Are you creating a FPS?

Why?



Not trying to be witty here (no more than usual, at least), but it seems to me - and yes, this is entirely subjective, but there's little objectivity in this industry - that FPS are probably the hardest genre to compete in, and I'd assume they're kind of... tedious to work on. It requires so much work to come even close to what is considered "standard" there that it seems like it'd be tough and not fun at all to do.

So are you using innovative, new mechanics that really change things up (and can be seen at a glance and explained in one sentence)?
If not, then, well, let me know what I'm missing about this genre.
I understand that the process of creating such a game itself could be valuable and fun for some, but I can't imagine that being true for a long time, working on something for so long just for yourself?

Also, let's be honest here, weapons kind of suck. But then, that's something everyone agrees on.



Alternative thread title: "Appeal of the manshoots"

No, of course not. Who'd be doing an FPS?
We're all working on our planned FPSRPGRTSMMO. Already got the basic idea, just need someone to take care of the graphics. And sound. And coding.

And calling yourself CEO...

----

I think FPS are intriguing at first.
Most engines provide tha basic buildingsteps to make a simple FPS run.
(Walking, Shooting, GUI, FPS friendly leveldesign)
Giving the hobby CEO quick first results.

Sticking in some crammed together Models (with inconsistant stlye), and overtly expensive Shaders, then dreaming that
this will close in to a Crysis Level.

FPS are like a honeypot to new devs, they seem easy at first.


RTS for example are much much less common as "first" projects,
simply because the amount of work needed to get it running (not just a pretty level with some models)
as prototype is much larger.

If new devs would take a realistic path, we would
see many more Pong,Snake,Super Mario,Angry Birds and Bejeweld clones.
Gametypes that have a simpler architecture, and
the option to pull off a full and consistant game as a hobby developer.

In the days of A4/5 it was quite possible to achieve the quality of an AAA fps. Nowadays techniques have improved a lot and the number of employees is a lot higher than in the past. Still almost all beginner's engines are designed to make shooter games. I think damocles knows best about the difficulties of writing an RTS with Gamestudio.

Sticking in some crammed together Models (with inconsistant stlye), and overtly expensive Shaders, then dreaming that
this will close in to a Crysis Level.

If you target FPS , and prhaps selling something, i would like to give you and advice :
Take UT3 engine, or Crysis indeed, they have latest shaders, powerfull scene management, advanced pathfinding system, advanced physics.
What you will need will be to find a good team of 3D artists or you'll be sticked to the AAA quality default 3d models
and textures of these engines.

I played a lot FPS, i'm somewhat borred now,Bioshock was a great alternative.
Half Life 2 brought great physic puzzles.
Skyrim have some great FPS camera system very immersive.
Metroid on Gamecube was great also.
Minecraft brought originality and free crafting system.

Shooter games are too much the same, not enought innovation.
Game makers should think of more interaction , less shooting or fighting and more other special actions.

True words, Bioshock was indeed a great gameplay idea!
But the problem with most shooters is that you don't think about shooting someone...
Minecraft has the Hardcore-Mode where you loose your whole progress if you die
i think if a tactical shooter is like this, it would be an awesome game
because the mission will be the fun, not shooting others (because they can also shoot back )

That would force people to repeatedtly press quick save and quick load, which is no fun at all either. You simply can't do that - it is discouraging people.

And voilá, you nailed the stealth genre. Thief, Slinter Cell, anyone?

While quick save and quick load are staples of the standard FPS, they can simply be removed for hardcore mode. Or, when on hardcore mode, those options are immediately disabled upon death. Diablo 3 (a LONG game, from what I've heard) has a hardcore option, so why can't FPS games?

Also, check out the "roguelike" genre, where permadeath is part of its awesomeness. There's no reason a stealth-focused or shooter-focused first-person approach (or both) can't be brought to procedurally generated permadeath games.

But I think what we're missing is Error014's actual question, which was probably prompted by the (relatively) many FPS games coming up in the "What are you working on?" thread, and was directed towards the developers behind those projects: Why are you doing it? And similarly: what makes yours different from the many, many others out there?

EDIT: Left 4 Dead! How could I forget? Perfect example of a FPS with permadeath. Although I guess not "tactical" in the traditional sense -- playing against baddies who also have guns. But that's a perfect place for someone to step in and make something innovative, and would be a great answer to Error014's questions if a GS user was actually making that game.

I don't know about Left 4 Dead 1, but in Left 4 Dead 2 you can be saved by a defibrilator and you respawn in the level at a certain point (or in a save room).

True... okay, Left 4 Dead isn't a great example for permadeath.

I haven't played it yet, i don't even know if it is released, but ZombieU has a really nice idea of permadeath:
You die and respawn as a whole new character in a city full of zombies
So if you die you have to do all stuff again, find weapons, find some good spots, survive, ...

DayZ does that, and it has been in Alpha (Beta?) for 2 months now.
Pretty nice concept.

The upcoming WarZ will also feature a hardcore modus.

Both games are zombie survival games in an open environment.

My first project (Quake Planes) was a FPS and while I dont find it that fun to play it I did learned a lot from it. The way I see it is creating a doom (old school, like I did) like FPS is an fun way for beginners to learn some coding.

I agree that most shoot FPS games are to repetive & unoriginal. There some FPS gems though that are certaintly worth to try to remake them (read: being inspired by them), e.g. the more original & unique FPS games: Giants: Citizen Kabuto, Deus Ex etc.

Also sometimes it is worth to make a game merely of the gametype, e.g. Medal of Honor: Spearhead with the gametype Freeze Tag anyone?
freeze tag pic

FPS games can also be really immersive cause of the camera, namely handy for horror games.

Permanent Death (when relly for the whole game, not just the level) would slow down
The game a lot. The player would wander very carfully. Forcing in
Action scenes would make the Player feel cheated and unfair.

The classic fast FPS does not work with this. Unless its just an optional mode.

Well I am prototyping an FPS for quite some time now... and it's nothing like modern shooters. It has/ should get old school low poly graphics, no autoheal, no military weapons, no cover system, non-linear levels and a free movement script, much like the Superku movement but in 3D.
I doubt that the game will ever get finished, but working on it from time to time is quite fun - and that's the most important part about it.

some very wise words

Nothing at all is wrong with making a first person shooter, we spend too much time trying to say its difficult genre to succeed in when it really isn't. The problem is, the KIND of fps that people choose to make, most people tend to be going for the cod/bf styled game, which ofcourse is destined for failure but there's several routes to making a first person shooter that could be successful. I guess the problem mostly lies in the lack of innovation in design ideas of newbies taking on fps.

I assume most people that take on an fps are still trying to make it feel more solid than fps they've played, trying to fix the flaws they've seen in their favorite fps games, rather than just sitting down from day one and planning a simple game that focuses on the fun aspect, it only takes a couple elements to make an fps feel fun, ofcourse, not everyone knows what those elements are.

*Hint* look ar Quake.
Quake is fun, and really simple!

, you nailed it .


gamestudio 3d project, was my first project so dont expect too much

I say STFUAJMG

Shut
The
Fuck
Up
And
Just
Make
Games


Not to sound mean as you guys all bring up some great points. But the way I see it this isnt about making some AAA title that will bring us indi devs millions of dollars. Its about making games. Experiencing what it takes to make a FPS, RTS, Action game, etc, is what this is really about. Portfolio building if you will. Sure its cool if you wind up making the next minecraft, but lets be totally honest here, the chances of that happening are very very VERY small. I think the point I am trying to make is theres nothing wrong with making a genre game. Hell look at the movie industry. My first project was making a combo based Devil May Cry styled action game. The project got nowhere but I learned a lot. Now if I were to start up the project again, I know what I do/dont need to do in the planning phase.

And make games you will enjoy playing! Except if you like games such as Farmville, than you need to bugger off .

Exactly! Make the games YOU want to make. Its been done before? So what? You can learn a lot by emulation and deconstruction of other projects.