1) I really like the combined splitscreen/network idea.
2) I think its gonna be really hard to produce that many nicely modelled and animated characters - maybe you should stick to a few and just add stuff to them. Maybe a glowing sphere or a particle system...
3) Instead of controlling a different et of units, the teammembers might wanna be able to control all of them interchangebly
Momentum
1) I think it will be a funny party game - take a look at monkey ball
2) To let the physics do all the calculations might result in a very realistic game, but that might not be the most funny/exciting play. Exageration often leads to a denser experience.
3) Moveable objects, which openup/close down passways would be fun.
2) It takes a lot of work to create a ship... especially for a splitscreen game, it might be good have some ships prepared
3) You should be able to save your ships and maybe trade over network. Such as in spore, nice working ships could be distributed among the instances of the game...
x743
1) The fluid simulation definetly rulez!
2) I think the static 2D is a restriction... you could extend it into 3d (still using 2d fluid simulation though, maybe a few different layers), by adding depth, such that the submarine could also dive beneath or over a rock (alpha blend the rock)... depth could really be a tactic feature, to maybe get out of a current or into another one...
3) Your ship could emit oil to confuse the opponent. If he gets into the oil, the screen could darken or even black out... The cool thing about oil would be that the fluid simulation could distribute it... but be careful, it could come back and black out yourself
1) The game mode you plan is what I really like, playing 2 vs. 2 each team on one console, this can bring a lot of fun and a lot of social interaction during palying. Moreover I like the game idea of fighting elements, this sounds like quite a lot of fun.
2) I don’t know if it’s a lot of fun playing a strategy game on a console, with just a few characters. Moreover it requires normally a lot of time to get into these games. It’s not a 5 min learning time. And this is going to be hard to present an audience.
3) Make sure you really want a Strategy game, it is still possible to change the game play to a first or 3rd person fight game which might improve the play fun. Moreover make sure that you don’t overdo yourselves with Modelling characters. This is in my view the most critical aspect of your time management.
Momentum
1) I love the idea of the player that can interact with the terrain the balls are on. This brings in a lot of fun.
2) Its going to be hard to make your game interesting over several rounds. Since there are finite elements of disturbance like the shown looping or the ramp. You have to think maybe about more powerups . Moreover It might be critical that the games view becomes a bit dull after some games.
3) I would change the view to a 3rd person view like we have seen in one of the last years game. Moreover I would try to go more in the direction of Mario cart. This game is pretty simple but makes a lot of fun, and is as far as I can tell the same genre as your game.
1) the idea of Assembling my own ship is very cool and I loved this in games like Wing Comander where I could choose my own rockets and speedups.
2) It might be pretty hard to establish a good gamepaly, as we have discussed before. Moreover there is no evolution in the game. What is the goal, just design an kill? There must be a goal that goes further ahead. And you have to be very careful with the balancing. Make sure there is not one unique design that makes you nearly invincible.
3) I would put in some more aspects, your main aspect is now that you can assemble your ship, then you go out there and die… Add try to add more to the actual game play The technical aspect of assembling is very cool, but are you sure that adds to the game fun. Try this early on.
x743
1) The Idea of underwater fights is very cool! I always was a fan of Sea quest and captain Nemo, so underwater fights are one of the things I’ve always been missing in games.
2) I think its going to be hard to include the fluid simulation into the game such that it improves the fun of the game. Make sure this adds to the fun and does not disturb it. I’m also not sure if the planed single player mode is a good idea for this game, are you sure you don’t want a multiplayer game? The Camera perspective in this game can get pretty dull after a few games.
3) Try to make it multiplayer, Implement first person, and make sure the fluid simulation doesn’t spoil the game play and the fun of the game. Concentrate on the game play and all s going to be fine from my point of view!
1) Nice story you have. Use it to build a very dense mood, with music, screen overlays and maybe even speech.
2) I fear that having realtime fun with tactics and as few characters as you plan, will be very hard to balance. Maybe you should switch to a turn-based game.
3) You could connect the realtime part of the game with a turn-based. On the big world-overview map, a player can take over different estates. If one player attacks a hostile estate, you could switch to the realtime mode, to examine the winner. To be prepared, a player has to move its players around from estate to estate, because, if attacked, he can only fight with the troups which are currently in the attacked estate.
Momentum
1) I really like the whole concept of the game, especially the cooperative mode, where each player steers one axis of the board.
2) Pay attention with the special moves you want to offer. I fear they could ruin the skill-part of the game. One could allways use a special move to leap over the most difficult part, which would make the game a lot easier then without special moves.
3) I would try to provide a costum-level loader, at least for windows.
1) I really like the idea of stearing a spaceship completetly manual. I would stick to this as the main task/difficulty in the game.
2) I dont like spaceshooters in general, they offer too much freedom to flee.
3) Maybe add a racing mode or tactical elements ( caves, disturbing mirrors, asteriod showers ). Offer a stabilizer to build into the ship. It would make it more stable, but could, for example, reduce velocity.
x743
1) Nice story, use it to give the game a lot of mood.
2) I think, one player mode versus AI enemies on a fixed screen is a bit boring. You could extend it to a 2d-scroll-level singleplayer mode.
3) Provide a level editor, add puzzle- and maze-elements.
