Ho
Let's throw in some ideas for the next Chain Game. Stuff like what engine/maker to use, guidelines and ways to make sure we don't repeat past mistakes, new ideas to make the game more fun, gameplay systems (levelling vs. skills vs. whatever) etc.

Here's an idea by Kaempfer: Each chapter can be assigned a randomly selected title and you'd have to make the chapter somehow relevant to that title (like the topic in Post 9/11 world where people make comics based on a random title generator). I think it could be interesting.

So, what do you think? Any thoughts of your own? etc.~~

Should definitely stick to rm2k/rm2k3 since they are the most accessible, easy makers.

I like the idea of random titles. Maybe really use the random title generator, keep refreshing it until you get a decent amount of good titles to use as chapter titles in the game or something.

You could probably make the game consist of several stand-alone chapters.

Well, that would kind of destroy what the Chain Games try to accomplish, a dozen people or so who come together and try to make one whole game.

You know what I would love to see? A "futuristic" Chain Game. :3

Wasn't CG2 futuristic?

Not really. There was the giant robot (ala FF4) part which was done by me, but.. I don't remember anything else except maybe the second chapter where you had to escape from the bunker place. CG2 was sort of like Final Fantasy I guess, a blend of medieval and futuristic.

Maybe the game could tie in with a Troubadours album where each chapter is some kind of an adaptation of one of the songs.

for some reason I really like this idea.

I like the randomly assigned chapter title thing - it would certainly require each chapter to have thought put into it to make sure it's coherent not only with the title of the chapter, but with the story as a whole.

I second the chapter title idea, just abstract enough that the creator can have creative license and have a creative board to jump from.

So, who's actually going to be in charge of this project? I know I won't.

I'm thinking RPG because he made the topic.. or something.

I'll help out if it is needed though.

I'll help out as always. I did a chapter in each chain game so I feel like I know enough. But the thing is, no matter how hard you try the story is gonna be funny/non-sensical. I think that's the charm of it. I vote for a COMEDY game like the first Chain Game

You know what I would love to see? A "futuristic" Chain Game. :3

I would like to see more robots/future/detectives.

I'll help out as always. I did a chapter in each chain game so I feel like I know enough. But the thing is, no matter how hard you try the story is gonna be funny/non-sensical. I think that's the charm of it. I vote for a COMEDY game like the first Chain Game

I vote that you don't get to participate in CG4 because you tried your hardest to ruin it for everyone in CG3.  A lot of people put a lot of effort into it and you could well have sent the whole thing down the pan.

Well, check out my chapters in CG1 and CG2. I think they were very solid, but no matter hard you try the story will make NO sense (That's why the last chapters have to be God-Like to tie everything together like the ones Belross and DP made). I'm just saying. We shouldn't try to make a serious game. It won't work. And I'll tell you I worked really hard on the first chapter to CG2 but by the end I couldn't even understand what was happening. Listen, the chapters before mine had a guy who flooded the world for NO reason and then had you roam the desert for about 5 minutes for no reason. Right 

I vote that you don't get to participate in CG4 because you tried your hardest to ruin it for everyone in CG3. 

Nah, that's just stupid. I think in the end Erave's chapter worked really well as a portrayal of Dara's madness.

Aaanyway, I'd like to see a DUNGEON DWELLER. In the first chapter the party/main hero enter the dungeon. Then everyone adds more and more to it until there's a whole game. Could be an adventure in an UNDEAD CITY OF HORRORS or a SPACELAB OF SPACEPIRATES or an ANCIENT COLOSSAL VOLCANO. No world map or shit, just one HUGE place (with a lot of variation of course).

It wouldn't even need a lot of plot, you could just have a "He is the hero - he must pass the CAVE OF TRIALS" intro. Then people can concentrate on beautiful maps, good gameplay/puzzles without having to deal with a plot. It could be a different kind of a chain game. Hint - think enter the cave but as a chain game.

Also you could add a requirement that each chapter must have (good) gameplay. No wondering the desert for 5 minutes.

DPS idea sounds great actually. I vote for that.

Here's an idea: We don't need someone in charge. From previous experience we know it could slow down the game. Instead, we could set up a secret forum where people post their part once they do it and the next person downloads it from there and continues working on it. Other people can also download it and test it. We might still need someone to remind people its their turn (by PM or so), and I wouldn't mind doing that. The advantages of having the latest version available for all are:

1) People could play the game before it gets to them and save time when its their turn.
2) More people could get to beta test and be involved with the project. If someone doesn't want to 'spoil' the game that way then that's okay as well.
3) No delay because the person in charge is busy.
4) Nothng is hidden, we don't need to beg the person in charge for updates
5) A private forum might encourage freely discussing the game without spoiling it to outsiders
6) etc.


@DP
No man! I mean, it would be pretty awesome if people actually made cool maps and good gameplay, but the majority of people can't do it in 2 weeks (or whatever the time limit was). It's very hard to set standards for gameplay (I mean, who defines that anyway?), and it's kinda anti-Chain Game in the sense that it restrains people's creativity by forcing them to try too hard to adhere whatever definition of (good) gameplay we have.

If this is some RPG Maker game I can't help but think such an idea would only result in complex and buggy maps due to the fact that most people rush their parts and would probably add tons of default battles as 'gameplay'. Unless we can be 'elitist' and pick people who we think would do 'good maps', but elitism is not cool. I like the idea of no world map and a huge place with focus on gameplay, but not actually requiring gameplay or placing any constrains on entries other than not straying too far from previous chapters.