With all this Lincoln Force talk, I think we should bring to light another potentially awesome franchise put forth by Giant Bomb. Hobo Stabber has been mentioned by Jeff on more than one occasion, so let's try to birth it into reality. It may be not be for everone's tastes and wouldn't make as much money as the balls-out explosions of Lincoln Force, but we're looking for a niche audience here.
CONCEPT: You go around stabbing hobos.
In this truly revoutionary third-person isometric open-world game, your character rises through the ranks of the somewhat questionable pastime of stabbing hobos, to become the world's leading expert in stabbing hobos. Along the way you can inject whatever sub-plots and recurring characters you might like, but the main thrust of the game's story must remain.
GAMEPLAY: As mentioned above.
Bascially, mix Zaxxon's isometric view...
...with the atmosphere of Manhunt...
...and the background looming oppressivness of Syndicate...
...and you've got a recipe for something truly unique.
STABBING: Assassin's Creed 2 set the benchmark for current generation stabbing. We must harness this technology and improve on it ten-fold. The stab physics should become an extension of your own hands. Ragdoll physics and NPC hitboxes combine to create a fluid stabbing gameplay. We're looking for approximately 100-200 hit points (or 'stab points') on the hobos.
CHARACTERS: Hobos and plenty of 'em.
Remember the hobos at the start of Rockstar's The Warriors? You beat the crap out them cause they wanted booze. That's what we're looking for as a template but we need to rack it up a notch. Give the hobos' eccentric personalities and mind-blowing backstories. Each hobo stabbing mission is a journey into the life of the hobo. And then you stab them.
DESIRED LENGTH OF GAME: 80-100 hours. With persistent unlocks of better weapons to stab hobos with, the limits of the levelling-up aspect of the game is limitless.
POTENTIAL STORY ELEMENTS:
1) You play as a hobo who turns against his fellow hobos.
2) Your father was killed by hobos and you are taking revenge against hobos to find the killer/killers.
3) A hobo holds the key to an ancient artifact that has supernatural properties or something.
Looking at first gameplay showing at E3 2010 for release in Q2 2011 with a long view for an ongoing franchise.
So, any designers/concept artists/studios want to get on board?
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