First a bit about me I've been a bit of a lurker here for awhile, and this is probably my first post in a year, so I'm kinda new to the scene here but not to game development. I've worked a number of small games for a professional game company, mostly for the iPhone, so I've got a good handle on basic game design, and what's realistic for this kind of project. However, this will be the first time I've done a project like this completely on my own, so I expect get some things wrong and have to learn some new stuff along the way. Now little about the project: The idea is to make a game a lot like the old R.C. Pro Am game that Rare made for the NES(more on that later). Initially, it will be a PC/Mac game and maybe an iPhone port later if it seems like a good idea(The tools I have allow for this). I already have in mind the tools and engine to use (I've already started the smaller things like GUI flow), and I know what to expect in terms of the scope of this project. What I hope to get from you guys is more insight into how the game should play. For those who haven't played R.C. Pro Am, it is a remote control car racing game for the NES. Played from a top-down down, kind of isometric perspective(think Paperboy), you controlled an R.C. car around a track by steering it as you would an R.C. car. In other words, pressing left would make the car turn left, not necessarily screen left. If the car is moving towards the bottom of the screen, left would make it veer screen right(the car's left). The race-track had your typicall road areas and grass areas, the latter causing slowdown, and a bunch of hazards like oil-slicks and water spots. The game also had cool little weapon powerups, like missiles you could pick up and shoot at the other cars, and upgrades you could collect to improve you car's performance. After each level you saw what parts got upgraded and your score and went to the next level. That's my basic design reference, here are a few of the features I want to see in this game:

• High Scores
• Save Progress
• Multiple opponents
I want to see 3-10 other racers, the actuall count may very depening A.I. demands, but for a 2D game this should be reasonable
• Reasonably intelligent A.I.
Nothing special here, I mostly want the cars to follow the track, avoid bad things, and at maybe try to interfere with the player a little bit
• Multiple car types
Something like a career mode, you pick the type of car you like out of 3-10 similar types and go from there. Maybe have slightly different attributes like weight, top speed, accelleration etc.
• Upgradeable cars
Goes with the above. After each race the player can select something to upgrade based on some kind of points/money earned. Higher top speed, better traction, etc. Again, nothing too elaborate, just something to give the player a sense of progression.
• At least 10 tracks
Meybe have multiple "leagues" or series of tracks (like Mario Kart). But for startes, at least 10 races
• Multiple powerups
• A polished game
There is far more to making a game than just getting the gameplay working

So there's the basics, now I'm looking for suggestions. Nothing is really set in stone at this point, but I really see this an R.C. Pro Am port with some Mario kart style powerups thrown in. It's definately going to be 2D, with simple graphics, and I intend to make it all myself, no real time-frame, but maybe a few weeks to get the major elements working OK. I don't see this becoming a really big project. The art I'm not too concerned with right now, but there wouldn't be too much involved. Actually, I intend to game the game almost or completely done before thinking about incorporating non-programmer art. All in all, I want this to be nice little diversion. The kind of game where you could play a single track for 2 minutes if you are bored, or play a whole series in about 10 minutes. Any suggestions? What do you think would make the player feel more involved? Anything you guys think I should re-consider, or any ideas on how to implement a given feature? Cool powerup suggestions? Things the A.I. should try to do? In particular, I would like suggestions on how to improve re-playability and general "fun-factor" stuff(online high scores, car customizations?), all those little touches that make a game more addicting and stick in your mind. [Edited by - NinjaMonkeyPirate on September 28, 2009 7:27:13 PM]

I'd suggest multiplayer but that might make the scope too large!

It sounds like a cool project.

RC pro am was awesome but one thing i hated about it was it ramped up in difficulty a TON and it was like when you lost you lost for good and had to start over (obviously, it was NES afterall hehe)

It would be neat if you could save your progress and go back to "easy" tracks you've already beaten and play them again.

That way if you are sort of crappy at the game (like i am) you could "grind" for money to upgrade your car to be good enough.

Also, i think it would be fun to have "specialty challenges" like tracks which were 100% oil slicks and other special rules like that to the race.

Maybe also you could have a couple of different basic vehicle types and add that to the mix?

Special Bonus tracks sound like a great idea!. Maybe let the player re-play them as minigames after they win, that would increase re-playability.

I also like the idea of replaying tracks to do better, maybe have a screen lists all the tracks so far with a score/grade of some sort and pick the one you want to play/replay? Something like a player progress/stats screen.

I never like the RPG system of having to level up a bunch to beat a boss or a hard spot, I think it should progress naturally that when you get to that part you are ready for it, so I want to avoid making that necessary, but I think that just depends on the balance of the game's difficulty.

I think multiplayer would be a bit much, but may be good for a version 2.0.

Thanks for the ideas.

Yeah good luck - your game sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun!