A MudRunner mod or spin off..... maybe called...Lost in the forest. (dumb name)
Unfortunately I dont do mods... but I just need to share my thoughts.
With a few changes mudrunner could be a lost in the forest sim.
Spawn in the game as a person. You're lost in the dense forest and need to try to reach civilisation. Or maybe you need to find/rescue your friend who is already lost in the forest.
The atmosphere of mudrunner would be perfect for a game like this.
The game could start at night, you'd only have your flashlight.
The winch could be a pseudo grappling hook/rope to climb or lower yourself down cliffs. Maps even more complex like mazes through trees or rocky paths. Imagine having to wade through narrow rock walled streams. Some of the existing maps could be modified and be used (although they wouldnt be very hard)
There would be one watchtower at the goal/civilisation. So the map would be black without a compass showing and only show the illuminated path where youd been. Hard core mode could have no trail shown on the map.
The damage to your truck could be changed to health. If you fall down a cliff or in a ditch, or maybe stay in the water too long/ or too deep you could get cold and your health could start depleting.
The fuel meter could be changed to your flashlight battery or a timer to escape death from cold.
Mudrunner road noise sound effects and mud squelch sounds would have to be changed to tramping footsteps. A faint breathing sound could be added as background noise, increasing in volume and speed when running. Imagine those sounds mixed with the existing ambient forest sounds. It would be so immersive playing with headphones. If youve ever listened to music on headphones that has breathing sound effects, its slightly un-nerving.
In multiplay there could be two modes.... either find another player or escape from the forest.
(Same old multiplayer issue tho ....the players would need to have their flashlight visible to other players!)
Possibly the mudrunner developers could even make it financially worthwhile because the changes to the game wouldn't be that much. It might be a seller. I'm sure there's a lot of gamers out there that are not really into trucks, but are really into virtual forests (lol or maybe not) It would cater for an even more indy crowd of gamers!
I don't play a lot of games. So maybe there is already a game that you get lost in the in the forest. (I suppose theres quite a few survivor style games) Even so I know for I wouldn't mind getting lost on foot in a mudrunner forest.
Thanks for reading. Thinking about it now its a pretty morbid idea for a game. But then so is Carmageddon.