The Big Game Idea: All entries

I had a lot of fun revisiting my idea for an Incredible Hulk game. I did have a series written for a sequel, and I had even plotted out the third game, but never posted it on 1UP. I doubt that I will share those on this blog. But you never know. For those that missed the entries, or just want to read it beginning to end below is the entire series.

The Big Game Idea Preamble

The Big Game Idea: Fighting Engine

The Big Game Idea: Skyscrapers 

The Big Game Idea: All About Healthy Rage 

The Big Game Idea: Level 1 

The Big Game Idea: Level 1 (middle) 

The Big Game Idea: Level 1 (end) 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 Cinema 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 Cinema 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 End 

The Big Game Idea: Final Cinema

If you could make a game based on your favorite comic book then who would you choose, and what type of game would it be? Tell me about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 End - A 1UP classic from Oct 12, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

The challenges for the game have gotten progressively harder. Do you think the challenges are logical? Does the progression make sense to you as a player? We have officially passed the halfway point of the game. I hope that you are not disappointed. Especially now that level four reaches it's conclusion.

CINEMA: "So much for family." The Maestro smirks as he stands over the defeated She-Hulk. Hercules is crawling in the background trying to prop himself up on a wrecked car. "A god? Hardly!" The Maestro turns and jumps away. In the air the Maestro suddenly comes to a stop as if hitting an invisible wall. He lands at an intersection. He sees the Fantastic Four flying in their Fantasticar.

"Hulk, this is Reed Richards talking. I am your friend. We're here to help you." Mr. Fantastic says as the airship hovers above.

"Incoming!" Ben Grimm, aka the Thing yells out as the Maestro leaps toward the Fantasticar and smashes it to pieces. Ben drops to the ground and prepares for battle. The Human Torch flies overhead as Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman float down. The Maestro lands on top of a building and looks down, laughing.

Level 4 End
Location: New York City Downtown
Objective: Defeat the Fantastic Four.
Learn: How to target multiple opponents for combo attacks.
Unlock: Rampage power.
Level Design: The buildings here are taller than in the previous level. We can now see the skyscrapers nearby. If the Maestro tries to target lock and use his mega jump to stomp and opponent he will hit an invisible barrier every time. Instead he must fight on the ground while the Fantastic Four can take shots at him from a distance. Players learn to break open fire hydrants so they can find the Invisible Woman and hit her with a thunderclap. Once she is out the Maestro can cut loose on the remaining members.

Reed attacks with an assortment of high-powered weapons, if the Maestro can get his hands on him then he can use the elastic Reed as a whip against the other members. If the Maestro target locks and jumps at the Human Torch then he can grab him and try to bring him down and throw him like a fireball at his family members. If the Torch becomes white-hot he'll slip through the fingers of the Maestro and fly off. The Thing is very strong and can fight the Maestro with his boxing skills or throw cars at him with ease. The four combined can slow the Maestro down and allow the military time to capture him with their stasis beam. Add a few combat warden robot suits and tanks and this level is not very easy.
END OF LEVEL 4
This is why we introduce the "Rampage" power in this portion of the game. From this point on in the game both the Maestro and the Hulk will be able to reach a super powered status, above their already incredible abilities. If the player can land many multiple hit combos without being damaged and destroy a good portion of the environment then they enter a rampage mode where they do more damage with every hit, recharge faster from "Mega" attacks and heal faster when injured. This may sound unfair but remember that reaching this level of power is difficult to accomplish, most players will be able to beat the game without reaching a rampage status.

The rampage is difficult to build-up against single super-powered opponents. Which is why there are four super-powered targets on this level and four chances to build up the Maestro's rage. If the player juggles his attacks between the targets and doesn't concentrate on taking out only one then their rage builds faster. This counters most game design as players are taught to focus their attacks on one opponent at a time. This title is more about frenetic action and spectacular combat than traditional action games.

Next week begins the best comic book challenges ever committed to a video game. Tune in if you don't believe me!

Did you ever think you'd get to fight so many Marvel heroes in a game? Which is your favorite so far. Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Bungie drops something very familiar - A 1UP classic from November 29, 2012

Heya friends, have you heard the speculation over a screenshot released by Halo creators Bungie recently? The untitled project looks like a new FPS. I noticed some similarities between the screenshot and work from other artists and studios.

The use of soldiers and giant machines has been done in comics, anime and science fiction for years. The look of the designs are familiar. The muted colors used for the vehicles might have been inspired by Maschinen Krieger (Ma.K).

The soldiers themselves seem to be a mix of different influences, including the helmeted Commandeer figures from Ashley Wood to the amazing painted characters from Paolo Parente's DUST comic books and board game.

The giant mechanized spider in the background was undoubtedly influenced by manga great Masamune Shirow. In his manga Appleseed he featured gigantic gun platforms that looked like mechanical spiders. Shirow drew many of his mechanical influences from nature and based vehicles on spiders, beetles and bumblebees.

His work in design was so influential that the tabletop game Infinity owes a lot to the man.

I look forward to seeing more from Bungie and hopefully they'll let gamers pilot some of those massive vehicles in the game.

As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Could graphic novels inspire great games? A 1UP classic from September 5, 2012

Hello friends, yesterday I talked about some buddy comic book characters that would make for great videogame heroes. As for what single character would make for a great videogame. How about Nixon from the graphic novel Hard Boiled?

The cyborg detective worked the streets of a very dystopian future Earth. The mix of noir and cyberpunk was amazing. It would take a very big studio to recreate the world that Frank Miller and Geoff Darrow presented. The game I imagine would be Crackdown meets State of Emergency. Those were two games that flew in under the radar but presented enough ideas to warrant another look.

If you could nominate one graphic novel to get the videogame treatment which would it be and why? The first person who says the Watchmen in a Lego format gets a boot to the head. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!