We have been given our project assignment in graphics class. Haven't I written about graphics class? I'm taking a course (it's mandatory for computer engineering students, actually) called Grafisk databehandling, visualisering og simulering. Our teacher is Ove Bjørneseth, one of the people behind our school's excellent ship simulators.
The ship simulators are actually some of the things my school can be proud of, they are really world-class (too bad that's the only area where my school can be said to belong there). They are made with off-the-shelf hardware and software, and they are really impressive. Making these would make an interesting living, and since that is exactly what Ove Bjørneseth does, if anyone can teach us, it's him.
At present, things are pretty basic. We use a cheap but useful commercial game engine, 3d Game Studio. I would of course like something that would run on linux, but the only engine remotely comparable which runs linux is the nebula device, and even that would probably have an unnacceptably high learning curve for a one-year course :-( At least 3D Game Studio gives us a taste of scripting, modeling, bones animation etc. without a lot of hassle.
Now, our project. We are to make a game (with 3D game studio, and optionally other tools) which fulfills the following criteria:
* based on a story
* puzzles (at least 6)
* at least 2 levels
* water
* fog
* bones animations
* torches/fires
* doors
* physics(!)
I can't think of one puzzle based game that has all of these things. This will be a weird game.
But I have an idea that will give me some flexibility and at the same time could make a tolerably good game. I'm going to steal the general idea from an old amiga game, "Weird Dreams" by rainbird. (Remember that one, paranoidkoala?)
The main character has been in some sort of accident, and as the game begins he is lying on an operating table. Now he starts to dream. If the dream turns into a nightmare, his EEG goes flat... but it will start again three times, presumably from some intervention from the surgeons.
The nice thing with a story like that is that we can fit in almost anything we like. If we are good, we can make it quite surrealistic and creepy, like the original game. Hopefully it won't be as hopelessly hard and frustrating, though.
Now I need someone to work with. I'm bad at levels, models, bones, just about anything except coding. Then again, so are most of my classmates, and those of them who have artistic talents will find lots of prospective partners.