The CoG Game

[Hawkzombie]

So it struck me today that we have several very talented people who come to these forums, and we all love games...so why not make our very own? I mean, it can't be THAT hard to come up with even a simple flash game, and since we all love games so much it could be a fun experience all around. Or crash and burn, bursting in a brilliant explosion of crushed dreams and depression. Either way, lots of fun!

Discuss, if interested.

Dibs on writer :p....lol

[roboninja]

Dibs on the guy who does not volunteer. but gets cajoled into agreeing to do something. Then he does not meet deadlines, and everyone gets mad at him. I am awesome at that.

[Siraris]

Sorry dude, it would never work

[Hawkzombie]

Sorry dude, it would never work

roboninja aside, why not?

I mean, all it takes is really the following:


A solid idea
Decent writing
Art
Programming
Distribution Method (If it's flash, that's easy: Kongregate or Armor Games or even Newgrounds)


These things aren't that hard to come by, and judging by the vast array of flash games that come out every day pretty much, it can't be -that- hard for a group of like-minded individuals to group together and create something, even if it's simplistic.

So in all honesty, why not?

And robo, I nominate you for the advertising campaign. Get on it!! I expect to not see it on my desk in two weeks.

[roboninja]

And robo, I nominate you for the advertising campaign. Get on it!! I expect to not see it on my desk in two weeks.

I guess...

[Krispy]

Games are a lot more work than you may realize.

[Siraris]

Because these sorts of things rarely work. How many people here know Flash well enough to make a game, and have the free time to do so? Who will take what job, and who will make decisions? What if one person wants to do one thing and not another? Who will have final say? Who will own the rights to the game? Where will the money go? Who will keep people motivated? How do you keep people motivated without paying them? What happens if an important cog (no pun) in the wheel drops out?

That's just a couple ideas that come to mind. I've been programming for 12 years, and I've spent quite a few of them trying to do projects with people who don't live near me, where we work pro-bono.

It just rarely, if ever works.

[Hawkzombie]

Games are a lot more work than you may realize.

Oh, I know that. I'm not some disillusioned high-schooler who's doodling on his notebook in math class, and suddenly thinks 'hey! I could do something with this!' and then end up designing all the enemies in Doom 3.

But really, it's not as hard as people make it out to be either, especially if you go for a popcorn flash game. Hell, the guy who made Minecraft made a neat platform puzzler in 18 hours from scratch by himself. (http://notch.tumblr.com/post/998637682/minecraft-alpha-v1-0-17-03-finland-and-metagun) Surely a group of us could do something equally fun in a couple of weeks :p

Because these sorts of things rarely work. How many people here know Flash well enough to make a game, and have the free time to do so? Who will take what job, and who will make decisions? What if one person wants to do one thing and not another? Who will have final say? Who will own the rights to the game? Where will the money go? Who will keep people motivated? How do you keep people motivated without paying them? What happens if an important cog (no pun) in the wheel drops out?

That's just a couple ideas that come to mind. I've been programming for 12 years, and I've spent quite a few of them trying to do projects with people who don't live near me, where we work pro-bono.

It just rarely, if ever works.

Those are valid points. I've even had people drop the ball when I was paying them when I was doing my web comic stuff years ago. Rather aggravating. My thing is this would be done for fun chiefly, and not a stressful sort of endeavor. No money would exchange hands, nor would any be charged for the game. And a simple solution to who 'owns' it is just to give to to CoG in the end and just have the credits.

True, this may simply be a pipe dream, but it's interesting to discuss, no?

[Purple Santa]

True, this may simply be a pipe dream, but it's interesting to discuss, no?

To discuss, to plan to whatever interaction it might bring about. A game may result from this or no product at all. However what some may experience from the "pipe dream" is the reward.

I look forward to the CoG game :)

[MagGnome]

I volunteer to play it.

[violent]

Create a text adventure if just to watch Siraris eat crow.

[pomeroy]

I volunteer to play it.

Don't you mean you volunteer to download it and never actually play it?

[Purple Santa]

Don't you mean you volunteer to download it and never actually play it?

Shoots. Scores. Burns.

[MagGnome]

Don't you mean you volunteer to download it and never actually play it?

You got me there.

[Dorkandproudofit]

I volunteer to write the music. I once wrote some stuff for some friends who were making an indie RPG (they ran out of money to finish it--shame, I thought they had something going on). Perhaps I can use some of it or modify it to fit a short flash game.

[Camel]

To discuss, to plan to whatever interaction it might bring about. A game may result from this or no product at all. However what some may experience from the "pipe dream" is the reward.

I look forward to the CoG game :)
FUN FACT: A "pipe dream" refers to a dream you might have while smoking opium.

Just found this out (http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/08/the-origin-of-the-phrase-pipe-dream/) a few days ago. Thought it was pretty crazy.

[Hawkzombie]

And the thread is now about opium :p

And I've thought about a text-based game, or one in those old Dungeon Crawler styles with the maze floors and first person perspective. Something about those rocks my socks.

[Purple Santa]

FUN FACT: A "pipe dream" refers to a dream you might have while smoking opium.


http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/PurpleSanta/CoG/_the_more_you_know.jpg
And the thread is now about opium :p

And I've thought about a text-based game, or one in those old Dungeon Crawler styles with the maze floors and first person perspective. Something about those rocks my socks.

The need to smoke opium by the Hawkzombie game making team to create your masterpiece of course :D

I like the idea of a text-based game. Maybe the life and times of Hawkzombie on the internets :p;)

[Darkmatter]

We could do a Farmville mod where you grow opium.

[Hawkzombie]

Dude, if we did my life and times on the internet, then civil would be one of those bosses you fight, but later joins your party, but then goes off once you find a gnome.

Karak, of course, would be the 'Cid' character :p

[Spectre-7]

Let me offer up a real winner of an idea. This game concept is a guaranteed best-seller, and if I only had the time, I'd develop it myself. Ready?

Slavery Tycoon.

You're welcome.

[Darkmatter]

You forgot to mention your opium addiction...

[Darkmatter]

Let me offer up a real winner of an idea. This game concept is a guaranteed best-seller, and if I only had the time, I'd develop it myself. Ready?

Slavery Tycoon.

You're welcome.


Not relevant enough to today.

Terrorist Tycoon. Thats where the real money is.

[resikel]

"How Many Baby Justin Bieber Can You Take On In A Bar Fight." I know the title is a bit long but damn...that shit will sell hundreds...

[KamaItachi]

Do you guys have a Peter Molyneaux yet? I could do that.

[carnage11]

I'll be a QA/tester. I'll need several 2 liters of Mountain Dew, some beef jerky and an ounce of weed.

[MagGnome]

"How Many Baby Justin Bieber Can You Take On In A Bar Fight." I know the title is a bit long but damn...that shit will sell hundreds...

The "Baby" is redundant.

[Purple Santa]

Dude, if we did my life and times on the internet, then civil would be one of those bosses you fight, but later joins your party, but then goes off once you find a gnome.

Karak, of course, would be the 'Cid' character :p
I see you have started designing the game :p I think it would work though.
I'll be a QA/tester. I'll need several 2 liters of Mountain Dew, some beef jerky and an ounce of weed.

We have lots of opium. Will that be suffice?

[Ravenlock]

If this hypothetical game ends up existing and requires voices (character or narration), I'd be happy to provide one or more of those.

[Darkmatter]

We have lots of opium. Will that be suffice?

Don't be ridiculous! He'd say the game was "wonderful" no matter how bad it sucked!

[BigJonno]

Dude, if we did my life and times on the internet, then civil would be one of those bosses you fight, but later joins your party, but then goes off once you find a gnome.

Karak, of course, would be the 'Cid' character :p

So you're saying that we need to make Final Colony: The Legend of Hawkzombie?

TO RPG MAKER!

*Looks down at the quotes in his sig.*

I guess I'm either a summon or the token monster-type guy of the party.

[Darkmatter]

You're a summon, but you're the 2nd summon, the one nobody ever gets around to using. :D



So you're saying that we need to make Final Colony: The Legend of Hawkzombie?

TO RPG MAKER!

*Looks down at the quotes in his sig.*

I guess I'm either a summon or the token monster-type guy of the party.

[Hawkzombie]

Don't be ridiculous! He'd say the game was "wonderful" no matter how bad it sucked!

Isn't that how it works in the real world?

[Exodus]

What kind of game play you lookin to do. If you had only one or two sentences to sell the game what would you say?

eg. "It's river city ransom combined with marvel vs. capcom fight mechanics with the art style of chibi anime but with the crazy gross detail of akira."

[EternalGamer]

Chris D already proposed the ultimate CoG game. It's a web forum where everybody gets the ability to moderate, close threads, and even ban people, right down to banning IPs. Talk about games until you are the last man standing.

[MagGnome]

He who has the highest post count wins!

I like this game.

[EternalGamer]

He who has the highest post count wins!

I like this game.

Reaching certain post counts gives you MP to bann but every time you are reported, you lose MP

[Hawkzombie]

LOL, god, this is getting cosmic. A forum that is a game based on a forum.

[MagGnome]

Reaching certain post counts gives you MP to bann but every time you are reported, you lose MP

I already have a short list of the people I would ban. When can I start? Can I rest to gain more MP?

[carnage11]

LOL, god, this is getting cosmic. A forum that is a game based on a forum.

Or is it a game based on a forum based on a game? Shit...now I'm confused.

[Exodus]

Or is it a game based on a forum based on a game? Shit...now I'm confused.

Wait...how do we know we're not in the game right now? :eek:

[EternalGamer]

Wait...how do we know we're not in the game right now? :eek:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory

[Darkmatter]

LOL, god, this is getting cosmic. A forum that is a game based on a forum.

I'd like to read the official forum for that game!


The banning made me think of a crazy idea. What if everyone over a certain minimum post count got 1 free ban for their birthday? ;)

[Hawkzombie]

Then Mags would ban someone every year :p

[Ravenlock]

Wait, this is the game? Well then I've already been doing a voice for it on the IM podcast.

That's quite a lot of uncompensated work I've given your game, Hawk. I'll be expecting a check.

[Panthera]

I just lost the game.

[Dorkandproudofit]

I think I should be an enemy in the game, or else a boss. My special attack would involve throwing pancakes at the player, who would have to jump or duck to avoid them, then leap over my head to grab an axe that drops me into a pool of molten lava.

[carnage11]

If this isn't a game, then I'm embarrassed. I've been acting like an asshole to these people, I thought were NPCs this whole time. :o

[Krispy]

I'm want to be Professor Oak.

[Hawkzombie]

Wait, this is the game? Well then I've already been doing a voice for it on the IM podcast.

That's quite a lot of uncompensated work I've given your game, Hawk. I'll be expecting a check.

Don't worry, I'm sure my agent will be in touch with yours soon over discussing payment options. I think we all agreed to be paid once the game sold. You'll get a % of the end profits :p

I'm want to be Professor Oak.

You can play with my Pokéballs anyday.

[Krispy]

Dude, the Professor doesn't play with Pokéballs. The man is a God damned genie with that shit.

[MagGnome]

Then Mags would ban someone every year :p

You bet your ass I would.

[Hawkzombie]

Dude, the Professor doesn't play with Pokéballs. The man is a God damned genie with that shit.

Fine. Rub mine like a magic lamp. Just do something with 'em.

[Spectre-7]

Fine. Rub mine like a magic lamp. Just do something with 'em.

That's some pick-up line ya got there.

[Ghostbear]

THere is a browser based "rpg" called Forumwarz (http://www.forumwarz.com/)

[Hawkzombie]

That's some pick-up line ya got there.

Know what babe? I think you should bend over.

Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there behind my massive cock. Hi, I'm Chris.

So tell me, when was the last time you touched god? *touches* You're welcome.

*Yells* I'm outside 100 yards, baby, and I can still make you shiver!

I swear to god I knew your name before I blacked out. What was it again?

[evilgoodwin]

Pfft. I already have an awesome idea for a game. None of you can have it. :D