I've been thinking on this for a while and I finally decided to give it a try. I want to make a life simulation set in a modern fantasy world (technology and magic coexist, perhaps in a steampunk setting). Basically, the player starts in a Hub City and is free to explore, meet and befriend certain NPCs, find a profession, and make a living there. Here is my game design.

The main game loop consists of waking up, performing various actions throughout the day, returning home to sleep, and repeating (similar to Harvest Moon). As for an objective, or a short-term goal, the player would have to earn enough gold (in-game currency) to pay rent each month.

Side-quests and events may trigger based upon the player's actions throughout the day. When one event is triggered, certain other events will be disabled (temporarily) according to the context.

NPCs will be shown walking around the city, purchasing items, talking, working, and performing other actions to populate the game world. Only specific NPCs will be able to engage in more complex interactions with the player.

Every job available to NPCs will also be available as a profession for the player. Here is a short list of jobs I've already considered adding: blacksmith, tailor, item merchant, dungeon-crawling adventurer, inn owner, restaurant chef, law enforcer, sentry/gate keeper, flower shop owner, carpenter, and bodyguard.

Each profession has its own minigames and quests associated with it, so the game will be perfectly scalable (I can add one, see if it works well, add content, and repeat).

Additional features include the following:

• The player may choose to live in any vacant apartment in any part of the city. NPCs will move in and move out at random intervals.
• Apartments may be customized with various goods purchased throughout the game world (furniture, etc.).
• Characters may be customized with various goods purchased throughout the game world (clothing, equipment, items, etc.).
• All objects in the game are interactive. If the player talks to a cabinet, the door will open...and such.
• NPCs are interactive. After visiting the blacksmith a few times, he'll remember the player's name. After that, he may hire the player if further interest is shown. The player may start with fetch quests for materials before the blacksmith decides to teach him or her how to craft.
• Befriended NPCs can visit the player for various reasons (hanging out, asking for a favor, announcing newly available quests, etc.), walk around the city, and more.

What features would you add to a life sim?

Like with most entertainment, as a player I'd be looking for something along the lines of conflict/drama. Neighbors upset that your new job requires you coming and going at odd hours? Boss upset you need to take a day off to care for a sick family member? Things of that nature. Maybe that's included under your events that are triggered, though, and if so, ignore this suggestion :).

Character customization is a good way to allow them to take part, the player will often create a character that represents them self or what they want to be.

Adding flaws will also cause the player to think about who they are as a person and then imprint it on the character, yet if you add them and make the flaws to harsh the player will think of them as the flaws of the character. No one likes to see them self in bad light and at the same time think that they have come to terms with there mistakes, so if you do use flaws make them the kind that people debate about like hyperactivity.

Apartments may be customized with various goods purchased throughout the game world (furniture, etc.).

Remember that people collect objects as a expression of them self.

Furniture and other game assets have little use beyond allowing the player to express, wide varieties of objects are important so that the player feels like they choose what they want.

With a small budget you could still add variety if there are clear distinctions between furniture like a wooden chair, a lavish chair made of gold and then a unpractical artistic chair.

What features would you add to a life sim?

This will sound obvious, I would like it if there was life in the world.

What happens when the player isn't a law enforcer, suddenly no crime?

There was a game I played a while back(I think it's a Harvest moon.) where you could sell things, at a market, that you grew or made. My first play through I never sold any cooked dishes as not to compete against the local restaurant, on the second I completely changed the way I played to see how it would differ, it didn't. The local restaurant was still among the winning businesses even if I sold the same things at better quality.

I would like a simulation game where things happened with out the player and where and the things the player did meant some thing, in other words to live within the world.

Like with most entertainment, as a player I'd be looking for something along the lines of conflict/drama. Neighbors upset that your new job requires you coming and going at odd hours? Boss upset you need to take a day off to care for a sick family member? Things of that nature. Maybe that's included under your events that are triggered, though, and if so, ignore this suggestion .

Oh, no you're fine! I don't have many events yet. As of now, I'm making speedy progress on an engine. I'd really love to use it for this game.

Those are marvelous ideas! Adding conflict/drama will make decisions more interesting and involved, especially when the player must consider how his or her actions will affect others in the game world! Thank you for sharing your ideas with me.

Character customization is a good way to allow them to take part, the player will often create a character that represents them self or what they want to be.

Adding flaws will also cause the player to think about who they are as a person and then imprint it on the character, yet if you add them and make the flaws to harsh the player will think of them as the flaws of the character. No one likes to see them self in bad light and at the same time think that they have come to terms with there mistakes, so if you do use flaws make them the kind that people debate about like hyperactivity.

Ok! Will do! I may need to explore concepts from psychology to provide believable characteristics, customization, and interactions.

Remember that people collect objects as a expression of them self.
Furniture and other game assets have little use beyond allowing the player to express, wide varieties of objects are important so that the player feels like they choose what they want.
With a small budget you could still add variety if there are clear distinctions between furniture like a wooden chair, a lavish chair made of gold and then a unpractical artistic chair.

I read that there are roughly a few types of play styles: battling (PK, fighting and overcoming enemies in battle), achieving (reaching that 100% completion, collecting), exploring (finding new areas and solving puzzles), and socializing (interacting with others in the game world on a social level). I believe I fall under achieving, because I love collecting items in every game I play, so I understand the attractiveness of variety! ...and yet I didn't even include it in my own game design! Shame! Thanks for pointing that out!

This will sound obvious, I would like it if there was life in the world.
What happens when the player isn't a law enforcer, suddenly no crime?

There was a game I played a while back(I think it's a Harvest moon.) where you could sell things, at a market, that you grew or made. My first play through I never sold any cooked dishes as not to compete against the local restaurant, on the second I completely changed the way I played to see how it would differ, it didn't. The local restaurant was still among the winning businesses even if I sold the same things at better quality.

I would like a simulation game where things happened with out the player and where and the things the player did meant some thing, in other words to live within the world.

That describes everything I'd love to see in any game exactly! I think you're referring to a form of NPC scheduling, where the characters go about their daily lives based on the game clock rather than waiting for the player to interact with them.

I loved how in My Sims Kingdom, shops would open and close at certain times of the day. It seems like a small feature, but it certainly provided a sense of immersion that isn't necessarily found in many games, in which shops are open 24/7 (with the same NPC as the clerk). You know what, it would be awesome to add shifts as well, so that certain NPCs are only available at certain times (including professions that the player is involved in). Pokemon Gold/SIlver/Crystal (my beloved) did a great job of this, including daily events and NPCs who were available at different times. If I remember correctly, I believe the train that goes from Goldenrod in Johto to the Kanto region also ran on a schedule.

I can see a rowdy biker gang continuing to cause trouble for unsuspecting characters, a group of NPCs attempting to carry out a heist at a local bank, or a group of mercenaries ambushing travelling merchants in a ploy to resell their goods at a higher price, even when the player isn't a law enforcer based on their scheduling...until perhaps another set of NPCs are scheduled to patrol the area! A fantastic idea, indeed! Thank you.

I strongly suggest to start by checking existing games (some are extremelly old):

http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?id=44 (AlterEgo: Male)

http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?id=43 (AlterEgo: Female)

Especially the old ones are good (because everyone forgot about them completelly so you are able to steal ideas from these without being caught :D)

I read that there are roughly a few types of play styles: battling (PK, fighting and overcoming enemies in battle), achieving (reaching that 100% completion, collecting), exploring (finding new areas and solving puzzles), and socializing (interacting with others in the game world on a social level)

Bart test is good for multiplayer, but not necessarily for single player. For example I higly doubt any "K" type players will even look and this title, so you might (actually should) discard them completely (SAE - in that order - will be most likely interested in that game).

I read that there are roughly a few types of play styles.

That Gamasutra article is hardly scientific. There is no empirically validated general model of player types as of yet. I don't need to go more into that, thankfully, since Dan Dixon has already done so (Player Types and Gamification). :P

Some pointers for studying practically useful psychology since I study that: Thinking, Fast and Slow goes deeply into decision-making; Learned Optimism is similarly invaluable in modeling behavior; lastly, Primal Leadership goes at length into organizational climate and the resulting behavior, and how one person affects the climate in an organization—invaluable when modeling a community. All three have the added benefit of helping you become more successful in all areas of life.

I strongly suggest to start by checking existing games (some are extremelly old):

http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?id=44 (AlterEgo: Male)
http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?id=43 (AlterEgo: Female)

Some pointers for studying practically useful psychology since I study that: Thinking, Fast and Slow goes deeply into decision-making; Learned Optimism is similarly invaluable in modeling behavior; lastly, Primal Leadership goes at length into organizational climate and the resulting behavior, and how one person affects the climate in an organization—invaluable when modeling a community. All three have the added benefit of helping you become more successful in all areas of life.

Thanks so much for the references, guys!

Nyaanyaa, I might just have to check to see if a local library carries those books.

Sounds good.

I had a similar idea, but in a different setting, a life simulator in the old Roman Empire. I have somewhere the 20 excel pages of game design for it...

As for the psychology of characters and relationships between them, I think its important to have a complex mechanism behind it, otherwise you get a Sims like game, where traits basically mean absolutely nothing and everything is a question of grinding until people like/hate the player. On the surface of this more complex system you should have a simple interaction system, otherwise the player will be overwhelmed with choice, the game is constantly halted on unimportant choices, won't flow at all.

As for the jobs, note that people might be bad at certain mini-games, and therefore you might be cutting down their possible gaming experiences, so mini-games shouldn't be, in my opinion, a "get it or break it" thing.

Good luck with your game.

Sounds good.

I had a similar idea, but in a different setting, a life simulator in the old Roman Empire. I have somewhere the 20 excel pages of game design for it...

As for the psychology of characters and relationships between them, I think its important to have a complex mechanism behind it, otherwise you get a Sims like game, where traits basically mean absolutely nothing and everything is a question of grinding until people like/hate the player. On the surface of this more complex system you should have a simple interaction system, otherwise the player will be overwhelmed with choice, the game is constantly halted on unimportant choices, won't flow at all.

As for the jobs, note that people might be bad at certain mini-games, and therefore you might be cutting down their possible gaming experiences, so mini-games shouldn't be, in my opinion, a "get it or break it" thing.

Good luck with your game.

Oh no , that was my idea :)

I had a similar idea, but in a different setting, a life simulator in the old Roman Empire. I have somewhere the 20 excel pages of game design for it...

Oh no , that was my idea

:)

I had it after I saw the first episode of Spartacus eheheh

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442449/