From: ab45@prism.gatech.edu (Anne Balsamo)
Subject: APPS: Game design
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 92 22:51:38 -0500



Would it be possible to design a vr game along the lines of Nintendo's
"Maniac Mansion?"  The narrative motive of the game is to save "Sandy"
(a cheerleader) from the evil scientist.  The player assembles a team
of four rescuers (from a choice of six possible); each rescuer has a
different skill or talent that might come in handy in trying to orchestrate
Sandy's escape: i.e., one member knows how to develop film, another one
can write a novel, someone else plays really good rock n roll. The "play"
consists of interacting with various things and people in the MANSION all
in the attempt to rescue Sandy, stave off a nuclear melt-down, and capture
the Purple Meteor.  Action takes place in different rooms, where certain
things can be found and manipulated (like keys, developing fluid, typing
paper, cans of pop, weight machines).

This is actually a favorite game several of the women I know who play
nintendo, partly because it requires character cooperation, but more
because there are several ways to win the game depending upon the 
characters selected and the order in which different stunts are performed.

Anne Balsamo