So, my friend and I were brainstorming the other day for game ideas that would utilize the DS's touch screen, and this is wat we came up with...
This game, called Epic Etch, is an RPG. We have yet to devise a main story, but thats not important, our ideas were focused on the game play. Aslo, we're not sure if the game will play turn based, ala 'Final Fantasy', or action, like 'Tales'. In this game world, every adventurer, warrior other rightfully earn'ed person is given an Etcher. The Etchers have the magical ability to create real objects out of paper. Because of this ability, paper is a hot comodity in this world.
The main gameplay element in thei game would be drawing your items! But, you can't just find a piece of paper at the begining of the game and draw the biggest, most powerful item either. In the beging of your adventure, you are just that, a beginner. Really, all you know in the begining is how to do is draw food, and that, with you 50 pack of notebook paper is enough to get you by at first.
As you progress through the game you learn how to draw diffrent things. Swords, Armour, and lots of other things. Of course because of techincal issues, you cant just draw these crazy elaborat things, that have to be baic sketches that that game knows, and has taught you how to draw. The more things you draw the better you get at those particular items. Lets say, at first your sketch food on notebook paper is only restoring 10 HP. But, after having drawn 20 of those, their HP value may increase 11 HP.
Here is the part my friend and I like best! There will be all sorts of paper in this world. There will be 3 atribuets to paper. Size, Color and Matrial. Items drawn on diffrent papers, in turn, yield diffrent atributes. Material will denote the resulting object's damage dealing, protection or durability aspects. Drawing the "sword" pattern on a standard sized, white note book paper, will result in a dagger sized kinfe with relativly weak powers and no special atributes. Draw that same pattern on construction paper of the same size and color will result in a similar small dagger that deals more damage. Color will denote an objects special ability! Drawing the "shield" pattern on a large piece of standard brown cardboard would yield a standard large but relativly weak shield. Draw that same pattern on a large piece of RED cardboard, and that same resulting shield is now resistant to FIRE! The size of the paper will effect the size of the resulting object, which may in turn effect other things such as HP damage in the case of swords. Drawing the "food" symbol on a small paper napkin would give an object with much less healing power compared to that of an object drawn on torn down piece of wallpaper. Availibility of diffrent papers are dependant upon their atributes. An 7 foot roll of newspaper would be much more rare compared to a tiny napkin. Strong, druable cardboard would be hard to find, compared to much weaker tissue paper. White paper, with no atributes would be everywhere. Other colors would be harder to find, such as the water resistant blue paper or the electrically charged yellow paper. Transparent tracing paper, though extremely rare, would be able to copy real life objects that can't actually be drawn, such as a special jewel that needs to be retrived, but removing it would result in setting off boobytraps. You'd have to get pretty creative with some unorthodoxed combinations though. Why draw food on your red paper when you can make a flaming sword? Well, food on red paper could result in a very spicy salsa that could burn the mouths of enemies and cause them to get confused and run about the arena, failing to attack you.
The possibilitys are awsome!!
So, what does everyone think? Any ideas to add to this game? Suggestions? Got a good item/paper combo in mind? Do you think the game would be better turnbased or action?
Thanks!