Lucid Dream Game Idea

**The Sandman** · 03-08-2011 02:22 AM

When I can, I like to open up a tab for each of my friends and start reading their dream journals to stay caught up with them. So tonight I did just that and the first two dreams I read talk about a game that has entered there dreams.

People often talk about powering up or leveling up or something like that. I read this stuff all the time. I don't know what more of a hint the dreaming community needs. Perhaps at has not escaped anybody. Maybe the problem is that a dreaming game is not made by wiggling your nose.

Anyway, my idea is that you play a game where the goal is to achieve lucidity for your dream character. How you get there isn't that important. I mean, it aught to be logical, and it aught to be fun, but what is more important is the player's focus and intent.

I believe that if you could get your game character to go to sleep and go into an REM cycle etc., etc., ultimately leveling up to lucidity--and if that stage allowed you to get your character to enjoy flight, or whatever it is you like to do, this would likely carry over into your dreams.

Perhaps you could start to lose lucidity and you have to try to get it back. As I see it, it wouldn't have to be as exciting as a first-person shooter or whatever people are playing these days. The whole point is meditating on sleep goals and seeing them.

We need a programmer who is willing to do pro bono work, or at least work for little pay, I realize, but I had to throw the idea out there.

I wonder what everyone else thinks.

**Icyquartz** · 03-09-2011 07:14 PM

That's actually a really good idea, Rman. I am actually planning on developing a video game in the near future myself...I have been around games since I was like 5 years old. So I think you have a very good idea...add me as a friend so we can chat more!

Sincerely,
~Icy

**The Sandman** · 03-09-2011 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Icyquartz

That's actually a really good idea, Rman. I am actually planning on developing a video game in the near future myself...I have been around games since I was like 5 years old. So I think you have a very good idea...add me as a friend so we can chat more!

Sincerely,
~Icy

Hi Icyquartz. I'm really glad you like my idea. Look me up any time.

**Shadow27** · 03-09-2011 08:51 PM

I've had this same idea for a while. I was actually planning on doing something like this with kind-of a kingdom hearts feel
to it. My idea would be that there are some evil beings on the dream plane that are invading the waking world and this
guy has to learn to lucid dream to stop them. I also have some music I wrote up which is still in the works. We should work
on this together

.

[edit] you can add me as a friend as well
Anyway, I can be the programmer and composer for the music

**The Sandman** · 03-10-2011 12:56 AM

Shadow,

I'll add you in a sec. I would love to work on it together, but my contribution would likely be restricted to storyline kind of things. I don't draw or program.

I actually saw that you were a programmer and considered approaching you with the idea; I intellectualized my way out of talking to you though. Glad we are thinking along the same lines. I want to do something to help my lucid dreaming ability.

**KingYoshi** · 03-10-2011 01:35 AM

Yeah, Kingdom Hearts would be a nice style for a game like this. The action/adventure with RPG elements would be perfect. Hmm...or you could also go with a sandbox style game. Think grand theft auto, but dream related as opposed to crime related, lol. Either way could work. As you progress in the game, you learn new "dream control" abilities...like flying, super sprint, teleportation, etc. Hmm...just throwing out some ideas.

**The Sandman** · 03-10-2011 02:22 AM

As you progress in the game, you learn new "dream control" abilities...like flying, super sprint, teleportation, etc..

You could also face certain obstacles that you have to overcome. Walls, bad guys (or cops

), dark regions and such. You could go different ways (per your sandbox idea), to get away from problems, and call on your abilities as appropriate. Don't forget when you fly, sometimes you get heavy. There should be some depth to the game.

Of course, as a person who is not programming this, I too am just throwing ideas out there.

**mcguinnessdr** · 03-10-2011 03:15 AM

I am into game making, if you want, I can help. I use blender for modeling, rigging, animating, and it even has a powerful built in game engine. take a look at it and see what you think.

**The Sandman** · 03-10-2011 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by mcguinnessdr

I am into game making, if you want, I can help. I use blender for modeling, rigging, animating, and it even has a powerful built in game engine. take a look at it and see what you think.

I love the energy this idea is getting. I wish I could do something to help, but I think there are a few members who have the skillsets necessary to pull this thing off, so I'll keep up and let y'all make it happen. I hope you all can sustain the enthusiasm. I am desperate to find a way to gain lucidity deliberately, and I would love to play whatever you come up with regardless of how basic (or not) it turns out.

**Shadow27** · 03-10-2011 03:34 AM

We should get as many DV members involved as possible and have a full programming team.

It will be a professional production and we can market the game, and in doing so spread the knowledge
of Lucid Dreaming.

**Rawracookie** · 03-10-2011 03:50 AM

I do some videogame programming. Although, I only have experience in 2D.

**The Sandman** · 03-10-2011 04:11 AM

...and in doing so spread the knowledge of Lucid Dreaming.

Nice sentiment.

**KingYoshi** · 03-10-2011 05:01 AM

Well, I have no programming experience, so i wouldn't be much help. This is a very cool idea though and if some of you guys wanted to try to pull it off, I'll give a little advice. The best way to go about this would be to make a short demo first. Maybe around 20-30 minutes of play time. Then you can release/show off the demo and go with it from there. Making a full game is a huge project and a demo could definitely get you a good start. It would also be wise to go with the xbox live marketplace/playstation network-type game. Many of those games are made by small groups of people. Download-able media is really booming right now, and seems to be going nowhere but up. Well, good luck to you all and I will definitely be interested to see if you guys could do something with this.

**chase** · 03-10-2011 06:57 AM

What we need more than a video game is a device of some kind where we can hook up to and record our dreams and be able to watch them back later. Just think if that were possible...it would end all movies, people would sell their dreams and make tons of money and it'd just be awesome. Sort of like that movie "Strange Days" -Chase

**LikesToTrip** · 03-10-2011 07:49 AM

If you guys actually decide to start putting something together I can do some 2D spriting(for icons, menus, HUD). I've made a few 2D games in the past, mostly with GameMaker. I know the basics of programming, but not anywhere near enough to help with a big project. The only games I made were simple platformers and arcadeish games. None of which were ever finished

. I did get decent at making 2D sprites though. If you actually start putting a team together I'd love to help. We should get a list of who wants to help and once we have 10+ we should all get into chat and see if we can get the ball rolling.

**The Sandman** · 03-10-2011 02:15 PM

Resources

Icyquartz: Planning on developing a game
Shadow27: Programmer and music composition
mcguinnessdr: I use blender for modeling, rigging, animating, and game engine.
rawracookie: 2D game programming
likestotrip: 2D spriting(for icons, menus, HUD). I've made a few 2D games
kingyoshi: Consultant

**Shadow27** · 03-10-2011 05:52 PM

Sounds good

Heres a little preview of the soundtrack, a song I've been working on for a while that I've called Dance Of Dreams.
Download Clip

**Shadow27** · 03-10-2011 07:09 PM

Just came up with another. I'll expand on the tune a bit later but heres the clip:
Download Clip

**The Sandman** · 03-11-2011 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by Shadow27

Just came up with another. I'll expand on the tune a bit later but heres the clip:
Download Clip

I really like both clips Shadow27.

**Shadow27** · 03-11-2011 06:57 AM

First, I would like to thank Rman for heading this off. However, I would like to take things a step
further. If we can pull this off it will be fantastic, but I would hate to see the project fall out.
This is a massive undertaking, most games like Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy are done by
professional companies with a 100+ person programming team and often take as long as 3-5 years.

I think we need to recruit more people from this forum to help with
the project. Anyone reading his, even if there is nothing you think
you can do, trust me there is. Please volunteer.

Heres what we need.
Programming Team
At the moment I am one of two programmers on the project. Programing
is a massive part of this undertaking and I could use some help. If
any of you are interested and do not know how to program, I can give
you a crash course in C.

Current Staff:
Shadow27
Rawracookie

Graphics Team
This is a 3d game. People with knowledge in 3d computer graphics, Maya,
3DStudio, Blender, etc... are vital.
We will also need work with advertising, game cover, HUDS and menus.

Current Staff:
mcguinnessdr
Likestotrip

Music:
Gotta have a good soundtrack for the game. I could probably handle
this myself as I have decent composition experience but having some
opinions/ideas and musicians to play the pieces would be excellent.

Current Staff:
Shadow27

Writers:
A game like this will be much better with an intricate storyline. I've
already suggested my idea or the premise but it is vague. We need a
writer to come up with a full script to last a decent playtime including
objectives and cutscenes.

Current Staff:
NONE

Map designers:
This one is easy for us lucid dreamers because we can get our subconscious
to do it for us. Yoshi, I would like to ask you to work on this as you are
a very experienced lucid dreamer. We will need ideas for places and complete
maps for them. I was thinking of having the begining be a town similar to
the one in Kingdom Hearts II.

Current Staff:
KingYoshi ( If you accept )

Marketing/Advertising:
When the game nears completion we will need people to advertise and
market the final product. This may also include the marketing of a
demo about half-way down the road.

Current Staff:
NONE

Alpha Testers:
When the game nears completion, we will need people on the forum to
download and play the game looking specifically for glitches and other
programming flaws that need correcting. These people will need to do
everything they can to "break" the game and report the bugs they find.

Current Staff:
NONE

Idea board:
Anyone who wishes to bring ideas up, please do so.
You are who we call when we need ideas for things like new enemies, places
when the mapper has writer's block, story twists when the writer has writer's
block, and generally a lot. In addition, we need a name for this game. My idea
is "Lucid" but if anyone has something better, please contribute.

Beta Testers:
After the alpha testers complete their run through the game, we will have
beta testers ( People not on this forum ) have a go at it and do the same
thing.

We will also need someone to compile a list of people working on the
project and their contributions for the credits.

Each team should have some means of contact outside of this thread to
communicate on what needs to be done and post a few updates back here.
If I missed anything please let me know.

~Wes

**chase** · 03-11-2011 08:01 AM

I'm a writer who has worked with scripts. I might can possibly come up with part/if not a full storyline. At least I can give good insight where needed. I think we should all put our ideas together, not just go off one person's imagination. -Chase

**Angusaurus** · 03-11-2011 08:20 AM

Anyone reading his, even if there is nothing you think
you can do, trust me there is. Please volunteer.

Okay.

**MadMonkey** · 03-11-2011 08:40 AM

I have been thinking of making a video game based on lucid dreaming but I am waiting till summer to start it when I have more time. It is going to be more of a action-adventure sandbox game were you fight a enemys in the dream plane with all the dream powers you can think of and do what ever you want. I plan on making the game myself but I suppose I might be able to help with this if you guys need me.

I do my 3d modeling in Blender 3d, 2d image editing in photoshop and I use Unity 3d as my game engine. I am okay at programing java and some other stuff but dont know how well I could do with C stuff.

**KingYoshi** · 03-11-2011 09:21 AM

@shadow, I could definitely do some map/environment layouts. What I will do is, start brainstorming environment ideas based on dreams and compile some information. I can give some detailed descriptions of areas and whatnot and then eventually, I can make some blueprint-like layouts. I have messed around with blender in the past, so I think I'll start crash coursing it and see if I can help out with some 3D modeling as well. I wouldn't do character models or anything like that, but I could make some rough maps and then a more experienced 3D modeler could take the rough layouts and use them as a guideline to create the final product.

I have really good visualization skills, so I will also read through other members dream journals so I can get a collective idea for environments and whatnot.

I can also help out with some writing/plot ideas and some concept art as well.

Originally Posted by chase

I'm a writer who has worked with scripts. I might can possibly come up with part/if not a full storyline. At least I can give good insight where needed. I think we should all put our ideas together, not just go off one person's imagination. -Chase

I like this idea here. There could be several writers that provide material (scripts, dialogue, random ideas, etc.). Then you can combine the information/etc and in the end...create a script from the collective ideas of everyone. Possibly put up some polls and whatnot to make some decisions (like the name of the game, etc.)

Also, I would suggest anyone involved make a link in their signature to this thread. Called, "The Lucid Video Game Project," or something similar. It would help get the word out and provide a way for members to find the thread.

**The Sandman** · 03-11-2011 05:44 PM

@Shadow27: I love the name "Lucid." We should all be open to more names, but you might have picked the right name right off. Also, you are right in understanding the depth of this, and I'm glad you have a better idea of what this requires.
@KingYoshi: Adding "The Lucid Video Game Project," in our signatures as a link is a great idea for getting the word out. Others have great ideas too, but let me get down to business.

I don't want to take the easy or fun jobs, but my experience is in software testing for AIG (no jokes please). I went through the core rules for proprietary software, logged bugs in a QC database.

I also had a friend who was creating a learning program called Memory Genisis. He always told me that I had a knack for finding bugs.

I could work on keeping track of members and skillsets. I have worked on similar projects with a meteorite collectors list. I created a meteorite FAQ page, but my skill was the HTML, so I fielded answers to questions others also came up with, then organized it into a web-based FAQ page.

I also did similar work with AIG to relieve pain points within the company. I would simply require people to give me their contact information so that I can have an e-mail trail. I am only volunteering. If someone else is strong with databases or some such and they want to keep track of resources, that would be OK with me.