The Video Game Thread

[Kal-El.9859]

It's a matter of space and depth. It is possible to design an an entire country in a game, but simultaneously you would likely have a very downsized implementation of everything contained within it. From the NPCs, to environment detail, to object quantities in general. Conversely, a game focused squarely on one urban environment (such as Arkham City) could have far superior detailed components per square inch.

I don't know what your sense of scale is, nor your ideal depth to satisfy any particular territory. But I imagine you wouldn't want scope for the sake of it. You want something to explore. At this point in game development, even the most arduous and aspiring creators in the industry are simply not capable of delivering those vast worlds to meet modern expectation of what that size and scale could entail.

I'd say we're at least two gaming generations away from competently reaching that sort of potential.

exactly, I don't want scope and scale just for ****s and giggles, but to have something to explore. I'm not saying throw the entire country or continent or what have you in the game but a sizeable enough portion of it to where you aren't bored within 5 minutes of playing it. You have to have limits, I understand that. But as I said previously, if you can travel to all these different places in the DCUO game then they should be able to do that for Xbox and Playstation. Make the missions to where you have a wide choice of missions to go on at any given time and once you complete that mission it unlocks something else for you to go do. Whether it be fighting Darkseid or Mongul, or General Zod or Bizzaro. Hell, even throw in battle armor Lex just because you can. If you haven't played DCUO you need to. It's fun and it's free. There it so much you can do with a Superman game...just use your head, figure out proper limits say 800 miles, 1,000 miles what have you. Fly to icons and then that icon takes you to another map of equal or somewhat greater size.

 

[Kal-El.9859]

plus, the other countries could be mission based, you go for a certain mission, complete it and return to Metropolis or The Watchtower. Like I mentioned before, got to South Africa to stop a mudslide or something...complete that mission and return. Or each map could have multiple small mission to complete. There are several ways you could go about doing it. There is a way to do it, it's been done before, we just need smart people to come in and do it on Xbox and Playstation

 

[DrCosmic]

That's an interesting idea, doing an MMO hub-type of setup with a console game. I can't think of any other games that work like that. Hmmm...

Just as a note, when you say something like 800 or 1000 miles, games that big usually don't have a ton of content in them. They have space for traveling purposes, like Just Cause 2's 400 square miles for parachuting and vehicle play. Or Fuel's 5K square miles which is basically just offroad highways. MMOs are similar, the size is just a background setting for mob placement and doors to instanced areas. Generally, it's just colorful background for traveling. If you have 1000 square miles, you still are only going to have 10-15 square miles of actually designed gameplay. It's just up to the developer how spread out it is.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

It's a matter of space and depth. It is possible to design an an entire country in a game, but simultaneously you would likely have a very downsized implementation of everything contained within it. From the NPCs, to environment detail, to object quantities in general. Conversely, a game focused squarely on one urban environment (such as Arkham City) could have far superior detailed components per square inch.

I don't know what your sense of scale is, nor your ideal depth to satisfy any particular territory. But I imagine you wouldn't want scope for the sake of it. You want something to explore. At this point in game development, even the most arduous and aspiring creators in the industry are simply not capable of delivering those vast worlds to meet modern expectation of what that size and scale could entail.

I'd say we're at least two gaming generations away from competently reaching that sort of potential.

Though, I wouldn't say we're two generations away, maybe three, depending on how long the eighth sticks around and if Ohm's law persists.

Anywhoo, I could live with Superman being confined to Metropolis. Mainly because there are many ways to get around it. They could take the Arkham route and have him confined to Metropolis for the story or (what I would prefer) a [PROTOTYPE] route where they have Doomsday attack you and you begin as a fully powered Superman and then are degraded to a post death Superman who has to build up. In terms of scale, I'd say maybe along the lines of Steelport in Saint's Row 3.

 

[Kal-El.9859]

That's an interesting idea, doing an MMO hub-type of setup with a console game. I can't think of any other games that work like that. Hmmm...

Just as a note, when you say something like 800 or 1000 miles, games that big usually don't have a ton of content in them. They have space for traveling purposes, like Just Cause 2's 400 square miles for parachuting and vehicle play. Or Fuel's 5K square miles which is basically just offroad highways. MMOs are similar, the size is just a background setting for mob placement and doors to instanced areas. Generally, it's just colorful background for traveling. If you have 1000 square miles, you still are only going to have 10-15 square miles of actually designed gameplay. It's just up to the developer how spread out it is.

I know what you mean. I do think a MMO hub would be the best way to go about it. I like room to travel and explore. And a good many of the battles in DCUO are confined to a small area say like a small park or the roof of a building or inside a building. I think it could be done, I'm not saying I could figure it out but that's a pretty decent idea. And it doesn't need to be online only. Just an idea.

 

[Rodrigo90]

So here's the problem...

You make Metropolis too big, it looks awful. You make it too small, it looks good, but it makes Superman seem like a lion in a cage. Hmm.

Just make it for PS4 and Xbox 720, their out in 2 years lol

 

[Bruce Malone]

I've never actually played a superman game since gameboy, but i'm assuming super speed is not a power usually given to super man in the games?

I mean technically you should be able to get from one point of the map to the other in a second or so.

 

[Rodrigo90]

You should look up the Superman Returns VG on youtube.

 

[Kal-El.9859]

^what he said^

 

[DrCosmic]

^indeed

I know what you mean. I do think a MMO hub would be the best way to go about it. I like room to travel and explore. And a good many of the battles in DCUO are confined to a small area say like a small park or the roof of a building or inside a building. I think it could be done, I'm not saying I could figure it out but that's a pretty decent idea. And it doesn't need to be online only. Just an idea.

I agree. A large area for Superman to stretch his legs in, a bit like SR did, but with some really high quality 'hot spots' and missions to make travelling feel worth it.

So here's the problem...

You make Metropolis too big, it looks awful. You make it too small, it looks good, but it makes Superman seem like a lion in a cage. Hmm.

Just make it for PS4 and Xbox 720, their out in 2 years lol

I disagree that this is the problem. There are enough huge beautiful game spaces on this gen, Just Cause 2 for instance. The issue, I believe, is that as far as manpower and time, you can't fill up a very large area in the course of two years. More processing power will not allow artists to create and iterate faster. If anything, it'll be more detail that they need to create slowing them down.That problem will not be solved by PS4. Someone would have to create a tool that would leverage artist and programmer time dramatically, and that tool wouldn't require a new generation, I don't think.

I've never actually played a superman game since gameboy, but i'm assuming super speed is not a power usually given to super man in the games?

I mean technically you should be able to get from one point of the map to the other in a second or so.

Usually Superman's powers are reflective of the cartoons and comics, as opposed to the 'omnipotent' reputation he often carries.

 

[Kal-El.9859]

^indeed



I agree. A large area for Superman to stretch his legs in, a bit like SR did, but with some really high quality 'hot spots' and missions to make travelling feel worth it.

I just enjoy playing DCUO and figured if they could make a Superman movie tie in or stand alone game built similar to that then it would be awesome.

 

[jpharrah]

I got this one for Christmas in 1988...






Horrible. This did convince me that Superman is just not a character that lends himself towards video games if your are still somewhat staying true to this powers and not vastly reducing it... The only thing that might work is basing a Superman game on the early Golden Age.

I think they should go away from the action approach and design a game more in the line of "Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter". where you investigate on cases and use your powers in rather creative ways. Of course modern video games are usually dumbed down and don't require thinking anymore.

This is exactly what ive been thinking as of late...

My thoughts is a Golden age Superman just simply would work better as a playable character. Superman should be invincible yet not overly strong. Superman getting hit by a train when he doesnt see it coming and has no time to brace himself should get knocked down. If a mechanical robot hits him he should be knocked down. Watch the fliescher cartoons for inspiration on "the strength" of superman.. Infact a game like this I'd like to see him in the Fleischer costume to me its the best costume in any animation.

This way watching superman punch lets say a common crook while the crooks in the middle of a robbery doesnt sound so unbelievable.

I too think using the investigative reporter route for the main story line of the game makes more sense then anything we have had for a superman game in a long time... Although the superman nes game was mocked...and understandably so.... that games story was pushed specifically for you to find said bad guy that perry white wants you to run a story on... as clark kent you find the bad guy destroy him as superman and write the story.... this should be implemented but on a more indepth scale as you said...

I'd like generic mad scientists/ mob bosses/ crooked politicians/ and Lex Luthor/ to be your main villains. These are all people you have to (along side with lois) investigate as a reporter and capture as superman...

You should beable to freely turn into superman or clark kent at anytime but you have to be sure that no one sees you maybe have a meter for that to see when the coast is clear.

side quest ideas would be run away trains/ hijacked planes or planes that are falling/ Escaped zoo animals ( in the 40s superman wrestled many gorillas and other wild animals) jewel thiefs/ bank robberies/ hostage situations/ purse snatchers/ suicide jumpers (if you get to them in time you can talk them down if you miss it you have to hurry and catch them before they hit the ground/ etc. you could leave like a large robot for one of the main bosses.

Also you should have two meters a city health meter during main boss missions say a mad scientist builds a ray gun and is destroying the city or a robot is destroying the city..or if you accept a side mission where whatever your going up against is destroying the city you have to neutralize the situations before too much of the city is damaged.....

The second bar is a citizens trust bar.... if you ever listen to the old radio programs (which i recommend cause they are simply amazing) youll know that not everyone trusts superman much like you see in spiderman and batman movies/comics... especially police they dont like a vigilante running around town with out warrant. I think you should have to build on peoples trust for you... if you accept a mission and you dont save the day too many times or say you cause too much damage while you are in the middle of a fight...people dont trust you ...or if you do everything right the majority of the time the trust for you goes up and up... cops dont want to harass you when they see you rather they cheer you on.. and people dont run in terror when you are around...

You should have full access to his powers x-ray/heat vision/ freeze breath/ telescopic vision/ super speed (within reason) and super strength... if i knock into a building too many times the building should collapse which effects your citizen trust meter) These can all get upgrades to them. Not only do I want an option for flight (obviously) but i also want to be able to jump at great distances to where when i do jump up i will come down rather then jumping up into a flight in other words i should be able to (leap tall buildings in a single bound)

I want to be able to fly up to space or deep into the ocean

as for side missions and main missions i think when you are free roaming..you dont HAVE to do a side mission if it comes up as a blip on your map indicator.... i should have to actually make it to the mark to accept the mission..not accepting it i feel shouldnt effect your trust one way or the other... and these missions should not come up if you are doing a main mission quest...This was a big reason why id idnt like superman returns.... youd be fighting a main mission bad guy and you accidently get close to where some side quest starts up and then you have to do both at once ... this goes for the people you had to take to the hospital when youd accidently hurt them or someone else hurt them...

I just personally feel a golden age superman would work much better in a game.

 

[manofsteel4life]

Those are some great ideas

 

[VAMOSFIRE]

I think a Superman game should not confine itself to Metropolis/America. Superman is an international hero. Let Batman games focus entirely on Gotham/America, but Superman is an opportunity to make a game about a hero stretching all around the globe.

I should be presented with all kinds of disasters and choose which to go to first. It would be constant action, flying from one country to the other to the next. The story of the game will feature certain villains, but at the same time I should be challenged by natural disasters.

Villains alone can be boring after you've beaten them all. If you can also be challenged by numerous disasters you can play the game again and try to help with more disasters (an addition to again defeating the villains) and get a higher score the 2nd time around. When you get really good at the game you can defeat all villains AND save people from all or most disasters.

 

[McLarenMP4]

Some good ideas here. In addition to the international theme perhaps there could be a system where Superman flies into space and hovers, (much like BR did in SR) so he can listen to what's going on. Perhaps you can see the world and what saves you need to do in each country.

I would also like to have it so that when you fly at cruise speed it's from a 3rd person perspective but when going superseed it should be 1st person perspective, much like a flight simulator engine.

 

[VAMOSFIRE]

Some good ideas here. In addition to the international theme perhaps there could be a system where Superman flies into space and hovers, (much like BR did in SR) so he can listen to what's going on. Perhaps you can see the world and what saves you need to do in each country.

I would also like to have it so that when you fly at cruise speed it's from a 3rd person perspective but when going superseed it should be 1st person perspective, much like a flight simulator engine.

I agree, that would add literally new dimension to the game, to get to choose the perspective. And yeah I would like for Superman to be in space too. I liked that part of Superman IV when he fought Nuclear Man in space. I actually wouldn't mind a game based on ALL the Donner/Lester/Singer/Snyder films, that includes ALL the villains in the one game. A game like that would sell like Kate Upton's hot cakes.

 

[Blue Hero]

I think there needs to be a combination of the two:

These ideas for more investigative reporting are great, and things I've been thinking about a while too. It would give it more depth, complexity, make it smarter and give it more variety.

The problem is, people want to have the fun of Superman being Superman and completely demolishing people in huge-giant fights. The powers are a part of the wish fulfillment. So if people can't do that when they want they'll feel cheated and constricted.

So my idea is that you do both: there are plenty of supervillain boss-battles, and big-fights you can wage to your heart's content--but you can't truly beat the villains/find out what they're up to/stop them unless you do the intrepid reporter bit. The game wont force you to do anything, but it will nudge you into a balance between both modes of gameplay in order to truly go forward through the game.

 

[Lencho01]

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/03/15/lego-batman-2-dc-super-heroes-image/

Mar 15th 2012 By: Caleb Goellner​

New 'Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes' Trailer Displays World's Finest Brick Dudes [Video]​

​

Despite a flurry of Lego sets hitting store shelves over the past few months, things have been relatively slow on the news front for the Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes videogame, which is set for release this summer from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The Lego Group. Not only is a new trailer now live, but The Source has supplied a new game image featuring Batman, Superman and Robin striking a heroic plastic pose in the interim. At a glance, it's almost like there's a Lego: World's Finest game in the works. Check out the new trailer and image after the jump.​

From the looks of things, it seems fairly safe to assume Lego Batman 2 will play like previous "Lego" games, only with playable versions of Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern (and doubtless more) joining Batman and Robin in their battles against Lex Luthor and the Joker in Gotham City. What I'm more curious about is what the music will sound like. Much as I dug the use of Danny Elfman's Batman '89 movie score in the first title, it'd be nice to hear additional tunes while flying around as Supes or kicking faces as Wonder Woman. UPDATE: From the trailer, it sounds like there's going to be some Superman '78 movie music!​

Check out a larger version of the latest Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, which will be released on current generation gaming platforms this summer, below.​

[Click Image to Enlarge]​

[YT]wWxyiy_L0fM[/YT]​

​

[Via The Source]​

 

[Rodrigo90]

There's your answer on how to make a good Superman game...LEGO!!!

 

[KrypJonian]

This is exactly what ive been thinking as of late...

My thoughts is a Golden age Superman just simply would work better as a playable character. Superman should be invincible yet not overly strong. Superman getting hit by a train when he doesnt see it coming and has no time to brace himself should get knocked down. If a mechanical robot hits him he should be knocked down. Watch the fliescher cartoons for inspiration on "the strength" of superman.. Infact a game like this I'd like to see him in the Fleischer costume to me its the best costume in any animation.

This way watching superman punch lets say a common crook while the crooks in the middle of a robbery doesnt sound so unbelievable.

I too think using the investigative reporter route for the main story line of the game makes more sense then anything we have had for a superman game in a long time... Although the superman nes game was mocked...and understandably so.... that games story was pushed specifically for you to find said bad guy that perry white wants you to run a story on... as clark kent you find the bad guy destroy him as superman and write the story.... this should be implemented but on a more indepth scale as you said...

I'd like generic mad scientists/ mob bosses/ crooked politicians/ and Lex Luthor/ to be your main villains. These are all people you have to (along side with lois) investigate as a reporter and capture as superman...

You should beable to freely turn into superman or clark kent at anytime but you have to be sure that no one sees you maybe have a meter for that to see when the coast is clear.

side quest ideas would be run away trains/ hijacked planes or planes that are falling/ Escaped zoo animals ( in the 40s superman wrestled many gorillas and other wild animals) jewel thiefs/ bank robberies/ hostage situations/ purse snatchers/ suicide jumpers (if you get to them in time you can talk them down if you miss it you have to hurry and catch them before they hit the ground/ etc. you could leave like a large robot for one of the main bosses.

Also you should have two meters a city health meter during main boss missions say a mad scientist builds a ray gun and is destroying the city or a robot is destroying the city..or if you accept a side mission where whatever your going up against is destroying the city you have to neutralize the situations before too much of the city is damaged.....

The second bar is a citizens trust bar.... if you ever listen to the old radio programs (which i recommend cause they are simply amazing) youll know that not everyone trusts superman much like you see in spiderman and batman movies/comics... especially police they dont like a vigilante running around town with out warrant. I think you should have to build on peoples trust for you... if you accept a mission and you dont save the day too many times or say you cause too much damage while you are in the middle of a fight...people dont trust you ...or if you do everything right the majority of the time the trust for you goes up and up... cops dont want to harass you when they see you rather they cheer you on.. and people dont run in terror when you are around...

You should have full access to his powers x-ray/heat vision/ freeze breath/ telescopic vision/ super speed (within reason) and super strength... if i knock into a building too many times the building should collapse which effects your citizen trust meter) These can all get upgrades to them. Not only do I want an option for flight (obviously) but i also want to be able to jump at great distances to where when i do jump up i will come down rather then jumping up into a flight in other words i should be able to (leap tall buildings in a single bound)

I want to be able to fly up to space or deep into the ocean

as for side missions and main missions i think when you are free roaming..you dont HAVE to do a side mission if it comes up as a blip on your map indicator.... i should have to actually make it to the mark to accept the mission..not accepting it i feel shouldnt effect your trust one way or the other... and these missions should not come up if you are doing a main mission quest...This was a big reason why id idnt like superman returns.... youd be fighting a main mission bad guy and you accidently get close to where some side quest starts up and then you have to do both at once ... this goes for the people you had to take to the hospital when youd accidently hurt them or someone else hurt them...

I just personally feel a golden age superman would work much better in a game.

Well put

That actually sounds like a really cool game...

 

[TheBat812]

This is exactly what ive been thinking as of late...

My thoughts is a Golden age Superman just simply would work better as a playable character. Superman should be invincible yet not overly strong. Superman getting hit by a train when he doesnt see it coming and has no time to brace himself should get knocked down. If a mechanical robot hits him he should be knocked down. Watch the fliescher cartoons for inspiration on "the strength" of superman.. Infact a game like this I'd like to see him in the Fleischer costume to me its the best costume in any animation.

This way watching superman punch lets say a common crook while the crooks in the middle of a robbery doesnt sound so unbelievable.

I too think using the investigative reporter route for the main story line of the game makes more sense then anything we have had for a superman game in a long time... Although the superman nes game was mocked...and understandably so.... that games story was pushed specifically for you to find said bad guy that perry white wants you to run a story on... as clark kent you find the bad guy destroy him as superman and write the story.... this should be implemented but on a more indepth scale as you said...

I'd like generic mad scientists/ mob bosses/ crooked politicians/ and Lex Luthor/ to be your main villains. These are all people you have to (along side with lois) investigate as a reporter and capture as superman...

You should beable to freely turn into superman or clark kent at anytime but you have to be sure that no one sees you maybe have a meter for that to see when the coast is clear.

side quest ideas would be run away trains/ hijacked planes or planes that are falling/ Escaped zoo animals ( in the 40s superman wrestled many gorillas and other wild animals) jewel thiefs/ bank robberies/ hostage situations/ purse snatchers/ suicide jumpers (if you get to them in time you can talk them down if you miss it you have to hurry and catch them before they hit the ground/ etc. you could leave like a large robot for one of the main bosses.

Also you should have two meters a city health meter during main boss missions say a mad scientist builds a ray gun and is destroying the city or a robot is destroying the city..or if you accept a side mission where whatever your going up against is destroying the city you have to neutralize the situations before too much of the city is damaged.....

The second bar is a citizens trust bar.... if you ever listen to the old radio programs (which i recommend cause they are simply amazing) youll know that not everyone trusts superman much like you see in spiderman and batman movies/comics... especially police they dont like a vigilante running around town with out warrant. I think you should have to build on peoples trust for you... if you accept a mission and you dont save the day too many times or say you cause too much damage while you are in the middle of a fight...people dont trust you ...or if you do everything right the majority of the time the trust for you goes up and up... cops dont want to harass you when they see you rather they cheer you on.. and people dont run in terror when you are around...

You should have full access to his powers x-ray/heat vision/ freeze breath/ telescopic vision/ super speed (within reason) and super strength... if i knock into a building too many times the building should collapse which effects your citizen trust meter) These can all get upgrades to them. Not only do I want an option for flight (obviously) but i also want to be able to jump at great distances to where when i do jump up i will come down rather then jumping up into a flight in other words i should be able to (leap tall buildings in a single bound)

I want to be able to fly up to space or deep into the ocean

as for side missions and main missions i think when you are free roaming..you dont HAVE to do a side mission if it comes up as a blip on your map indicator.... i should have to actually make it to the mark to accept the mission..not accepting it i feel shouldnt effect your trust one way or the other... and these missions should not come up if you are doing a main mission quest...This was a big reason why id idnt like superman returns.... youd be fighting a main mission bad guy and you accidently get close to where some side quest starts up and then you have to do both at once ... this goes for the people you had to take to the hospital when youd accidently hurt them or someone else hurt them...

I just personally feel a golden age superman would work much better in a game.

Been saying pretty much all this for months, but glad you got it all into one post, I was way too lazy to do that, haha. I definitely agree, there's a way to make a Superman great, and I definitely think this a great template to get us there. I also like the idea of a trust bar rather than a health bar like they used in SR. Same kind of concept, but better.

 

[Rodrigo90]

Phew! Good luck with that getting developed

A free roaming Superman LEGO game is a far plausible thing to happen

 

[Rodrigo90]

Been thinking on how to make a decent Superman game.

FIRST
I think it would be best on PS4 and Xbox 3. The chances at making a truly groundbreaking game can come from these consoles only.

SECOND
People are wondering how to make it a challenging game? Simple...The difficulty setting, huge focus going in to it. The easier the setting, the more powerful Superman is. The harder the setting, the less powerful he is. Like COD, you can change the difficulty during gameplay. Superman wouldn't be powered down in to a kittten or anything, but powerful enough to allow the player to battle through the plague and come out relatively unscathed

THIRD
How to make Metropolis look good? Well, Superman would have to be confined to a portion of Metropolis, while we can see the rest all around him. Way bigger than Arkham City mind, especially with next gen consoles. You can get something like 2 Liberty City's in the capicity and get it more detailed than anything in Arkham City. Since Metropolis is more prim and proper [cleaner] looking than Arkham City, the detail element can be focused on Superman smashing through buildings and such.

I was playing on Sonic Generations, and I think that game nailed it in the speed department of gameplay. Most games you play that are fast, it was always goes into slow-motion as heads up to the player. Then there are games that see you going so fast you can't help but crash into things constantly. In SG it continues the speed, but gives you the heads up a good 15 seconds before you plow into something. I hope something like that shows up one day.

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

^
Or a high specification PC...

 

[DrCosmic]

Yeah, I'm still thinking the current gen can be as groundbreaking as anything we can come up with, and that making people turn into Clark Kent doesn't make for a fun game.

People are used to seeing Superman fight world-class wrecking machines. He's the one hero whose capable of that, why make him fight Spider-Man-level villains, especially ones inferior to Spider-Man's. Take advantage of the IP and what it offers and what makes it unique and what makes people like it. The Clark Kent things sounds okay-ish, but why make something that few people care about that we hardly ever see a major part of the game.

My Basic Superman Game at a glance:

- You're Superman, with everything you could expect out of Superman, start out Golden Age levels, level up to reach Modern Age Levels.
- You're in an Incredibly Huge Open World, with lots of epic environmental damage for battles and epic sights to see, fun (dangerous/challenging) to travel across
- You have 15-20 epic boss fights that require all of your power and skill (or trial and error) to overcome
- You have 10+ types of incredible/intense rescue/disaster challenges that occur throughout the world from hurricanes to bank robberies with hostages
- Use your incredible sensory powers to track down illusive clues to discover the story behind the story
- You have an epic storyline that involves Lex Luthor and Lois Lane in crucial capacities.
- You change into Clark Kent one time for storyline purposes, but can always go back at the Planet (think Batcave in Arkham Asylum).