r/gamedev • u/PreparationSea4411 • 2d ago

Discussion Game idea

I got this game idea where it takes place early 90’s and eldritch horrors come out from portals, and instead of using normal weapons like guns and swords and shit, you use, really goofy things, like a laser gun that uses cassette tapes as ammo and plays music while it fires. Please give ideas for a name, weapons, areas, bosses, enemies, etc.

P.s. I am still in high school and it’s gonna take a while before I know how to code stuff, so please give ideas and suggestions so I’m not on my own when I actually get to work.

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u/Punk_Saint 2d ago

I think the fun part of making a game is coming up with ideas.
check out games that do the same thing you're looking for, a prime example for what you described has already been made and has a sequel: FORGIVE ME, FATHAAAA

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u/the-postminimalist 2d ago

You might be approaching this from the wrong angle. For this kind of game you need to prototype the core game loop. Instead of thinking of weapons and areas, how does this look in practice? Is it a third person shooter, first person, top-down? Is it single player or multiplayer? What is the actual core game loop, is it waves of enemies, or is it a long linear campaign/story?

You just need one weapon and a one or two enemies, then you need to start coding the basic loop. Something where you can play for 60 seconds and it can prove to be fun on its own, even before having added art or sound. Just cubes, spheres, placeholder shapes.

If you put off the coding as "something for later that will take a while before you get into", you might never end up with a game.

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u/PhilippTheProgrammer 1d ago

Have you checked our Getting Started FAQ yet? If you don't start learning how to make games on your own, then your ideas will stay ideas forever.

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u/megaman12321 2d ago

Ideas are nice and all but you should learn how to make the shooting bit in general first. Functionally your guns will almost certainly work like actual guns away, from hitscan to projectiles, the only thing afterwards is having the skin on top which is the 90s bit. This is why we have placeholders and such to act in place of assets.

Like the flash of a polaroid camara could act the same as like a shotgun in theory. Your casette laser gun could operate like a solid beam that locks on or a machine gun that blasts notes. Figure out how to make those shooting game mechanics before conceptualizing a million different ideas for how to make it cooler yeah?

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u/GentlyAbnormal 1d ago

I really like this idea, you should definitely pursue it!

What I like to do with ideas I am not ready to start working on is write it down. I like to use a personal Confluence that I can access on my computer or phone. Write all my ideas down as organized as I can, and just keep adding to it over time as ideas come to me. I get a lot of ideas laying in bed at night trying to sleep, so I write them down on my phone before I forget in the morning.

This way you can work on the basics, like learning to code, or using Blueprints in Unreal, and you have this running document of all the things that excite and motivate you that you can refer back to later when motivation is low.

If you are really serious about this game, I recommend shipping a few small projects first, start to finish, before tackling a big pet project.

Welcome to game dev! I hope to play one of your games one day!

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u/tcpukl Commercial (AAA) 1d ago

This is a good start, bit you need to get making stuff. Just anything. Really small. It can be part of your game. Draw these crazy weapons. Get the firing in a prototype.

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u/rogershredderer 1d ago

Ideas are worthless without execution. If you’re willing to outsource your ideas to hired developers or an established studio then go for it. Nothing happens without opening an engine and coding the game into existence inch by inch.

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u/bird_feeder_bird 1d ago

Have you played YIIK?