some fun could probably be done with it.. it doesn't have to be invasive or anything it could just be like a spin to explain magic or whatever that it's not really magic they're using and more like something in their DNA that allows them to connect with these ancient tech like some friggin nano bots or whatever.
Don't mind it at all, as long as it doesn't taint the game too much like by introducing lasers or semi-automatic weaponry while I'm trying to duel evil villains with my long sword.
People don't mention the dwemer from the elder scrolls, but thats literally the same thing in one of the most beloved fantasy rpg titles in history. They do it well there.
Yes, no machine guns or lasers mid-game. I had overlooked your post when I replied a bit ago. Yes, Dwemer are very influential in my thinking (what little thinking I can do, I'm really fried ATM).
I'm thinking now more along the lines of incorporating of the tech artwork I have as lost / abandoned tech rather than apocalypse. This way there's no major plot twist and the art becomes landmarks and dungeon entrances.
There's only so much I can do with caves and crypts, and they get boring because everything looks alike. That leaves me with above ground abandoned towns/fortresses and underground military complex ruins. I don't want art just for art's sake. I'm trying to have the world make sense.
Thanks again. This gives me a direction.
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
It's actually a big plot points in the shannara series of books from Terry Brooks. It starts as a classic Lord of the Rings style fantasy full with elves, dwarves and the like. As it turns out in the following books of the series, it takes place in a post apocalyptic future, the world has these cycles where it alternates between magic and technology, the appearance of the humans marked the end of a magic cycle and the beginning of a technology one, dwarves, trolls and other races are actually the result of mutations after the holocaust (not elves, elves were magical creatures from the previous age that went into hiding when the humans took over most of the planet and revealed themselves to the rest of the races after the holocaust to help rebuild, but not revealing where they came from).
SPOILERS:
Three of the novels, for example, deal with a travel over the ocean (using magitech powered airships) to find a library that was supposed to contain lots of knowledge from the ancient world guarded by an unknown guardian. As it turns out the guardian was a military AI that contained all the knowledge in the data banks but because of an error in the way it interpreted its mission, was meant to guard it and not let anyone access it. It lured the party to itself because its power systems were failing and couldn't be repaired, so wanted to capture magic users to use magic as an alternate form of energy to keep functioning. In the end the main characters have to destroy it in order to save themselves and other races that lived nearby knowing that by doing so, they were also destroying all the knowledge they went there to find.
Usually I don't like it but if it is well funded in the lore and fun it is fine with me. The "Witchworld" books is a good example where this works.
Personally I think it is worse though when they add gnome built cars or motorcycles. That might have been a fun april fools joke for a day but adding them permanent into fantasy games just don't work for me, not at all.
I feel the same way about game elements that aren't cohesive with the world. It's not terrible for me, more of an annoyance distraction. Eventually when so many things don't fit, the game becomes more of a parody than anything else. I'm not sure that I like games becoming a parody of themselves. I guess it's a matter of sense of humor. And humor isn't something I understand well.
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
So do I as well, but not mentioned here to avoid the whole tin foil hat thing.
Besides, I don't even use a tin foil hat. I prefer aluminum. Much lighter and more comfortable :-)
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
How do you feel about Ancient Technology sub-plots in medieval fantasy?
Sort of a Planet of the Apes thing, where:
You enter an environment that looks and feels like old human history blended with fantasy elements. Swords, armor, magicians, feudal kings, damsel in distress type thing.
Then you pick up on lore about 'Ancients', and discovery the 'Ancients' had technology at or above our own today.
And this turns the world setting from medieval to future post apocalyptic.
I have VERY mixed feelings about this. To the point where I kind of think it spoils the game.
What do you think?
I would really like this if the lost "technology" were ancient magics and rituals involving new ways and results for magic, opening gates to the planes of hell, releasing new undead and demi-gods and even plagues, etc.
I've always wanted my MMO's to have a very deep lost lore than actually had meaning to the game as we play and discover. But I agree with others here that you want consistency. There's still plenty that can be done within that parameter as I suggested.
I don't mind it if it is done in a subtle way and does not become a crux for the whole game world to lean on. I think the Forgotten Realms and the Warhammer Fantasy settings have got it done about right with their ancient races that helped breathe life into the worlds and then vanished for some reason.
Come to think about it both of those had very similar backdrops when it came to ancient races.
Come to think about it both of those had very similar backdrops when it came to ancient races.
That's an interesting angle on this. The idea of another race left behind the technological remains. That eliminates the apocalypse entirely. They were here, now they're gone. We don't have to know where or why, but we can see that they did. And now we use there ruins as a place to explore / conquer.
COOL STUFF !!!
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
Come to think about it both of those had very similar backdrops when it came to ancient races.
That's an interesting angle on this. The idea of another race left behind the technological remains. That eliminates the apocalypse entirely. They were here, now they're gone. We don't have to know where or why, but we can see that they did. And now we use there ruins as a place to explore / conquer.
Which is also a widely used concept, Roadside picnic for example was exactly this (and it's a shame what the games and the weak, fan-fiction quality novels made from it), same goes for the Monolith in Clarke's 2001. On the big screen there was the big ole Stargate which was left behind (or Scott's lame-a*s Prometheus). And of course in games, there's Wildstar
Don't mind it at all, as long as it doesn't taint the game too much like by introducing lasers or semi-automatic weaponry while I'm trying to duel evil villains with my long sword.
People don't mention the dwemer from the elder scrolls, but thats literally the same thing in one of the most beloved fantasy rpg titles in history. They do it well there.
Yes, no machine guns or lasers mid-game. I had overlooked your post when I replied a bit ago. Yes, Dwemer are very influential in my thinking (what little thinking I can do, I'm really fried ATM).
I'm thinking now more along the lines of incorporating of the tech artwork I have as lost / abandoned tech rather than apocalypse. This way there's no major plot twist and the art becomes landmarks and dungeon entrances.
There's only so much I can do with caves and crypts, and they get boring because everything looks alike. That leaves me with above ground abandoned towns/fortresses and underground military complex ruins. I don't want art just for art's sake. I'm trying to have the world make sense.
Thanks again. This gives me a direction.
You could write it as such that the people or faction made some startling discoveries, and ended up creating something that destroyed their people and the technology with it. The surrounding people, for fear of the same fate, could avoid what little knowledge was preserved.
You could write it as such that the people or faction made some startling discoveries, and ended up creating something that destroyed their people and the technology with it. The surrounding people, for fear of the same fate, could avoid what little knowledge was preserved.
Remember the Sunwell !!! Uhm, sorry... just a nervous outburst. :-)
Yeah, I like it. This will work out. I think it will be a nice touch. Even though it's hack and slash, I feel I need the game to make sense as to why the world is the way it is.
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
I don't like it but what I find more annoying is when you have a game set in the present or future with all the technology available but you have melee classes.
Its like 'omg there are demons from another dimension terrorising the city!' lets ignore these high tech weapons and charge into battle with a 2 handed sledge hammer wearing a f...ing bikini !
Usually I don't like it but if it is well funded in the lore and fun it is fine with me. The "Witchworld" books is a good example where this works.
Personally I think it is worse though when they add gnome built cars or motorcycles. That might have been a fun april fools joke for a day but adding them permanent into fantasy games just don't work for me, not at all.
Fred Saberhagen's "Empire of the East" book series did this very well too. They remain amongst my favourite books. I remember reading Andre Norton's "Witch World" series back in the 60's and I also loved those.
Comments
I had fun once, it was terrible.
Yes, no machine guns or lasers mid-game. I had overlooked your post when I replied a bit ago. Yes, Dwemer are very influential in my thinking (what little thinking I can do, I'm really fried ATM).
I'm thinking now more along the lines of incorporating of the tech artwork I have as lost / abandoned tech rather than apocalypse. This way there's no major plot twist and the art becomes landmarks and dungeon entrances.
There's only so much I can do with caves and crypts, and they get boring because everything looks alike. That leaves me with above ground abandoned towns/fortresses and underground military complex ruins. I don't want art just for art's sake. I'm trying to have the world make sense.
Thanks again. This gives me a direction.
It's actually a big plot points in the shannara series of books from Terry Brooks. It starts as a classic Lord of the Rings style fantasy full with elves, dwarves and the like. As it turns out in the following books of the series, it takes place in a post apocalyptic future, the world has these cycles where it alternates between magic and technology, the appearance of the humans marked the end of a magic cycle and the beginning of a technology one, dwarves, trolls and other races are actually the result of mutations after the holocaust (not elves, elves were magical creatures from the previous age that went into hiding when the humans took over most of the planet and revealed themselves to the rest of the races after the holocaust to help rebuild, but not revealing where they came from).
SPOILERS:
Three of the novels, for example, deal with a travel over the ocean (using magitech powered airships) to find a library that was supposed to contain lots of knowledge from the ancient world guarded by an unknown guardian. As it turns out the guardian was a military AI that contained all the knowledge in the data banks but because of an error in the way it interpreted its mission, was meant to guard it and not let anyone access it. It lured the party to itself because its power systems were failing and couldn't be repaired, so wanted to capture magic users to use magic as an alternate form of energy to keep functioning. In the end the main characters have to destroy it in order to save themselves and other races that lived nearby knowing that by doing so, they were also destroying all the knowledge they went there to find.
What can men do against such reckless hate?
I think real life hints are interesting too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1LbXSbxEJk
I feel the same way about game elements that aren't cohesive with the world. It's not terrible for me, more of an annoyance distraction. Eventually when so many things don't fit, the game becomes more of a parody than anything else. I'm not sure that I like games becoming a parody of themselves. I guess it's a matter of sense of humor. And humor isn't something I understand well.
So do I as well, but not mentioned here to avoid the whole tin foil hat thing.
Besides, I don't even use a tin foil hat. I prefer aluminum. Much lighter and more comfortable :-)
I would really like this if the lost "technology" were ancient magics and rituals involving new ways and results for magic, opening gates to the planes of hell, releasing new undead and demi-gods and even plagues, etc.
I've always wanted my MMO's to have a very deep lost lore than actually had meaning to the game as we play and discover. But I agree with others here that you want consistency. There's still plenty that can be done within that parameter as I suggested.
Once upon a time....
I don't mind it if it is done in a subtle way and does not become a crux for the whole game world to lean on. I think the Forgotten Realms and the Warhammer Fantasy settings have got it done about right with their ancient races that helped breathe life into the worlds and then vanished for some reason.
Come to think about it both of those had very similar backdrops when it came to ancient races.
Warhammer version http://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Old_One
Forgotten Realm version http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Creator_race
That's an interesting angle on this. The idea of another race left behind the technological remains. That eliminates the apocalypse entirely. They were here, now they're gone. We don't have to know where or why, but we can see that they did. And now we use there ruins as a place to explore / conquer.
COOL STUFF !!!
Which is also a widely used concept, Roadside picnic for example was exactly this (and it's a shame what the games and the weak, fan-fiction quality novels made from it), same goes for the Monolith in Clarke's 2001. On the big screen there was the big ole Stargate which was left behind (or Scott's lame-a*s Prometheus). And of course in games, there's Wildstar
You could write it as such that the people or faction made some startling discoveries, and ended up creating something that destroyed their people and the technology with it. The surrounding people, for fear of the same fate, could avoid what little knowledge was preserved.
Remember the Sunwell !!! Uhm, sorry... just a nervous outburst. :-)
Yeah, I like it. This will work out. I think it will be a nice touch. Even though it's hack and slash, I feel I need the game to make sense as to why the world is the way it is.
I don't like it but what I find more annoying is when you have a game set in the present or future with all the technology available but you have melee classes.
Its like 'omg there are demons from another dimension terrorising the city!' lets ignore these high tech weapons and charge into battle with a 2 handed sledge hammer wearing a f...ing bikini !
Fred Saberhagen's "Empire of the East" book series did this very well too. They remain amongst my favourite books. I remember reading Andre Norton's "Witch World" series back in the 60's and I also loved those.