I was going through my old Playstation games earlier and found a copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It made me wonder, 'What would have made this a really good game?' How would you have designed it? Or do you think there shouldn't be any at all?

At first I thought that just the setting of a boarding school completely ruled out most of the potential, but then I remebered Bully pulled it off really well. There could be alot more done with the series if Hogsmead was opened up. Wii controls could also offer more of an experience.

Thoughts?

 

Personally, I wouldn't have made it for kids, and I would have included Avada Kedavra as a learnable spell. In all seriousness though, I'd have made the spellcasting open ended, so that you wiggle the mouse about in the correct way (on PC) and the spell shoots out in whatever direction. It would be a good type of game for the Wii I imagine.

Aekiel

 

I agree - I think the Wii could be a good platform for something like that. I'm imagining a quidditch game based on the quidditch league (Cannons, Wasps, Harpies, etc.) using both the nunchuk and the wiimote so that you could control direction, height and attitude of the broom. Add that type of control to a well developed AI system for single player with a lot of team management features, and a multi-player system allowing the players multi-player network games so that each player controls one player on the team, and I think it could be really a blast.

The quidditch world cup game is amusing for about half an hour, but the controls are way too simplistic (you can't even control the altitude of the broom for yourself), and the AI opponents are utterly worthless.
If EA had kept the same standards of play and features from their other sports games, the quidditch world cup game could have been great. Instead, its sort of dull and simple. I suspect a 10 year old would find it more fun than I do though.

I also suspect that other games set in the Potterverse, but in different times or viewpoints could be good as well. Imagine a hitwizard based game set during the first war with Voldemort, playing....oh, a French or Italian operative working covertly to assassinate Death Eaters as part of a containment policy, or even a Mystery/CSI type game in the Auror dept, or somesuch.


I think the worst part about Potter games is the worst part about games based on popular movies and so on. We already know the plot, and are forced to see it through to conclusion, and the only real changes are to add pointless and unrealistic puzzles, or to go on scavenger hunts that idiot NPCs should be doing for themselves. If these games were open ended a bit and, for example, we could have OOTP!Harry not be a moron and grow a spine, there might be a point.

 

Yeah, a Wii based HP game could be awesome: wiggling the control to cast spells and what not. Balance could be tricky though, what with AK's and what-not.

What I'd really like is an RPG-ish AU game where you're free to choose between multiple paths/Houses/alignments, but that's a wet dream that has pretty much no chance of ever actually happening.

 

If you don't mind looking like more of a complete fucking fag then usual I guess ^_^

Imagine if you had to shout the spell name out too to activate the audio command.

 

I admit without shame that I have had the same wet dream.

So, let's see: You can play as Harry as well as a dozen other characters from the four houses.

You have the option of being good or evil, and the option of fucking whoever you desire.

Yeah, that'll do it.

 

Assign it to Bioware with full artistic freedom and watch the magic.

 

I think a cross between GTA set in Hogwarts/the wizarding world and an RPG would be good.

Gameplay of GTA, character progression of an RPG.

Instead of weapons you'd have spells, and then you'd have an extra dimension added by non-combat spells. Escape from Aurors using apparition etc.

 

How about an open-ended RPG based on a darked take on potterverse from some A grade fanfiction, developed by a joined effort of BioWare and the late Troika Games and and with the moddability of Mirrorwind... I'm going to my corner to drool for a bit, k?

 

I think the idea of an RPG where you can create and follow your own character would be awesome, but then there would be the question of what your role would be. Most of the known action does go to Harry Potter.

Maybe if they created a completely different side-story that follows along with cannon. Or if it was set during the first war.

 

OotP had such potential, but failed because nobody wants to play a game where you clean for 12+ hours.

If OotP had more interesting puzzles or activities than just mopping shit and a better fight system it could have been amazing.

 

Didn't EA purchase Bioware? If so, we might get some of our dreams answered.

 

That gave me a great vision of apparating away from Aurors to the Fidelius'd safe house you've painstakingly built up in the middle of London, with Fidelius being the last in a line of warding spells that you can 'acquire' (or buy, if you're in to the whole 'good guy' thing) over the course of the game.

Aekiel

 

The problem with making a good HP game would be that you'd have to create practically the whole 'universe' of the game since Rowling didn't explain anything that didn't directly affect Harry.

 

Grand Theft Potter, I can imagine it now. Run around and AK shit, do missions to learn dark arts, and keep the blood and gore high and I will play it.

 

If I had the time, the knowledge, the money and so forth I know exactly the type of game I would make.

I agree with RPG, but a little more open ended.

For single player mode, you could choose from base characters like Harry Hermione Ron... and then when you beat the game you get to unlock all the rest of the characters, and try and win from their perspectives.

If your Dumbledore, your avoiding capture from the ministry, your guiding harry down different paths you anticipate, you have to survive voldemort.

If your tonks, your meta morphing into different people, doing recon for the order/aurors, being stealthy, fighting death eaters, saving people...

If your Bellatrix, you go on insane killing spree's while every now and then hitting the taunt button, to add some witty baby talk into your genocide.

Of course theres the option to be a nobody character where you get to modify your stats and get sorted, and choose to follow the school curriculum, become a ministry toady, join Dumbledore's order, or decide you like Voldemort's gumption and join his side.

the list goes on.

Multiplayer mode gets fun because then you can add in some random wizard/muggle bots, and your friends can infiltrate the crowd, while you have to find them, teaming up or ganging up to eliminate a player. Surrey, Diagon alley, the ministry, Hogsmead, random muggle/wizard neighborhood. those can be the playing/battle field. and there will be no safespots. Anyone can attack you whenever and where ever they choose, but there will be consequences for the character depending on where, when and who sees the attack.

i.e. your walking down muggle london, heading to the leaky cauldron to floo to a location too far for you to apperate, then all of a sudden you get ambushed infront of muggles by wizards( perhaps your friends).

Aurors apperate in and fight to protect/rescue you if your good, and arrest the person who revealed magic infront of muggles all the while trying to obliviate the muggles and move them to safety. You can choose to let an Auror guide you to safety, or stay and fight with the Aurors, maybe gaining some game credits along the way to boost your stats.

I'm picturing a Diablo 2 style world/interface, with a devil may cry 4 style perspective, and a little grand theft auto interaction.

Of course you get the standard missions you can choose to go on, quests if you so choose, but the real deal will be that if you complete certain quests/rituals/tasks, you get to upgrade your character with abilities, like occlumency, legilimency, metamorph abilities, seer capabilities, and a whole array of other skills.

As you can see, I've thought a great deal about this... yet I don't play alot of videogames. Go figure.

I'm against the wii remote idea on principle however because I own a ps3.

Bite me bitches.

 

I would play it, and start pimping all the houses, hell why not let Rockstar take over the whole series. The only downfall i see is the fan-girls making videos with their favorite ships, like they are doing with The Sims...oh the horror.

 

The fuck? If it's ever made it'll be primarily for the PC.

More horrible than Harry/Draco Buttsecks? You decide!

And wherever there is Ron/Hermione/The Ferret, the Harmonians are never far behind. Maybe more intelligently done, but in the end you're still in the Dentist's chair staring at the biggest fucking drill you've ever seen.

I must admit though, this is pure win.

 

OH MY FUCKING LAWD. The last link is full of win though, avoid the first two like a plague, may cause cancer/aids.