Hi all,
For a university project I've decided to design a beach bar game that has a isometric sims type feel to it. Below is a list of ideas/proposals I've managed to come up with. If anyone has any ideas on how to improve or elaborate on any of the point listed, please drop a message, all feedback is appreciate, thanks!
BEACH BAR GAME:
Theme
Set in tropical paradise beach resort, user competes with computer (or another
networked pc) to see who can dominate beach resort.
Play against computer or vs. second player over Wan/Lan
Set amount of cash to play with.
Successful content milestones creating revenue for more expansion options
Beach screen split into two zones with drag n drop components sitting on the edge of
the screen
(Hotel rooms could be built above with furniture. guests create income etc)
Characters
bar staff
dj
bar manager
guest
local
maid
cocktail waitress
bouncer
cleaner
gangster
teen
tiny tot
promoter
More staff = better service but more resources
Bar items:
Bar strip
Bar corner
Beer taps
Cocktail bar
Kitchen
Bar stool
Bar table and chair
D.J booth
Dancefloor
lighting
Beach items:
Deck chair
Umbrella
Beach chair/tables
Volleyball
Beach bar
Lighting
Computer builds rival bar adjacent to players
Time passes causes day/night cycles. Random elements will include police raids.
storms. hot weather(affects beach populations)
Player can import mp3 collection for music.
The goal
What is the game trying to achieve- beach domination
Types of reward:
More elaborate beach building options
Animated cut scenes to mark player attaining certain landmarks.
Side games could include disco dancer where player has to press buttons in time with
screen requests
Milestone 1
Objectives: Opens basic beach bar
Build bar building
Furnish with:
1 bar
1 kitchen
5 chair and table sets (indoor)
3 chair and table sets (outdoor)
3 sunloungers
Hire:
1 manager
1 chef
3 bar staff
1 cleaner
Enables :
Dance floor (d.j. dependency)
Cocktail bar (needs bar and cocktail waitress)
Bouncers, cocktail waitress
Milestone 2
Objectives: Opens disco beachbeach bar
Build bar building
Furnish with:
1 bar
1 kitchen
1 disco dancefloor
1 dj booth
1 cocktail bar
1 P.A system
3 Lights
5 chair and table sets (indoor)
3 chair and table sets (outdoor)
3 sun-loungers
Hire:
1 manager
2 assistant managers
1 promoter
2 cocktail waitress
2 chef
3 bar staff
2 cleaner
3 bouncers
Game Play ideas.
Character choices either play as male or female.
Start Game hardness levels.
The game could start with a choice of different hardness levels these should include a beginners level.
Beginning of the game
Beginners level.
Here the player will be slowly introduced into the game with a help guide to reinforce the knowledge that they already know from other similar style sim and war craft type games.
The object here is to allow the beginner to brush up on many of the operations that player will have previously learned but may of forgot, this allows the player to progress in the game easily for the first level before new objects are interjected into the game play.
If the game play is to hard the player will quickly loose any passion for the game.
A gentle introduction could start with the game play centred on a beach bum who is a bit down on his luck due to too much parting on the island paradise that he has spent the last 2 years of there life on since graduating from university.
Game training could involve navigating the character around the beach with simple point and click movement much like the command and conquer movement interface teaching the player movement rules to the player. Various locals would also be placed on the beach going about there daily routines like fisher men, boat taxi drivers, sunbathers etc. as the character approaches these people he can interact with them via button presses producing speech bubbles which contain captions of information for the user.
After receiving various scathing remarks from the tourists and locals i.e go away tramp, I have no spare change, no drugs available here & get a job, our character has a moment of clarity were he sees himself in the same light as other people see him, he then decides to change his ways and look for a job.
After asking the various locals on the beach for employment he is finally directed towards a local independent beach bar were the owner decides to employ him on a trail basis for 1 week.
The bar is a bit of a ramshackle enterprise were the owner is just about scratching a living (this due to a rival more funkier bar on the same beach) but the promise of free rent above the bar and a basic wage are enough to clinch the deal.
Here the player will learn the basics of the bar game from being a waiter to pouring and mixing various cocktails for the locals and the tourists.
After the week is up the player should have learned the basics of the game, to keep the operation of the bar and business above water and into a break even or profitable operation.
From here we learn that the bar owner has to travel over sea’s to visit a sick relative and will be gone for an unknown amount of time, leaving the bar in the hands of our character, he also learns that the bar may have to sold on his return to the island if the owners relative dies while he is away.
Note. A gauge in the corner of the screen with the vital health signs of the ill relative could fluctuate in accordance with the health of the business.
Intermediate or Advanced Introduction.
The intermediate or advanced level could start with the user being left in charge of the bar and progresses from were the beginner level outline stopped.
When the game starts properly the character could have an epiphany were he decides to put his university years of tourism and business management degree to good use to secure his and the bars future, or else its back to England to work in the families fish factory.
