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General: Dana Massey: A Wild West MMO
Dana
Member Posts: 2,415
In his debut column, Dana Massey laid out a host of historical settings that would make good MMOs. People seemed to respond most to the idea of a Wild West MMO, so in his sophomore column, Massey lays out what he'd like to see in a potential Wild West game.
Reputation, though, would be the ultimate backbone of the game. Players would harvest reputation through deeds in the world. Each time they hunted down someone more famous or pulled off some heist, they’d rise up the ranks and get closer to the most famous guy in the Wild West.
As players earned more reputation, this would do more than just give them bragging rights. Different schemes within the world would require a group leader of a certain reputation to attempt. The more insane the scheme, the more famous a leader does a band out outlaws require. So, while players could stick up wanderers at an early level, a train heist requires someone with much more fame under their belt to even undertake.
Read about his Wild West MMO here.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Comments
Every time I see Young Guns or Tombstone it maks me want to play a Western game like Red Dead and it makes me wish they finally put forth a quality western online game.
I always wanted a wild west mmo,instead of classes they would choose there profession,i.e Sherrif,blacksmtih,barman,outlaw etc etc and then find a town were there trade was needed,it could then take on a life of its own(the way mmo's should).
Quests could be any manner of thing but even say a barman could join posse's to hunt down outlaws etc....tbh it could be endless what you could fit into a game of this type,though with no mage running in and nuking everyone is there a dev willing to take this on?
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
I have been playing this one for months.
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
Concept sounds very interesting. It would be very tough, though, for people not in with a clan/guild/posse (and yes, "posse" would just have to be the themed title for guilds) to do very much unless you made the world truly large, like Dereth in Asheron's Call as opposed to most modern games where you're guaranteed to run into someone every 2 minutes or so.
I'm not sure how "out-drawing" someone would work as it seemes it would boil down to pushing a key on your keyboard. So it's just who pushes it first and by most accounts that makes that person a murderer.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
A Wild West MMO would be fun as long as they made it a sanbox game and did not put a bunch of linar quest. It would need to be a living world as well, could not be a static world.
A static world would ruin any Wild West feel, I mean the Wild West was changing hour to hour and day to day. Hense the name "Wild".
Sooner or Later
I think they would have to make it so that the player had to aim after drawing so that a slower draw could still win as long as they had better aim.
Duels were not only about speed but accuracy. Accuracy was key, just pulling your weapon faster did not mean a win.
I would want to see different guns have different accuracy stats as well as allow weapons to "age" over time and lose accuracy.
Sooner or Later
I remember playing "the wild bunch" game on the spectrum and really enjoying it,even thinking of that game now brings in alot of idea's for a wild west mmo,the fact you had to buy everything including food for your horse when traveling and feeling the need to gamble at the poker table to get some extra funds,Like I posted earlier the idea's are there and they could be almost endless but what dev is willing to take a chance on a AAA title of this type.
1 thing is for sure it would be a welcome breath of fresh air.
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
Neat game, I'd never heard of it, but besides "being in the West," I wouldn't call this game much like the outline in the article.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
I think they would have to make it so that the player had to aim after drawing so that a slower draw could still win as long as they had better aim.
Duels were not only about speed but accuracy. Accuracy was key, just pulling your weapon faster did not mean a win.
I would want to see different guns have different accuracy stats as well as allow weapons to "age" over time and lose accuracy.
True, and I wasn't saying that isn't the case. I was just saying that if you had the misfortune of being fast on the keyboard and deadly accurate, you're doomed to be a murderer. Generally in the old west a guy who drew first was labeled a killer if he won. The "skill", I guess, was in letting your opponent get that split-second "headstart" on the draw and then still felling him. I suppose a "reward" could be put in for letting that happen (more reputation?) but most FPS inclined players are pretty good shots once they get a feel for a game. Don't think it would happen often.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Neat game, I'd never heard of it, but besides "being in the West," I wouldn't call this game much like the outline in the article.
No, it dosnt have things like 3d and what not, but it is in the setting, and does a good job of being a "wild west" MMO game.
It has player progression. Town building, dualing, soon to have forts, gear, gear sets, quests ETC...
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
Ive always thought a wild west mmo would be a no brainer... 6 gun toting outlaws, trappers, mountain men, miners and gamblers...
Oh man pvp would be a blast - Train and bank robberies, cattle rustling and good old fashioned bush-wacking...
Would make a great sandbox MMO
Honestly I don't think a Wild-West style mmo would work because of one reason, the look.
There would be alot of gray, brown, and black. From the buildings to the environment to the clothes, everything was dirty, dusty, or just uncoloured, because dye cost extra. I mean sure, we could add colours, but when you've got pink and purple cowboys running around, it takes away from some of the flavour of the game. For mounts there's horses, and wagons (being pulled by horses). Weapons are pretty much just knives or guns, and it would be hard to add any special effects to them. No sorcery or magic or anything like that, so it would be hard to have anything "flashy" looking.
I just don't think it would work without having to compromise the authenticity or the integrity of the setting.
"Because it's easier to nitpick something than to be constructive." -roach5000
Like I posted earlier and others have added it would be the sandbox that would keep ppl playing,build your guys blacksmith shop or just log on to make some cash shoeing horses,log on to play some poker or indeed sell some drinks as a barman...that would be the idea,it would have to be,you cant have big shoulder armor etc,a real sandbox game and a living world,then it could very well work.
If someone had came up to me in 1980 when I was on my Atari 2600 and said we will be playing games with thousands of people at the same time.I guess my response would have been,"but I only have 2 joysticks"
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/235780/page/8
I think they would have to make it so that the player had to aim after drawing so that a slower draw could still win as long as they had better aim.
Duels were not only about speed but accuracy. Accuracy was key, just pulling your weapon faster did not mean a win.
I would want to see different guns have different accuracy stats as well as allow weapons to "age" over time and lose accuracy.
True, and I wasn't saying that isn't the case. I was just saying that if you had the misfortune of being fast on the keyboard and deadly accurate, you're doomed to be a murderer. Generally in the old west a guy who drew first was labeled a killer if he won. The "skill", I guess, was in letting your opponent get that split-second "headstart" on the draw and then still felling him. I suppose a "reward" could be put in for letting that happen (more reputation?) but most FPS inclined players are pretty good shots once they get a feel for a game. Don't think it would happen often.
Okay I see what your saying. Most duels nobody died, it was about wounding the other guy enough to win the duel. sure some people died but I am willing to bet most duels nobody died.
That would be another cool feature, being able to pinpoint your shot and have it do damage to certain body parts. IE arm, leg.
Sooner or Later
In a MMORPG there is progression. I think it would be difficult to put in any meaningful progression a shooting game. What "classes" would there be and what abilities would you give them without looking ridiculous? Remember this would be based off a real life time period so I don't think you would be snaring people and tanking .. healing. There couldn't be any tanks or healers .. where would group strategy come in? Everyone just shooting?
I think it would work for a massive fps game but that is it .. nothing persistant.
I'll only play it if we can catch syphillis....games with STIs are cool
Cunfushus says "Only through wasting time do we realize that time should not be wasted."
I think they would have to make it so that the player had to aim after drawing so that a slower draw could still win as long as they had better aim.
Duels were not only about speed but accuracy. Accuracy was key, just pulling your weapon faster did not mean a win.
I would want to see different guns have different accuracy stats as well as allow weapons to "age" over time and lose accuracy.
True, and I wasn't saying that isn't the case. I was just saying that if you had the misfortune of being fast on the keyboard and deadly accurate, you're doomed to be a murderer. Generally in the old west a guy who drew first was labeled a killer if he won. The "skill", I guess, was in letting your opponent get that split-second "headstart" on the draw and then still felling him. I suppose a "reward" could be put in for letting that happen (more reputation?) but most FPS inclined players are pretty good shots once they get a feel for a game. Don't think it would happen often.
Okay I see what your saying. Most duels nobody died, it was about wounding the other guy enough to win the duel. sure some people died but I am willing to bet most duels nobody died.
That would be another cool feature, being able to pinpoint your shot and have it do damage to certain body parts. IE arm, leg.
Okay, now here is where I'll disagree. Most duels if you're talking english and/or european history, that was the case. We over here in the west had "gunfights". It was a point of pride for many on how many notches they had on the grip of their pistol. It was about killing the man the majority of the time. WHen you "called someone out", it wasn't to wound them. It was to kill them. If you wanted to make a name by "trying" Billy the Kid, you went away in a pine box.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
There were plenty of Doctors back then. A plausible healing system could be done with bandages and whiskey. Course there's always cauterizing the wound too.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
http://frontier1859.com/ is a MMo for the wild west thats been about thats still in the sponcership phase, last i hears one guy was gonna sponcer it but i havnt checked back for awhile.
Progression would be the reputation of your Char, the NPCs would start to offer you bigger and better jobs or contracts.
Classes? No need for classes. Skills would be the way to go. Off the top of my head skill list.
Horse riding
Duel pistols
Rifles
Shotguns
reload - pistols
reload - rifles
reload - shotugns
accuracy - pistols
accuracy - rifles
accuracy - shotguns
speed draw - pistols
speed draw - rilfes
Med wounds - healer type - heal gun shot wounds
gunsmith
ammo smith
leathersmith - saddles, bags, ect
Whiskey making
Drinking
Leadership
Short list off the top of my head
Sooner or Later
There were plenty of Doctors back then. A plausible healing system could be done with bandages and whiskey. Course there's always cauterizing the wound too.
Scars as involuntary customization!
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
I think they would have to make it so that the player had to aim after drawing so that a slower draw could still win as long as they had better aim.
Duels were not only about speed but accuracy. Accuracy was key, just pulling your weapon faster did not mean a win.
I would want to see different guns have different accuracy stats as well as allow weapons to "age" over time and lose accuracy.
True, and I wasn't saying that isn't the case. I was just saying that if you had the misfortune of being fast on the keyboard and deadly accurate, you're doomed to be a murderer. Generally in the old west a guy who drew first was labeled a killer if he won. The "skill", I guess, was in letting your opponent get that split-second "headstart" on the draw and then still felling him. I suppose a "reward" could be put in for letting that happen (more reputation?) but most FPS inclined players are pretty good shots once they get a feel for a game. Don't think it would happen often.
Okay I see what your saying. Most duels nobody died, it was about wounding the other guy enough to win the duel. sure some people died but I am willing to bet most duels nobody died.
That would be another cool feature, being able to pinpoint your shot and have it do damage to certain body parts. IE arm, leg.
Okay, now here is where I'll disagree. Most duels if you're talking english and/or european history, that was the case. We over here in the west had "gunfights". It was a point of pride for many on how many notches they had on the grip of their pistol. It was about killing the man the majority of the time. WHen you "called someone out", it wasn't to wound them. It was to kill them. If you wanted to make a name by "trying" Billy the Kid, you went away in a pine box.
I know in movies and such they always kill the other man in the duel but I would think that in reality most duels ended with one man wounded instead of dead. I could be wrong and I am sure I am.
This could be worked around in a MMO. You get rewarded for not drawing first but winning the duel. If you drew first and killed the other guy, the law in that town could not be after you, which would be cool.
Sooner or Later
Well, I know one thing. I would play it.
When I was first getting into SWG, a few months before I joined beta2, the devs were talking about the career possibilitires. Of course they Tasos:ed it, talkin gabout the endless possibilities you had and how you could do anything. They even talked about "owning your own bar" and that was my goal. I was thinking about having a bar in Mos Eisley, a tired rusty droid in the back room creating the food and drink, myself in the bar handling the costumers and having a nice side income by buying and selling smuggled goods underneath the nose of the Empire.
Of course, beta came and I quickly understood that was impossible.
But in a western game? Having a bartender with a pianist in the corner and a shotgun under the bar... It is a flipping must!
Yup, I would be there... Now go build!
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That would be fun, running your own bar in a Wild West town, holding poker games and maybe some girls upstairs. yea it could be a blast
Sooner or Later
Western flavor is pretty good, but it needs more ghost rock.