Chinatown Game Design - Contest #5
by Geoff Beckstrom · 02/27/2012 (3:07 pm) · 38 comments
Give us your best elevator pitch for a game designed around Chinatown. Anyone can join by downloading the Torque 3D demo which comes with the Chinatown assets.
Zombie invasion into Chinatown???..... mm probably need to get a bit more creative than that.
ET visits Chinatown?.......
I can't wait to see what you come up with!
The winner will be judged on 3 categories:
1. Best game title
2. Most creative story line
3. Visual presentation
Enter the contest by submitting a you tube video as a comment to this blog. What should be in the video? That is up to you. It might be screen shots, a commercial for your game, or actual game footage.
Submissions are due by 11:59 AM PST Friday March 2nd and a winner will be decided shortly after community power hour ends. The winning entry will receive $159 in first party store credit to their GG account.
Game on!
Zombie invasion into Chinatown???..... mm probably need to get a bit more creative than that.
ET visits Chinatown?.......
I can't wait to see what you come up with!
The winner will be judged on 3 categories:
1. Best game title
2. Most creative story line
3. Visual presentation
Enter the contest by submitting a you tube video as a comment to this blog. What should be in the video? That is up to you. It might be screen shots, a commercial for your game, or actual game footage.
Submissions are due by 11:59 AM PST Friday March 2nd and a winner will be decided shortly after community power hour ends. The winning entry will receive $159 in first party store credit to their GG account.
Game on!
About the author
Las Vegas studio director and operations manager.
#22
Legion of Atayi
The year is 3342, the player is a SWAT3000 located in L.A. Chinatown, this is the third model that looks and feels human. Deadly creatures have been appiring out of thin air. After killing so many of them the player stumbles into a prophet saying that this carnage is from the minions of Atayi, that he searches the univers for intelligent high tech civilization and destroys every living thing on the planet. Planet Earth has been located, can the player find a way to stop Atayi?
03/02/2012 (6:54 am)
Legion of Atayi
The year is 3342, the player is a SWAT3000 located in L.A. Chinatown, this is the third model that looks and feels human. Deadly creatures have been appiring out of thin air. After killing so many of them the player stumbles into a prophet saying that this carnage is from the minions of Atayi, that he searches the univers for intelligent high tech civilization and destroys every living thing on the planet. Planet Earth has been located, can the player find a way to stop Atayi?
#23
You are a member of an obscure branch of homeland security.
Reports of missing persons and human trafficking are at an unprecedented level in China Town.
You are in a race against time, trying to find out what happened to these people, that cut across all different genders, age groups and ethnicities. As you're investigation progresses you find that not only are these human victims are not just missing they're out of this world. You find the Tong are wielding unusual artifacts and advanced alien technology. Piecing together the clues, you locate a warehouse that has been functioning as a large scale meat processing plant. There the truth is revealed, that it hasn't been cattle they've been processing, but man. Cause in china town, dogs and cats aren't the only STRANGE MEAT.
Aliens are eating people and you may be the next course.
03/02/2012 (7:01 am)
STRANGE MEATYou are a member of an obscure branch of homeland security.
Reports of missing persons and human trafficking are at an unprecedented level in China Town.
You are in a race against time, trying to find out what happened to these people, that cut across all different genders, age groups and ethnicities. As you're investigation progresses you find that not only are these human victims are not just missing they're out of this world. You find the Tong are wielding unusual artifacts and advanced alien technology. Piecing together the clues, you locate a warehouse that has been functioning as a large scale meat processing plant. There the truth is revealed, that it hasn't been cattle they've been processing, but man. Cause in china town, dogs and cats aren't the only STRANGE MEAT.
Aliens are eating people and you may be the next course.
#24
ChinaTown has been invaded by ...
Nazis! ... nah, too historical.
Russian Nationalists! ... But wouldn't they be in Russia not Chinatown?
North Korea! ... pffft, like they'd ever have logistics to manage that ...
The Chinese! ... no, wait, you'd expect some Chinese people in ChinaTown ...
The French! ... because ... er ... ummm ... never mind ...
The Israelis! ... "no, too jewish" (Mel Brooks joke there, incase you didn't spot it!)
Sigh ...
Let's just make it "generic terrorists", you're always safe with "generic terrorists" ...
... and we'll call it ...
ChinaTown of Duty .... 9
:P
03/02/2012 (7:18 am)
Just for fun ;)ChinaTown has been invaded by ...
Nazis! ... nah, too historical.
Russian Nationalists! ... But wouldn't they be in Russia not Chinatown?
North Korea! ... pffft, like they'd ever have logistics to manage that ...
The Chinese! ... no, wait, you'd expect some Chinese people in ChinaTown ...
The French! ... because ... er ... ummm ... never mind ...
The Israelis! ... "no, too jewish" (Mel Brooks joke there, incase you didn't spot it!)
Sigh ...
Let's just make it "generic terrorists", you're always safe with "generic terrorists" ...
... and we'll call it ...
ChinaTown of Duty .... 9
:P
#25
The city has been cordoned off due to a strange outbreak. People got sick and died, but didn't stay dead. Now you and a small team of soldiers have to go in and retrieve the results of tests done to the virus in a lab downtown. Only your chopper get's shot down by a beam of light and falls down in chinatown. You survive, but now you will have to shoot your way out of chinatown, to reach the lab downtown and get the tests so that a cure may be found. When you finally reach the lab, the test results show a terrible truth: The virus is synthetic but couldn't be created on this planet. Giving this news to HQ over radio you get yourself a reprieve on coming home. The beam of light that shot you down originated from somewhere on the local cemetery - so that's where the aliens must be hiding - but that's also Zombie Central (Don't know why but zombies find that place restfull) - So know you have to find the military facilities and get the experimental T.E.M.P. bomb, go to the cemetery, find the entrance to the underground alien lab, infiltrate it, plant the bomb and get out - easy right?
Name:
T.E.M.P. - Torque-powered ElectroMagnetic Pulse
Conveying all that in a 1 minute video wouldn't be easy but doable with lot's of text over video
03/02/2012 (9:59 am)
Synopse:The city has been cordoned off due to a strange outbreak. People got sick and died, but didn't stay dead. Now you and a small team of soldiers have to go in and retrieve the results of tests done to the virus in a lab downtown. Only your chopper get's shot down by a beam of light and falls down in chinatown. You survive, but now you will have to shoot your way out of chinatown, to reach the lab downtown and get the tests so that a cure may be found. When you finally reach the lab, the test results show a terrible truth: The virus is synthetic but couldn't be created on this planet. Giving this news to HQ over radio you get yourself a reprieve on coming home. The beam of light that shot you down originated from somewhere on the local cemetery - so that's where the aliens must be hiding - but that's also Zombie Central (Don't know why but zombies find that place restfull) - So know you have to find the military facilities and get the experimental T.E.M.P. bomb, go to the cemetery, find the entrance to the underground alien lab, infiltrate it, plant the bomb and get out - easy right?
Name:
T.E.M.P. - Torque-powered ElectroMagnetic Pulse
Conveying all that in a 1 minute video wouldn't be easy but doable with lot's of text over video
#26
03/02/2012 (10:43 am)
Just over an hour left for submissions! I like what I have seen so far!
#27
03/02/2012 (11:57 am)
Entry deadline has passed. We will select a winner and announce it later today! 
#28
03/02/2012 (12:02 pm)
Ran out of time, boo hoo 
#30
03/02/2012 (1:36 pm)
Our winner this week is Sucker Free Games with Strange Meat. Ill have a GDC themed contest up Monday. Have a great weekend all!
#31
Though the trailers I could find for it don't give it away, it's about aliens going into rural small towns and harvesting the humans as the new taste sensation for their interstellar fast food chain.
03/02/2012 (1:38 pm)
I do love that movie, but I was going for more of a Bad Taste angle:Though the trailers I could find for it don't give it away, it's about aliens going into rural small towns and harvesting the humans as the new taste sensation for their interstellar fast food chain.
#32
03/02/2012 (1:52 pm)
Congrats William! Also Bad Taste was hilarious.
#33
03/02/2012 (2:03 pm)
Woah, we won?! Yaaaaa! THANK YOU! Nerbyl is cheering too... Though I think it's more of a cry for food... 
#35
Been itching to try out the new Conifer Forest Pack and Game Mechanics Kit with GuideBot :D
03/04/2012 (3:06 am)
Just curious, when does the credit applied to my account?Been itching to try out the new Conifer Forest Pack and Game Mechanics Kit with GuideBot :D
#36
We have to do it manually since it is only for first-party products (anything that GarageGames has made). We have to do first-party products so that we do not infringe upon royalty agreements with our third-party developers. E-mail me what GG products you would like and I'll get them added to your account!
03/04/2012 (11:53 am)
@WilliamWe have to do it manually since it is only for first-party products (anything that GarageGames has made). We have to do first-party products so that we do not infringe upon royalty agreements with our third-party developers. E-mail me what GG products you would like and I'll get them added to your account!
#37
So, here's my take on the Chinatown scenario video.
...................................................
Completely dark screen
<Voice in the dark slightly gravelly and alien, with occasional flashes as events appear and fade on the screen - indicated by brackets>
There might have been an attempt at peaceful contact coming, it might just have been routine observation. No one will ever know. The Drael ship was cloaked and might have been watching for a long time. But a chance collision between their space craft and a police helicopter resulted in two crashes, a panicked population and weapons fire. <Crashed chopper with excited police voices> dark to <dead insect like alien on the ground - its been shot> back to dark.
The Drael were hopelessly outnumbered, although they had superior technology. Were they fighting a purely defensive action? No one can say.
<Picture of aliens with guns and a force field around them>
We do not even know if the plague that was unleashed after the crash was deliberate or not.
<Pictures of zombies wandering amok>
All we do know is that the human population is falling victim to a strange flesh-eating disease which turns its victims into brutal, sociopathic killers.
<Close up of zombie with flesh eaten away on the face and crazed look in its eyes>
It is clear that the zombie plague, as its being called, has divided the attentions of the military which is simultaneously trying to contain the epidemic and deal with the alien menace.
<Soldiers facing zombies - aliens in the background also being attacked by zombies>
We do know that the human race is not ready for the technology that the alien space craft has aboard. That is why we are sending you in.
<Glowing crashed alien ship>
You are authorized to deal with the humans, aliens, and plague victims in any manner you see fit. You are to repair or destroy the alien space craft and prevent the humans from gaining that technology.
They are too primitive a species to be unleashed on the countless populated worlds in our galaxy. If you cannot repair and evacuate the ship and the aliens, you are authorized to destroy the ship and any aliens you encounter along with their weapons. You are authorized to stop the plague by any means necessary, and to defend yourself against any indigenous forces you encounter.
If you cannot rectify the situation, we will have no choice and we will authorize the extinction of the planet.
In short, we expect YOU to stop the:
<Roll the game title in large block letters across the screen from left to right then zoom back to show the word as it is said>
Mayhem
Now for the pitch.
You are an alien peace enforcer, you have been sent to stop an interstellar incident from unleashing a primitive society into the cosmos. You have broad discretionary powers, but a finite amount of time in which to act. You have the ability to shape change to look like any of the other groups -- aliens, humans or plague victims, as well as your own fearsome appearance (think Giger Predator-like). You can use any of their weaponry, as well as, some specialty items of your own. Depending on your appearance you have certain allies, and abilities you can use without giving yourself away. Use an ability from a different group and you shape change.
Your main objective is to repair or destroy the enemy space ship. If you repair it, either you or the Drael may leave in it. If you destroy it you must also kill ALL the aliens to prevent the humans from gaining their knowledge and achieving interstellar flight too soon.
The game is a 3D shooter with primary focus as a single player game with multiple levels. The fighting will be in and around San Francisco. Later options include a single player follow up (a new outbreak of plague and the aliens return -- perhaps to try and stop it? or are they trying to conquer us again?) multiplayer sequel (think Unreal Tournament) a port to the Mac, and possibly a trip to XBox or Playstation if it sells well enough to justify the port costs.
The clock is ticking...
Can you stop the Mayhem?
03/06/2012 (9:06 am)
Congrats to the winner of the contest. I didn't have time to put together a video for the contest, but I did have a fun time coming up with a scenario. In fact, I had so much fun with it that I am planning on actually trying to at least make a prototype, if not a full game out of it.So, here's my take on the Chinatown scenario video.
...................................................
Completely dark screen
<Voice in the dark slightly gravelly and alien, with occasional flashes as events appear and fade on the screen - indicated by brackets>
There might have been an attempt at peaceful contact coming, it might just have been routine observation. No one will ever know. The Drael ship was cloaked and might have been watching for a long time. But a chance collision between their space craft and a police helicopter resulted in two crashes, a panicked population and weapons fire. <Crashed chopper with excited police voices> dark to <dead insect like alien on the ground - its been shot> back to dark.
The Drael were hopelessly outnumbered, although they had superior technology. Were they fighting a purely defensive action? No one can say.
<Picture of aliens with guns and a force field around them>
We do not even know if the plague that was unleashed after the crash was deliberate or not.
<Pictures of zombies wandering amok>
All we do know is that the human population is falling victim to a strange flesh-eating disease which turns its victims into brutal, sociopathic killers.
<Close up of zombie with flesh eaten away on the face and crazed look in its eyes>
It is clear that the zombie plague, as its being called, has divided the attentions of the military which is simultaneously trying to contain the epidemic and deal with the alien menace.
<Soldiers facing zombies - aliens in the background also being attacked by zombies>
We do know that the human race is not ready for the technology that the alien space craft has aboard. That is why we are sending you in.
<Glowing crashed alien ship>
You are authorized to deal with the humans, aliens, and plague victims in any manner you see fit. You are to repair or destroy the alien space craft and prevent the humans from gaining that technology.
They are too primitive a species to be unleashed on the countless populated worlds in our galaxy. If you cannot repair and evacuate the ship and the aliens, you are authorized to destroy the ship and any aliens you encounter along with their weapons. You are authorized to stop the plague by any means necessary, and to defend yourself against any indigenous forces you encounter.
If you cannot rectify the situation, we will have no choice and we will authorize the extinction of the planet.
In short, we expect YOU to stop the:
<Roll the game title in large block letters across the screen from left to right then zoom back to show the word as it is said>
Mayhem
Now for the pitch.
You are an alien peace enforcer, you have been sent to stop an interstellar incident from unleashing a primitive society into the cosmos. You have broad discretionary powers, but a finite amount of time in which to act. You have the ability to shape change to look like any of the other groups -- aliens, humans or plague victims, as well as your own fearsome appearance (think Giger Predator-like). You can use any of their weaponry, as well as, some specialty items of your own. Depending on your appearance you have certain allies, and abilities you can use without giving yourself away. Use an ability from a different group and you shape change.
Your main objective is to repair or destroy the enemy space ship. If you repair it, either you or the Drael may leave in it. If you destroy it you must also kill ALL the aliens to prevent the humans from gaining their knowledge and achieving interstellar flight too soon.
The game is a 3D shooter with primary focus as a single player game with multiple levels. The fighting will be in and around San Francisco. Later options include a single player follow up (a new outbreak of plague and the aliens return -- perhaps to try and stop it? or are they trying to conquer us again?) multiplayer sequel (think Unreal Tournament) a port to the Mac, and possibly a trip to XBox or Playstation if it sells well enough to justify the port costs.
The clock is ticking...
Can you stop the Mayhem?
#38
I have all the Torque Artwork Packs, and an excellent 3D artist/ animator to help with the initial prototype and between us we can do the job.
But, if anybody is interested in seeing how far it goes, email me. I can do all pieces of the project, except artwork/modeling in a pinch, but would like to find an additional level designer, an audio person and possibly another coder/scriper to ease the load.
I have the Game Design Proposal done and I'm working on the initial Audio Bible, Art Bible, and Game Design Doc now.
ddougher AT pariahgames.com to join the fun.
03/06/2012 (9:19 am)
A postscript.I have all the Torque Artwork Packs, and an excellent 3D artist/ animator to help with the initial prototype and between us we can do the job.
But, if anybody is interested in seeing how far it goes, email me. I can do all pieces of the project, except artwork/modeling in a pinch, but would like to find an additional level designer, an audio person and possibly another coder/scriper to ease the load.
I have the Game Design Proposal done and I'm working on the initial Audio Bible, Art Bible, and Game Design Doc now.
ddougher AT pariahgames.com to join the fun.
Torque Owner Luis Rodrigues
WinterLeaf Entertainment
@all: predictably, i got home really late and couldn't wip up a video entry for this. But as promised i will write here what my pitch would be. Stay tuned