The good thing about Dragonball Z from a development perspective is the fact that you only need two key frames for any animated action, and you don't even need to interpolate, you just switch between them very fast.

Also, it is really easy to come up with a story line:

1.Baddie comes along.
2.Goodies go "wow, his power level is < INSERT BIG NUMBER HERE >"
3.Goodies try to beat baddie up, but get their ass handed to them.
3.One of the goodies gets really cross. Cue short scene of goodie looking really cross and saying "Grrrr".
4.Cross goodie goes and fights baddie. baddie zaps him with 'super saiyan' power attack. Other goodies go "Oh no! he's dead!"
5.Goodie climbs out of crater, looking slightly more cross, and saying "Grrrr" some more.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 until half hour is up or mental retardation sets in.

Sorry if this is a bit trollish, but I really hate DBZ. The only way you can make a decent DBZ game in my opinion would be to make it absolutely nothing like DBZ.

Also, the AP above/King Russ have good points. DBZ is copyrighted etc, so you won't be able to do much with your game unless you have permission.

[edited by - Sandman on September 12, 2002 6:58:41 AM]

Well first of all, DBZ is a good show (not the best). If anyone saw the show BEFORE it was shown on Cartoon Network/Funimation then you will realize that the scenes, voices, and script was much better than the Cartoon Network version.

But to try to answer the original question....
I think first and foremost it has to be multiplayer THREE or more players standard. Online accessibility will be necessary.
Also there will be have to be varying version or add-ons to the game. For example the first game would be based on the story. But the add-on would allow players to take on challengers from different galaxies (or quadrants as it is called in the series). Obviously Saiyans will have to be some way balanced so they will not be the gods of the games. Or else there will be no point in playing the game after a week.

1) Design: There should be only the original crew namely Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Roshi, ChiChi, Chaozu (little guy), Raditz, Yajirobe as playable fighters. In the beginning. Then as the game progresses other players would be accessible (ie. Vegeta, Nappa, Nail, Frieza, Ginyu, Zarbon....) Each starting (initially) with their original power level.

1a) World: Full 3D environment, physics (loose but consistent), as stated below mirror DB and DBZ world as close as possible.

2) Gameplay: now for the this to work, players would have to react to their opponents just as they would in the show. Example, if Goku has a power level (PW) of 400 then Raditz, who has a PW of 1200 should be ridiculously fast to him. Now if it is Vegeta and Raditz fighting then Raditz would be humorously slow. (hopefully you understand what i'm trying to say). Also moves would be learned as PW went up or during a certain situation (ex: Goku going to King Kai and learning KaioKen).

3) AI: base them on the cartoon (sounds easy huh

4) Moves (execution): should be like SFII or by keyboard input.
No <- <- ->. Sometimes that worse IMO.

5) There should be online tournaments. If there isn't don't bother making the games, players should be able to fight whoever they want online but know that they may not have a chance to his opponents much less win if the fighter is considerably strong. Also stages, worlds should mirror DBZ world(s) as close as possible (should have put this in design).

If someone implemented these ideas (at least) then they would have a good game IMO. Also the best Dragonball Z game I believe was Legends (I wish you could have performed the special moves though at any time in the game instead of at the end of the fight). Final Bout would have been good if it was quicker and full 3D movement.

As a game it would be probably one of the best games because of the sheer amount of capabilities one could do, but to fully implement them is a task for 50 people


(ideas, preliminary design; copyrighted by Clothere Grammont 9/2002)
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[edited by - Alpha_ProgDes on September 12, 2002 8:07:28 AM]

what kind of engine (describe if you could, this goes to anyone) would you use to make a game for DBZ regardless of how you design it?

Yea, I did sort of forget to mention that. Technically my game has nothing to do with dbz since it contains no characters or storyline from the show. The whole thing with dbz is, all the fans have played all the games, and know the whole storyline. About the only thing that will interest them is the whole storyline in one game, that can be altered by what they do(majorly altered), or a completely new storyline under the same pretense. My game doesn''t have much of a storyline because its based upon fighting, getting stronger... adventuring, and those type of things. What kind of engine? Anyone where real physics are used(if you are good with math) or anyone that is a good 3-d engine, ...maybe one with good projectile stuff. That is, unless you wanna roll with a 2d engine, although that changes the whole context of the game.

Also, one more comment... about the person who said you don''t even need to (interpolate?) the graphics, and you could just use a couple frames... you are wrong, unless you create a game where everyone is equal in power. Powerful people... rather, people much more powerful than others see people as if it were in slow motion, thus they wouldn''t disappear when doing their moves, they would be all slow. They would also get their "Tail" kicked pretty bad.

quote: Shaun_30 said:
I don''t understand what the fascination is with Dragon Ball Z. I have only seen the cartoon a few times, but it is not that good, really.

You have to have to watch it more than a few times to get used to it. That happened to me too, but I insisted watching it and I finally got the point, and realized that it''s pretty cool and original.

quote: Also, one more comment... about the person who said you don''t even need to (interpolate?) the graphics, and you could just use a couple frames... you are wrong, unless you create a game where everyone is equal in power.

I think the original poster was sardonically refering to the fact that most of the DBZ shows consist of approximately 5 frames of animation that are shown repeatedly with varying dialog.

wow. this post went from how to make a GOOD DBZ game to is the DBZ cartoon good?

well i agree with King Russ. a good 3D engine would be best. but the physics couldn''t be real(?). i mean the stuff they do in the cartoon are beyond real physics at times.

i guess the Q3 engine is a good candidate for an undertaking like this. if someone was to actually make the game.

thoughts opinion on HOW TO MAKE A GOOD/GREAT DBZ game please post.
thoughts on the cartoon post elsewhere

I like the idea of DBZ and when they start to fight it can be quite good, but too many of the episodes tend to be either made up of talking or clips from previous episodes with cheesy narration by a character (Piccolo seems to be the most guilty of the DBZ gang).

Apparently they are doing a live-action DBZ film, just hope it doesn''t have the silly sticky up hair, actually scratch that, it wouldn''t be DBZ without silly hair.

- DarkIce

I have always thoyght a DBZ game would be cool just because you can fly and cause massive explosions

You will probably get your pants sued off by the nazis at Funimation though

actually the nazi are infogrames....
i heard that a DBZ called Bid for Power (?) was being made and it was pretty good even better than what Infogrames had. It used the Q3 engine (obviously it was TC). but of course Infogrames shut it down. jealous bastards..... there new DBZ for GBA is a rehash of an old DBZ game i think that was on the Snes. poor unsuspecting kids.