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Game Design > metasprite game concept and documentation

#32503 - corin - Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:52 pm

http://www.pixelbitches.com/cole/metasprite/systems.html

A year or two ago a friend of mine and I collaborated on a game dev. project for our final year projects. She was an IT/Engineering student and I was a Communication Design student. The final project we created was called METASPRITE, it was a proof of concept prototype for a multiplayer game / chat / commerce environment intended for on-line use.

The bulk of the project (save the actual java prototype) can be found here:

http://www.pixelbitches.com/cole/metasprite/home.html

this minisite includes development documentation, system & graphics concepts, and that sorta stuff.

Since graduating we have both wandered off and done our own thing, but always in the back of our minds have been thoughts of ressurecting this project. Although originally intended for use on PC, after stumbling on this wonderful forum this evening, i think the project could be adapted for the nintendo DS.

I was hoping some of the members here might be able to give me any suggestions or criticism of the project and/or any advice on taking this project out of the labs into homebrew development.

Ta...

Corin :)

#32522 - tepples - Thu Dec 23, 2004 4:38 pm

.doc is the biggest stumbling .bloc.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.

#32578 - corin - Fri Dec 24, 2004 1:56 am

very true...

The technical side of the project (re. the faq) isn't exactly what i was looking for at this stage, i'll explain a little more.

My friend and I designed the game (so far as the gameplay & narrative)

I also created the graphics, and she did the programming.

I'll post some of the various concepts, because its more the game concepts that we focused on for our project and since it was so long ago I'm a little unsure as to wether these concepts would still seem engaging or original if we picked up development where we left off...

I'm having a more thorough read through of the FAQ now, although its a little over my head, I will pass it into to my friend donna as she is a bit of a C++ wiz.

Metasprite

A metasprite is a container for user details, purchases and experiences. Conceptually a metasprite is a vessel for user experience, information, communication and history.

Metaworld

A metaworld is an environment in which a metasprite can interact with other metasprites. It is a place where the metasprite, through a variety of shops, restaurants, relationships and games, has the opportunity to upgrade its own abilities and appearance.

Head

A metasprite's head is a graphical representation of a metasprite's active or inactive state.

Body

A metasprite's body is a graphical representation of its current attribute values.

Lichen /Poo Cycle

When a metasprite is inactive it slips into a zombie like state and proceeds to move around on its own in search of lichen. By grazing on lichen a metasprite can gradually increase its health levels. After a metasprite has eaten it will naturally have to relieve itself of waste by going to the toilet. When a metasprite relieves itself, (this unceremonious event occurs when and wherever necessary) its deposits fertilize the ground and promote lichen growth. When a metasprite walks through a poo it will leave a gradually diminishing trail. These trails spread out lichen growth and allow lichen colonies to expand.

Food/Restaurant

When a metasprite needs to replenish its health, and doesn't want to wait until it has grazed enough lichen, it can use credits to purchase food from a restaurant. The health gathered from eating food varies depending on its cost. A restaurant's interface acts in exactly the same manner as a shop.

Mini Games

A game is an independent environment outside of the metaworld. Metasprites earn more credits by successfully playing games. Different games can be played more effectively by upgrading to a different body with attributes more suitable to that game. A game that involves racing, for example, would be benefit from a body with generous agility and reliability attributes. A fighting game, though, would be better suited to a body with a high strength attribute value. The effect that the event of a playing a game has on the structure of the Metasprite system is to change the attributes of an individual metasprite (health and energy), to award credits to an individual metasprite and to add to that game's high score list.

Credits

Credits are the Metasprite system's equivalent of money. Credits are used by metasprites to:

? purchase new heads and bodies

? purchase food

? purchase entry to certain games

? present as gifts to other metasprites








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#45897 - Digeraticus - Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:02 am

Not a new idea. Entire novels have been written about ideas like this (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553380958/qid=1118901325/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-7815671-7448759?v=glance&s=books&n=507846).

That said, no one has done it yet, much less to any degree of success.

Second Life (www.secondlife.com) comes close to some extent, but fails to do the actual comerce part of real-world businesses trading their wares through a virtual world.

All that being said, what?s stopping you??? DO IT ALREADY! :D

You already have a legitimate business model in Second Life; also, the Japanese are as nuts about buying stuff over their cell phones and handhelds as we are about buying stuff over the internet (it?s called iMode over there, look it up). So pitch a Second Life style world that integrates iMode commerce in a country that already has the infrastructure to carry it out, and to which it will appear more an evolution than a revolution.

And when you are successful there, bring it back over here, for heaven?s sake!