Hi y'all, I hope this is the right place to post this. If not, then my 1000's apologies. I need an idea on this. I want to dev a multiplayer text-based mobile game, playable via SMS (called text messaging in the US). So, I need a concept on how players can "fight" each other. The objectives are, -The game duel shall appeal to both genders - male and females -There's a minimal chance of a draw in the duel. If possible, there's no draw result in a duel. -Preferably players win NOT by chance, but by skills or knowledge of the game. A classic example would be "hand-scissors" duel, but the problem is that chances of draw are pretty high! Another example would be the battleship idea, players their ships and shoot at a grid hopefully to strike the other players ships. But, by using grid, we're dependent on graphics, which are not appealing to a text-based game. My best idea is to make like a "striker and goalie" game, one player shoots at a desired spot, goalie saves at a desired spot. If the spots are the same, the goalie wins, else the striker wins! So, no draw in this. So, I'm really open for any ideas at all. All ideas are highly appreciated and you maybe chosen to be the BETA-tester. Thnaks, Melvin

Shouldn't you be really working on the ideas you have already...ones that YOU would like to develop?

I would suggest you do a lot of the hard work yourself by working on the ideas you already have and then come back for any advice - after all, who are you? are you in school or work? do you have mobile development experience?

note: ideas are 10-a-penny and you don't have to come to a forum to find them :)

Well, if text is your medium, you can try some word games. Hangman comes to mind, and I'm sure there are other good games that are played with letters. Card games could be done pretty easily as well.

There is a method of rps. It's called Odd's and Evens. Ever see the seinfeld episode about who will take the new appartment? One person is even, one is odd and there are no draws.

This is how Odd and Even works?

From: http://gamesmuseum.uwaterloo.ca/Brueghel/odds.html
This game appears to have been played in Ancient Rome and is probably much older.

How To Play The Game
Each player declares either “odds’ or “evens”. Then both players clench their fists, count to three, and each opens one hand, extending one or more fingers. If the combined number of fingers is equal to an odd number - the player declaring “odds” wins. If the combined number is equal to an even number - “evens” wins. The girl at the left in the picture is counting fingers!

Melv.