Hey their. The Name's Nathan.
I'm not sure if this is against forum rules or anything, but I was just trying to think about what the most Epic game ever would actually be?
I'm actually finding it hard to write this post.

I had a day dream the other day about the biggest dam epic game I think I have ever thought about.
The idea was based around futuristic city lanscape of sorts,
Along with incororating diverse climates ie having almost destroyed futuristic structures out in the wasteland - then picking up a level which is based within developments in forests and in the sea. Cliche? hmm...

Anyway, I was just looking for ideas into what a truely Epic game can be?
I mean, I'm no multi-million pound business man - just a 17 year old hobbiest looking for what could be done which takes an FPS from a quake clone to thwe most Epic game ever made.

Here's some really awesome Futuristic Concept art :







You can see more at : http://conceptships.blogspot.co.uk/

Anyway, I was just looking for ideas into what a truely Epic game can be?

This kind of question is like asking everyone to describe their favourite food. You will be inundated with innumerable responses all of which have their own versions of what defines epic for them. Try and define your thread better. for example you mention FPS in your thread's title but not in the body of your post. Are you seeking answers based only on FPS games?

Are you looking to take your idea that you have and lay down a game design for it utilising some help through the ideas that come through this thread? Or is this thread in reality more of a lounge thread i.e. not really serving a purpose from a game design aspect but rather just garnering opinions with no true purpose? You have an idea - what are you going to do with it?


Please note: This is not meant to be an unkind post. Just simply at the moment what you have could be better defined as "I had this great idea the other day for an epic game (define genre/insert story), I am looking for what other people had as great ideas that would make an epic game of said genre" (unless of course you are simply seeking features within the gameplay itself i.e. genespecific targeting systems or freefall combat using guns to direct movement as well shoot enemies). The concept art while nice wasn't really necessary though, as it is at best tangential to your idea and not created as a result of your idea.

Any game with an optional or forced first person perspective should in my opinion include a proper field of view, and always include true first person perspective details such as being able to see your body. Of course, leave out the nose, and eyelashes. We automatically lose focus on those obstructions. Love you brain.

In a game though those would still always be obstructions at some point. A game like Mirror's edge is a step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned. Dang it would be cool.

Aside from those features. I want to see a unique world, a semi unique story, and maybe... Be able to reach out and touch the world. No more magically opening doors, or picking up items.

No more carrying around a giant bag of useless objects that serve nothing more than to be traded in for coin. (Standard RPG).

To add: I've always loved being apart of the story. One game comes to mind... The Darkness. The first Darkness game really pulled me in deep, and when Jenny.... Well... Let's just say, I had to finish that damn game.

Anything I say regarding the thread topic is solely my own opinion though.

@Stormynature
The idea of the post is that I want tons of ideas - I want to have the most diverse selection of inspiration.
If I just looked at the games today and took ideas from them, I wouldn't be getting anywhere would I?
And the reason why game studios have a team of design artists is to linger as many ideas as possible then refine then add then refine.

A hybrid between FPS and RPG is always a great idea, although it's always made to feel "plasticy" ie Fallout 3 - neither is it a good 3rd or 1st person shooter or RPG, and personally I find it a little overrated.

It's hard to create game play ideas anymore, when there are so many floating around.
I suppose it's about trying not to destroy the golden core gameplay, and base the game more around a story - why you are shooting the bad guy , why you are in a certain position within the game universe.

Gears is one of my favourate games- you get so linked with the charaters - it's still not Epic as I like however, the story is really an after thought.
Halo - now that's epic - the story is amazing and the concept is brilliant. the art work is a little out dated and the characters are weak - the game mechanics just suck compared to modern FPS's (COD ).

COD is OK - still not epic - just the average run of the mill shooter - thrown in with a little customization - the game play is supreme - I can't stop playing it but the story again is average run of the mill.

A game like "Smokin Guns" but mmo with a big world, bounty system, RPG progression and player towns. lol it would be epic. Maybe also indians played FPS with a bow.

My understanding of "epic" is a story that awes the player. Usually done by setting very high stakes like the world, universe, a whole civilization etc. Many games, almost all AAA games actually, try to make stories like that. The problem is that the real challenge in making it work isn't the story itself, but the way you tell it! A few examples to illustrate my point:

Good example: I've played Mass Effect 1 and 2 and the story aims to be epic. You have to save the universe, that's big stuff. They pulled it off because it's a reasonably well told story; the acting is decent, the characters are charismatic and you start to like them, cheer for them etc. All done with that fantastic art direction that feels like a hollywood movie. So the epicness of the story starts to gain life.

Bad example: Skyrim. Don't get me wrong, this is a great game! But a very ambitious too. It tries to create a whole world, with a live population. And it's just a matter of time until you can see "through the magic", as people repeat over and over again the same lines and you can dance on their tables and fus ro da the hell of their furnitures. But I digress. Anyway, after you finish the main quest, there are still tons of quests to do around skyrim, so chances are it will have lost its magic when you get to these. And they are all god damn supposedly epic. You are ALWAYS the chosen one, and the whole world is always at risk, and you always save the world blablablabla. Obviously, the epicness is completely lost in these quests.. there are no surprises, the characters are as alive and charismatic as corpses controlled by strings. The player goes through this kind of quest yawning, as he saves the world. Again. And is rewarded for being the chosen one with a lousy amount of 600 gold coins he could have made by selling some crappy armor etc.

So there, my point is that setting really really high stakes isn't enough. The games/books/movies that really pull that epic feeling aren't doing so by simply setting really high stakes, but by doing a decent job at telling the story.

DayZ

now, I, I think an epic fps game would be something in space, where you have many people in 1 spaceship, and have many spaceships in field like 10 per team, and have like 10 people per ship.... would be awesome i think