I'm wondering if this sounds fun: It's in 2D, maybe using graphical style a bit like Stick Soldiers (look it up). You fight using punches, kicks and swords but while the level is in 2D the cahracter can maybe do spins etc - so 3D models can be sued instead of 2D animations. The idea is it's quite freeform and while very simple to look at, is actually quite complex to master all the controls; meaning that you actually get better over time and can be skilled at it. Online play would probably have to be included and some good bot AI too. I'm trying to think ofthe appeal that StickSoldiers got a few years back, but changing it from a 2D FPS to a 2D (sword)-fighting game. Comments?

So, a kind of Xiao Xiao* game, but with less emphasis on martial arts?

John B

* Google it; it's an impressive series of animations (with a few games too)

I was pondering at that idea for a long time. I even planned a control scheme. However, before this idea can be use(at least the way I imagine it), one technology must be developed. And no, it's not the AI.

What I was planning is to add muscles to a ragdoll engine. Those muscles will have goals - for example, the leg muscles will have the goal of keeping the body balanced.

Then, the player will be able to alter those goals. For example, pressing the kick button will change one of the legs goal from keeping the body balanced to moving the foot to a certain point in front of the player. This point can be pre determined, calculated, or selected by the the player.

This might sound over coplexing, but think how cool the battles will look.

Don't know if you've ever tried it or not but... http://ragdollkungfu.com
One of my favorite games to play right now.

I'll try that out.

Yeah I heard of that one. I too would like to make a game where the characters are fully physical e.g. they balance themselves to stand up instead of using animations; however it would be a horrendous problem and the more I think about it the more I reckon a top-class animation system could mimic the freeform nature you'd want. For isntance if each limb can play separate animations then you can do a lot of cool stuff - look at the recent Prince of Persia games.

Anyone remember the Barbarian game with the decapitation? (Not the psygnosis one, the other one).

Ahhh.. that was fun... And full of illegal samples from Red Sonja.

Gah! I played that back on my C64k!

Heh...I couldn't've been more than eight years old at the time. Mmm, violence in videogames.

This is quite cool and may give you a few ideas.