Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Game Design Theory / Game Design Fun: Jack The Ripper

Author
Message
Dared1111
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 9th Oct 2009 18:12
Link
EA recently patented a Jack the Ripper game

So, I'm thinking: "How about we all theorize what would make a game about Jack The Ripper fun?"

Good thinking me.
Why thank you myself.
No problem I.

Basic overview of Jack The Ripper:
* His identity is unknown and he was never caught
* He knew about anatomy
* He was a serial killer, the object of his killings were prostitutes.


I'd think of some kind of weird plot line where Jack must get organs for his dying mother/wife, so is killing the people he considers most detestable. The game would involve a small free roam world, in which the player may use whatever methods necessary to eliminate targets, including paying them. He can then take their money and further himself by buying weapons. If caught, the player must run from the Police, utilizing sliding, jumping and climbing of ladders.

Or we could have a spin on words, about Jack the Riper, a fruit called Jack, who aims to be the ripest by killing bananas for their ripening skills.

Well let's start.

Signature? There is no signature!
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Diru
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Jan 2009
Location: England
Posted: 9th Oct 2009 21:39
Link
That sounds interesting, sort of Mirror's Edge + Thief + RPG elements.

Maybe you could also play as a detective and have to prevent the murders but obviously Jack the Ripper is anonymous and you don't know who is going to be killed. So you have to ask around for clues.

But as the killers are prostitutes maybe you could pretend to be their client and just kill them in a private room and take your money back. You could repeat this for the rest of the kills and it would be simple - as long as you hide the bodies.
Back to top
Profile PM
Dared1111
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 10th Oct 2009 00:34
Link
Hmmm. Interesting idea. As with any serial killers, they could have killed more than you know of, they claim more. So it would be good fun to have to hide the bodies, if the player were allowed to carry the body faster and use some form of weapon while carrying it. But yes the money idea has it's flaws.

Prehaps that would also give the player to remove the organs, to make the carrying speed faster.


I think your idea could work if the Ripper wore a cloak. Apparently "Jack" was interrupted once (I may be confusing this with the similar but far more pathetic occurrences in Britain WWII). So maybe the Detective is paranoid, so he needs to use his gun to kill people he deems "suspicious", while his savant mind pieces together information for the player's progression, but maybe with a jigsaw mini-game. Maybe as a further component of paranoia, the player could gather a description and send as many of those fitting the description to the station.

Signature? There is no signature!
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Plotinus
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Mar 2009
Location:
Posted: 10th Oct 2009 12:09
Link
Honestly, why do you assume that the player would be the murderer? Imagine the media furore about that. Wouldn't it be more interesting to try to stop the murderer? And not by just killing random suspects. It's perfectly possible to have an interesting game which doesn't depend upon the player killing people, you know.
Back to top
Profile PM Website
JLMoondog
Moderator
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 18th Jan 2009
Location: Paradox
Posted: 11th Oct 2009 05:02
Link
This wouldn't be the first game about Jack the Ripper. Ever heard of Still Life? Great adventure game, except for the ending which felt like they were rushed to finish...

I think this game will either be a point/click adventure mystery game, or one of those stupid picture finding games...god I hate those games...


Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Dared1111
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 11th Oct 2009 13:24
Link
@Plotinus I was adding some artistic license. You would think an investigator could go mad trying to figure out a trivial pattern and seeing bodies with some organs removed.

Remember, I said to theorize what a fun game with Jack the Ripper would be, not to theorize what EA are going to do.

Signature? There is no signature!
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Plotinus
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Mar 2009
Location:
Posted: 11th Oct 2009 16:37
Link
Well, I don't think that a game where you play Jack the Ripper could possibly be fun. Any fun it would have would have to be derived from something other than the fact that it's about Jack the Ripper.
Back to top
Profile PM Website
nackidno
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 3rd Feb 2007
Location: Där solen aldrig skiner
Posted: 11th Oct 2009 17:14
Link
I rarely play a game to have a fun time. Games aimed to be fun doesn't appeal to me but I do enjoy interesting games, with deep storytelling and mystery. And playing as Jack the ripper does sound interesting, no doubt.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Pincho Paxton
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2002
Location:
Posted: 12th Oct 2009 03:21 Edited at: 12th Oct 2009 03:42
Link
I already started a game about Jack The Ripper about 3 years ago (Actually it's still on my website). I can't really tell you about my idea, but there are lots of things you can do with him. Like.. did you know that Elephant man was a suspect?

EDIT: Just realised that I accidentally deleted the html of the first page on my Website. Oh well.. here it is anyway...



Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Wolf
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Nov 2007
Location: Luxemburg
Posted: 12th Oct 2009 20:07
Link
Well, you could do a game that wouldn`t be fun for normal people... but nobody wants to see that...

Other than that it would be cool if there would be a Game where you investigate Jack The Rippers crimes as an Inspector (I`m thinking about something really dark with loads of rain and desperation in it...) Some kind of "condemned" in the old times where it depends on you if you catch Jack the Ripper or not. You could boost the storyline with some copycats, a slightly psychopathic maincharacter, some Red Light District fun with some... ok, forget that one, but you know what I`m aiming to. It is a cool and innovative gaming idea.

But still, I do not thing playing as Jack the Ripper would be... well, a good idea.

God Helps the Beast in Me!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Herakles
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Mar 2009
Location: Lost in my own head
Posted: 13th Oct 2009 06:05
Link
How about this:

You play as a guy who catches Jack the Ripper in the act. When the cops come, he convinces them that YOU are Jack the Ripper and the gaurds attack you. The goal of the game is to prove that you are not Jack the Ripper and then to expose the real one. At the end of the game, after you've proven that you are not Jack the Ripper, there could be a cinematic where Jack the Ripper kills you just as you learn how to expose him. Then he goes on a ship and sails away, thus remaining undiscovered.

It could be a mystery/adventure game with some occasional chases as the gaurds try to apprehend you.

I'm working on Swordfight again! Come tell me what you think!
http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=158681&b=19
Back to top
Profile PM
Libervurto
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 14th Oct 2009 18:21
Link
This game is guaranteed to suck balls.
You'll play as the inspector (voiced by some out-of-work american actor whose English accent sounds more Indian, or Mike Myers) and you'll run around beating people up and running away from dodgy people involved in some underground conspiracy you inadvertantly uncover in your search for the ripper dragging you into some completely unrelated storyline that completely ignores the historical events until you eventually come to the conclusion that the ripper can never be found.

TGC Forum - converting error messages into sarcasm since 2002.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dared1111
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 14th Oct 2009 20:52
Link
True. Visceral games did Dead Space and are creating Dante's Inferno. They seem to like twists in morbid plots, blood and taking literature's concept and twisting it beyond recognition. Dante's Inferno might as well be basted on several of Dante Alighieri's rings... Specifically his erect middle finger...</rant> Other than the inaccuracies Dante's Inferno looks ok, but only because it looks all flowy, dashy and killy.

Signature? There is no signature!
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Wolf
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Nov 2007
Location: Luxemburg
Posted: 14th Oct 2009 23:14 Edited at: 14th Oct 2009 23:15
Link
Quote: "This game is guaranteed to suck balls."


Glad to see I`m not the only guy using bad language around here. Keep it up!

I know, that was offtopic...but screw it!

God Helps the Beast in Me!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2026-06-12 09:25:24
Your offset time is: 2026-06-12 09:25:24