Maybe a Kirby shmup.

[Mortificator]

Companies can bring out the lawyers for a fan game made using their IP, even if its free. Maniac Mansion DX, the Chrono Trigger 3D remake, various Geometry Wars clones... I don't think any of them progressed to a full-on lawsuit, but it must suck to have to take down something you've put your time and effort into. It's not a foregone conclusion that would happen to a Kirby doujin shooter, since projects like Doom Roguelike and the Ultima remakes haven't been challenged, but Nintendo seems more liable to get butthurt over people enjoying Kirby without paying them. If you guys do make a game based on the ideas in this thread (and I encourage you to, because some of them are really good), it seems more pragmatic to me to make it a spiritual successor without actually using Nintendo characters.

And hey, someone unaffiliated could always come out with a patch that turns your penguin boss blue and gives him a red coat.

[Drum]

Companies can bring out the lawyers for a fan game made using their IP, even if its free. Maniac Mansion DX, the Chrono Trigger 3D remake, various Geometry Wars clones... I don't think any of them progressed to a full-on lawsuit, but it must suck to have to take down something you've put your time and effort into. It's not a foregone conclusion that would happen to a Kirby doujin shooter, since projects like Doom Roguelike and the Ultima remakes haven't been challenged, but Nintendo seems more liable to get butthurt over people enjoying Kirby without paying them. If you guys do make a game based on the ideas in this thread (and I encourage you to, because some of them are really good), it seems more pragmatic to me to make it a spiritual successor without actually using Nintendo characters.

And hey, someone unaffiliated could always come out with a patch that turns your penguin boss blue and gives him a red coat.

Nintendo doesn't give a shit. Really. They are super strict about roms, but rom hacks and fangames get no grief at all, ever. There are literally thousands of Mario/Zelda/Kirby/Metroid/Pokemon fangames and not a one has ever got a CAD. The sheer volume of this stuff means its probably just not worth their effort. I post this because every time anybody ever links to a cool-looking remake or whatever, some card always has to say it's only a matter of time before it gets shut down. But they never do. Some people have claimed they got CID'd - but they were found out to be lying and had just given up on the project.
Normally I'd encourage anybody working on a fangame to just make an original - but I really want a Kirby shmup, so screw that.
I personally want it in the style of KD3 and featuring prominent use of the animal buddies - maybe as options.

[ShmupSamurai]

We could also have a compromise; same gameplay, same artstyle, but with characters akin to the kirby series yet unique.

[raigon50]

I personally want it in the style of KD3 and featuring prominent use of the animal buddies - maybe as options.

You can bet they'de be in it. I'd like it to have the same sort of apperance as well, pastel drawings and stuff.

As for the whole law suite stuff, I'm not worried about that sort of stuff at all. I make music and stuff. I got a damn good grasp on what I can or cannot do. Music or video game, as long as it's a media it goes by the same rules (more or less) so long as we don't piss anyone off, it's all good. Also I never said it was being made. Yet. We need someone to make it, but it's sure as hell not going to be me. Any serious ideas as to who we could send the finished plans to? Sorry, I didn't get around to scanning my original plans yet.

[ShmupSamurai]

Hmmmm...I wonder if this topic should be moved to the dev section?

[sunburstbasser]

I've got some writing I'm doing now. Once that is finished, I'll try drawing a few sprites. Even if nothing comes of it, maybe someone will use them for a game of their own.

[raigon50]

I do have a small comic of the story I had in mind. I'll have to ask my step-dad if I can use his scanner.

[Reverie Planetarian]

Companies can bring out the lawyers for a fan game made using their IP, even if its free. Maniac Mansion DX, the Chrono Trigger 3D remake, various Geometry Wars clones... I don't think any of them progressed to a full-on lawsuit, but it must suck to have to take down something you've put your time and effort into. It's not a foregone conclusion that would happen to a Kirby doujin shooter, since projects like Doom Roguelike and the Ultima remakes haven't been challenged, but Nintendo seems more liable to get butthurt over people enjoying Kirby without paying them. If you guys do make a game based on the ideas in this thread (and I encourage you to, because some of them are really good), it seems more pragmatic to me to make it a spiritual successor without actually using Nintendo characters.

And hey, someone unaffiliated could always come out with a patch that turns your penguin boss blue and gives him a red coat.

Nintendo doesn't give a shit. Really. They are super strict about roms, but rom hacks and fangames get no grief at all, ever. There are literally thousands of Mario/Zelda/Kirby/Metroid/Pokemon fangames and not a one has ever got a CAD. The sheer volume of this stuff means its probably just not worth their effort. I post this because every time anybody ever links to a cool-looking remake or whatever, some card always has to say it's only a matter of time before it gets shut down. But they never do. Some people have claimed they got CID'd - but they were found out to be lying and had just given up on the project.
Normally I'd encourage anybody working on a fangame to just make an original - but I really want a Kirby shmup, so screw that.
I personally want it in the style of KD3 and featuring prominent use of the animal buddies - maybe as options.

Agreed. Bob and George, The Comic Strip wasn't precisely sued by either Nintendo or Capcom for being essentially a Megaman fancomic which clearly came with the disclaimer that the comic was for entertainment purposes only.

I'd rather not dwell on the legal issues as most Nintendo fangame creators can attest that they are practically nonissues. This isn't about if we can or cannot legally make a Kirby shmup, this is about how one would best feasibly work.

Hell, my idea comes with a rather dissonant splattering of Raiden music. Come and get me, Taito! What's the worst thing you could do? Sic a few Hell Divers, two Slaves and a Fairy on me?

...*sigh* Okay, I'm done.

If we start compiling any more ideas and...I say if we complete ten more posts or one more page then we request this gets moved to Shmup Devs.