Is this mod idea worthy?

[Kon]

Hi, I want to get some feedback on whether this mod idea seems like a viable project.
Here's a brief introduction to the idea.

Time Break



Intro:
Slate and Ivory are an adventurous duo, and are speeding above the waves of the Broken Sea towards the tantalizing variety of small Islands located near the center, where the origin of so many legendary tales have sprang from. They being a curious team have not heard the whole story for surely if they had; they never would of contemplated visiting.

Setting:
It is a normal day for Slate and Ivory. The sun is rising as they come upon their destination. They talk of how they use to gaze upon its sight from the coastline and imagine the wonders which circulated its existence. The islands were calling all whom looked upon it from afar, and if anyone searched for its’ name amongst a map, they would become confused to find none, for none sane who have explored it would designate it as a point of being.
“That nosey fisherman back at the docks was quite insane don’t you think?” your partner asked. “Shouting out how there was a storm heading our way, having a fit all over it as if it was our fault. I’ll tell you though, there’s not a single cloud in the sky!” As you drive the boat, your partner looks out across the water and points towards the islands, “We’re almost there.” Looking at the water you can see a few dolphins racing along side the boat. You wonder if they are trying to convey a message to you.
After a moment your vision begins to go blurry as your partner yells to you, “Hey! Do you feel that?” Which is preceded by a strange rumble as the boat is rocked. Your partner gasps as you both begin to glow with an electric effect and diffuse out of sight as your vision fades to white.

The Situation:
You wake up to a face staring down at you; it’s your partner’s. “I was wondering when I’d see you again,” Exclaimed your partner. “I’m getting freaked out here.” As you get to your feet you realize you are on one of the islands. “I don’t know how we got...” Your partner is interrupted by the strange rumbling sound from before as a large chunk of your ship appears in the air a few meters beside you two and falls to the sand. “That must be it,” Says your partner, “When I awoke, I found you here lying on the sand as well, we must’ve appeared here like our boat did, or at least part of it did. Let’s check the boat, maybe it’ll have some of our supplies we packed, we could use them if we are going to find help.”
You make your way to the boat but there’s nothing of use there. “Nothing’s here,” says your partner, “Maybe we can find something useful somewhere else. Let’s go explore, maybe we can find an answer to our problems elsewhere.”

The Mystery:
By now, it is clear that something unusual is occurring. By coming to the islands, you two are not visiting; you are now stuck, brought by an unknown force, a force which seems to capture the outer world and reorganize them throughout the islands. It is a puzzling situation where you must traverse its world to solve its deepest mysteries and unlock the path to freedom. Only those brave enough to search within shall find the keys to open the unknown and unseen.

The Path:
The paths are unexpected, separated with puzzles you must solve. The world combines various environments and weather into unique island designs. Solving a puzzle affects the world, and by completing them, you progress deeper. Both characters walk their own path, and solve their own puzzles when they are separated at various intervals, fighting to find each other.

Extra notes:

• Player can choose to play as either Slate(male) or Ivory(female).
• Objects may disappear or reappear in scripted ways in order to progress the story, or be part of a puzzle.
• The only interaction you have with a life form in the early stages of the game is with your partner, so you'd want to stick with them as much as possible.
• Depending on the character you choose to play as, the puzzles you find while seperated with your partner are different. There are also puzzles you do with your partner as well though.
• An interesting feature in the game would be sleep spots, where you can choose to sleep at. When you sleep, you goto a dream mode where things in the environment change as well as the time or weather and such, and you may need to sleep in order to access certain aspects of a puzzle and change it when you awake.
• You are equiped with a backpack and may need to store objects for specific use for a later time.
• There are many islands and each one consists of a puzzle or two.
• The islands are very different and some seem to have attracted different weather patterns. For example, some may be covered with snow and ice.
• There are no guns.

 

[Humidor]

Interesting, but what is the gameplay like? What is the perspective? Is it (hopefully) like Mist?

It sounds like a fun idea, but it will be a massive undertaking. If you can pull it off I commend you, good luck!

 

[Angry Lawyer]

By the sounds of it, it harkens back to the days of point-and-click adventures, or those Zork ones.

I approve. You'll need a coder more than anything, though.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Crispy]

Sounds cool. If you keep to those main points to begin with you have the option to add in extra abilities, etc. if you see fit. I wouldn't see it as a huge undertaking if you kept to simple 'key to lock' puzzles. Once made and put together in the storyline you could check the pacing.

After this you could go back and make the puzzles more intricate, requiring certain combinations of items/abilities to solve them. I especially like the idea of combining the two characters' abilities to solve puzzles (or combining multiple items that only one can wield/use respectively).

But first is the story, then main puzzle areas and basic puzzle types (with basic mapping and coding), then test for pacing and gameplay elements (from which you will know what to add/improve upon), then you can go into iterative builds with more detail. Retest and repeat!

Nice concept, though.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Actually, first would be the control system. If you code the inventory, and the ability to do certain commands - "combine", "use", "examine", "ingest", "pick up", "drop" and the like, then you've got yourself a framework that can be used and reused over and over. You could then write your story and make the actual game, and with a little luck (assuming you don't hardcode any objects in the game, and use a system similar to the props in Hammer) you could have a community creating lots of different adventures, with different characters and settings - all using your mod.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Mutley]

By the sounds of it, it harkens back to the days of point-and-click adventures, or those Zork ones.

I approve. You'll need a coder more than anything, though.

-Angry Lawyer

Got to love Broken Sword, best point-and-click adventure game ever.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Day of the Tentacle > any other adventure game.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Sulkdodds]

How appropriate, you fight like a cow!

It's a cool idea, but it seems like it'd be easier and more appropriate to do it on some kind of 2d or flash-based engine rather than Source. Then again, with such a setting, uber graphics would be awesome. I just don't know how you'd implement the control system necessary for an adventure game.

Also, interesting puzzles that aren't stupid, boring, annoying or patronisingly simple would be a must.

 

[crackhead]

you fight like a dairy farmer.

i absolutely love this idea. my own project has a dash of puzzle solving. i am deffinetly interested in this and would like to help you get started. couple of things though. it sounds alot like lost how much of it have you written? what skills do you have. and have you done anything else like concepts. but anyway it sounds brilliant. my email is [email protected]

 

[Crispy]

Actually, first would be the control system. If you code the inventory, and the ability to do certain commands - "combine", "use", "examine", "ingest", "pick up", "drop" and the like, then you've got yourself a framework that can be used and reused over and over. You could then write your story and make the actual game, and with a little luck (assuming you don't hardcode any objects in the game, and use a system similar to the props in Hammer) you could have a community creating lots of different adventures, with different characters and settings - all using your mod.

-Angry Lawyer

Listen to him, he knows the ancient art of Ko Ding.

 

[crackhead]

im only a begginer at the " ancient art of KO Ding" but it seems to me that to have functions liek that. liek inventory based. u would need an excellent coder?

 

[Kon]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

crackhead, as far as the written material, I don't have much yet since I feel the concept is pretty basic at the moment, and want to keep it that way, I'd figure it be best to iron things out with anyone who would be working on the project since I feel its important to have everyone comfortable with its ideas, and by allowing people to contribute to the development of the concept, people would then have a closer relationship with it and feel more like working on it.
I understand that keeping things simple is key and It would be one of the top priorities to make it basic, yet compelling. That why I want only 2 main character models with perhaps another secondary model of a lost old man with a beard(some guy who has been trapped on the islands for a long time).
The rest of the work can be focused on making good maps with great puzzles, and developing the control system which includes a simplistic inventory. In addition of useing your hands to hold and push/pull and throw things, I'm thinking there will be a fire emergency type of axe tool that you find to cut things. I'm also thinking of a Tree Sap item that you take off certain trees to use to glue objects together.
The inventory will be used for unique puzzle items such as a gear for a machine, or a battery.

As far as what I can do, I am a pretty decent concept artist, and a beginner coder, I havent looked into the codeing aspect of modding yet, but I might be able to contribute there as well if it isn't too complicated.
Here is something I drew today:

Just some idea for the Ivory character.

What I would want to stress is the importance of the maps. I'd like the envirements to look very nice and outdoors-ish with puzzles incorporated, so a good mapper would be key.
Towards the end of the game, the player would be going into the heart of the islands and entering underground caverns where things can be somewhat more mysterious.