I am Creating firefighting Action/RPG

[helljumper51]

hey guys. i am currently in the process designing a game about being a firefighter or EMT. its an action rpg thingy. i have been working on it for about 2 years now. and right now i contacted some gaming websites and they want to see support. so here is my idea:

you can create your own character either a firefighter or EMT. then you go through the "academy" otherwise known as a tutorial. and the game works like this. in story mode you are assigned to a randomly generated station as either the firefighter or EMT. whichever you chose will be your job. obviously the firefighter will be assigned to a engine, or Areal, or rescue. while the EMT will be assigned to the same or an ambulance. you can choose which station and or vehicle assignment you want to join up as. think of it like a job application. you get a screen that has all the info about this "job" like what vehicle you are assigned to and what station and etc. and then it will have a pay grade(you use money to upgrade your equipment and other specials)you can decline or accept any job. and once you are there, say you are a firefighter. you are assigned a locker and a position on the truck(if your just made a character at lvl 1 then you will be either exterior, or interior) and a job. then say a call goes out. structure fire at such and such a place. so you go to your locker, put your gear on and go to your truck. you have to hurry or you will miss it!. and you can choose to drive it(even thought its not your position) or ride. if you drive then you have full control of the truck. lights, sirens, everything. and you will get a way point for the position of the fire. think open world. if you ride in it you will hit a load screen and will automatically arrive on scene. you basicaly do what you told by the captain or lt on the truck. stuff like take the crosslay and attack the fire inside or hook up water supply, then ventilate the roof. etc. and all you equipment you find on your truck. but the trick is you have to know where it is on the truck. and its like that. you get xp for completing a fire call or "mission" and can put it towrds either cash, or points like strength or speed etc. and here is the cool part. with money you can purchase new gear, change colors, better equipment and the best part...BACKUP yes like if you have a bad fire, you can use some money to call in a second company to assist. you cant control them, but the will help make the fire easier to control. and with xp you gain lvls. and with new levels you might get a chance to be promoted, or find a better position at the new station. you can go all the way up to captain..or you can just be like a lvl 40 firefighter. and ways to increase you skill points are like, the station has a weight room to get more strength and you can play mini games like in madden where you can lift weights and etc.

for EMT you do the exact same except you can play a medical mini game where you treat patients like in real life.

in free play, you get to have real fun. you can choose a fire station layout design(like how many stories or bays the station has) and then you get a budget to buy vehicles and hire a crew. and the vehicles are full customizable. like you can add crosslays, equipment, lights, etc. change colors too. add text and logo. then once in game you can choose your position or just go free lance and do whatever you want. you can be the captain and give orders, and still go into the building. and you can earn money from different calls to buy new trucks or upgrade your trucks or whatever.

what do you guys think? any suggestions? how do i convince a game company to make this? any ideas on how to get support?

-Eric Smith

NOTE: I AM NOT MAKING THIS GAME! JUST THE IDEA!. I AM TRYING TO GET A COMPANY TO MAKE IT!!!

[nick the greek]

great idea! i think that it will be better if you could be a policeman too. you can send an e-mail in 1 or more companies and wait for answers:).

[Guest Zohar]

This sounds amazing, wow I want to play hah. I think in stead of clicking ride and you arrive on scene you should have the option to ride in the fire truck but not drive, just to see the city etc. When do you think this will be done?

[helljumper51]

lol, ummmm when someone decides to look at it

[helljumper51]

i am mostly looking for ways to get support and show these companies that people WILL buy this game. i need ways on how to influence them. i already sent a wave of letters to several companies in feb. but only a few replied. but one offered me a job so now i just need to find a way to sell my idea across

[Guest Skycat]

It sounds like a very interesting game! How far done are you done with it? :1046275747_biggthumpup:

[helljumper51]

well i have not near enough experience nor time to make this game. i made the idea and want to have some other company make it.

[Newfoundking]

well, I have started work on a demo, sort of like what you have in mind, and I started that a while ago... with one other guy, we are planning on finishing a demo mission to present...

That is partially off topic. But if you decide to do it alone, you'll be a while. It's better to have a team of dedicated workers, and one person taht knows how to make it... Then you can get started and give a few companies something to look at, and have a much better chance of getting started with one

[helljumper51]

well, I have started work on a demo, sort of like what you have in mind, and I started that a while ago... with one other guy, we are planning on finishing a demo mission to present...

That is partially off topic. But if you decide to do it alone, you'll be a while. It's better to have a team of dedicated workers, and one person taht knows how to make it... Then you can get started and give a few companies something to look at, and have a much better chance of getting started with one

are you hinting at somthing? ;p

[thossi69]

well, I have started work on a demo, sort of like what you have in mind, and I started that a while ago... with one other guy, we are planning on finishing a demo mission to present...

That is partially off topic. But if you decide to do it alone, you'll be a while. It's better to have a team of dedicated workers, and one person taht knows how to make it... Then you can get started and give a few companies something to look at, and have a much better chance of getting started with one

Demo? for this particular idea that helljumper mentioned, or something else?

[Guest firemike550]

dude this game sounds so bada** and is very creative much like a game ive been want to be created but i have no iea how to do it, but this is a great idea, althought as much as i konw for xbox360 there is a firetruck game coming out in may 2009 but im not sure if its for pc

[Newfoundking]

Demo? for this particular idea that helljumper mentioned, or something else?

No, for a different game me and chevy are working on.... It's coming along, I have a few models such as gear and stuff. For the first miission I'll only reallly need two trucks and one is almost complete. So it might be a little longer before I can say anything for sure

[Guest psp310]

i had an idea like this but its online with other people and once you take basic training buy your own gear and are sent to a fire house that has an open spot so your never alone when waitting for a call you can workout, train your skills, buy new gear for your self like your oen bunker gear axes nozzles pike poles etc. and just raise you skills so when a call goes out you at the best ability you can be When a call goes out run get your gear at your locker and ride to the call when you get there you run to your assignment (if you hopped on the engine than your on the nozzle Ladder interior exterior and roof) then put your basic training to work and how much time you spent training and saving people to work so you can collect your pay check for that fire and go upgrade your stuff

[joachimnor]

well, try use some european companies who can make them, because they need products and they are actually good....

[Commander Rasseru]

To solve how each department in the world is defferent. The firefighting Action/RPG should be base on no nation. But have settings, careers, and equipment that can fit for any nation. Or setting that can be setup to a nation's design of Fire Department.

Honestly if you want to sell this game to some company you will need to make a sample of your game no matter what... A Script of Rules, how the game play is like, pictures or drawings, and Bussiness Plan for the Game...

You have to do some pre-work.... Can't give a company an idea by just showing up to an meeting with out any works or samples of your game idea.

[joachimnor]

Well, i guess you should send a mail to funcom

[Guest wallers]

the game looks well good and if it does get made into a real game i will buy it.

[Guest cop ford]

i dont care how much this game is because i would still buy it and it is a very very excellent idea !!! :1046275747_biggthumpup:

[erfd]

dude this game sounds so bada** and is very creative much like a game ive been want to be created but i have no iea how to do it, but this is a great idea, althought as much as i konw for xbox360 there is a firetruck game coming out in may 2009 but im not sure if its for pc

What is the name of the game? Where can I find info on the 360 game?

[jab16]

Sounds awesome,

By the way will you be able to progress rank from like a newbee to a baltan cheif to like in charge of all the department? eather way it sounds great and i would by it

[Guest MonkeySquasher]

This is a long post, forewarned. OP and other interested parties may read the whole thing, the rest of you feel free to peruse.

Been there, done this. Your problem will be the same problem that the Emergency series runs in to.. Lack of buyers. Why spend the money making a game about firefighting that appeals to 10,000 when you can just make an FPS about grabbing guns and blowing crap up, which instantly appeals to a good 1 million gamers? It's a gamble, and if they go with it and the idea fails, they lose money. Many game companies are doing bad enough on PC games, and with the current global economy, they'll be even less likely to invest money in it. I'm in NO way trying to dissuade you, I think the game is an excellent idea and since it's such an untouched market (a First Responder FPS or RPG), you can pretty much set the standard. But I digress... Here's things you'll want to keep in mind.

1) First off, research. You have an idea, which is good. But anyone can have an idea. Start playing games.. When my buddy and I came up with our game outline, we'd played numerous versions of First Responder games. I don't have any of them handy now, but I know that there were quite a few. All pretty crappy compared to the Emergency series (lol), but all were EARLY games, too. They were a mix of First-Person games, and Strategy games. Play them all. Take what you like from them, make sure to avoid what you thought was stupid. Remember, the best game designers are gamers! We even found and played an actual arcade shooting game which used a fire hose, and you sprayed out the fire. It was a good laugh because of how bad we sucked at the game. haha

2) Then do research on OTHER games. Play lots of games. Lots and lots of them. Good game, great games, crappy games. Take a poll among your gamer friends.. What do they like of other games? Can you add that to yours without making it too complicated? Again, gamers make the best games!

3) This is most important... keep your mouth shut. The internet is NOT a secure area. If you think your idea is that fantastic that a company would use it, SHUT UP. If you TELL them your exact idea, why would they ever pay you for it? They'll make the game, and you'll have to buy it. Sure, you get to play the game, but you miss out on MAKING the game, INFLUENCING the game, or PROFITTING from the game.

4) Research the market, outline the game, show you have support. Give the prospective company a good view of it. A demo helps, but a company wants to see STABILITY, and potential $$$. It's sad, but true... Your normal game company will care more about money than about the game you and your friends think would be awesome. I don't know your age, but if you're college-age, you're BOUND to have friends in computer science, and a friend studying business, and maybe someone with marketing classes.. This is a group project. You don't need to let them in on the whole thing, just kind of ask opinions, or ideas.

6) And finally, if you're REALLY into the idea, don't give up. Remember, Thomas Edison had hundreds of versions of a "lightbulb" before he found one that worked.

If you like, I'd actually go into what our game would have been like. Mostly because I never plan to profit from it, so I have no problem releasing certain parts of it. haha

[joachimnor]

Well, not everyone cares for money.... Some of us doesent give a shit for money, just want to play a game.... To be honest if a gaming co stole my idea i would be honoured.

[helljumper51]

well i want to clear some things up with some of you all.

1) i am not stupid and not niave to the game industry. i gave you all the basics of my game. no details. my actual game's detals along with some programming is in tree notebooks that i keep revising and adding stuff to. no one has ever seen this version.

2)I know how the industry works and all your suggestions are helpful and i am glad to have support. thank you all who gave me ideas.

3) to a response i saw about making it a generic game, ex. making it about all fire companies, here is what i have to say. the United states and the rest of the world pretty much have 2 different types of vehicles. i live in the US and am more familiar with the US model. and to make a game to have all of that and be able to choose what type of vehicle you want is a tremendous job and would require hundreds of additional models.

4) i have a demo in progress right no...i might release it for some of you to try..well a select few. and i already have concept art, a power point presentation, sales figures for popular firefighting games and even a sales pitch. and i already copyrighted the games name and the story line.

5) finally i am no stranger to the gaming world. i have contacts in multiple companies and sites. for example, i tried selling this idea to EA Games. they denied because of security reason but they offered me a job as a Animator/Modeler intern starting at 40 hours a week..paid. so the chance of this game becoming a game looks good. if any of you can help spread the word and help support this game please do so.

Thank you all for supporting me!

[Guest Godly Cookie]

So many walls of text lol

First responders games seem to be more popular in european regions rather than in north america, so you should base your game in europe, and spend a little time researching their emergency systems.

You're main problem will be convincing companies that lots of people will want a game in such a unique genre.

[Guest SHERIFF05]

I have been working with an idea like this for almost 7 years now, It is hard to get a company to SUBMIT themselves to your exclusive idea.. Read my topic on "AMERICAS FINEST" It should be in the search somewhere...

Truth of the matter is eventually the programmers want to do what they want... But attacking a realism stand point is hard for the gamer industry to grasp. "Regretfully its more about Blow things up, Save the world type stuff.

And endless gameplay sandbox police simulator is not going to sell" As i was recently told by a group of developers when i submitted my idea, Flow charts and all...With a copywritten name and flow charts and among other Copyrights, Etc - Console extensions the whole 9 yards...

But oh if they only knew....

PM me if you need any help, otherwise GOOD LUCK