I want a build a game that I can play with my friends where you build a crew of 5 or 6 people and then race to complete either missions the fastest or the most missions. Does anyone know of anything like this already that I can rip off for inspiration? Not looking to sell it or share it so copyright or anything like that isn't a problem.
Building a game. Figuring out how to start
Firefly comes to mind.
I've played it a few times. You have a ship, recruit crew, crew help complete missions.
www.ftlgame.com
TBH, at my point in gaming I tend to write stuff for me and my friends 'from the ground up'
It's often more satisfying than 'converting' existing rules as you can get *your* rules to do exactly what you want.
I usually start of by thinking 'what do i want to convey' is it a game about leadership and command or a game about small arms and individual small unit tactics. If its based on a film or a game i think 'what was the overall *feel* of that game or book.
For example i wrote a set of small unit skirmish 'modern warfare' rules as a 'vietnam' supplement for a gaming magazine. Becasue it was for a magazine i wanted it to be very simple, but i also wanted firepower to be important as jungle firefights seemed to focus on who could put the most lead down.
So i had three core 'concepts'
1. there was only one 'stat' which was 'troop ability' , this was your hit roll, your morale rate and your command radius all in one
2. there were no maximum ranges, just and effective range and an then anything else... cover was the key, if you can see someone in a jungle you can probably hit them, the bullet isnt going to stop in mid air because hes 30ft away
3. Faster firing guns rolled more dice.... but the more dice you rolled the harder it was to hit but easier to supress
using that as a basis i made what my friends and i consider a pretty good game
Just think about what you need the game to do and dont overcomplicate it