Laser tag training course arena
My first idea is a shooting game revolving around laser tag. Laser tag is an activity where individuals use a handgun 'shoot' their opponents by firing an infrared visible laser. These are held in small dark mazes and arenas, and are played for fun, or a sport. There are different game modes such as 'capture the flag', 'protect the VIP' or 'capture the base'.
I feel like this would be a good idea because it is a unique idea which is not common in first-person games. I would incorporate the laser tag theme into a training course mission - similar to those seen in tutorials or opening missions of FPS games.
Mechanics which would be incorporated include:
- Moving the player within an arena
- Movement on X and Z axis
- Jumping and falling on Y axis.
- Going prone (crouching under an obstacle)
- Shooting the laser gun
- Scoping in and aiming with the laser gun
In terms of guns, there are a range of laser weapons in numerous video games which could be modelled. Examples include the PRL 412 Laser gun in Resident Evil 4, the M6 Spartan Laser from Halo 3, or rifles which include a Red Dot Sight attachment (seen in the Call of Duty series).
Duck Hunt style shooting
My second idea is a shooting game where objects fly into the sky, and the player is required to shoot them down before their escape. It would be inspired by the 1984 NES game Duck Hunt, where the player shoots flying ducks in a first-person perspective.
There could be some time-based challenges, where the player needs to shoot down objects within a certain amount of time. Some of the objects which fly in the air could be bonus items, which drop extra ammunition when shot, or multipliers to double the player's score.
I feel like this could be a good idea, because I could extend the original Duck Hunt idea, by converting it into a 3D environment, and building extra functionality through bonus items, or adding items to avoid shooting.
Mechanics which would be incorporated include:
- Moving the player within an arena
- Movement on X and Z axis
- Shooting the gun
- Aiming the gun while scoped in
Final thoughts and conclusion
Some further ideas which I did not look further into, included a paintball arena and a water-gun summer style game. I chose to avoid these ideas as I was stuck for ideas on guns which could be modelled.
I decided to make a game, based on my laser tag idea described above. This is because I was keen to build upon these early thoughts and I received positive feedback from my tutor with this idea.
References
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/why-not/11692983/where-to-play-laser-tag.html Accessed 01-Oct-2018.
http://www.lasermatrix.biz/about-us/what-is-laser-tag/ Accessed 01-Oct-2018.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/26875/how-did-duck-hunt-gun-work Accessed 01-Oct-2018.
https://www.mobygames.com/game/duck-hunt Accessed 01-Oct-2018
