Originally posted by Kyerna Sandbox games don't need content, sandbox games need features and world dynamics. Content in sandbox games is created by player interaction with those features.
Originally posted by phersso Can a MMOPRG, with a multitude of options (namely:skills) , keep people interested? (before you answer please browse through my post!) Naturally, my first answer would be yes, but the more i think about it, the more I begin to question if it could (or really, i question how complex a game could be) In a level-less system, where EVERYTHING is based upon learning skills and advancing, can you have TOO many skills available? Lets say, one area of Skills, under Trading, is Farming. Farming would have a subset of Skills to be learnt, if different areas of Farming. (see below) Farming Tilling - Skill 1 / Skill 2 / Skill 3 / Skill 4 Cultivation - Skill 1 / Skill 2 / Skill 3 / Skill 4So already, there is 8 skills that can be learnt under Farming, and thats just the tip of the iceberg. You could end up with a lot of skills, just under Farming alone (if you had say, 8 sub-classes of Farming (tilling/cultivation/etc), each with 2-8 learnable skills (skill1/skill2/skill3/etc)). When you start adding in more trade skill areas (carpentry, metalsmithing, etc.) you may end up with hundreds, if not thousands of skills. You then need to think about Combat Skills, and skills that could be applied to many 'standard' areas that are usually a given: riding, trading, socialising and so on.So there you have it, can a game with a LOT of skills keep a person interested, and keep the general MMORPG community interested? Or would it be to confusing, and drive new players away from the game and eventually die out in some sort of over-complex downfall? PS. Is there a 'right' amount of skills? Is having sub-skills of skills a good/bad idea? etc
We can only guess friend because there really isn't any game in any genre that gives you 500 skills all at once (that I know of please someone jump in and correct me here)
My assumption is that if players had access to a huge overwhelming skills all at once then they will essentially 'specialize' and focus on mastering a small subset of skills
In the end, ironically, I propose what players would do is create builds out of this system regardless. But it would be a player generated Class
Next, such a game would rely on pure player skill in the end.
I can only make suggestions from what I've seen implemented in the past. What I think would work is allow players to learn infinite (N) number of skills however they are purely just 'skills'. Their abilities would be determined by a tactical object
Take eve online. Players can learn a large finite set of skills but it is simple for them to master because their skills are merely just tools that allow them to use equipment or perform certain actions. The actions that players can perform are limited and bound by constraints such as current ship they pilot, etc
Essentially what I would pursue is something akin to that. another example is BF2142 whereas you unlock skills however, the actions the player can perform at that time is bound by their equipment
It's basically your current abilities is bound by "what you wear" sort to speak
Comments
Agreed I am glad I'm not alone in realizing this.
We can only guess friend because there really isn't any game in any genre that gives you 500 skills all at once (that I know of please someone jump in and correct me here)
My assumption is that if players had access to a huge overwhelming skills all at once then they will essentially 'specialize' and focus on mastering a small subset of skills
In the end, ironically, I propose what players would do is create builds out of this system regardless. But it would be a player generated Class
Next, such a game would rely on pure player skill in the end.
I can only make suggestions from what I've seen implemented in the past. What I think would work is allow players to learn infinite (N) number of skills however they are purely just 'skills'. Their abilities would be determined by a tactical object
Take eve online. Players can learn a large finite set of skills but it is simple for them to master because their skills are merely just tools that allow them to use equipment or perform certain actions. The actions that players can perform are limited and bound by constraints such as current ship they pilot, etc
Essentially what I would pursue is something akin to that. another example is BF2142 whereas you unlock skills however, the actions the player can perform at that time is bound by their equipment
It's basically your current abilities is bound by "what you wear" sort to speak