How to make a good Superman Game

[j03superbat]

The differences in gameplay wouldnt stray far from each other. The distinction would be a mix of a few things. Progression/link to the story, mission legnth, feature main characters, increase in difficulty, Missions that where timing is of importance, Missions that require certain powers, Some Linear gameplay, multiple objectives, & things would be done on a larger scale.

I already gave you examples of this.

Another Example: Someone has kidnapped Lois. The only guy that may have some info on where shes being held is coming out of prison. You as Superman must get to the prison before he gets released. Find a vantage point, follow him to another location, but keeping a safe distance. He meets up with another criminal. They discuss Lois kidnapping. You must use your super hearing to get the info. That info gives you a lead of multiple locations she may be held. You must travel to those locations & check around. Once you get to the right location have a cutscene of Lois inside being a smartas with the guys holding her hostage.

You must make your way through the facility undetected. This would require some good ol slow motion super speed. The facility is rather large, so X-Ray vision would be of use to find where Lois is being held. In the end you get to the main room, you must disarm the criminals. After that is done, you must take lois back to the planet. Before that you must defeat a secret weapon(a rather large Mech). Nothing too hard but require a few superpowers to win. After that you pick up lois & fly away. While flying her back she gives you inside info on what the criminals were up to & that would lead to the next main mission scenario

Okay.

Not a good example.

Batman also fights crime but look at the differences between his game & Spiderman games. Both have beat em up style to them, but the thats all they have in common.

Superman is a a completely different type of character. Hes much more powerful than Spiderman. He doesnt have to worry about getting hurt, He doesnt have to use agility like spiderman.

A big part of Spiderman games are beat em up styled gameplay. Superman can't do that, because hes too powerful. Yes it has been done in the past but it wasnt a accurate portrayal.

Another big part of Spiderman games are getting from point A to point B. So that would be his web slinging all across town. Superman can fly & run at ridicoulous speeds.

Superman is more of a Outdoor character imo, his abilities are just above what can be contained indoors for most missions. Hes a guy you want to fly with, hes a guy you want to lift objects with, hes a guy you dont want to be in a confined area with.

1) Batman is weaker than Spider-Man - of course their games are different.

2) I wasn't saying that what worked for Spider-Man would work for Superman. I was trying to convey how there was a distinction between Spidey's side missions and his main missions that went beyond just adding cutscenes and important characters.

Mine is along the lines of Spiderman's. Somewhat short objectives that are striaght forward that have nothing to do with the main story. Things like rescuing people, stopping crimes etc.

Essential to have a large variety of them in a Superman game. I mean over 30. Superman could do alot of things, lets not avoid that fact.

I've been thinking of Spidey's side missions this whole time. I won't deny that it was fun to just swing around New York and stop the random crime or save the random citizen; but I thought the main missions could've used a little more work. I thought the funhouse mission was an example of some creative level design and would have liked to have seen that done more consistently.

I'm not sure, but if you think I'm saying that there should not be variety in a Superman game, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that all those side missions are something for you to do when you're not playing the story. The story should be compelling. It may not matter much to you, but it matters to me.

It wasnt a bad example of a mission at all. It was just simplistic & didnt have the elements needed to make it sound like a indepth experience. IMO It just needed a things added.

Again, I was just offering the first thing that came to my mind. Never intended it to be considered an entire mission.

Mxyzptilk sounds interesting but what would you do in the mission?

Again, I'd leave that up to the level designers. The objective would basically be just to get back to your own dimension.

Losing his powers is a concept i'm not a fan of really.

I agree; that's why I said the red sun thing was just a possibility. And honestly, if it were just for one level I wouldn't mind.

[Khal El Jr]

1) Batman is weaker than Spider-Man - of course their games are different.

2) I wasn't saying that what worked for Spider-Man would work for Superman. I was trying to convey how there was a distinction between Spidey's side missions and his main missions that went beyond just adding cutscenes and important characters.

1) I was just pointing out Most heros fight crime, doesnt mean their games are similar. You have to work around the character.

2) I said there should be a difference aswell. That difference is elements built around the scenario. The objective could be very simple, its all about how things are designed around it.

Ex. Spiderman 2 & 3 had Car chases as side missions. Spiderman 1 had a car chase as a main mission. It felt like a main mission because of how it was set up.

Ex 2. PS1 Spiderman game had a bank robbery as a main mission. It was a very indepth experience. The newer Spiderman games had Bank robberies as side missions & it felt like side missions.

See what I'm getting at?

I've been thinking of Spidey's side missions this whole time. I won't deny that it was fun to just swing around New York and stop the random crime or save the random citizen; but I thought the main missions could've used a little more work. I thought the funhouse mission was an example of some creative level design and would have liked to have seen that done more consistently.

I'm not sure, but if you think I'm saying that there should not be variety in a Superman game, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that all those side missions are something for you to do when you're not playing the story. The story should be compelling. It may not matter much to you, but it matters to me.
Quote:

The thing is those side missions are important. When I said Metropolis should have a health meter that was because of this. The Metropolis health meter reflects how well you are doing your job. Once that thing drains, your game is over. So saving these people & stopping these crimes are important to the game. It forces players to fullfill the superman experience in its entirety.

And when you do that it gives you a sense of achievement. The more things you do, the game rewards you for it. Unlocking statues, getting key to the city, appreciative chatter, superman day, Newspaper headlines, new segments etc.

You make it seem like these side missions are irrelevant & you just want to do something thats purely about the story. My ideal game would be the entire experence that what include main missions & side missions which are equally important.

You can ignore side missions in Spiderman games, but that wouldnt be the case in my Superman game. You ignore it, your 1 step closer to game being over.

[j03superbat]

1) I was just pointing out Most heros fight crime, doesnt mean their games are similar. You have to work around the character.

I don't know how anything I've said doesn't demand that you work around the character.

2) I said there should be a difference aswell. That difference is elements built around the scenario. The objective could be very simple, its all about how things are designed around it.

Ex. Spiderman 2 & 3 had Car chases as side missions. Spiderman 1 had a car chase as a main mission. It felt like a main mission because of how it was set up.

Ex 2. PS1 Spiderman game had a bank robbery as a main mission. It was a very indepth experience. The newer Spiderman games had Bank robberies as side missions & it felt like side missions.

See what I'm getting at?

When you say building elements around the scenario, I'm referring to the same thing when I say "just adding cutscenes and important characters." The car chase and bank robbery missions you mentioned come from non-open world games. There were no side missions in those games, so those levels were the ONLY time you chased a car or stopped a bank robbery. And it's not that those activities can't be thrilling, it's that once you've made an open world for the player to move around, it's harder to direct the player. The earlier Spider-Man games, even the car chase, had level design.

If to move along the story you need to follow Lois to a chemical plant or foil a bank robbery, then fine, but those are the kinds of missions I expect to play early on in the game. I've yet to get a clear picture of what later, city-in-jeopardy missions would be like. I don't think you've given an analogous example to the funhouse mission, whereas I suggested something offbeat like going to the 5th dimension.

The thing is those side missions are important. When I said Metropolis should have a health meter that was because of this. The Metropolis health meter reflects how well you are doing your job. Once that thing drains, your game is over. So saving these people & stopping these crimes are important to the game. It forces players to fullfill the superman experience in its entirety.

And when you do that it gives you a sense of achievement. The more things you do, the game rewards you for it. Unlocking statues, getting key to the city, appreciative chatter, superman day, Newspaper headlines, new segments etc.

You make it seem like these side missions are irrelevant & you just want to do something thats purely about the story.

What? I admit it may seem like I'm dismissing the side missions (even though, um, I'm not:

I'm saying that all those side missions are something for you to do when you're not playing the story.

I think heroic acts/rescues should be in the game.

I'm not saying those missions shouldn't be in the game. Put them in.

I don't want you to think that I don't want side missions or the level of care you put into them

)
but I never said that I want to do something that's "purely" about the story. Is it so bad to want a good story? Going back to the powers issue, when I wanted more access to more of his powers - what's the bad thing in feeling like Superman? I admitted that it may not be possible or necessary to use his maximum powers, but I'm just not a believer in aiming low. The higher you aim, the higher you reach. And there is nothing that stops a game from having a good story.

The only thing I said that was remotely close to me wanting something purely about the story was when I suggested maybe a sandbox-game wasn't the way to go. I've played plenty of sandbox games (both superhero and non-superhero) and I already feel like I know the formula. Arkham Asylum was such a breath of fresh air.

But you seem committed to this idea and your arguments are solid (after all, Superman's average day is in Metropolis saving people, and Superman Returns didn't quite capture that experience) so I'm relenting and just imploring that a good story be put into it.

[Khal El Jr]

I don't know how anything I've said doesn't demand that you work around the character.

You brung up spiderman 2 having linear indoor main missions in reference to compare it to a Superman game. I just responded that Superman is not the same type of character, hes more of a outdoor open world character. His powers are just to great to be contained in a room for very long. I just feel it limits the character quite abit.

If to move along the story you need to follow Lois to a chemical plant or foil a bank robbery, then fine, but those are the kinds of missions I expect to play early on in the game. I've yet to get a clear picture of what later, city-in-jeopardy missions would be like. I don't think you've given an analogous example to the funhouse mission, whereas I suggested something offbeat like going to the 5th dimension.

Everything depends on what the story is about then you build around that. Buildup just comes from getting closer to the ultimate goal in the game. So I would suspect the further you go in the story, the the MAIN missions reflect that.

In regards to the funhouse mission, yes it was a unique mission but that doesnt mean a Superman game needs that too in order to be successful. Now centering a mission around a villian is not a problem at all.

Your 5th dimension idea was just a scenario. I have no idea what you do to complete the objective, what hurdles you face, nor how the gameplay actually changes. For all I know you just have to type in his name or something then your done.

but I never said that I want to do something that's "purely" about the story. Is it so bad to want a good story? Going back to the powers issue, when I wanted more access to more of his powers - what's the bad thing in feeling like Superman? I admitted that it may not be possible or necessary to use his maximum powers, but I'm just not a believer in aiming low. The higher you aim, the higher you reach. And there is nothing that stops a game from having a good story.

The only thing I said that was remotely close to me wanting something purely about the story was when I suggested maybe a sandbox-game wasn't the way to go. I've played plenty of sandbox games (both superhero and non-superhero) and I already feel like I know the formula. Arkham Asylum was such a breath of fresh air.

But you seem committed to this idea and your arguments are solid (after all, Superman's average day is in Metropolis saving people, and Superman Returns didn't quite capture that experience) so I'm relenting and just imploring that a good story be put into it.

I'm just stating the side missions keep the game going. Those side missions are not to be neglected. Those side missions are of much importance as the main missions. It completes the overall experience of a superman game.

[j03superbat]

You brung up spiderman 2 having linear indoor main missions in reference to compare it to a Superman game. I just responded that Superman is not the same type of character, hes more of a outdoor open world character. His powers are just to great to be contained in a room for very long. I just feel it limits the character quite abit.

You completely misunderstood me. I wasn't saying that Superman's main missions should be indoors - I was saying that there should a similar shift in gameplay between just flying around Metropolis and tackling a main mission. At least in my opinion.

Your 5th dimension idea was just a scenario. I have no idea what you do to complete the objective, what hurdles you face, nor how the gameplay actually changes. For all I know you just have to type in his name or something then your done.

As I've stated numerous times before, I'm not a game designer, so I just throw out vague ideas. And you bring up an interesting idea - maybe Superman has to collect all the letters that make Mxyzptlk's name.

My thinking behind suggesting a 5th dimension level, however, was specifically to allow the game developers to create a level just for fun where maybe Superman's powers are inverted or he gets a completely different set of powers and has to quickly adjust to them. The possibilities are endless.

I'm just stating the side missions keep the game going. Those side missions are not to be neglected. Those side missions are of much importance as the main missions. It completes the overall experience of a superman game.

Never said they didn't. Never said they should be neglected. Never said they weren't important. Gave a list of the times I said that I appreciate the thought you've put into side missions.

These are my concerns:

expecting a compelling story from a Superman game is just not gonna happen. What possibly could be compelling to you''Bad guy comes, he must defeat them''?. Superman is just not that type of character.

Even though almost every Spider-Man and Batman story could be boiled down to the same thing, the way you you said it here makes me worried that you wouldn't put the same level of care you did for the side missions into the story.

The thing is Side missions & main missions wouldnt show much difference in a Superman game. Its all about what you want to add in to give it more substance & importance.

Maybe you underestimate how much I loved swinging around New York and stopping purse snatchings, saving people from falling off of buildings, and catching escaping balloons in Spider-Man 2. But then I also loved getting a break from that and going into a main mission and just enjoying the sheer level design and the more linear gameplay - just because it was something to mix it up.

But if the main missions and side missions don't show much difference, no amount of dressing it up and adding "substance" is going to change the fact that I'll be doing the same things the whole game through.

It kinda goes back to our argument about how powerful Superman should be. I would love it if I had the ability to cut loose and unleash his powers. You didn't find that necessary, but now I feel you're even restricting it in the gameplay. What is Superman doing the whole game? Stopping criminals that have no chance of hurting him (bank robberies, car chases, etc.)? Saving people from minor disasters (stranded couple in labor, drowning at the beach, stopping some poisonous gas)? Stopping larger disasters (train falling off the tracks, repairing a bridge)? And using sensory powers to find your next objectives?

You said there'd be boss fights in the games and mentioned mechas and I guess other villains that can physically go toe-to-toe with him and I like the idea of stopping asteroids and missiles (which you then listed as side missions anyway), but those can't be the only times I get to cut loose. I'm sorry, if I'm Superman I want plenty of opportunities to do what I can do.

So I guess that's the real difference between us. You see the difference between side missions and main missions as the substance and importance to the story. I see it as what Superman's literally doing - the small stuff versus the big stuff.

[Khal El Jr]

Your taking 1 sentence out of context. The following statements actually went on to give you an example of how the difference effect the game.


Let me just lay it all out Once in for all.

1) Free Roam & detailed Metropolis

2)Side Missions would be the bulk of the game. Over 30 that consist of various Scenarios.

3) Metropolis has a health meter. The more you neglect these side missions, the more the meter drops & closer to game over

4) There would be 12 Main missions as Superman for Story purposes. (Average time 12-15 min.)

5) 4 Main Missions as Clark Kent that include RPG Elements ( Average time 10 mins)

6) Clark Kent Missions have a identity Meter

7) XP for the more side missions you complete unlocks perks

8) Special abilities include a Slow motion/Superspeed option, A microvision/zoom option, & a Superhearing option, & A X-Ray option that highlights foes

9) Most missions require specific abilities

10) Interactive environment

Thats a rundown, so you get the gest of how it would be. I went over mission details you can revert back to.

[j03superbat]

Your taking 1 sentence out of context. The following statements actually went on to give you an example of how the difference effect the game.

The following statements backed me up. You gave an example, and then followed up with:

The same side missions you think wouldnt be meaningful, can infact be made into a main mission. And can be transformed back into a short side mission popup in a free roam world without all those other elements. It would just be a straight forward ''stop the chase'' side mission with no distractions or cutscenes.

So you're admitting that the distractions and cutscenes are just set dressing. The gameplay is the same. Maybe it's a little harder (or even a lot harder) to catch the car, but you're still chasing a car. Believe me, I understand how it would affect the story; I just want to be able to do more than that.

If I'm still getting it wrong, please clear it up for me. But do you understand how that example isn't analogous to the car chase mission in the game based on the first Spider-Man movie? In that game, it was the only time you got to chase a car because there were no side missions. Here, there would be side missions and you would get to chase cars whenever it pops up as a random crime.

Let me re-phrase it another way. It's not that I don't think those side missions (particularly that example because I think stuff like stopping asteroids or missiles is pretty huge) are meaningful. It's that I think they're small potatoes to what Superman can really do. So it worries me that you use the car chase as an example of a main mission instead of, say, a level where Darkseid invades Earth and you have to fight back Parademons. By giving an example of an extended car chase, you give the impression that all of the main missions are extended side missions. So I think we've may have just had more mix-ups in communication.

Let me just lay it all out Once in for all.

1) Free Roam & detailed Metropolis

2)Side Missions would be the bulk of the game. Over 30 that consist of various Scenarios.

3) Metropolis has a health meter. The more you neglect these side missions, the more the meter drops & closer to game over

4) There would be 12 Main missions as Superman for Story purposes. (Average time 12-15 min.)

5) 4 Main Missions as Clark Kent that include RPG Elements ( Average time 10 mins)

6) Clark Kent Missions have a identity Meter

7) XP for the more side missions you complete unlocks perks

8) Special abilities include a Slow motion/Superspeed option, A microvision/zoom option, & a Superhearing option, & A X-Ray option that highlights foes

9) Most missions require specific abilities

10) Interactive environment

Thats a rundown, so you get the gest of how it would be. I went over mission details you can revert back to.

12 - 16 main missions seems short. Some of those things (XP meter; open world; Clark Kent missions; Metropolis health meter, even super-hearing acting as a radar) have been in other games, so we know that those ideas must not just be present, but be implemented well on a technical level by competent game developers (which is out of our control). Otherwise... I don't know what's left for me to say other than, "Good ideas."

I've offered several suggestions for what I think could be cool to include in a Superman game, most of which don't contradict your ideas, but you seem pretty committed to your concept. There's nothing left for me to offer to this debate.

[Khal El Jr]

Agreed, theres nothing more to say. We have different opinions on the subject. Its up to the true developers to make the game a reality. However I'm confident my concept & ideas wouldve produced the best Superman game to date. You dont have to believe that but I think many would side with me.

After reading many Superman Returns reviews, I know what wouldve made the game great.

[Backward Galaxy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXMkHdgy6Bg

[LifeFirst]

Here are some of my ideas


1. First, you need to have Clark Kent be almost as important as Superman. Nobody can relate to Superman, but people can relate to Clark Kent. Clark is a reporter, so just have some missions/stories where he has to do some freaking investigating and reporting for once (etc....crimes, drugs, there are plenty of stories they can take from the comics where Clark has to do reporting).


2. Be allowed to visit Smallville, and have things happen there, have NPCs, Ma and Pa Kent. His farm...etc..

3. The whole game should be based on stories from the comics, and just follow those storylines, yes the game should open-ended where sometimes you have to go stop some stupid burglars but for the most part, follow a good comic story and just throw some action, investigating, NPC stuff into it.

4. Make the game have consequences. Like most good RPG games today, a lot of choices you make in the game should affect stuff later on (For example, there was a Superman villain called Gangbuster who used to be a good guy. Say in the game, if you make the right choices, he will become a crime fighter, you make the wrong choices, he becomes a villain)

5. Have a system where you can develop your Super-Powers and stuff ( I know Superman doesn't need this but for a game you kinda need this stuff).

6. Have other DC heroes appear from time to time for actual purposeful gameplay and storytelling ( There was a story in the comics where Batman's identity was exposed and was printed in the Daily Planet, he comes to Superman for help....now that would make a great story/gameplay).

7. Superman should have the ability to travel to outer space for space missions (Ex: He meets the Green Lanterns and helps them fight some baddies)

8. Have the option to return home at night to Lois Lane in his apartment, I think this will be a great addition. Since he's not Batman, he doesn't go out at night and fight crime, he just sleeps.

9. Have some good and powerful villains that can kill Superman ( Ex: Gog, Superman Prime, Time Trapper, Brainiac, Darkseid, Lord Havok)


10. Have Superman able to lift bridges, trucks, heavy things...that type of stuff.

[Khal El Jr]

^^^ Other than having other Superheroes in the game i like your post. IMO a superhero game should feature only that superhero.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXMkHdgy6Bg

Only if the Superman designers would put some effort into making a detailed city.

[Kal-ed]

If I repeat something that has been said I apologyze, I didnt hve much time to read and there are really long posts in this thread:

To me the perfect Superman game, as with any game, is most importantly the story, secondly the gameplay. It sounds simple but I will elaborate.

The story needs to be about something, in SR there was really no story, just flying around and beating down repetitive enemies, we were only introduced a little, to the SR story via flashbacks but we werent privy to any of it, it was just flying arround. So I want a story, Spiderman II game, meets GTA meets Mass effect.

I want the sandlot modality from Spiderman II with everyday events poping up every once in a while (Not to often cause in SR there was never time to just fly arround, even after the game was finished, you still had no break there was always a treat going on), I want the GTA modality in a sense that I want locked areas, perhaps 2 more cities and like Mass Effect in that its action RPG, the choices/consecuences and the scope of the story. I want it to be epic.

The idea in all this combination is that you start out in Smallville as a teenager, you start off when at the age of 15 you develop Superspeed and invulnerability and strengt, during a cut scene in which we also learn his origins (yes, I know, everybody is tired of seeing the origin but I never give for granted everyone knows it so I dont mind seeing it just so a newcomer can get to learn it). Then the tasks at hand are simple (the following would be examples of side missions) stopping robberies, helping out in tornadoes, even more day to day tasks like plowing the back 40 and stacking bales of hay, breaking down mustangs, all this could make fun minigames that as well as main missions and side missions grant you experience point which you can use to acquire and upgrade the other abilities.

Side missions, were mentioned before so moving on to main missions is discovering more about your origins and supervillian that for what ever random reason ends up in Smallville and maybe fighting a villain from the 31st century that travells back to kill a young Superman (ala STAS). Then once you´ve grown up and acquire the majority of your powers, a cut scene showing time has gone bye, Clark´s travelled the world, bla bla bla, he´s now arriving in metropolis, he meets perry, Lois, Jimmy, etc.

His journalism assignments usually end up having some supervillan involved, of course there is a main story, maybe something Luthor has been working with Brainiac, maybe Intergang has been working with Apokalypse (I favor the second as I loved the game shadow of Apocalypse but it didnt really end, it seemed like there was supposed to be, at least a 2nd part). So you investigate and dig further and further and while you unravell the truth enemies get tougher and things get more complicated, in the mean time there are still many side missions: bank robberies, putting fires out, car chases, the ocational rogue supervillan, as the 3rd map that opens up with progression, either Brainiacs mothership, or war world or Apocalypse (depending on what route they took) open up for the conclusion of the game.

I want choices, like choosing between saving a bus full of school kids or locking down scaped prisoners (but if you´ve been extra diligent with your experience points and upgrades, you dont have to choose and you have enough speed, strength, etc. to save both, so perhaps at the beginning you wont be able to save them all but by the second half of the playthrough your powerful enough that that´s not an issue), still it has consequences like more crime cause the ones that escaped (if you chose to save the bus) or civilians loose faith in you (if you chose to go for the prisoners).

The gameplay, I want a mixure of Shadow of Apocalypse and SR, I mean in SR the flying was good and in genera the powers, off when on the ground but in general I liked them, I also liked that from SOA (I´ll call shadow of Apocalypse like that from now on) that while dressed in civilian clothes not all your abilities were unlocked and that there were missions that you had not as Superman but as Clark Kent. I think some kind of charging with the sun would be cool, like if you fly high and press both triggers at the same time, you start charging and you get a boost in all your powers and healing. Superman´s health shouldnt be an issue, except when battling Villans strong enough to damage him (Metallo, Lex in his suit, Brainiac, Darkseid, etc.) or one that´s using Kryptonite. For the rest I think SR was on the right track, something like The city´s health should be a factor as well as Superman´s credibility or something of the sorts (that idea needs to be polished)

I think a Superman game, well thought out (like Batman Arkahm Asylum and City) has the potential to be a game that appeals not only to Superman fans but to Gamers in general

[BoyScout-ManOfTomorrow]

^ I wouldn't mind having the origin told in a game where you are interacting with the world. Smallville is the perfect place (both mythos and gamewise) for a peaceful but taughtful tutorial phase where you get to learn and practise with your powers one by one. Heck, there could be a stealth mission in Smallville High where Clark has to hide his out of control powers from suspecting people. I really like your ideas for missions & minigames too. After the tutorial Smallville would be open for further storylines (both main and optional) not to mention character developement in the form of the Kents, Lana, Pete etc.

Metropolis and infact every location should be done in maps where you can fast travel to a different locale. Said locale should be big enough for flight though. Would be cool if the physics would allow breakable enviroments a'la Battlefield 3. In a game the journalism aspect would give a much needed variety to the action much like Arkham Asylum's/City's puzzles etc. A walk through the Daily Planet in itself could be a real treat not to mention advancing from a copy boy to a reporter. An L.A Noire-ish mission with Lois Lane could be awesome.

Other locales like Brainiac's ship or Apokolips would be a great way to end the game. The story should of course build it up and foreshadow as much as possible.

I get what you're saying about choices but I think your example might not be the best one. I don't think Superman would ever decide to follow the villain instead of helping a bus full of people in danger. While the credibility factor sounds nice the Mass Effect-ish good/(in this case)not so good doesn't quite work here. It wouldn't work with a lot of superheroes. You'd need a pretty big antihero to pull it off (otherwise he'd be ooc or a straight out supervillain).

The other ideas about Clark having to use limited set of powers and the sun healing Superman sound really good though. I think Superman should have a designated health bar but maybe instead of dying there'd be a cut scene (similar to Arkham) where we see a villain kill (in this case) civilians while Superman is barely conscious. While Superman lives he has essentially failed since the objective(s) have been lost. Maybe other characters could act as health bars for Superman. If Lois would die Superman would become insane and lose his humanity ergo game over.

[Kal-ed]

you are right, too much RPG like choices, make it too much each person´s Superman, which would be open to making a not so supermanly Superman. Buuuuut, I still think some option at the beggining of the game would serve a good purpose, as to the person playing the game, understand how SUperman lives with everyday and putting him in his shoes, choices, he can never be everywhere and he can never save everyone and although he doesnt talk about it offten all the choices´s he wasnt able to take weigh on him like a ton of bricks, there´s a one piece SUperman story, done arround 2006, 2007 called Angel or something of the sorts, its about a woman who had been saved a couple of times by Superman, so she thought she had an angel and whent on to do very reckless stuff like trying to stop robberies and facing the neighborhood thugs, Superman was worried cause he knew he couldnt always be with her on time and as it so happens it ended up being true, he was fighting a huge energy based monster from destroying a whole base and couldnt make it in time... the story was fairly good but what I really liked was that it threaded on the choices Clark has to make every day and how they weigh on him, IMO choices (if not the example I chose) are part of being in Superman´s shoes (although I wouldnt go to far and dark, just enough to ilustrate the point).

I forgot to mention, having two HQ´s The Fortress of Solitud where you get the strictly supervillan/outterspace threats missions and the DP where you get the Journalism missions. Side missions pop up either by flying by them (car chases, buildings in fire, etc.) and some you randomly pick up with your superhearing, your flying around and suddenly yo hear a banks vault alarm or you hear a "One more step and I shoot her" or just kids screaming, etc.

I really liked your helthbar idea, I dont want gamers worrying too much about the health, since it wouldnt feel as powerfull as you should, just as Superman doesnt have to, he´s main concern are everyone else´s safety.

Yeah what I meant with the brainiac or apokalypse ending was of course meaning it was the main arc, as I said, maybe it all starts with all the way back in Smallville a boomtube opens and its Kalibac looking for trouble and Clark barely manages to stop him, then goes through Clark investigating Intergang and their new adquired very hightech weaponry, maybe Desaad (a la Smallville) manipulating high ranking officials that start giving SUperman a hard time and this ends with Superman having to take the fight back to Darkseid in Apocalypse; this all of course include missions where its about jpurnalistic investigation, then missions that involve Superman at full streght, then some with a combination of both.

Going further into the investigation missions, just like the detective view for Arkahm Asylum and city Clark uses he´s Supersenses, heck it can be even better with the variety he has, not a multipurpose one view that can solve everything but you have to shuffle or anticipate what view of Superman should be used: xray? electromagnetic spectrums? maybe its microscopic vision or maybe the telescope one. It would be fun to play around with that while investigating, heck Im going further, it would be awsome if during fights, xrays could be used to detect villans´s weak spots. There´s really a lot you can play with.

[Aurora Moon]

Only read the first three posts and the last four posts in this thread. so if my comments were already covered by somebody else, then I apologize.

Anyway... I would love a Rpg-style sandbox game featuring superman. But I think a few things needs to be addressed before we even make a good superman game.

Too many people think that a game about superman means always playing godmode in an sandbox game. But that's just the thing... if any of you have ever cheated in an game by putting yourself in GodMode, then you know how boring it can be after a long while of playing the game without fear of anything hurting your character. That was a large part of why the past games failed, I think.

I think most of all we need to address the misconception that Superman is always all-powerful and god-like. The truth is that Superman has plenty of weaknesses, and I'm not just talking Kryptonite or Magic. For all the intelligence that Superman has, he can be prone to things like anger outbursts, or acting purely on emotion etc if somebody had provoked him enough. He's also faced plenty of temptation to bend the laws a little bit, which was actually covered in the comics before. I remember a comic issue where Clark disguised himself as an anti-hero character different from Superman so that he could see what it felt like to be a "dangerous" vigilante that bent the laws... and then he realized that was leading down a very slippery slope.

So that's why I think a rpg-like game with multiple choices in every scene could be great. the players gets to be put into Superman's shoes, and then be shown why he just can't do violent stuff to criminals that other heroes like Batman does. because it would lead down a very slippery slope where he ends up being more like the superman from INJUSTICE. They get muplitite endings where Superman is a great hero, and endings where he's become a vigilante outlaw (considered a bad ending). We get to see things from Clark's viewpoint, and the kind of temptations that he has on a daily basis. We then learn that Superman isn't such a perfect, boring saint like so many would want us to believe. That he has daily struggles just like everyone else.

I also love the idea of the Smallville setting for an tutorial/origin story. We get to watch Clark grow up into an adult, as Ma and Pa Kent attempts to help him control his powers.