Another pitch

Since we're agreed we need more than one idea I've been thinking of stuff that is different to the other idea but still meets some of what everyone likes.
Personally I really like the idea of miniature things, so tiny versions of reality or where characters are tiny in a massive world.
So here is my next idea:
A game where the player character is very small, either a small person or a little mouse/insect or a come to life toy. (out of these I think a person is probably the least cliche/over done and the most interesting) The setting I'm imagining would be inside a house, most likely in a bed room. I would want to have just one room/section because I feel one of the problems with the other game would be that it could be too big for us to do well. So you're a tiny person in this massive room and the goal is kind of like minecraft. You collect different things and then craft them into something more useful/build stuff. Of course its a lot more interesting than minecraft because the things you're collecting aren't boring old trees and rocks and dirt. You can get building blocks and game pieces and crumbs of food that you have to match together etc etc.

From what everyone has said we want slightly more story than that though and we want darkness instead of just cuteness. My solution to this is to have some kind of over arching plot involving dirt. In a bedroom for example there is this dark, mysterious area under the bed where (especially for little kids) all this broken, dirty stuff ends up. The main villain is some kind of evil overlord of dirt personified with his stronghold under the bed or in some other dark ominous place. Throughout the game you have to defeat his dust bunny minions while exploring and collecting and eventually begin to dismantle his stronghold.

The things you would craft from objects would be aimed at cleaning so you could get a balloon and attach it to a party whistle to make a dust blower. You could get CD's and attach them to some sort of mount so that theu bounce light into dark places. You could get animal hair and attach it to a pen to make some kind of broom. The crafting wouldn't be as detailed as something like minecraft but you would have to collect specific items to progress throught the storyline. Armour would be doll clothes and so forth.

This might seem a bit cliche and over done to you guys but it does have some important differences to the other idea
- Can be less intensive with less stuff to do
- We can adjust the amount of content more easily and on the fly
- Can be a kids game (the other idea is probably too dark)
- Less characters to make
- Not an adventure game, not as focused on story
- Makes a fun toy on its own and then becomes a game without much more work.
- Can have a very simplified look to save time and be very cartoony.
- The focus is almost entirely on the art here and the 'innovation' comes from the items we come up with the craft and how they can be used so I think its a good match for a group with mostly artists/designers
- Less work for programmer because their won't be anything too complex.