Ideas needed for possible online text sim

[Icy]

After playing tons of text sims over the last years, I'm serioulsy thinking on developing my own one, first as hobby, in the future, who knows.

I have two options, first one is to develop a desktop game, but it would mean to learn a windows programming language. I know Java already and some basics of Visual C# but... to create a game, with a graphic interface etc, i would need to learn a lot more, loosing tons of time on it that i could use to develop the game itself.

Second option, and the one i'm more seriously considering, is to create an online game. I work already as online developer/marketeer, know enough PHP+MySQL and graphics design to create a game as i use it in my daily work, so i could start to code the game itself right now, not loosing time learning any language (well there is always more learning needed when programming, specially about speed/performance etc, but i have a good base to start to code already). I also own some servers/bandwith and know how to get traffic to the game website, how to create revenue from it though advertisement, etc, as again, that is what i do daily for my job, to create and market websites. I also think that the future of gaming outside consoles is web based, specially for a small/indy developer without a big company behind.

I'm looking for ideas in case i decide to go for it in the future (i know this thread could lead to other guys taking those ideas, but... we are in a free market and i can't fight against it).

Here are my first thoughts:

The game needs the following:

1) To be appealing for a large amount of public. This is easy to understand, a free online game makes revenue from advertisement, and the more traffic in your website, the better advertisement deals you can make.

2) To be about something i know enough. For example, I can't make a good and deep game about cricket when i haven't ever played or even watched cricket in my whole life.

3) Must be able to generate tons of interaction between the players, via discussion forums, personal messages etc, to create a community around the game and to motivate the players to come back every day both for the game itself and for the community of players around it.

4) To be something new or unique. Well this isn't 100% necessary, as I could always work on an idea already done by another game, but doing it better or from a different approach. It has good and bad things, the good one is that if there is a game already in that niche, it means there is enough interest for it and there is always room to make it better and to attract those players, the bad thing is that it means to compete against another game, that people will compare always with yours, for the good but also for the bad.

My possible ideas so far are the following ones, with the 4 points above applied to them.

Sports ideas

Soccer:

It's one of the sports with the largest worldwide fan base. I have grown surrounded by soccer in Spain, played it in an amateur level and it's the sport i know the most, from the most basic stuff to the most advanced tactics, history etc. You can generate tons of discussions and interaction between players, from contract negotiations, transfers, national selections, domestic leagues etc. There are other games already like hattrick and the new FM online. so i would approach it from a different perspective, like for example a soccer game where you are not the coach/GM but the player itself. you start as a young kid and must develop your player, get contracts, sponsor deals etc. I could even mix things up having also humans playing as the teams coaches/GMs and interacting with the other players (like cyberdunk but for soccer).

Basketball:

Most of the above points from soccer apply to basketball too, i have also played it when younger, watched it a ton etc. It's also a sport with tons of fans worldwide, and the approach could be the same, or as coach/GM only or as players only or both. There is already cyberdunk and other games like this but i think i can do it better/different.

Football:

Also with tons of fans (but more in USA/Canada), and not any competence but... my football knowledge is not as deep as with soccer or basketball, plus the engine is more difficult to create as it's a sport with tons of different strategies. I'm not sure if i would be able to create an accurate enough game engine.

Hockey:

The fan base is way lower, and mostly in Canada/USA and North of Europe. Also i don't know as much of hockey strategies, etc. But the lack of real competition make it attractive too.

Tennis:

I know enough of it to create a game, the game engine wouldn't be difficult to create as it can use the same approach than a simple fighting RPG combat game. Only to players (or 4) in the court so no team tactics etc. It would be the easier game engine to develop, but... there wouldn't be as big interaction between players, as there are no transfers/trades, no teams (maybe i could create national selections for the Davies cup) so no possible deals between the different players, outside maybe selling stuff between them, like balls, sport shoes etc that could boost your performance. I'm not sure if Tennis has enough fans worldwide to generate enough interest on a game.

Fantasy Sports:

The good thing of a fantasy game about football, hockey, soccer etc is that there are no real stats to compare the engine with, i can create my own rules etc, so the engine can be as deep as i want it, and it doesn't need to be as statistically accurate as a real sport game. For example, the typical game with orcs vs gnomes etc etc.

Street fighting:

Like an MMA game but based on a fake street fighting world. you train your fighter, fight vs others etc. Like a gladiators game but based on street fighting/gangs. It could be done both as stable owner and as fighter, with contracts between owners and fighters, transfers from one stable to another, sponsors, regional and national selections, etc. As it would be about street fighting, i can create my own rules etc so the fight engine would be easier to develop than an accurate boxing or MMA game engine.

Non sports ideas:

Gangs wars:

Something like Omerta but based on street gangs instead of on Mafia. Dealing with drugs, weapons etc. the problem is that a game like that would be for +18 as it would include violence, drugs etc.

College life:

This could make a really deep and complex game, perfect about players interaction etc. Let's say you are an student, you need to decide when to study, when to go out for party, if to join a sports team, to be a nice guy or a bully, to flirt, etc. It s a nice idea, but needs to be so complex to be attractive enough for a long time, without being repetitive.

Bussines/Tycoon:

I loved those king of games and have not seen a good one for a long time (trucks maybe? i have not played it). This could be interesting, but i don't have ideas right now.


Ok, long thread, now what are your thoughts ideas?

[lighthousekeeper]

just please don't make another gang wars type game. there are already a billion of those.

[jackyl]

Porn Tycoon?

[highfiveoh]

Originally Posted by jackyl

Porn Tycoon?

Exactly what I was thinking.

[JW]

Teaching. Just very generally, you would have to deal with classes of students of varying abilities and strengths and weaknesses, and with some with learning disabilities and some with legitimate behavioral problems, and some who are just assholes. You would have a curriculum you would have to impart to the students within a certain time, and regular tests to see how the kids and you were doing. You would have a menu of strategies to use. And you would have a standardized test the kids would take at the end of the year to see how you did. Your goal would be a certain growth in standardized test scores from year to year. You would have various distractions like assemblies, snow days, fights, etc. Just when your kids got their scores up higher you would have six Mexican kids of undocumented status enter your class (no offense to anyone; it happens) and you would have to deal with that, and your kid with the highest scores would transfer to another school. You would have a choice of where to start, from the poor school where you didn't even have enough books for everyone or a computer, to the rich magnet school with all the resources you need. So there you go. Go with that one.

[Izulde]

I vote the College Life one.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Izulde

I vote the College Life one.

Me too.

Everybody has preconceptions about how a sports sim is supposed to work, how the engine is supposed to run, what stats are realistic. With the college life thing - you have complete free reign. You can focus on whatever you want, and make it as detailed or simple as you feel like.

It would make an interesting online game too - you apply to hundreds of colleges across the country (or world), and either focus on grades, getting laid, sports, whatever. A lot of possibilites. You could have one-night stands with other online players. Imagine a FOFC frat.

[Neon_Chaos]

Fantasy Sport.

FUTURE SPORT!

[MrBug708]

Horse Racing!

[st.cronin]

+1 to Horse Racing

[Toddzilla]

Bowling

[CU Tiger]

Billiards or Golf....

Seriously though id try an online racing text sim.

You could be either a driver or an owner or even a crew member.
You could always buy better car parts (tires engines suspeensions shocks etc) you could hire better crew members you could work up to a driver perhaps and eveen to an owner.

You could have a base skill set and improve it through practice and training.

You get 43 players per race, and could have a multi tiered division.

I would play it if done right. And Im not even a big race fan.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Billiards or Golf....

Seriously though id try an online racing text sim.

You could be either a driver or an owner or even a crew member.
You could always buy better car parts (tires engines suspeensions shocks etc) you could hire better crew members you could work up to a driver perhaps and eveen to an owner.

You could have a base skill set and improve it through practice and training.

You get 43 players per race, and could have a multi tiered division.

I would play it if done right. And Im not even a big race fan.

What's that racing game that FrogMan plays... I think that's what you're looking for.

[Flasch186]

Police life.

From the academy all the way through someone's career with many many variations therein. Choices to go into Homicide, negotiations, internal affairs, etc. If ever there was a possible avenue to do this this, to me, has oodles of potential.

Scenarios you have to navigate through, tests to pass, characteristics and ratings can come into play (respect, reactions, smarts, etc.) when you have to interact on the streets, go to court to defend something you did, investigate a murder, etc.

Actually, if you decide to do this, I would love to help out any way I can. I was thinking of doing this myself but have no idea how or where to begin.

Bolded for emphasis as I have emphatically talked to people about this before.

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Police life.

From the academy all the way through someone's career with many many variations therein. Choices to go into Homicide, negotiations, internal affairs, etc. If ever there was a possible avenue to do this this, to me, has oodles of potential.

Scenarios you have to navigate through, tests to pass, characteristics and ratings can come into play (respect, reactions, smarts, etc.) when you have to interact on the streets, go to court to defend something you did, investigate a murder, etc.

Actually, if you decide to do this, I would love to help out any way I can. I was thinking of doing this myself but have no idea how or where to begin.

Bolded for emphasis as I have emphatically talked to people about this before.

you should've gone with all caps too

[lordscarlet]

I would love to do a web based text sim myself. However, I just don't have the time.

[14ers]

Originally Posted by Icy

Bussines/Tycoon:

I am still waiting for someone to develop a Sports Agent type game.

Start out as a small company with local minor leaguers and see if you can develop into a national company dealing with Major league Teams, Product endorsements, and the occasional brush with the law.

Jerry McGwire meets Arliss kind of thing.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Police life.

From the academy all the way through someone's career with many many variations therein. Choices to go into Homicide, negotiations, internal affairs, etc. If ever there was a possible avenue to do this this, to me, has oodles of potential.

Scenarios you have to navigate through, tests to pass, characteristics and ratings can come into play (respect, reactions, smarts, etc.) when you have to interact on the streets, go to court to defend something you did, investigate a murder, etc.

Actually, if you decide to do this, I would love to help out any way I can. I was thinking of doing this myself but have no idea how or where to begin.

Bolded for emphasis as I have emphatically talked to people about this before.

This idea is interesting and something i wouldn't have ever thought myself.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by 14ers

I am still waiting for someone to develop a Sports Agent type game.

Start out as a small company with local minor leaguers and see if you can develop into a national company dealing with Major league Teams, Product endorsements, and the occasional brush with the law.

Jerry McGwire meets Arliss kind of thing.

I like this idea too, the problem i find is creating a pool of sports players big enough for every possible player. In real life, there aren't as big amount of spots players agents as potential players that could join an online text sim. Also it coul dmean having to develop a lot of different sports engines for those sports players to generate stats, teams that would want tt hire them, etc.

In resume, it would need a whole sports universe around the agents game, that is something too ambitious.

[Icy]

Please keep the ideas/comments comming guys, you are helping a lot.