Comments on: Game Idea #14: Soapbox Grand Prix http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/ A new game idea every week and other ramblings on game design from an upstart game designer. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:50:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Game Idea #14: Soapbox Grand Prix by: otakucode http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-3503 Sun, 07 Jan 2007 17:26:58 +0000 http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-3503 Brilliant idea, but I would hope the game didn't attempt to appeal to kids too directly. Kids can enjoy very complex entertainment and a lot of "kids games" limit their audience unnecessarily by making the game unpallatable to adults while not doing anything that would actually lure kids (since kids like to play Halo just fine). When I was a kid, I always wanted to design and build a soap box racer, I thought it would be a great deal of fun, but the opportunity never presented itself. Given an accurate physics model and good designing tools, this game could be a lot of fun even for adults who enjoy designing things. As for the kids going out and building their own racers after playing the game, that just won't happen. The parents of today do not let children out of their sight, and don't let them do anything remotely dangerous. They could roll their soapbox car and snap their neck would be all the ultra-paranoid parents of today would think. Wait a generation, when todays kids grow up and start respecting their own children more than their parents respected them, and then maybe kids can get back to playing outside, exploring, and having fun. Hopefully the overparenting of this generation doesn't harm them so much psychologically that they're unable to function independently enough to start their own families... Brilliant idea, but I would hope the game didn’t attempt to appeal to kids too directly. Kids can enjoy very complex entertainment and a lot of “kids games” limit their audience unnecessarily by making the game unpallatable to adults while not doing anything that would actually lure kids (since kids like to play Halo just fine).

When I was a kid, I always wanted to design and build a soap box racer, I thought it would be a great deal of fun, but the opportunity never presented itself. Given an accurate physics model and good designing tools, this game could be a lot of fun even for adults who enjoy designing things.

As for the kids going out and building their own racers after playing the game, that just won’t happen. The parents of today do not let children out of their sight, and don’t let them do anything remotely dangerous. They could roll their soapbox car and snap their neck would be all the ultra-paranoid parents of today would think. Wait a generation, when todays kids grow up and start respecting their own children more than their parents respected them, and then maybe kids can get back to playing outside, exploring, and having fun. Hopefully the overparenting of this generation doesn’t harm them so much psychologically that they’re unable to function independently enough to start their own families…

]]> Comment on Game Idea #14: Soapbox Grand Prix by: cody http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-3439 Tue, 02 Jan 2007 03:26:48 +0000 http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-3439 that idea is horrible why not promote building an actual soapbox racer that idea is horrible why not promote building an actual soapbox racer

]]> Comment on Game Idea #14: Soapbox Grand Prix by: Chris Lang http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-280 Wed, 28 Jun 2006 04:08:09 +0000 http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-280 How well do ragdoll physics work on a PSP? I'm picturing a cross with Flatout here. How well do ragdoll physics work on a PSP? I’m picturing a cross with Flatout here.

]]> Comment on Game Idea #14: Soapbox Grand Prix by: Devin Curry http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-82 Tue, 04 Apr 2006 19:00:25 +0000 http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-82 All I gotta say is Soapbox royalle between Pugsley & Wednesday and Wally & Beav. Mischief v. Morality going 40 miles down Killer Hill with no brakes and the respect and admiration of Baby Boomers across the entire universe on the line. What does Dale Earnhardt know about pressure? All I gotta say is Soapbox royalle between Pugsley & Wednesday and Wally & Beav. Mischief v. Morality going 40 miles down Killer Hill with no brakes and the respect and admiration of Baby Boomers across the entire universe on the line. What does Dale Earnhardt know about pressure?

]]> Comment on Game Idea #14: Soapbox Grand Prix by: Michael Chui http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-81 Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:01:40 +0000 http://www.patrickcurry.com/thoughts/game-idea-14-soapbox-grand-prix/#comment-81 <i>I’d rather kids do something than play videogames all day.</i> I wouldn't mind if kids played games all day. As long as they're not all videogames. =P I’d rather kids do something than play videogames all day.

I wouldn’t mind if kids played games all day. As long as they’re not all videogames. =P

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