I’m trying to make my own games, specifically focusing on gameplay over graphics. I want to take the scope of the biggest classic custom-world RPGs, condense that into a text-based, mouse-driven interface, and use that as a baseline for new mechanics. In a way, I’m attempting to return to the fun I experienced before 3D, and see what might have developed had the AAA studios not neglected the path of gameplay to put their resources into the path of graphics.
Granted, I’m ditching even 2D pixel graphics so that I can focus as much as possible on gameplay, but the gimmick is that you’re connecting to a remote drone or golem in another universe, so naturally the System interface is more like a utility. :)
A game would play as if you’re a lone hero in a unique world with 4X operations run by the NPCs. The basic loop is still kill monsters, get resources, level up, craft/sell, and repeat, but as you’re doing that, the world is slowly changing. If you pass by miners gathering ore, that ore will be used by their faction to build units, do research, and upgrade buildings. If you kill a monster attacking the miners, or ignore it, each decision can have ripple effects. :)
That’s the basic engine, but I want to leverage it to do multiple game releases in the main story styles:
– Sword and sorcery
– Sci-fi/cyberpunk
– Post-apocalyptic
– Xianxia (possibly)
As to the woke question, I really want these games to be a fun escape, not a conditioning tool to push political narratives.
Anyhow, I’ve been at it a year and half or so, and I’m having more fun doing this than I ever had playing games (even the old ones). We’ll see how it goes. :)
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