Who here has a story idea they want to turn into a game? Thread

I was just wondering if there were people with story ideas they want to turn into a game but don't have the means to do so. Lacking manpower, time, etc. Would love to hear your thoughts!

I'm sure there are such people with ideas but couldn't make the game themselves. Though I don't know where they are.

I mean, I am currently in the middle of outlining game concepts, characters, etc. And have absolutely 0 experience in programming. Just a passion for games, and a decent bombastic world builder and story teller.

有一个故事，但我没有技能将其开发成游戏

I have a story, but I don't have the skills to develop it into a game

I have a story idea too. But it may be quite long. Do you have some time to listen to my story?☺
(10 years ago when I was in the university, I failed to make it to a real complete game as a final senior project because I'm very bad at physics and math.)

Story: In the future, the world faces a pressing environmental crisis, with a newfound hope in advanced technology to save the planet. Amidst this backdrop, a global bird-watching competition called the 'Bird Race' has emerged, featuring three-person teams that venture into various landscapes, including forests, jungles, and wetlands, to spot as many bird and wildlife species as possible. Participants are required to capture photos or record the sounds of the birds and wildlife as evidence. The victors of the contest stand to gain both fame and rewards, including monetary prizes.

The story begins with [player], a spirited young girl/boy living in a rural area who aspires to become the champion of the World Bird Race. Her/his journey commences with the establishment of a birding club at her school, enabling her to join the local teen birding league. However, it's a challenging task to find club members, as her/his friends don't share her passion (- a feeling reminiscent of someone expressing a desire to excel in obscure sports like Sepak Takraw or Yoyo).

Fate takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon a skilled aggressive VR FPS gamer with his observing skill and inevitable shots, determined to attain fame and recognition, and a calm music club member with a talent for sound, categorization, and remembering skills. Persuading them to join her birding team, the gamer seeks fame, while the music girl aims to use the contest prize money to cure her mother's illness. Thus, the unlikely misfit trio embarks on an adventurous journey into the world of bird-watching competitions, where they are destined to face formidable adversaries from their past.

The story's tone mirrors that of Shonen sports manga or anime series like Gundam Build Fighters, Inazuma Eleven, Digimon, or Crush Gear. In each stage of the game, players engage in an exciting form of bird shooting through photography. Each bird and wildlife species presents unique challenges, whether they are fast, elusive, or aggressive. Gathering more bird photos results in increased earnings that can be used to upgrade equipment, including cameras, bug-repellent hats, and camouflage gear. The rarity of birds will give different earnings and experiences. Collecting watched bird/wildlife lists in the bird guidebook could be one of the fun elements in this game.

What do you think about this plot/idea?

Edited by: PatMozaic

Wow I enjoyed reading your game idea. PatMozaic. I like how it shows the spirit of photography and environmentalism. I think the different motivations for joining the birdwatching despite their shared interesting will make an interesting character dynamic. I wonder about the nature of the competition and who are the rival teams that will provide some conflict for the player? You said “the world faces a pressing environmental crisis” so the major conflict could be a race against time before the planet succumbs to whatever dust storm that we humans kicked up, I’m thinking about interstellar here.

What do you think about my story idea? It’s almost finalized and currently in development for my game in Unity. Here is a short synopsis.

In the bustling metropolis of Good City, veteran detective Sam finds his principles tested when he's forced into a dangerous deal with the cunning business mogul Jorge. Sam and his sassy partner Wanda chase Maryann, Jorge's fiery ex-wife who launches vengeful attacks against his powerful company TEK Motors. But they soon realize Maryann is motivated by tragedy - Jorge's reckless actions led to an accident that killed her beloved pet.

To uncover the truth, Sam makes a risky bargain with Jorge, immersing himself in TEK's rivalry with ECO Motors. As tensions explode into chaos, with daring heists and blazing car chases, Sam plays both sides. Yet his loyalty to the force competes with his growing sympathy for Maryann's crusade.

When the devious Jorge frames him for a crime, a vengeful Sam must contemplate breaching the law to enact justice. But by choosing retribution over morality, will he endanger everything he holds dear?

Edited by: noircityfun

Thank you for your feedback, Noircityfun.
1. Sorry that I wrote unclearly. The world setting in the game is not too catastrophic. People won't need to escape to other planets.
It is a global boiling, plastics in the sea, PM2.5 dust, deforestation, wildfire, flooding, and the sixth extinction we encounter today (and we will face more soon).
I imagine the hopeful next 10-20 years when people really realize these problems and seriously try to find a way to solve issues through science.
I hope that we will have those days in real life.

2. I think your main story idea is OK for the game. Will it be polished further in the future?
Suitability depends on the core gameplay/mechanics also.
However, in my opinion, Maryann seems to betray Jorge easily. I'm thinking about the fact that people were spouses and loved each other.
Can only one dead pet event make spouses hate each other? (Is there something before this event? So this one is the end of the rope.)
And I'm not sure why Sam has to deal with Jorge. So it is a little bit hard for me to imagine about his thinking.

Moreover, my screenwriting teacher gave me 3 tips as a checklist for mainstream writing.
I. Is the current obstacle interesting and challenging the main protagonist enough? Does the main protagonist try hard enough to overcome the obstacle? Is it too easy?
II. Is the main protagonist's personality boring?
III. Do the audiences understand the goal/objective/passion/drive of the main protagonist well? (if yes, the audience will follow the character and wish him success)
I hope this will be useful for further story development.

We're currently working on a Skies of Arcadia-style JRPG but my game development background is DEFINITELY limited.

We're still going to try to make an attempt because I do have a background in IT / Programming, so we're tackling problems (while slowly) in chunks.

• We need our story hammered out... k...that's something we can do.
• We need a professional looking logo - ok that's not too bad to save up and contract after brainstorming some direction for them.
• We need to get our key characters modeled and some animation completed.
  • Ok, Fiverr is looking like a good option there.

Once we have some key elements moving forward, in the meantime, I'm spending my evenings learning the engines (and spending every other night on forums, haha).

Shooting for a "playable" level by the end of 12 months that gets the idea / story beginnings across. Definitely a marathon versus a race.

Reading people's experiences and thoughts on their projects is EXTREMELY inspiring. Love posts like these.

Me!
I have an idea about open world, yet if my idea is realistic or ambitious.
I only have skill in Blender.

Edited by: neng_valent