom of chocies and gameplay styles - an RPG about livin a character, not just making some missions for $.

The big gameplay element is how to not get caught be police, and when you are really advance in your actions - FBI. With the time and bodycount they will make your life more and more difficult.

I want to make a game where it is very hard to kill someone. It wont be a Hatred, rambo style of massacre, with no consequences.

 

[Eyestabber]

Add a rewarding eye stabbing mechanic and it will be for me.

 

[Mastermind]

i'd play but I won't lie, if you charged money i'd just pirate it.

 

[Mustawd]

 

[Viata]

Better include as many civilians as possible. If I want to roll a serial killer, I better be able to act like one. Killing and torturing them is boring things, I want to kill someone and hide his body pieces around the city, putting their organs in a box and send to their loved ones, cutting their bodies and put inside a glass like this, cut their heads off and use it as flower pot, cut them in small pieces so I can have meat for some days. Let me have fun, mindless fun. If you are going to try this kind of game, you better do it well enough to make a lot of people go mad after you. And doing this way, you'll also have one hell of a serial killer game.

 

[Alex]

But a serial killer game seems to me to just be trying too hard. I mean, it seems to me that a serial killer type of game would be somewhat similar to an assassin game.

Well every serial killer is an assassin, but they have more complex and fucked up motivation. In perfect Serial Killer game (my goal) you could play different characters: from brute killers, sadist, to more gentle, more planning types. Also killing people or kidnapping them changes a lot. It will be more sandbox game with freedom of chocies and gameplay styles - an RPG about livin a character, not just making some missions for $.

The big gameplay element is how to not get caught be police, and when you are really advance in your actions - FBI. With the time and bodycount they will make your life more and more difficult.

I want to make a game where it is very hard to kill someone. It wont be a Hatred, rambo style of massacre, with no consequences.

Ok, man. But I think I actually expressed myself poorly. Of course you can make a serial killer game that has some kind of interesting gameplay. My point is that, as far as I can see, you could get the same gameplay with a game that isn't particularly sadistic.

 

[FuriousGamer87]

If you are going to make a game like that, might as well include this feature with its accompanying gory animations.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Well, serial killers have a lot of appeal to enough people to make books and movies about them.

Not to me, though. Also, needs sound effects.

 

[Talby]

Sounds interesting if you approach it from a simulation perspective, trying to plan the perfect murder. Like a low production values version of Hitman, but with the addition of having to cover your tracks and avoid being caught long after the crime has been committed. I'd leave out the torture/gore stuff unless it serves a gameplay purpose though. Not for squeamish/censorship reasons, just because it seems pointless unless it changes the gameplay experience somehow.

 

[nomask7]

You should add God to the game, so that the serial killer will eventually start to be fucked with by God himself if he/she performs acts that are too outrageous (this could justify some of the gore game play elements), or performs too many murders - the exact amount depending on your race and luck score. Also, the player character can assuage God via some sort of contrition rituals, but these require time that is ideally better spent elsewhere and the powerful ones would perhaps require rare materials. Characters who are high on piety score, like they target only bad people etc, would be able to pray for help, as in ADOM.

You should also add possibility of sacrificing to demons in order to acquire super powers. Obviously, it would have to be an interesting and well-designed mechanic, but not too balanced necessarily, just obscure enough with regard to how to abuse it.

 

[jcd]

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[laclongquan]

Talk about a stillborn project~

There is a reason this idea of yours hasnt got any traction in all those decades.

Players at least like to admit that they play a game. They cant, ever, admit that they play a sadistic serial killer. Not in any manner that can be traced back to their real life identity.

Sure, plenty of games support those kind of behaviours. But not outright, not without a thick mantle of deniability.

Your idea wont get traction of many, even Codexers. Sure, they say that they like it and they will play. Will they? Do you know how many here say they dislike fallout 4 and keep on playing it? And how many say they like fallout 1 without playing it even once?

EDIT: no kingcomrade option? I dont say that I like this idea of yours, but the game itself might worth a look once it's completed. For that, a kc button is enough.

EDIT: the idea is stillborn because face it, at the end of day you criminal player playing against AI cop. Of course you are going to trounce the AI. and no one want to think about serial killers trouncing the capture, so no one want players to win. cognitive dissonance? Is that the correct term?
Also, as one ever put it: If some killer has something of this game on his/her computer, the game developers are going to get a huge shitstorm. Good luck digging up money to pay for lawyers.

 

[Davaris]

If I wanted to play a serial killer game I'd just play GTA.

Might be interesting if you have a serial killer in a big city and you track it down from clues it leaves behind. Have no idea how you would do that though. Any game where you play a Sherlock Holmes type character would be fun.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Robert Jarzebina, have considered finding some forums for fans of serial killers or some media about serial killers and posting about your game there?

Maybe you could do an indie go-go campaign to hire sound and graphics people.

 

[boobio]

You have to make this! You will get much fame on the Internets.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

If I wanted to play a serial killer game I'd just play GTA.

GTA doesn't really have mechanics for playing a serial killer.