UPDATE: And then I saw this. Oh well, there went my idea.

Have you heard about Goat Simulator? How about Rock Simulator?With the advent of indie game devs we’re getting lots of great games but occasionally a few questionable ones show up. When I first heard about Goat Simulator I thought it was a joke. Later I found it available on Steam. A coworker bought it and said it was hilarious but it got repetitive after the first hour. That got me to thinking, maybe I can create my own simulation? So here you go: Cat Simulator.

In CatSim you play a cat. You can choose between the different breeds (classes) available. Each breed has its own strengths and weaknesses. The primary goal of each room (level) is to find the perfect spot to sleep. In early levels the spots are low to the ground but may have distractions like foot traffic. In later levels the spots are high up or behind objects that are difficult to get to. For these levels you have to do platforming between objects. Since cats land on their feet there is no dying, you just start over if you fall off. Depending upon the breed you have some agility to try to recover either before you fall or during the descent.

To add some challenge to later levels moving platforms (like a rocking chair or plant hanger) will be introduced. Additionally new hazards (like other animals) may appear. “Defend the flag” rooms may require that you get to a platform and hold it from other cats for a specific amount of time. Other rooms may start you out on a higher level and challenge you to get to the other side of the room while avoiding the dog that is walking around on the floor. Yet other rooms may have birds in cages that distract or knock you off platforms when you try to pass them.

Since every game seems to mandate mini-games today CatSim will have a couple of mini-games. One such mini-game is called Spot and will require that you accurate catch a “spot” on the floor or wall as it moves around. A related game called Yarn will require that you try to get a ball (made of yarn, paper, etc.) to a particular location in a fixed time interval. Obstacles are added for more challenge.

Another mini-game called Hurl will require that you lurch and gag your way to a hairball. The goal is to do as much damage as possible by absorbing things a cat shouldn’t eat and then regurgitating it back as large as possible. Bonus points are given for harder to clean areas like carpet. In later levels the owner (the enemy) will chase you around to try to minimize the damage you do.

If the game does well then DLCs may be added later that add new features and mini-games like “(Avoid the) Brush” and “Sleep”. It’s even possible that an outdoor element could be added where new challenges await like the neighbor’s dog or squirrels.

Look for CatSim to be released shortly after I win the lottery or somebody pays me to quit my day job to write it. It will be rated E for Everyone and will be coming to next-gen consoles, PC, tablets, phones, watches and anything else that supports any sort of gaming.