Quote:
“…We know that the MMORPG formula works. Therefore, it would be a good idea to figure out what those elements that make it work are and apply them to an adventure-centric game. But first it needs to be said that content is king. Exploration and puzzle solving can only last so long before you are tired of seeing the same stuff over and over again….”
…At heart every RPG boils down to fighting mobs. And I think most people do tire of it, which is the point at which they switch to a different MMORPG and get to experience the new UI, the different rule set, and the stories in the new world. But at least when you are fighting things you get to see lots of flash and bang, and worry about “dying.” With just story, it would be hard to create a rush like that on a regular basis.
The other, main, issue with a story-based MMO would be that, in an MMORPG you can get objects that you keep and that you want–ecause they make you stronger. If, in a story, the object of your quest is to get a wife…. Well how do we give the player a wife? An NPC won’t do him any good, and you can’t force two players together in the game.
Yet another issue is that stories end. RPGs kind-of end in that there is a maximum level. But that is only self imposed…if you wanted you could keep the levels growing exponentially forever–except you would need to make realms for the two level 130 players =\ Certainly you can have endless mini-stories, but MMORPGs as they already are seem to have difficulty creating enough story content for everyone.
Quote:
“…Such a game should have player rankings or ways to increase stats to help give people an incentive to play. As simple as it sounds, it works. I was not kidding about the magic booties…I was at a LAN party and actually witnessed a friend of mine playing EverQuest wait for 3 hours for a monster to spawn that would drop some special item….”
Dunno, I approach adventure games as being an attempt to give a player the ability to become a character in a story in as seemless a manner as possible. And this is admittedly not the part of gaming that the core group of computer game players has preferred through history–and so adventure games died and RPG won. Simply, there weren’t any buttons and numbers, and all that was left was silly stories for kids–who don’t play computer games.
So I do agree that it is quite possible that the current set of people buying and playing MMORPGs would not enjoy an MMOAG as I described. The main question for me would be how many girls 12-28 do you think you could get to start playing online games? And the second one is, how many of the people playing WoW also liked Ranma 1/2 (semi-soap-opera Japanese Animation) and why, as they just might like such a game after all.
I think that if I were to start programming an MMOAG, the core bit would not to be to really have any stories, but just lots of non-player characters with lots of stats and interests.
#define PERSONALITY_FUNNY 0
#define PERSONALITY_SERIOUS 1
#define PERSONALITY_TEMPERAMENTAL 2
#define PERSONALITY_VAIN 4
#define PERSONALITY_COWARDLY 5
… //the more the better
#define OPINION_LOVES_SECRETLY 0
#define OPINION_LOVES_OPENLY 1
#define OPINION_HATES_SECRETLY 2
#define OPINION_HATES_OPENLY 3
#define OPINION_LIKES 4
#define OPINION_DISLIKES_SECRETLY 5
#define OPINION_DISLIKES_OPENLY 6
#define OPINION_NONE 7
… //the more the better
#define RELATION_PARENT 0
#define RELATION_LOVER 1
#define RELATION_SIBLING 2
#define RELATION_FRIEND 3
#define RELATION_SPOUSE 4
#define RELATION_BOSS 5
#define RELATION_MONARCH 6
#define RELATION_OTHER 7
… //yup
#define POSITION_BEGGAR 0
#define POSITION_MONARCH 1
#define POSITION_HEIR 2
#define POSITION_NOBLE 3
#define POSITION_NOBLE_HEIR 4
…
#define LOOKS_HIDEOUS 0
#define LOOKS_GODLY 1
#define LOOKS_MEH 2
#define LOOKS_GOOD 3
#define LOOKS_BAD 4
#define ITEM_WEAPON 1
#define ITEM_DRESS 2
#define ITEM_SHIELD 3
#define ITEM_POTION 4
#define ITEM_WAND 5
…
#define EFFECTS_LOOKS_GODLY 0
#define EFFECTS_LOOKS_HIDEOUS 1
#define EFFECTS_OPINION_LOVES_OPENLY 2
#define EFFECTS_RESUSCITATES 3
#define EFFECTS_KILLS 4
#define EFFECTS_FIGHTING_SKILL_UP 5
…
struct Relation {
NPC *person;
int opinionOf;
int relationship;
};
struct Item {
int type;
int effect;
int value;
};
struct NPCItem {
Item* item;
boolean has;
boolean wants;
};
class NPC {
private:
Relation* relations;
int relationCount;
NPCItem* items;
int itemCount;
boolean male;
boolean goodGuy;
int socialStanding;
int looks;
int age;
boolean alive;
unsigned char fightingSkill;
…
public:
…
};
You could then, for instance, randomly create a “family” for each player. Giving the player a room in their house as a servant or such. Each member of the family would have their various interests and statistics. If you find out something from one of your family, then you can go out looking to solve that. And if you do, then they will tell you more about themselves and maybe give you better things (bigger room, nicer clothes, some money, etc.)
For instance, if the son of the household lets slip that he likes the girl across the way, then you know that getting those two together will be good. So you can then go and perhaps buy a love potion. …But for that you will need to make certain they are looking at each other. So you have to talk to the player managing the house across the way to convince them to bring over their daughter so you can lock the two of them in a room. …But the player across the street might be on at different times than you or has their own reasons for not wanting to allow the two to get together.
So instead of buying a potion, you might follow the daughter about a bit. There you might find out she likes some other guy–so him you give a potion that makes him act mean. The next time the daughter meets him, he dumps her and she flees away crying. At which point you bring over the guy from your house. He comforts her and presto, you are back on path.
Would be my first idea. In a sense it would be player created content–just they would create it by advancing the story, and it would advance based on what methods they used trying to make the lives of their family better. The biggest issue would be the question of how many different mini-instances you could create for each time two NPCs meet each other so that the player really has the ability to be creative. The above example for instance requires that we can administer potions to NPCs, that an NPC being rude to another can not only change their opinion of that NPC but after it has been changed react properly (burst out crying), get your NPCs to follow you, add a new NPC to a list (daughter meets our NPC), and that our NC who was secretly in love will react properly on seeing the daughter crying.
I think such a thing could be considered as a type of MMOAG that would have marketability (though a bit Sim-My Family) though I suspect there are still other versions without having to break down and put in RPG stuff.
-Chris