Mutation: Reign of Terror/ A humble game idea

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Alrighty, here my humble idea and feel free to boo me or add input.

Basic premise: You start the game by designing your mutant from a large wad of body parts and power selection. Then you are part of an escape from a bio lab into a large city from which to begin your reign of terror.

You would have access to the entire city and sewers, very free roaming ala Spiderman and other free roaming fun. You would stalk and kill citizens and fight off police and possibly military units as you make a nuisance of yourself. Yes, I understand this seems to be ripped from GTA. However, from time to time, you would get hints about other mutants prowling around.

When you fight said mutants, who would have randomly generated appearances and powers, you would accumulate more mutation potential to increase your own powers. Also, some of these mutants would have previously locked powers and body parts that you would then have access to for other mutants you may want to come up with and upgrade your current mutant with.

That is the bare bones idea. A free roaming game without missions per se, just good old wandering and killing to boost your prestige as an inhuman killing machine. Stalk through sewers, jump buildings, stalk humans for fun and mischief.

As for proper feedback, you would have a menu option to display your kills (Individualized between military/police/civilian/mutant/etc), mutilations, property damage, all that fun mess.

Obviously for interesting variety, the lab that created you could try to send super soldiers, special mutants, and robots to chase you as well. Could also be an alien landing from time to time to give you access to psychic powers if you consume them.

I always loved the idea of creating your own character and then doing as you pleased, letting the game evolve around you. So yes, that is the basic idea I have in a nutshell for a change of pace in threads and now I ask your opinions.

EDIT: Added Plot for those of you who wanted an idea of motivation for said mutant.

The Creature finds itself behind bars for years being poked and proded by the odd creatures in white coats that never seem to care about anything beyond something called a blood sample. It finds itself being put to sleep only to find itself sore from where they last cut on it. They subject it to tests and other odd things that only seem to frighten and confuse it, being punished if they are not pleased with the results.

Finally, a miracle happens. A word it can't even truly grasp but it happens. An accident happens while it is being transported and the bars that have been its confirming hell are broken, allowing it into the wild where it first slinks into a sewer.

After a day or so of hiding, it finds its stomach rumbling and stalks upwards towards the fresh night air. From the manhole, its senses are regaled by the scent of meat. Walking, talking meat just like what had hurt it for so long. With a leap and a snap, followed by stifled screams, it wolfs down its first meal, sating a hunger and creating a desire and a need for more.

However, it flees from flashing lights and harsh sirens as more of these odd creatures arrive and mutter about its kill. A new terror has begun but it must be careful lest discovered and destroyed by the hands that made it or the protectors of its new prey. Let alone that it can also smell odd creatures like itself and can only feel hatred for rivals to its new domain.

 

[Spleenbag]

Sounds like it could be fun.

 

[Fire Daemon]

A sandbox....with mutants. That sounds awesome.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I like to think so. Jack Thompson would shit himself but couldn't say it turned kids into killers as we can't just become mutants.

 

[Fire Daemon]

I like to think so. Jack Thompson would shit himself but couldn't say it turned kids into killers as we can't just become mutants.

Jack Thompson should be playable. He would make an awesome character, and you could use hate shreik as a main attack.

 

[Copter400]

I dunno if that's my sort of game. Not if the main character is a angry mutant. If the mutant had a backstory, something to fuel his/her/its hate, then maybe.

 

[The Irrelevant Gamer]

Using the procedural technology from Spore could make for a ridiculous array of customization on the mutants. This sounds almost like the game Prototype, but in that you're just a human with super powers making a nuisance of yourself. I'd play this game.

 

[Esta]

Sounds exactly like Prototype mate.

 

[teh_snakerer]

-snip-

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I dunno if that's my sort of game. Not if the main character is a angry mutant. If the mutant had a backstory, something to fuel his/her/its hate, then maybe.

The point of the game is that you are a creature who is basically an abortion of science. You are hated on sight and have no real human emotions. You hunger and desire to feed.

You probably wouldn't want the game because I like the idea of making your current story interesting. Making the creature's present more important than its past. It is supposed to be an escape. Killing stuff to blow steam while making the game your own.

As for Prototype, it has the human element. Man becoming monster. I would prefer Monster becoming Legend. I know that sounds arbitrary but the concept I am thinking about, YOU would design the monster from the beginning. You would choose how it would look as it mutates and evolves.

You aren't Bob Why Is This Happening McGillicutty. You are your own creation. That is the important part of why this is different. You make the story.

On a side note, I am imagining multiplayer being fun. I suppose you could smack me with City of Villains but personally I would prefer the inhuman element of making groups to hunt the entire police force or wipe out a military base.

Downloadable content could be new cities and other areas, more mutations, etc.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

For those that care, plot added to OP.

 

[PurpleRain]

Should make a Frankinstien form of create-a-character. A mad scientist is digging up body parts from his underground lab. As you go through the game you unlock better limbs and upgrades (Acid blood? Spore shooters? Tenticles?) and you can keep going back so he can repair you.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I think I would have Frankensteion stitched look as an option. I can see the appeal but it isn't my thing. Sooooo, you could be Stitched or Not as a creation option. Definitely a good idea and I hadn't thought of it. Thanks.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I like to think so. Jack Thompson would shit himself but couldn't say it turned kids into killers as we can't just become mutants.

Jack Thompson should be playable. He would make an awesome character, and you could use hate shreik as a main attack.

That would be eerie and possibly cool.

 

[LordOmnit]

I really like the build upon a skeleton idea, but the one-sidedness of morality kinda drops that down for me. I can imagine that it would be obvious people would generically hate and fear some random mutant roaming about and you would be angry about being caged and poked at, but I think you should still leave the idea the choice of morality up to the player; you could still choose how your character acts as such, rather than merely going around and viciously slaughtering whoever you saw fit. The way you originally described it didn't seem to point out that this was not an option, but it leaned away from it like several cinder blocks on one side of a teeter totter and a small child on the other.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

I really like the build upon a skeleton idea, but the one-sidedness of morality kinda drops that down for me. I can imagine that it would be obvious people would generically hate and fear some random mutant roaming about and you would be angry about being caged and poked at, but I think you should still leave the idea the choice of morality up to the player; you could still choose how your character acts as such, rather than merely going around and viciously slaughtering whoever you saw fit. The way you originally described it didn't seem to point out that this was not an option, but it leaned away from it like several cinder blocks on one side of a teeter totter and a small child on the other.

I see your point but I am curious what morality you are wanting. I am talking about a horror game where you are the horror. I can't exactly say that I was intending on good deeds from the beginning. I want to approach the idea of monster horror from a purely monster perspective.

Instead of chasing the monster into the sewer and killing it, I wanted to expand on the idea of being the monster and going out. From what I am seeing, this wouldn't be an idea you like as the morality issue has been better addressed in other games.

 

[LordOmnit]

Well, in either respect, this could be used to the game's advantage:
(You) The Horror- Something running headlong in the opposite direction along the beaten path purposefully, as opposed to providing a convenient side-road to go in the opposite direction in.
(You) The Choosy Monster- Imagine Spiderman as an actual spider-esque person trying to do good. Not getting far or popular with the general public, therefore must be more underground as a mutant vigilante. Or you could chose to slaughter everyone and everything you want like a real monster. Or you could just be an observer/stalker/non-involved-type.
Most of the time in choose-your-own-path-things you aren't beginning with preconceptions- you are a complete blank slate at best and a person who might have the bad guys not liking him much at worst. This would reverse the latter and provide something new. From what I've heard about Overlord you actually start off with a little inclined to the evil side (from the previous overlord and idea of overlord in general), but you are free to become loved by all or hated and feared by all.

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Gotcha. However, I was thinking this game as the opposite of Spiderman in that you aren't trying to be a hero. The goal is to establish a reign of terror for as long as you can. Hence the game title.

However, there isn't a reason to Not be a monstrous hero. I suppose I am just liking the idea of being the movie monster for a change. Sounds like good stress relief.

 

[Sylocat]

Someone actually did a campy video game where you play as a zombie and your goal is to infect the citizens of a town to amass a zombie horde, it was really funny, but the missions were too stringent and there was no variety in them (plus the play control was so terrible it made Resident Evil 1 look like BioShock's PC port). A sandbox you-are-the-horror game sounds just plain FUN!

But be sure and add real locations, don't set it in Anytown, USA... set it in Los Angeles so I can head into Hollywood, pick up a star map, find out where Michael Bay lives, storm his mansion and kill him. Oh, but on second thought, that would probably be a GOOD deed, so I guess it would defeat the spirit of the you-are-the-horror game. ^_^;

 

[[HD]Rob Inglis]

Fun. Where is Dr. Frankenstein in all this? He's missing out!