Just wanted to get someone (anyone's) thoughts on this game idea then I might go ahead with it.
I wanted to combine the god-like abilities, construction and stats from a rollercoaster tycoon type game with survival horror.
Basically you start off in a room, zombies are trying to push through a door, which is on a timer. Eventually they push through and take over the room.
The game plays on a map with rooms that become visible as soon as the player enters across into it.
You start with a key which unlocks the next long corridor, which the player can then move into by selecting the character and pointing at the room, simple enough so far.
The next corridor has doors that show the outlines of various rooms. Now zombies are attempting to break into the corridor, having taken over the first room. Points accumulate (or something of that nature) that allows the player to build various rooms. The character is waiting for you to build one or they will be killed by the zombies. When you have enough points, you build a new room but you can select any of the outlined rooms then the character can move into it. Also thought of incorporating an idea where you can destroy rooms that you don't need to give you a quick points boost and build other more advantageous rooms for the situation.
Along the way you come across other survivors with varying abilities i.e. a scientist guy 'ponders' and researches rooms so you can see what the outlined ones are going to be before you unlock them, and he also discovers hidden rooms if 'pondering' for long enough,. a musician guy that uses his guitar to slow down or distract the zombies, possibly a guy who just has a gun to take out zombies giving you more time but has to locate ammo quickly before rooms are lost.
The point of the game is to unlock the rooms against the clock, move characters to the right places so they can level up their abilities. They wait for you to build the rooms and tell them what to do.
If characters stay in or are trapped in a room by zombies then you see a 'CHARACTER WAS LOST' thing show up, as the room fades out and is 'lost', overtaken by zombies, such as in the very first room. So you don't need to escape with everyone but losing them can lose some abilities.
In the end the outcome of the game is a rating based on who was rescued, time remaining, achievements based on finding hidden things.
i also thought of designing the game where the first main character can complete it just by doing nothing other than walking through the level doing nothing special, but obviously you miss out on most things and get a wuss rating so you don't even pass the level - but it's still possible! : D
So what do you think? Anything to add? There was something kinda fun to me about a character stood calling the player a 'muthafcka' whilst waiting for you to build a room for him to move to so he isn't left to the invading zombie horde.