SmashBoards creates: Pong - Paradox

[Wario Wario Wario]

There is a famous urban legend that speaks of a mysterious event that happened in 1972 - where the hard drive containing a potentially revolutionary video game's source code was devoured by a wormhole, preventing its release and altering gaming history forever... that may sound like a typical campy 70s space age sci-fi story, but this is that game.

Thrust into a time and place it wasn't made for, then given a marketing campaign and pricetag beyond what it's worth, the potentially revolutionary Pong now has 50 years of history to compete with - can we restore this archaic title's good name through gradual updates and good PR?

For this creation thread, I'm going to experiment with a slightly more D&D adjacent gameplay style, where I won't partake myself but will use RNG to decide the public reaction of each update made to the game

Spoiler: Update History

Ver 1.0.0 - PONG is released on PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. It features local and online multiplayer, as well as a CPU with only one difficulty option. Overwhelmingly negative response
Free updates promised. Overwhelmingly negative response.
Ver 1.1.0 - Angled hits; power-ups; charged shots; and dashes added. Overwhemlingly Positive response

 

[Qwerty UIOP]

Was Pong released in color or black and white in Ver 1.0.0?

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

How should we address the backlash?
People are pissed over Pong's state, and rightfully so - astroturfing won't cut it, we've got to figure out a way to quell anger about this title. We can do something immediately, we can just promise later changes, or we can even be honest and risk being seen as cultists - but remember, we're sticking to every single promise we make.

Was Pong released in color or black and white in Ver 1.0.0?

As far as I know there was never a colour Pong in the real world.

 

[FazDude]

I propose a price cut. If we're going to improve this game, we need the money to do it. Nobody's gonna buy a $60 game with such limited content, even if we promise more down the line. For now, I think the best thing to do is make the game much cheaper in hopes that more people will buy it and give us the funding to make improvements.

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

I have an idea:
I think we should go with new mechanics like power-ups that could allow the game to be more playable and unique. Since this game has small amount of content, then we should expand it somehow?

(This idea is disregarded right now, so it can be used in future)

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

I think everyone is missing the point of this current job - we're trying to address the backlash, or basically: what do we say? How do we build a reputation? Not just what stuff can we add.

 

[CheeseAnton]

Price cuts for gullible chumps, we have a $60 worth game and we need to prove it by getting word out there.

I propose we sponsor multiple YouTubers and Twitch Streamers to speak positively on our fantastic game

 

[Qwerty UIOP]

We will say the game will be updated in some way

 

[FazDude]

I still stand by my price idea, but I think we should come out and say we're planning to add more content.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

Remember that this is a voting job and not a discussion job.

 

[Baysha]

How about instead of saying that the game will reach the standard of other AAA games, we say that other AAA games should reach the standard of it? We kickstart a big movement that says that recent games have gotten way too complicated and we all need to go back to the basics. Why try and elevate a game to a higher standard when you can just lower the standard? Now, instead of being a barebones game compared to a bunch of big guys, it's a tightly packed fun game compared to a bunch of "overcomplicated messes." Of course, we can still add more features to it later of course. But this could be a much easier way to shift perception.

 

[BlustersBest]

I think promising free content down the line for early adopters would at least quiet down the backlash a bit. Lowering the price is not something I would do at first.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

The proposed ways forwards are

1. Promising free content
2. Start a movement against "overcomplicated" games
3. Lowering the price
4. Sponsoring YouTubers

Please vote here

Pong 1 - Online Poll - StrawPoll

What's your opinion? Vote now: Promise free content, Start a movement against overcomplicated games, Lower the price, Sponsor YouTubers...

strawpoll.com

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

We will promise free content

The computer says that the response to this was overwhelmingly negative - welp, talk is cheap, let's quit the chitter chatter and get working.

Submit a new mode!
Please submit a new mode to be added as the first free DLC! You may want to take cues from later instalments in the Pong IP like Quadrapong and Pong Doubles. This can be local, online, or both.

Submit a new mechanic!
Please submit a new gameplay mechanic to highten the skill ceiling! This is the first step in our slow attempt to foster an active online community.

 

[FazDude]

New Mode: Pong Doubles
Can be played online or local. In addition, not only can you play with both paddles yourself, but you can team up with another player for a 2v2 match!

Mechanic: Charged Shot
Holding back on the control stick will cause your paddle to rear back. If you hold it long enough, you can return the ball with extra force!

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

new mechanic: Powerup
It would act like power-ups from other games that could allow the game to be more playable and unique. There would be fire effect (Deals damage), ice effect (Freezes the opponent), double effect.

 

[nirvanafan]

New mode - free for all

Pretty much the same as Ballistix minigame from crash bash.

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

New mode - free for all

Pretty much the same as Ballistix minigame from crash bash.

Note that in voting this mode will be referred to as Quadrapong.

 

[BlustersBest]

New Mechanic - Angled Shots

Ability to use a second Joystick, Triggers, or other input to tilt the paddle at a 45 degree angle left or right

New Mode - Tourney

Play against computer or local players in a bracket based tourney

 

[Baysha]

New Mode: Dual Pong

Slightly similar to pong doubles. However instead of there being 2 paddles each, there are 2 separate games. (with 1 score tally) In this mode, players will have to juggle their attention between both games in order to win.

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

New mode: Arcade mode
Yep I wanna add a story to pong! There would be multiple selectable original characters (which we could do jobs to create) and even a story. Each character could have special abilities to make each “battle” different and unique. We can also do a decide to determine endings and details of the pong lore

 

[Janx_uwu]

New Mechanic: Dash

Need to get to the ball quickly? Just press the assigned button and your paddle will quickly dash a short distance up or down (and left or right if Quadrapong wins)! Note that there is a short cooldown period. Also, if you manage to hit the ball in the middle of your dash, it'll go really fast, but this is kinda tough to time (like imagine trying to spike Fox in the middle of his Side B in Smash).

 

[Qwerty UIOP]

New Mode: Tripong

In this mode, Three Paddlesticks play to keep the ball away in a triangle-shaped room

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

New Mode: Pong Doubles
Can be played online or local. In addition, not only can you play with both paddles yourself, but you can team up with another player for a 2v2 match!

Mechanic: Charged Shot
Holding back on the control stick will cause your paddle to rear back. If you hold it long enough, you can return the ball with extra force!

new mechanic: Powerup
It would act like power-ups from other games that could allow the game to be more playable and unique. There would be fire effect (Deals damage), ice effect (Freezes the opponent), double effect.

New mode - free for all

Pretty much the same as Ballistix minigame from crash bash.

New Mechanic - Angled Shots

Ability to use a second Joystick, Triggers, or other input to tilt the paddle at a 45 degree angle left or right

New Mode - Tourney

Play against computer or local players in a bracket based tourney

New Mode: Dual Pong

Slightly similar to pong doubles. However instead of there being 2 paddles each, there are 2 separate games. (with 1 score tally) In this mode, players will have to juggle their attention between both games in order to win.

New mode: Arcade mode
Yep I wanna add a story to pong! There would be multiple selectable original characters (which we could do jobs to create) and even a story. Each character could have special abilities to make each “battle” different and unique. We can also do a decide to determine endings and details of the pong lore

New Mechanic: Dash

Need to get to the ball quickly? Just press the assigned button and your paddle will quickly dash a short distance up or down (and left or right if Quadrapong wins)! Note that there is a short cooldown period. Also, if you manage to hit the ball in the middle of your dash, it'll go really fast, but this is kinda tough to time (like imagine trying to spike Fox in the middle of his Side B in Smash).

New Mode: Tripong

In this mode, Three Paddlesticks play to keep the ball away in a triangle-shaped room

Modes

1. Tripong
2. Arcade Mode
3. Dual Pong
4. Tourney
5. Quadrapong
6. Doubles

Please vote for your top 3

Mechanics

1. Dash
2. Power-ups
3. Angled shot
4. Charged shot

All 4 will be added - wheel says the reaction to these additions was Overwhemlingly Positive! Seems expanding the base gameplay may be the right way forwards, so I'll keep that in mind for future jobs

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

1. Doubles
2. Quadrapong
3. Tripong

For reference, there's 5 different reaction outcomes I put into the RNG:

• Overwhelmingly Positive
• Positive
• Neutral
• Negative
• Overwhelmingly Negative

These are all 100% RNG, with the exception of the initial negative reaction at release as that is part of the premise.

 

[FazDude]

I think you forgot my Charged Shot mechanic. Other than that…

1. Dual Pong
2. Doubles
3. Tripong

 

[Wario Wario Wario]

I think you forgot my Charged Shot mechanic. Other than that…

1. Dual Pong
2. Doubles
3. Tripong

Fixed.

 

[Janx_uwu]

1. Doubles
2. Tripong
3. Dual Pong

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

1. Arcade
2. Quadropong
3. Tripong

 

[BlustersBest]

1. Doubles
2. Tripong
3. Quadrapong

 

[Qwerty UIOP]

1. Arcade Mode
2. Tripong
3. Doubles

 

[nirvanafan]

Arcade
Dual Pong
Quadrapong

 

[Janx_uwu]

1. Charged shot
2. Power-ups
3. Quadropong

All of the mechanics were approved and added, we're just voting on modes right now.

 

[Tankman from Newgrounds]

All of the mechanics were approved and added, we're just voting on modes right now.

Sorry.

 

[Deleted member]

1. Doubles
2. Tripong
3. Quadrapong

 

[Champion of Hyrule]

1. Doubles
2. Quadrapong
3. Arcade

 

[DragonRobotKing26]

1. Doubles
2. Arcade
3. Quadrapong