Design Your Game Item 2

In my last post about designing my own game item I created the gruesome Gears of War weapon, the Wrapper. This week I want to keep up the high intensity game items. To keep this item as awesome and bad ass as the last I will be designing this next item for the class Dead Rising series. With a game like this, it gives me the freedom to develop something that will fit the theme easily while having the space to still change and improve the gameplay experience. Dead Rising 2 introduced combo weapons, ones that the player can combine two items in the world to make a better item. My item will also be a combo item that can be put together from Dead Rising 2.

Now for the item I will need to first make a weapon that doesn't exist in the game. The other part of this combo card I will use the cement saw that is in the game already, usually found in construction areas. So the new weapon I will need is called Chain. This is a standard, long, set of chain links. This weapon when used on its own would swing around the player and do large area of effect damage but it has a short life span as it will wear out easily. The other attack option that comes with it is when you hold the attack button near a zombie, the character will rap the chain around the zombies neck and then kick the body tearing the head off. The weapon is not a two handed weapon so it can fit in the player's inventory. That's all the detail about that weapon.

For the item that will change the gameplay and add a new mechanic to the game. So, when the cement saw and the chain are duct taped together, it will create the Hookshot. This is crazy, I know you're probably thinking, how does some duct tape turn those two into a hookshot? Well you can ask how one chainsaw turns into two or how the flamethrower doesn't catch itself on fire. My theory on how the chain and cement saw would become the hookshot is the blade from the saw is turned into a nice spear tip somehow and its taped to the chain, really well. Then the chain is wrapped around the rotor of the saw blade and the other end is taped to the rotor, and again, really well. Finally when the saw is started, the hookshot would launch. 

This hookshot will open up all kinds of new game mechanics and tons of fun gameplay moments. The way how this item changes and improves gameplay without making the game broken is it's ability to interact with the environment. Once it hits something it would pull it in if it's dynamic, and if it's static wood, the player's character would be pulled toward that position. Any other type of static material being metal or brick etc. the hookshot will not pull they player.

So with this game changing mechanic, the player can escape danger easily if there is nearby wood platforms around. These can be found a lot where the item can actually be crafted in the game. The scaffolds in the construction areas where the parts for the hookshot are found are made of wood which leaves open lots of game mechanic use. This item can also grab items that are not within reach.

Time for the fun part, how the hookshot kills zombies.   The primary attack for this item launches the hook forward skewering all zombies up to a max of eight. If you hold the attack button to use the special attack, that is when you  pull objects and zombies towards you or you pull yourself towards what you attacked. It helps to aim for the special attack because you have the choice as to what you pull. If you free aim there's a high chance you will pull a zombie towards you. You can't throw the hookshot since it is a ranged weapon.

The amount of times I wished I had a weapon like this during my times of play. It would have made the game a lot more dynamic and interesting.