New Online Game

[MrPinkPanther]

Overview
After 3 years in online game development I believe I have developed my skills like I always intended too (and made a bit of money on the side!). But now I think it is time for one final big project and this time I mean big. I've been brainstorming some ideas over the past few weeks and below you can see an overview of what I would consider 'The best of the bunch' and I want you guys to give me your opinions on them.

MMORPG
Fairly basic and obvious choice. I havent explored this option too much and so the 'title' is fairly vague. If I did create an MMORPG it would be loosely based on a period in time and a battle between 2 forces for example celts and romans. This isnt my faviroute of ideas, I personally think it has been overdone but I have left it here anyway because I know the genre is very popular.
Pros: Expansive market, Relatively untapped as far as pure online (Except RS)
Cons: Already dominated by key players such as WoW, most ideas have been done, difficult to establish yourself in

Crime MMO
This choice is based on the popularity of Text based crime 'MMORPGs' I expect you have all seen them but largely, in the MMO industry atleast, they have remained text based. No one has really explored bringing this GTA style concept into the Graphics based MMO world. It could potentially have a huge market.
Pros: Large untapped market, based off popular concepts
Cons: Specific age range, promoting 'negative' message (guncrime etc)

School MMO
I personally think this is by far the most 'intresting' of all my ideas, its definatly the most unique. The idea came after everyone in year 7 playing BBC Bitesize games at my old school where people played them thinking they were games and actually learnt a lot. This concept takes that idea and futhers it. Basically every real school that wishes too is given its own MMOCC on a subdomain of the main site eg. School1.MMOCC.com, this will then in turn have a password so only that school can use it. Money to spend in the game on your room can be awarded free by the schools administrator account for good behaviour so students are now really rewarded instead of getting worthless 'housepoints' or something similar at school (Chatlogs etc could also be monitored by this account). Students can also earn ingame Money by completing weekly quiz's for each year group, futhering students education. I am also working out a system by which teachers can send out resources (worksheets etc) too students for either homework or a bonus to get extra ingame money. I think this could be a successful idea as it will introduce a student competition element to education. This game would be aimed at the lower end of secondary school.
Pros: Potential media attention, unique idea, huge userbase
Cons: Money made through advertisements, There is a chance no schools would be intrested

[Joe!]

If you managed to create that last idea effectively I think that would be great. You would really have to pitch it well to schools though and convince it isn't just a game.

[MrPinkPanther]

If you managed to create that last idea effectively I think that would be great. You would really have to pitch it well to schools though and convince it isn't just a game.
Thats what I was thinking, the last one certainly has the most potential but its also a big risk and will take the longest.

[Camistheman]

Its worth it though

[AgnesIO]

The last idea is fantastic tbh.

The best way to present it, is to perhpas get teachers at a school near you to try it, and see if they can guess what the game is helpnig them with?

Really REALLY good!

[ideabox]

Overview
After 3 years in online game development I believe I have developed my skills like I always intended too (and made a bit of money on the side!). But now I think it is time for one final big project and this time I mean big. I've been brainstorming some ideas over the past few weeks and below you can see an overview of what I would consider 'The best of the bunch' and I want you guys to give me your opinions on them.

MMORPG
Fairly basic and obvious choice. I havent explored this option too much and so the 'title' is fairly vague. If I did create an MMORPG it would be loosely based on a period in time and a battle between 2 forces for example celts and romans. This isnt my faviroute of ideas, I personally think it has been overdone but I have left it here anyway because I know the genre is very popular.
Pros: Expansive market, Relatively untapped as far as pure online (Except RS)
Cons: Already dominated by key players such as WoW, most ideas have been done, difficult to establish yourself in

Crime MMO
This choice is based on the popularity of Text based crime 'MMORPGs' I expect you have all seen them but largely, in the MMO industry atleast, they have remained text based. No one has really explored bringing this GTA style concept into the Graphics based MMO world. It could potentially have a huge market.
Pros: Large untapped market, based off popular concepts
Cons: Specific age range, promoting 'negative' message (guncrime etc)

School MMO
I personally think this is by far the most 'intresting' of all my ideas, its definatly the most unique. The idea came after everyone in year 7 playing BBC Bitesize games at my old school where people played them thinking they were games and actually learnt a lot. This concept takes that idea and futhers it. Basically every real school that wishes too is given its own MMOCC on a subdomain of the main site eg. School1.MMOCC.com, this will then in turn have a password so only that school can use it. Money to spend in the game on your room can be awarded free by the schools administrator account for good behaviour so students are now really rewarded instead of getting worthless 'housepoints' or something similar at school (Chatlogs etc could also be monitored by this account). Students can also earn ingame Money by completing weekly quiz's for each year group, futhering students education. I am also working out a system by which teachers can send out resources (worksheets etc) too students for either homework or a bonus to get extra ingame money. I think this could be a successful idea as it will introduce a student competition element to education. This game would be aimed at the lower end of secondary school.
Pros: Potential media attention, unique idea, huge userbase
Cons: Money made through advertisements, There is a chance no schools would be intrested
Maybe the education aspect could be one of the many aspects incorporated into the game, since I noticed that although it is very good, kids would dismiss it as being nerdy or 'gay' if that was the prime USP.
I like it though but I think there should be more elements mixed in i.e. in-game products or maybe if they score high enough they can become a student tutor in the rp game. :eusa_danc
I think that definitely if you had rooms for student tutors and they were given certain privilages, that would encourage them to join teaching, which is a problem atm and educational institutions would want to support your site.
- I'm feeling it. ;)

[MrPinkPanther]

The best way to present it, is to perhpas get teachers at a school near you to try it, and see if they can guess what the game is helpnig them with?
Nice idea, I was thinking of developing it then offering it to a nearby school for their students to come up with more ideas. That way the teachers are encouraging them to be creative, they get their ideas in a game and I get fresh new ideas. A money reward could be in line too.

[AgnesIO]

Nice idea, I was thinking of developing it then offering it to a nearby school for their students to come up with more ideas. That way the teachers are encouraging them to be creative, they get their ideas in a game and I get fresh new ideas. A money reward could be in line too.


I will ask:

Is this aimed at Primary School kids, or secondry or everyone?

It would probably work best testing it at a Year 6 or 5 class, as they will probably be the keanest, and know what they are talking about (Year 1 kids, wouldnt be great to get ideas from)

[MrPinkPanther]

I will ask:

Is this aimed at Primary School kids, or secondry or everyone?

It would probably work best testing it at a Year 6 or 5 class, as they will probably be the keanest, and know what they are talking about (Year 1 kids, wouldnt be great to get ideas from)
I was aiming it at young secondary school children because although people will only be able to access their own schools chat I dont think parents at primary school would be confident with their children accessing 'chat rooms'. I suppose I could call it something else like a school communication network or something. Anyway thanks for the input :)

I like your tutor idea too ideabox, I'll explore that later when I'm back from college.

[HotelUser]

I think a nice classic MMORPG would be the best :D. The school idea is a good idea, though.

[edgates]

I actually think the school idea is great. If you could get schools to use it, it would work very well. In our school, we have stickers with codes on that we (mainly year 7s) can put on a site called MyStickers to get points to decorate a virtual 'them'. Obviously, it never really caught on, but with your idea, there is a chance that you could maybe implement that idea.

[Inseriousity.]

Very good ideas. Being a GTA person, I definitely prefered the crime one (if it was graphical - text mmorpgs are boring) to the education one however I can see that the education idea sounds a lot more unique and therefore, I'd go for the education one. :D

[AgnesIO]

Very good ideas. Being a GTA person, I definitely prefered the crime one (if it was graphical - text mmorpgs are boring) to the education one however I can see that the education idea sounds a lot more unique and therefore, I'd go for the education one. :D


Dont forget the education one could also, be easy to advertise, as i cant see you asking your school:

'Hey can you advertise GTA please, yes its 18+ but its fun! '

lol

[Johno]

Really quite like the idea of the school one +rep :)

It will be interesting to see what happens with it - It would be quite cool if, for example, you were struggling with your homework so you log on to the system and go and see the teacher of the subject.

[MrPinkPanther]

Really quite like the idea of the school one +rep :)

It will be interesting to see what happens with it - It would be quite cool if, for example, you were struggling with your homework so you log on to the system and go and see the teacher of the subject.
Yep exactly, people could arrange to meet online and do their homework together, help eachother etc.

[Meti]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[BlueTackle]

its awesome,

what you could do is have a bit that you can do your homework online, and send it to the teacher!

That would be amazing, have a notebook and an answersheet :)
send the notes and answers to teacher :)

[MrPinkPanther]

its awesome,

what you could do is have a bit that you can do your homework online, and send it to the teacher!

That would be amazing, have a notebook and an answersheet :)
send the notes and answers to teacher :)
This will be considered but its more an extra resource than core work. I feel that this would create extra work for the teacher to check all this online, in exams students would have to write the work so I think they should for homework too :). Thanks for the input though.

I've done a quick mock up of some school items to show the style Im thinking of (its up for debate ;)), Im starting off with some boring items then ill work up to all the exciting ones like jukeboxes or whatever (They aren't done).
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/1982/schoolhg3.png (http://imageshack.us)

[BlueTackle]

I like the chairs

are you going to be hiring moderators for every school etc.?

[Meti]

I love them :D

This game could actually go somewhere :D

[MrPinkPanther]

I like the chairs

are you going to be hiring moderators for every school etc.?
There will be a strict filter introduced not only filtering words but also alerting teachers who swore so they know who they may need to monitor the activity of and an Admin panel for teachers to check chatlogs. One option would be for the school to elect moderators themselves. I wont be introducing them myself because if the moderator I elect is offensive or abusive on the schools client it could put me in a lot of trouble. For safety I will be making it so each client can only be accessed by those who attend the particular school.


I love them :D

This game could actually go somewhere :D
Thanks very much, I will be developing them futher.

I am creating this project for 3 reasons. Firstly I think it could help improve childrens education and I hope it could be a useful tool for schools in the future to get students engaged in their work, secondly I think it possibly be a commercial success for myself in the future if created properly (revenue will be generated by advertisements), finally I think it would be a good thing to put on my CV.

[edgates]

As I said before, It's a great idea. From the ideas that you've posted after my post, and the school furniture, I really think this could go far. Good luck!

[MrPinkPanther]

As I said before, It's a great idea. From the ideas that you've posted after my post, and the school furniture, I really think this could go far. Good luck!
Thanks very much, I'm desperatly needing ideas for school related furniture at the moment and features before I take this futher.

[Fehm]

I know my school will take up that last idea, and its a very worthwhile idea!
:)

Good luck with it =] And.. I'd say i'd help but im not amazing tbh!

[iJoe]

I can see it now

An assembly hall with a teacher "robot" saying things that were said in an assembly incase people missed them, school message boards.

Seems a really good idea :) Good luck with it

[MrPinkPanther]

I can see it now

An assembly hall with a teacher "robot" saying things that were said in an assembly incase people missed them, school message boards.

Seems a really good idea :) Good luck with it
Thanks! I might let teachers upload worksheets for students that are away ill to do at home or something :).

[ideabox]

Tbh, I just found out a competitor that has a very similar element. Although it isn't a game, its somewhere you can chat to school mates and the teacher from the internet for help and send homework and documents to you. I can't remember the name but we used it for every lesson in my secondary school.
In college, we have the same thing called crystal-web.
Sorry;
but making the usp of the program into a virtual game is a good idea and it would be universal.

[MrPinkPanther]

Tbh, I just found out a competitor that has a very similar element. Although it isn't a game, its somewhere you can chat to school mates and the teacher from the internet for help and send homework and documents to you. I can't remember the name but we used it for every lesson in my secondary school.
In college, we have the same thing called crystal-web.
Sorry;
but making the usp of the program into a virtual game is a good idea and it would be universal.
Hmm ok, I think this is taking it to the next level where students can actually interact with eachother and benefit for educational games etc. The document thing was only a side service.

Radio for streaming (first completed piece):
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6805/woodenfurnioq6.png (http://imageshack.us)
In the flash version text scrolls with the song name across the bar and the speakers 'beat' out.

[Meti]

it will look better if you change the color on the radio streaming

[Meti]

radio streaming will look better if you change the colours on it.
black/grey


Sorry for double post. I thought the first post wasn't added, so I posted a new-

[AgnesIO]

Hmm ok, I think this is taking it to the next level where students can actually interact with eachother and benefit for educational games etc. The document thing was only a side service.

Radio for streaming (first completed piece):
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6805/woodenfurnioq6.png (http://imageshack.us)
In the flash version text scrolls with the song name across the bar and the speakers 'beat' out.


That looks fantastic, but i would go for more modern colour radio - as Meti said!

[Chippiewill]

If you do do the school one make sure to do a low bandwidth and a high bandwidth version (Like rs) because my school bans games since they slow the internet (alot). Have you considered making it a buyable server software for schools to buy and run themselves on a local sevrver to bring speeds up?

Consider making it so that the school can make it look and seem like the school itself so that people know exactly where everything is the first time they use it.

[BlueTackle]

If you do do the school one make sure to do a low bandwidth and a high bandwidth version (Like rs) because my school bans games since they slow the internet (alot). Have you considered making it a buyable server software for schools to buy and run themselves on a local sevrver to bring speeds up?

Consider making it so that the school can make it look and seem like the school itself so that people know exactly where everything is the first time they use it.


Now that my freind is the best idea ever!

[MrPinkPanther]

If you do do the school one make sure to do a low bandwidth and a high bandwidth version (Like rs) because my school bans games since they slow the internet (alot). Have you considered making it a buyable server software for schools to buy and run themselves on a local sevrver to bring speeds up?
The first bit wont be a problem since its in flash and vector it will be loading super fast anyway. The second part I did actually consider already but I thought it would be better to do it online and completely free for starters so the schools realise it wont pose a risk and then in maybe in a few months I could introduce the client for a small fee. My plan actually is to make the 'game' completely free until I get a largish userbase then I will let them continue using the free version but I will release a premium paid version with more features.


Consider making it so that the school can make it look and seem like the school itself so that people know exactly where everything is the first time they use it.
Thanks I like the idea but I just think it isnt feesable, every school looks completely different and I can't afford to do 100 types of flooring, 80 types of chair etc. If a school wishes to then they could build themselves a 'Home' room similar to their school. Thanks for the input though, its really appreciated.

[BlueTackle]

You could make it so they pay a small fee for custom items to make it look like their school when you get a fair amount of users :)

im sure my school would use it!

[MrPinkPanther]

You could make it so they pay a small fee for custom items to make it look like their school when you get a fair amount of users :)

im sure my school would use it!
Maybe, but this is far into the future. I dont need to think about this for a long time :)

[MrPinkPanther]

Update: What do you think of this? Do you have any more ideas?
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6356/woodenfurniul5.png

[AgnesIO]

Update: What do you think of this? Do you have any more ideas?
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6356/woodenfurniul5.png


******* FIT!

Good luck with it.

[Trinity]

Update: What do you think of this? Do you have any more ideas?
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6356/woodenfurniul5.png

Needs more colours, but it looks good so far.
I'm not sure what that one at the top is, between the chair and the microphone.

[BlueTackle]

yeh, a bit more colour, make some classrooms like test tubes and bunsen burners.

[MrPinkPanther]

yeh, a bit more colour, make some classrooms like test tubes and bunsen burners.
I like those ideas! Ill draw them tommorow.

Its all the same colour because its all in the same 'set'. This is the wooden set.

[AgnesIO]

I like those ideas! Ill draw them tommorow.

Its all the same colour because its all in the same 'set'. This is the wooden set.


Sounds fab, i wish you the best of luck with it!

[Trinity]

I like those ideas! Ill draw them tommorow.

Its all the same colour because its all in the same 'set'. This is the wooden set.

Ahh right, I thought it was like, the only set.
I'm looking forward to seeing the other sets and the completed thing :)

Is the school one still like, just a possible idea, or have you decided to stick to it?

[MrPinkPanther]

Ahh right, I thought it was like, the only set.
I'm looking forward to seeing the other sets and the completed thing :)

Is the school one still like, just a possible idea, or have you decided to stick to it?
Im exploring the idea in depth at the moment, I think I will stick with it.

[Trinity]

Im exploring the idea in depth at the moment, I think I will stick with it.

If it takes off (which I doubt, sorry), you might be able to get some sort of funding for it because of the education aspect of it, which would be better than getting income through adverts, because I'm guessing most of the sites advertised would be blocked by schools anyway.

[MrPinkPanther]

If it takes off (which I doubt, sorry), you might be able to get some sort of funding for it because of the education aspect of it, which would be better than getting income through adverts, because I'm guessing most of the sites advertised would be blocked by schools anyway.
Thanks for the idea!

[Meti]

any new stuff done yet? :D

[MrPinkPanther]

any new stuff done yet? :D
Of course, am I going to tell you yet? No ^^.

[BlueTackle]

i cant wait for it to launch

my school will use it, im sure.

[HabboYukka]

The last idea would be very benefitial I believe attracting audiencies of all ages, Ideas would ofcourse be revealed throughout it, one idea I got from it was (Online game staff - could be ranked as teachers) and (players - pupils)
although there are many more than I and ofcourse other people have its a good idea and I think it would be good seeing something along those lines on the internet.

[BlueTackle]

i think you should make it so that they choose a size and then customise it, like add walls where the want and cut bits out and make fields, so that it has the same layout as there school and you can wander around?
You could even have after school clubs like chess club online ;) I think this will catch on ;)

i wanne get involved but have no skills :(

I could come up with ideas and be all creative?
Then you make them!