Comedy RPG Idea

[Ryudoga]

Id like to start my first post since this is as good as any place.

A time ago i had a thought on why most rpgs had all the same cliche story of the main hero being all, polite, or heroic if you like being redundant, my idea was (wich i discussed with a friend) make a story in wich the main character, living in the normal world, i mean this one, irl, what you preffer, and its "magically transported to a mystical land" alas thats not cliche at all.

After becoming aware of the envoirement change, and the first things that happen to him (lets say he consults a sort of guide in the game, like a navi if you will) he becomes aware he has been thrown into a cheesy, repepetitive, full of cliches rpg-like world, so he says, in short words "the heck with it" making his personality (wich has always been that way) rash, impulsive, prepotent, sarcastic, satiric, ironic, mocking everything he can, of course, all heroecy (if thats a word) comes with the package, what i wish to work on is a rpg, whoose gameplay is more based on the perspective of an experienced gamer who is throw into a world of such nature.

Inside this game i had planned to make refferences to many things, including television, games, movies, webcomes, etc, also make the envoirement more funny to interact with, lets say for example:

Most Games:

"Its a pond, nothing interesting here"

My idea:

"Hey look its a pond, maybe if you throw a bomb in it youll get an usefull item or something, but now that you think about it, it would be a waste of a perfectly good bomb, wich of course, you have none"

More interesting funny facts is that the Main Character is able to listen to the bgm that is currently playing, this could lead to more funny, or at least amusing skits such as:

"Oh crap, its sad piano music, someones gonna pop up with a sad retospective story, i can feel it in my bones..."
-random citizen, pretended to be wounded pops up-

"...i knew it"

That is part of the ideas i have in mind for this game, hopefully i can catch the atention of some of you and maybe make this project real.

That is all, thanks if you readed!

(P.S. Sorry for any typo there might be there)

 

[Milennin]

That kind of stuff works, but it's not really new or original for an RPG Maker game. I myself make fun of RPG clichés, and put in references to other games in my own game at times, and have seen several other games do the same kind of stuff.

 

[Ryudoga]

I know that, but what i mean is to make a game entireley out of cliches and refferences, for the amusement of the player

 

[NPC]

There have been many of those. Sorry.

 

[sabao]

Your suggested ideas so far don't seem to carry much wit to them. If it's only cheap laughs you're after, then the appeal of the game won't last for too long. It's surprisingly harder to write a comedy than some people would like to believe.

 

[Matseb2611]

You should still carry on with your idea, but make it unique in some way. Perhaps there could be a gameplay element that's related to funny stuff in some way, like maybe something that's an essential part of combat, etc. The others are quite right that mocking the cliches in RPG maker games is a common thing, but then again, most ideas have been done already, so the trick is not to try and come up with something super original on the spot, but simply to make your game and your jokes to stand out from the rest. Actually I'd admit I liked your example of characters commenting on BGM. Perhaps there could be more instances of them breaking the 4th wall. Maybe even that could be the main aspect of comedy in your game rather than simply making fun of RPG cliches.   

 

[McTricky]

I think alongside that you should at least make the game have some sort of coherent plot, and not just have it be "Find X cliché and Y reference" the entire game.

 

[sabao]

I think alongside that you should at least make the game have some sort of coherent plot, and not just have it be "Find X cliché and Y reference" the entire game.

This, because intentionally poking fun at bad writing won't magically make it any more tolerable.

 

[Jawnsunn]

I think comedy relies a lot on your writing, so if your writing is corny or uninspired then it's just not going to be funny to the player/audience/reader. Sarcasm can only go so far until it gets annoying to read/hear every smartass remark from a character.

Instead of making more references, how about making you own jokes or create comedic situations?

 

[McTricky]

um but why would anyone throw a bomb in a pond in the first place um?

 

[Chaos Avian]

the main character, living in the normal world, i mean this one, irl, what you preffer, and its "magically transported to a mystical land" alas thats not cliche at all.

After becoming aware of the envoirement change, and the first things that happen to him (lets say he consults a sort of guide in the game, like a navi if you will) he becomes aware he has been thrown into a cheesy, repepetitive, full of cliches rpg-like world

Sounding familiar McTricky?

On Topic:

If you ask me, it's all about execution. And you need a lot of witty banta. A LOT. I've taken time off my game a few times so I don't overdo things or have it come off cheesy. But like McTricky said, you need to have some strong driving narrative otherwise your game won't be able to carry itself. But do let the player know it is a comedy game, like Breeze always says; "If you take this game too seriously, you're gonna have a bad time~"

 

[McTricky]

Sounding familiar McTricky?

Omg somehow I did not see this. Whaaat.

 

[Jef299]

A drill instructor with a speech impediment is a better idea.

You... blaggots!

 

[Ryudoga]

um but why would anyone throw a bomb in a pond in the first place um?

Its a refference to a LoZ game, anyways, i do mean to add some plot, content and gameplay elements that revolve around the comedy-based story yet it goes for a save-the-world-like plot, this is all a basic project, its the main idea, of course there is more to it than that im still thinking through it, ive thouhgt of many things with my co-woerker who is writer and who helps me wit hthe sfx and music in general, of course this is why i came here, to look for people to help me more to desing the game to give it some gameplay elements, not sure i can manage to make unique ones but who knows?

 

[Ryudoga]

What i plan on doing here is, a main character, who would reply to scenarios differently like a normal character in a game would do, lets say, kinds like the loud guy from Achievement Hunter, i think it was Michael? 

Anyways, this requieres a lot of planning and of course a well planned writting to not bore the gamer/audience/tester.etc with same old jokes or cheesy ones with many refferences, there is a story to the game itself, name of the land, main antagonist, party members, ability tree, a lot of things that you would normally encounter in a rpg, just that in my idea there is, lets say, more comedy, or more sassy-human reasoning to it.

Im not sure im explaining myself too well, again this is a starting project, baby steps required after all right?  I thank all of you for the feedback, i know it seems like im searching for cheap laughst at first glance but im trying to acomplish a new sort of comedy-game more than poking at rpg cliches and whatnot.

Even now im thinking of ideas and refferences and how, and where to plant them carefully to not just make a laugh but to make it cleverly positioned and make the player experience a genuine sense of laughter or even a good mood moment, yet keeping the game plot involved, and all the elements that are to it.

 

[Chaos Avian]

This may or may not be good advice (it depends on the person) but I recommend going to TV Tropes and studying the well known tropes and learn to subvert, invert, avert, etc the different tropes. Hopefully that'll give you an idea on how your execute things.

 

[Matseb2611]

Im not sure im explaining myself too well, again this is a starting project, baby steps required after all right?  I thank all of you for the feedback, i know it seems like im searching for cheap laughst at first glance but im trying to acomplish a new sort of comedy-game more than poking at rpg cliches and whatnot.

Even now im thinking of ideas and refferences and how, and where to plant them carefully to not just make a laugh but to make it cleverly positioned and make the player experience a genuine sense of laughter or even a good mood moment, yet keeping the game plot involved, and all the elements that are to it.

Yes, it is a very good idea to clear up first what sort of project you want it to be. If this is your first game, then yes, you shouldn't make it too ambitious. It is best to start with smaller steps, get acquainted with the program, and make a small yet fun game. And then in the next project after it, you can build on the experience you've already acquired when making this game and make something bigger and better.

And of course, a small game doesn't necessary mean it's going to be noobish, bad, and uninteresting. I'd rather play a small game that sets out to do exactly what it intended, rather than a long game that doesn't know what exactly it is doing.   

 

[Ryudoga]

This may or may not be good advice (it depends on the person) but I recommend going to TV Tropes and studying the well known tropes and learn to subvert, invert, avert, etc the different tropes. Hopefully that'll give you an idea on how your execute things.

Im alreadi doing that, along friends of course, and also games and comics and everything we can reffer to in a way it sounds like a well placed refference than just a witty one, thanks for the advice though!

 

[Ryudoga]

Yes, it is a very good idea to clear up first what sort of project you want it to be. If this is your first game, then yes, you shouldn't make it too ambitious. It is best to start with smaller steps, get acquainted with the program, and make a small yet fun game. And then in the next project after it, you can build on the experience you've already acquired when making this game and make something bigger and better.

And of course, a small game doesn't necessary mean it's going to be noobish, bad, and uninteresting. I'd rather play a small game that sets out to do exactly what it intended, rather than a long game that doesn't know what exactly it is doing.   

Its going to take a while but thats the general idea, thanks a lot! i apretiate all the feedback i can get.

 

[Tuomo L]

There's great ways to write cynical and satirical characters but the way you're talking is just making it irritating and I'd stop playing the game after that BGM remark and it happening. There's breaking a fourth wall and then there's driving a truck full of singing goose through it. Having the character in game act like it'd be someone playing the game would be immensly annoying and would get old very quick.

Also, is the bomb in the lake reference to something? It confused me more than anything.

The main character as a whole sounds very unlikeable and not in a good way. He sounds like someone I'd want to punch into face, not as someone I'd want to spend time playing as.

Also for the record, he sounds like a lamer, less awesome version of MISTER BIG T minus all the world destroying and reason for cynicsm and all the hatred for humanity. So that role has been played out already years ago, sorry.