Sorry to hear about your loss. Losing a big project can be a real motivation sapper. I also find on the positive side, however, is that it really makes you think how worth while the project was in the first place or it may give you the opportunity to take the project in a completely different direction.
On the simple ideas front: I had an idea where you were the driver of a lifeboat attending the scene of a boat wreck and you had to try and rescue as many survivours as possible before they drowned. You would have to plot the optimum path around the scene to pick up survivors and either bring them to shore or a passing ship and you would be limited by the number of people you could fit in your little boat.
Just thought of an FPS one also based on water. You could do a puzzle game based on a sinking ship where you have to escape various rooms before the water level rises too high and drowns you. Each room would be a puzzle to either unlock a door, or unblock a passage, or build an access route to an exit. you could also add water values to increase or reduce the water level.
Just thought of another one. You play as a crowd control manager of a big sports game and you have to guide groups of angry opposing fans from the bus or train station through the city streets to the stadium without them running into each other or seeing each other. You would place roadblocks to guide the fans and some fans would walk quicker than others and some would slowly break the road blocks.
anyway, just some thoughts.
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