12 replies to this topic

[David Gallagher]

now that my engine is finished. I spent the week just for fun going about replicating the mechanic of portals(like the valve game), and I really enjoyed the process and the results as it provides many interesting puzzles that could be made with this kind of thing.

Just out of curiosity, and that I'm looking at a project to do with my new engine that won't take eons, do you think there is a market for such a game? Obviously not a portal clone, but a puzzle game invlolving the use of a portal gun(for lack of an original word :)), and a few other elements I'm thinking of.

I know...what indie can compete with the muscle of such a game, but there are many fps's and they all seem to rip eachother off except with different graphics. so I was wondering about what people would think of the use of this mechanic in another puzzle solving game? is it lame to borrow a mechanic(even something as fun as portals) or would it just be looked at as a "me too project"?

thanks for any feedback on this as I would like to know what people really think. I believe I will still make the game as it is just alot of fun even as a tech demo but as something marketable, was curious if it's a genre that will only ever be seen as something that only valve is aloud to do because anyone else will look at it as a rip off? Though haveing said that, that is all the fps genre seems to be about and they sell, but i guess that comes down to marketing.

[fireside]

I think it would be seen as a "me too" project. It was a little too original. As far as puzzles, that's a good idea. You just need a different mechanic or use it in a way that's different enough that people won't relate it to portal. If you end up with, "it's kind of like portal, but ...", you are probably all right.

[geon]

To get something popular I think you need to add something else, completely unique. It won't be enough to be a portal clone.

I saw a demo a year ago or so that had portals of diffrent scale, so you could toss a small marble into a portal and get a boulder sized ball out the other end. Something like that could give you interesting puzzles.

Another concept that could be a lot of fun would be a combat based game with portals.

[David Gallagher]

Thanks fireside and geon for your feedback, some very good points and intersting ideas also! I will definently give this little project alot more thought now. I suppose it really just comes down to finding a unique take or twist on the concept in going the extra mile to make it my own, I'll see how i go with it, thanks again.

[Cod]

One of the creators of the original Portal has a new game coming out in 2012 titled Quantum Conundrum (http://www.quantumconundrum.com/). Its a portal-style physics game along the lines of what geon was talking about. The different dimensions have different attributes. For example, one of the dimensions, called the "fluffy dimension", makes all things made of cotton; therefore, if there was a heavy object (such as a refrigerator), you switch to the fluffy dimension and the refrigerator is the made up of cotton. Thus, it becomes easy to pick up. Also, one of the levels will ask a player to traverse a bottomless pit. An interesting concept none-the-less...

If your engine works well, there is endless possibilities as to what you can do for puzzles. Good luck!

[David Gallagher]

wow, that game looks very polished and some really great puzzle components, will have to keep an eye out for that when it's released! you are so right, the more i look around the more i see that really when it comes to the puzzle genre there really isn't any restriction on what's expected and the possibilities are very vast. I've been burried writting my engine for the last 11 months and now it's time to put back on the creative hat(which is actually suprisingly hard to do after that long lol) but with all the inspritation I'm finding out there I hope my own concept will gell. Anyway i thought i'd show a small video of the portal mechanic I did last week(nothing overly amazing just the basic concept of plotting the portals):

[Reedbeta]

Yeah, your game looks way too much like Portal. You could use a different environment, one that doesn't look so much like a test chamber, and you could have different visuals for the portals (different shape, different border color / effects, etc.), invent some other mechanic for placing them besides shooting a gun, etc.

[David Gallagher]

oh yeah it totally does :), but this is just a concept to get the portals working, I haven't even started on a final actual game concept, so ignor the visual in the video as it was just the mechanics i was trying to actually replicate before branching out on my own. But yeah will deffinently have to come up with my own take if i decide to go with this project, thanks for the feedback some very good points(getting creative again is really not going to be easy lol)!

[Cod]

The mechanics behind the engine seem very smooth, which is a good thing because that means you have a concept to build around. Also, to change the flavor, why not have different shaped portals? The oval portals are nice, but used to represent every portal I've seen (Portal game, Stargate portal, etc.). I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should try making the portals themselves more unique. Once you've tackled the portals and are happy with the output, then focus on building around them.

[TheNut]

Heh, yeah, that does look very similar to Portal. Just needs a psycho crazy woman computer, a cheeky little robot that follows you around, and of course let's not forget...


:)

David Gallagher said:

if i decide to go with this project

If? I think you ventured in far enough that you should at least complete something. It would be a waste to toss your efforts.

[David Gallagher]

@Cod, thanks, yes I'm thinking now as Reedbeta also mention similar idea to changing portal shape and makeing that aspect unique it might be a good place to start and get the creativity flowing and once that aspet is locked down will free me up to play with the other elements I want to experiment with.

@TheNut, lol, you forgot the cake :). I just wanted to be sure if this would be the best project to start on is all, and it's looking like it will go ahead as it will allow me to keep content creation managable and inline with the time I want to spend working on it, and it's the most fun concept for a puzzle game I can think to explore.

[TheNut]

The cake is a lie!

I think the project would be worthwhile to continue on. The hardest part for you will really be coming up with the puzzles. Is it too hard, too easy? I wouldn't worry so much about aesthetics right now (such as the shape of your portal). I would spend a good day or two brainstorming some puzzles and see if that's something you can do. In Portal 2, Valve decided to add more game elements like the goo, gravity transporters, and lasers to extend the length of the game. You might have to do the same.

[David Gallagher]

doh! lol :).

Yes that will be a good approach I believe, it should also help scale the fun factor. I think I will decide on a portal shape while playing around with some puzzle ideas as the benefit to the oval shape is it fits snug into most parts of the environment, but I may go with a circle as it would allow for larger objects to pass through also. It's good that you mentioned how valve had added the extra elements as I have not played portal2, but i was thinking along the same lines except i was wanting to play around with elements such as inflatable objects, breakable objects and time displacment. I'll give my self a couple of weeks to have a play and see what i can come up with and if it seems like it will be a fun experience I will go ahead with it I think. thanks agian for the feedback!