Can A Good Solo Superman Game Be Made? How Would You Make Work?

[Prime]

Come onnnnnn the tech is ready for a Superman game to happen!

That looks pretty good

[PCN24454]

You know, Iron Man VR would be a great basis for a Superman game.

[Vordan]

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/d...ax-1235232185/

But the company believes that DC must do more to grow its approach to comic book fare, including bolstering gaming

Given they specifically call out Superman as a character who needs more focus, please let this mean they're going to greenlight a Superman game.

[Frontier]

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/d...ax-1235232185/

Given they specifically call out Superman as a character who needs more focus, please let this mean they're going to greenlight a Superman game.

Here's hoping .

[Vordan]

Here's hoping .

I could stop giving a damn about the film side if it actually happens, I’ll take a good video game over a film any day.

[Vordan]

[godisawesome]

A though about how to populate a game “world” with lesser antagonists and side missions:

Metoprolol: City of Tommorrow? Or Cyberpunk Dystopia?

Include all the dangerous and and sometimes even cynical IPs from Metropolis that the mythos has, and from the city as surging forward in technology, but teetering towards full on Cyberpunk disaster unless the player dedicates Superman and/or Clark’s time to uncovering abuses of power, conspiracies, and mechanical mayhem all over the city. Maybe start one section of the city, like Suicide Slum, as a seemingly “lost cause” example of how bad the rest of the city will get if you don’t complete side-missions, with your “golden ending” only being achieved if you figure out how to use Clark Kent’s skill set as well to effect some major societal changes.

And I men, go full Cyberpunk; have The 100, Intergang, and The Invisible Mafia all warring for control of the streets, position LexCorp and Edge’s WGBS as “Corpos”, and fill the city with bits and pieces of super tech that's just out their in the open, whether it’s Intergang’s Apokiliptikan weapons, left over remnants of the Brainiac virus, experiments from the Cadmus Project, or Lex Luthor’s enforcers.

And really make an entire mini quest part where the player has to use Clark Kent to do some investigating and reporting, that at first seems like it’s a more relaxed mini game… until someone tries to take him out with one of the more powerful weapons, and you have to do a little “The Late Mr. Kent9 homage to get the identity back and publish the story.

And keep most of this as background stuff to the real main mission.

[Prime]

Nice . Give the man a budget

[Ascended]

While back we were talking about plot, and I didn't have much. But I think I know what I'd do. It's not very original, several people have mentioned similar things, but.....

Metropolis: Bottled! All hope rests upon Brainiac's resurrection!

Opening cinematic gives us Brainiac trying to bottle the city and destroy earth, locked in epic combat with a fully powered Superman. Brainy hits Clark with some kind of "experimental solar absorption blast" and Clark's powers are knocked down to Golden Age levels, leaving him weaker than he's been since he was a teenager. This gives Brainiac the time to bottle, but not shrink, Metropolis. Gameplay begins, and you learn the controls as Clark "remembers" how to fight at this reduced ability. You stop Brainy, but he and his ship explode in the process, leaving you unable to remove the dome around the city! And that's the tutorial.

A new cut scene brings us to: Weeks later, a few small holes have been cut into the bottle, allowing a trickle of traffic and trade through, but it takes forever and is hard as hell. The city isn't starving, but tensions are high. Everyone has done everything they can to remove the bottle, to no avail. The only chance remaining is to re-assemble Brainiac and force him to do it. But the pieces of Brainy have been scattered, taken by various forces (not all in the city, or even earth).

As you level, you "regain some lost solar energy" and gain new powers and abilities selected from a wide range of skills, akin to Elder Scrolls. Some dialogue could explain that the long-term effects of Brainy's energy drain attack might be unpredictable, justifying and explaining the player's ability to build their own kind of Superman with varied powers and abilities.

Remember, I envision this as an Elder Scrolls-meets-Fables-meets-DCUO style rpg, where you don't have to follow the main quest at all. But the main plot involves recovering Brainy's pieces, putting him back together, dealing with his inevitable betrayal, and a final battle where Brainy has possessed the bottle and city itself.

Using a Fables-esque "actions have consequences and different endings" approach, after defeating Brainy you might destroy the bottle and every byte of Coluan tech on earth....or you might just take control of the bottle, opening it up for citizens but weaponizing the entire city for your own use.

[JAK]

While back we were talking about plot, and I didn't have much. But I think I know what I'd do. It's not very original, several people have mentioned similar things, but.....

Metropolis: Bottled! All hope rests upon Brainiac's resurrection!

Opening cinematic gives us Brainiac trying to bottle the city and destroy earth, locked in epic combat with a fully powered Superman. Brainy hits Clark with some kind of "experimental solar absorption blast" and Clark's powers are knocked down to Golden Age levels, leaving him weaker than he's been since he was a teenager. This gives Brainiac the time to bottle, but not shrink, Metropolis. Gameplay begins, and you learn the controls as Clark "remembers" how to fight at this reduced ability. You stop Brainy, but he and his ship explode in the process, leaving you unable to remove the dome around the city! And that's the tutorial.

A new cut scene brings us to: Weeks later, a few small holes have been cut into the bottle, allowing a trickle of traffic and trade through, but it takes forever and is hard as hell. The city isn't starving, but tensions are high. Everyone has done everything they can to remove the bottle, to no avail. The only chance remaining is to re-assemble Brainiac and force him to do it. But the pieces of Brainy have been scattered, taken by various forces (not all in the city, or even earth).

As you level, you "regain some lost solar energy" and gain new powers and abilities selected from a wide range of skills, akin to Elder Scrolls. Some dialogue could explain that the long-term effects of Brainy's energy drain attack might be unpredictable, justifying and explaining the player's ability to build their own kind of Superman with varied powers and abilities.

Remember, I envision this as an Elder Scrolls-meets-Fables-meets-DCUO style rpg, where you don't have to follow the main quest at all. But the main plot involves recovering Brainy's pieces, putting him back together, dealing with his inevitable betrayal, and a final battle where Brainy has possessed the bottle and city itself.

Using a Fables-esque "actions have consequences and different endings" approach, after defeating Brainy you might destroy the bottle and every byte of Coluan tech on earth....or you might just take control of the bottle, opening it up for citizens but weaponizing the entire city for your own use.

Sounds perfect to me!

Also, when I read this:

The only chance remaining is to re-assemble Brainiac and force him to do it. But the pieces of Brainy have been scattered, taken by various forces (not all in the city, or even earth).

my first thought was "Castlevania II" lol

[Prime]

While back we were talking about plot, and I didn't have much. But I think I know what I'd do. It's not very original, several people have mentioned similar things, but.....

Metropolis: Bottled! All hope rests upon Brainiac's resurrection!

Opening cinematic gives us Brainiac trying to bottle the city and destroy earth, locked in epic combat with a fully powered Superman. Brainy hits Clark with some kind of "experimental solar absorption blast" and Clark's powers are knocked down to Golden Age levels, leaving him weaker than he's been since he was a teenager. This gives Brainiac the time to bottle, but not shrink, Metropolis. Gameplay begins, and you learn the controls as Clark "remembers" how to fight at this reduced ability. You stop Brainy, but he and his ship explode in the process, leaving you unable to remove the dome around the city! And that's the tutorial.

A new cut scene brings us to: Weeks later, a few small holes have been cut into the bottle, allowing a trickle of traffic and trade through, but it takes forever and is hard as hell. The city isn't starving, but tensions are high. Everyone has done everything they can to remove the bottle, to no avail. The only chance remaining is to re-assemble Brainiac and force him to do it. But the pieces of Brainy have been scattered, taken by various forces (not all in the city, or even earth).

As you level, you "regain some lost solar energy" and gain new powers and abilities selected from a wide range of skills, akin to Elder Scrolls. Some dialogue could explain that the long-term effects of Brainy's energy drain attack might be unpredictable, justifying and explaining the player's ability to build their own kind of Superman with varied powers and abilities.

Remember, I envision this as an Elder Scrolls-meets-Fables-meets-DCUO style rpg, where you don't have to follow the main quest at all. But the main plot involves recovering Brainy's pieces, putting him back together, dealing with his inevitable betrayal, and a final battle where Brainy has possessed the bottle and city itself.

Using a Fables-esque "actions have consequences and different endings" approach, after defeating Brainy you might destroy the bottle and every byte of Coluan tech on earth....or you might just take control of the bottle, opening it up for citizens but weaponizing the entire city for your own use.

What about the Phantom Zone? It be a pretty cool place to set everything up and everyone there can hurt and kill Superman.

[Ascended]

What about the Phantom Zone? It be a pretty cool place to set everything up and everyone there can hurt and kill Superman.

I was thinking about using the Zone, as well as a few other places, as sidequest hubs.

I'm not sure how I'd put it all together, or how familiar everyone is with the Faction concept (if you game, you *must* know.....right?) but my idea (which, like all good things, steals shamelessly from Elder Scrolls) is that you'd have different factions you could potentially join, opening up new storylines and unique rewards that're completely removed from the main plot. Like, you can log thousands of hours in Skyrim and never deal with the Dark Brotherhood (assassin's guild), or you can join the Brotherhood (almost) immediately and log thousands of hours killing people for money while ignoring the main story.

And I figured, in the same way I want players to build their own versions of Superman, they should be able to tailor the kind of missions they do to fit their Super flavor. So the main story is intentionally grounded around Metropolis, which is a fairly classic, generically Superman thing (but in a good way, y'dig?). You got Lois and the Planet and all the trappings people expect to see, and will be disappointed if they don't whether they admit it or not. But if you join, I dunno, the STAR Labs faction and start working with them, you'd start investigating ghost sightings around the city and eventually make your way into the nightmare realm of the Zone. A *relatively* small map, maybe just a Fort Roz haunted by intangible and not so intangible, insane prisoners, with plenty of new quests, new enemies, Zone-flavored rewards, etc. And that's a very different kind of Superman story right? That's more sci-fi thriller, darker than the main storyline. Finish it and take over Fort Roz, turning it into a new HQ and mission hub, full of radiant quests you can grind for the final round/s of unique Zone flavored rewards.

Each faction would have a unique location you would travel to, which would provide plenty of tonal variety. Maybe the Daily Planet faction provides a more noir, pulp flavored storyline. Maybe you start the Planet faction by investigating Intergang, and you end up in the slums of Apokolips with the dregs. Or who knows where, like I said I don't have that whole side of things put together.

The main story might brush up against these things, just enough to let a player know they're there, but I think if you try to make the main story be too many things you're painting with all the colors at once, and you'll just get mud. I figured it was best for each adventuring path to have it's own vibe, and not try to be all things. A player looking for a more cosmic experience could ignore the main story and deal with factions that provide a more high-concept narrative. And I figured the main story being centered in Metropolis isn't the most unique or exotic idea, but it's the most classic kind of "S" tale (at least in the minds of the general public) and it's easier to work in an actual character arc and subplots with (recognized) supporting cast that way.

[Prime]

I was thinking about using the Zone, as well as a few other places, as sidequest hubs.

I'm not sure how I'd put it all together, or how familiar everyone is with the Faction concept (if you game, you *must* know.....right?) but my idea (which, like all good things, steals shamelessly from Elder Scrolls) is that you'd have different factions you could potentially join, opening up new storylines and unique rewards that're completely removed from the main plot. Like, you can log thousands of hours in Skyrim and never deal with the Dark Brotherhood (assassin's guild), or you can join the Brotherhood (almost) immediately and log thousands of hours killing people for money while ignoring the main story.

And I figured, in the same way I want players to build their own versions of Superman, they should be able to tailor the kind of missions they do to fit their Super flavor. So the main story is intentionally grounded around Metropolis, which is a fairly classic, generically Superman thing (but in a good way, y'dig?). You got Lois and the Planet and all the trappings people expect to see, and will be disappointed if they don't whether they admit it or not. But if you join, I dunno, the STAR Labs faction and start working with them, you'd start investigating ghost sightings around the city and eventually make your way into the nightmare realm of the Zone. A *relatively* small map, maybe just a Fort Roz haunted by intangible and not so intangible, insane prisoners, with plenty of new quests, new enemies, Zone-flavored rewards, etc. And that's a very different kind of Superman story right? That's more sci-fi thriller, darker than the main storyline. Finish it and take over Fort Roz, turning it into a new HQ and mission hub, full of radiant quests you can grind for the final round/s of unique Zone flavored rewards.

Each faction would have a unique location you would travel to, which would provide plenty of tonal variety. Maybe the Daily Planet faction provides a more noir, pulp flavored storyline. Maybe you start the Planet faction by investigating Intergang, and you end up in the slums of Apokolips with the dregs. Or who knows where, like I said I don't have that whole side of things put together.

The main story might brush up against these things, just enough to let a player know they're there, but I think if you try to make the main story be too many things you're painting with all the colors at once, and you'll just get mud. I figured it was best for each adventuring path to have it's own vibe, and not try to be all things. A player looking for a more cosmic experience could ignore the main story and deal with factions that provide a more high-concept narrative. And I figured the main story being centered in Metropolis isn't the most unique or exotic idea, but it's the most classic kind of "S" tale (at least in the minds of the general public) and it's easier to work in an actual character arc and subplots with (recognized) supporting cast that way.

I don't know if starting off that big for the first game is a good idea. I mentioned the Phantom Zone cause a part of Metropolis could get sucked in. With Brainiac we get the bottle and Super man fighting his way to make it big again. What other villains would you use?

[Ascended]

I don't know if starting off that big for the first game is a good idea.

It's an ambitious idea, absolutely, but I don't see the benefit of half measures here. Regardless of structure, a *good* Superman game would require decent AAA investment anyway. He's tricky to get right in video games, so you gotta get some quality talent to get it even half right. At that point, might as well swing for the fences. What's the alternative? Another underwhelming and underperforming "S" game to add to the list?

I mentioned the Phantom Zone cause a part of Metropolis could get sucked in. With Brainiac we get the bottle and Super man fighting his way to make it big again. What other villains would you use?

Not sure. I know I'd want a few random, roaming villains. Just guys showing up to start some sh*t. One of them needs to be Titano, because fighting a kaiju as Superman is something everyone needs to experience. I know I'd want to use Lex, but not as a boss fight. Definitely need some female baddies, Livewire and Maxima, if she can be fit in properly. Really, just give me a quality rundown of the rogues; Xa-Du and Zod, Metallo and Parasite. No Doomsday, please. Lex should be somewhere, but not as a boss.

And I really like the idea of the city falling into the Zone. That's a cool ass idea.

[HeartofTheStoriesWeTell]

Have it be mostly open/metropolis. You have a health bar that doesn't move... get shot, blown up, punched... full health. BUT if you let too many citizens die you game over. If too much of the city is destroyed it's game over.

then at the halfway point matallo shows up and has kryptonite... now not only do you need to save people and the city...but you can die. after that 'boss' battle you go back to normal until the end game starts... and 3 villians show up, one that is super strong, one that is magic and one that has kryptonite... the last hour or two of story mode you have big fights