Looking for inspiration

So, I've decided to go the indie developer route.

Not sure when, but soon.

I've got a few ideas of my own - but my primary challenge is to find a project that's doable within a year or two.

Every time I sit down and try to develop something, it grows too big and I end up overwhelming myself.

I will NOT develop trivial fad-like games (Battle Royale Tetris) in order to cash in. I know a lot of developers start out like that, and there's nothing wrong with it - but it's not for me.

On the other hand, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot and come up with something only my mother will pay for.

So…..

Ideas.

It's safe to assume that whatever I make, it will have some RPG elements.

Could you RPG fans help me out with something that's not too ambitious for a solo developer - and which might be something people would actually play?

I'm going to try this and go all the way - but it's not to get rich. It's to support myself and nothing more.

Try with a platformer. The basics of it are easy to set up and you can add other gameplay elements to it as you go. Sure, buttery-smooth platforming gameplay is hard to nail, but as you're thinking of adding RPG elements (I presume, character skill development would be on of them) you can "hide" behind them. What I mean is, you can shift the focus from pixel-perfect jumping to, say, combat which would be governed by skills.
Also I would recommend 2D unless you are very proficient in 3D. Not because it's better or easier to make, but because level development would be less of a nightmare (one dimension less simplifies things ).

Its hard question! Are you asking for new and original ideas like Battle Royale Tetris (it may sound stupid but thats an idea I have not heard before!) or are you happy to make a "clone"? Also have you written any games before? How experienced are you at game dev?

Originally Posted by Ivanwah
Try with a platformer. The basics of it are easy to set up and you can add other gameplay elements to it as you go. Sure, buttery-smooth platforming gameplay is hard to nail, but as you're thinking of adding RPG elements (I presume, character skill development would be on of them) you can "hide" behind them. What I mean is, you can shift the focus from pixel-perfect jumping to, say, combat which would be governed by skills.
Also I would recommend 2D unless you are very proficient in 3D. Not because it's better or easier to make, but because level development would be less of a nightmare (one dimension less simplifies things ).

Platformer is probably a no-go - as it would require too much art.

I'm going to be using Unity - and it's really not that hard to get things moving and animating sprites. But I can't do that kind of 2D art to my own satisfaction.

I can do UI art pretty well - and I can do rudimentary 3D objects in Blender - with some texturing and normal maps.

But I'll most likely use some paid assets from the Unity store. Can't really use paid 2D assets like a platformer would use - as it would be too impersonal and I would be curtailed too much.

3D assets are more flexible and you can change them easier.

I'm thinking about doing a board-like tactical game with 3D cards representing the characters.

I can do simple environmental art reasonably well.

I had developed a somewhat functional step-by-step dungeon crawler (like Grimrock) - but it was too ambitious.

Originally Posted by lostforever
Its hard question! Are you asking for new and original ideas like Battle Royale Tetris (it may sound stupid but thats an idea I have not heard before!) or are you happy to make a "clone"? Also have you written any games before? How experienced are you at game dev?

I've never finished a game in my life

I've finished a few applications, though. But nothing professional.

But Unity makes life a lot easier - and I've done some things with it already that I never thought I'd be able to.

It's not like it's going to be easy - because I'm extremely demanding of myself.

I'm mostly interested in ideas that might work as something that would appeal to more than the tiniest of niches and contain RPG elements.

Something like Underrail is a little too ambitious for me, because it would take many years. I can do the engine - but the content and systems would be prohibitively expensive in terms of time and effort.

Not going for a completely original idea is a great way to go for your first game. Too many people struggle with dissonance between their ideas and their skill and end up not finishing the project.

You could take a look at how new XCOM games compare to the originals or Xenonauts. I mean, its level of complexity is too high for a beginner solo developer as well, but you can see how simplifying some elements can work in your favor. Then find a game close to what you're thinking of making and apply what you learned.

Man… Just make another Destiny clone and it cannot fail. Basically:
- no story
- mmo
- second job

Advertise it as stunning graphics, innovative gameplay, challenging fights and spiritual successor to something, doesn't even matter what's that something, mention tons of upcoming DLC. It'll sell like a cure.

Originally Posted by Ivanwah
Not going for a completely original idea is a great way to go for your first game. Too many people struggle with dissonance between their ideas and their skill and end up not finishing the project.

You could take a look at how new XCOM games compare to the originals or Xenonauts. I mean, its level of complexity is too high for a beginner solo developer as well, but you can see how simplifying some elements can work in your favor. Then find a game close to what you're thinking of making and apply what you learned.

I agree.

I want to offer something people actually want - and which isn't available in a much better form.

But my strengths lie in game design - not code or art.

Originally Posted by joxer
Man… Just make another Destiny clone and it cannot fail. Basically:
- no story
- mmo
- second job

Advertise it as stunning graphics, innovative gameplay, challenging fights and spiritual successor to something, doesn't even matter what's that something, mention tons of upcoming DLC. It'll sell like a cure.

Thank you for being so helpful and informed

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
I agree.

I want to offer something people actually want - and which isn't available in a much better form.

But my strengths lie in game design - not code or art.

Ah, what people (here) want?
Not heavy on code and art - honestly we could use another card game that doesn't contain lootboxes or any kind of luck draws to get a card. Remember Septerra Core? It had a card system to use in (turnbased) combat. It wasn't simple nor you could get a card randomly, but once you got some, these card combinations could make special moves.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Thank you for being so helpful and informed

I was just honest.

Originally Posted by joxer
Ah, what people (here) want?
Not heavy on code and art - honestly we could use another card game that doesn't contain lootboxes or any kind of luck draws to get a card.


I was just honest.

Honesty is all I could ever ask for

Your card game sounds interesting. More details?

Details… Idea is one thing, developed system is another. And it doesn't have to be cards per se, it can be objects of a kind that can be harnessed oin some other way. Remember how mystech in anachronox worked?

Never played Anachronox. Not my style

Why not something in the vein of wizardry 1. Keeping it in a dungeon should limit art requirements, also keeping it to 9-10 levels should help keep development shorter.

Focus on character development, combat system, bestiary and loot.

My 2 cents.

May be you can take over Tactica: Maiden of Faith, if you ask nicely?

Originally Posted by sakichop
Why not something in the vein of wizardry 1. Keeping it in a dungeon should limit art requirements, also keeping it to 9-10 levels should help keep development shorter.

Focus on character development, combat system, bestiary and loot.

My 2 cents.

I've been developing a dungeon crawler for years. In different engines.

I can't keep it simple enough. My problem is that I want more complexity - especially when it comes to mechanics and combat.

Also, I want to reach a certain level of art that I'm happy with. Something that's feasible for me.

Animated monsters, for instance, is beyond my skills. I could use paid assets here, but I wouldn't know how to animate them or implement them properly.

Too much work, I fear.

I can't really reach that level for a proper dungeon crawler. Combat wouldn't feel good or look good enough.

But it's something I'm still considering.

I'd find out exactly what your mother would pay for.
Its a great idea on market research.

Card style mini strategy games work well.
Games similar to knights and merchants or the alchemist or regalia seem to be short.

Scope creep will always be a factor for you given your tendencies displayed here. Have hard deadlines and a check-in partner to keep you on track. Otherwise you may end up like @GothicGothicness.. or worse… Clive

Share pictures of your bunker if you do get to that stage. I can't imagine the masses of paperwork required in Germany for such a construction.

Originally Posted by Wisdom
I'd find out exactly what your mother would pay for.
Its a great idea on market research.

Card style mini strategy games work well.
Games similar to knights and merchants or the alchemist or regalia seem to be short.

Scope creep will always be a factor for you given your tendencies displayed here. Have hard deadlines and a check-in partner to keep you on track. Otherwise you may end up like @Gothicgodess or worse… Clive

Share pictures of your bunker if you do get to that stage. I can't imagine the masses of paperwork required in Germany for such a construction.

Germany? Please

My mother would pay for anything I did. If there was a way to help me, she would do it - no matter what.

So would my father, by the way.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Germany? Please

My mother would pay for anything I did. If there was a way to help me, she would do it - no matter what.

So would my father, by the way.

For some reason I thought that's where you were based.
I guess it's not that great of market research if that's why they would buy

Originally Posted by Wisdom
For some reason I thought that's where you were based.
I guess it's not that great of market research if that's why they would buy

Indeed not.

I never trust my mother when it comes to my own person. I'm essentially perfection in her eyes.