Los Mineros - 2D Platform Adventure
(So named because I thought of it during Spanish class one day!)
Basic Idea:
You are a professional caver and miner. Your goal is to explore deep caves, search abandoned mines, and swim through subterranean lakes in search of gems, ores, and treasure.
It's sort of like a 2-D, platforming RPG. You gather items, use tools to gain access to deeper levels and items, and even hire a team of other cavers to help you. There isn’t much of a storyline, though there may be quests that provide small, individual stories in themselves.
As for use of Box2D, it would be quite helpful in making ropes - which are a central part of the game play - and the obvious falling, jumping, and the like.
Game play:
Game play centers on the team you bring with you. Each other member of the team would be a specialist in a certain area - see below for a complete list. Certain members with certain skills may be required to access certain areas. Team members would also aid by belaying you and each other, carrying extra supplies and treasure, and the like.
At the beginning of the game, you would start out as just a normal caver, with no special skills. You would have to take a large team with you to fully explore certain areas. However, as the game goes on and you earn more money, you can pay (a fairly large amount) to become trained in one of the fields. You can be trained in as many fields as you wish, but you have to pay a large fee for each one.
The classes would not "level" as such, but they would gain experience and you would be able to use the skills associated with them faster and more efficiently if you had a higher experience number.
Team members:
Diver - Can stay longer underwater and move quickly there
Demolitions Expert - Can use dynamite to dig much faster than you could with a pick and shovel.
Climber - Climbs rocks faster, is good with rope
Geologist -
Mechanic - Can fix objects such as mine carts, tracks, and machinery
If you were Diver, Demolitions Expert, or Mechanic, you would have to carry certain equipments to use certain skills. Divers would have to carry fins to actually swim faster in the water, though they can always stay underwater for longer than other people due to their training. The demolitions expert would, of course, have to carry explosives and something to light them with. The mechanic would usually need his toolkit to perform repairs.
The climber and the geologist are unique classes in that their skills require no special gear. The climber just climbs faster and ties ropes better. I haven't determined what the geologist's exact skills are, or even if it will actually be in the game, but I think it will have something to do with finding more rare minerals, selling them for a slightly larger amount, etc.
As in most RPGs, there are some traits you can put "points" into to gain certain advantages. However, as there are no levels as such, and you do not gain more "points" to add as you play. Instead, the skills slowly gain points with use.
Traits:
Agility - Increases your overall movement speed and jumping height, and reduces falling damage
Dexterity - Climb faster, tie ropes faster, and anything else that requires fine use of the fingers
Strength - Increase the weight you can carry in items, increases the amount of ground you can dig with each stroke, and increase your endurance (amount of time you can run for without resting).
Charisma - Reduce the cost of hiring team members, gain a little more money when selling things and pay a little less when buying
I’m open to all suggestions and comments at this stage, so tell me what you think.
Los Mineros are back in progress!
