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Creating a New MMORPG and I want your opinions
eirek
Member Posts: 110
Alright everyone, I wanted to get some major opinions from some fellow folks on this board. In the future I am going to be developing a mmorpg with my own money and want to know exactly what players want/need. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I included a poll and unfortunately it doesn't let you rate more then one, so please respond and let me know what kind of things you want in a game, the importance of each(Numbered Maybe?) and some new technology, or features you'd love to see in a game.
These are the things that I thought would be really important for me to include in the game.
PvP:
- This is most likely how we will do PvP. Most items in game will not be that rare, but items themselves will be very numerous(Types). There will be rare items but use at your own risk because if you die they can get your items. While there will be no best items, there will be an almost infinate amount of abilties to use, and therefor "leveling" will always be possible to get different skills. You will be able to somewhat max out on a specific tree but you can then move on to a different tree. There will be a set limit to how many abilities you can use at a time(Don't worry, still alot) But ultimately it will come down to a mix of skill and your abilities.
Totally Interactive Environment:
- Everyone may be talked to. They follow they're daily lives actually moving around and doing jobs. They also will remember you throughout your progression and make unique comments just as in real life.
- Animals will follow a Migration System in which they will actually move, and if being attacked they can actually move somewhere else. This provides "Trackers" the ability to actually have something to do, track their pray.
- Animals will also hunt each other. The game will actually have a so called "Eco-System". You will actually be able to walk in on lets say, the Lizard Men mounting an assualt on the Human Village and you'll be able to help, or not 
- Full Weather System with snow, water, blizzards, fog, sand storms, etc... Including Flooding.
Unique Advancement System:
- Rather then just have levels, or just have skills we have a multi-purpose system involving both. You are assigned a Level for how many skills you have, but in reality that level tells nothing about you. You could be a level 1 fighter will all in exploring but still level 100. This presents the ability to actually roleplay and let people learn who you are rather then just "Oh there is another lvl 60 Shaman"
- Through the Advancement system you would be able to be anything you want. There would be no limitation to how many aspects you wanted to be. I never understood why you couldn't be a little of everything. You will now be able to be a skill 1 healer, skill 20 explorer and skill 80 Fighter...and obviously the healing part wont do you much good but isn't it your choice?
- Ability to never fight if you don't want to....but also the ability to change and after some work become a fighter. (I.E. Become a Builder and Build a castle, then change your skills and learn how to fight. Now you designed your own castle and can now defend it. But alas just don't get caught before you learn how to fight.) Why should you always be stuck with what you choose originally? You should be able to change, albeit slowly or course.
- Rare Items are actually rare. If you need a Red Dragon Scale and there are only 5 Red Dragons in the world, good luck getting more then a few scales.
Full Scale PvP, Castle, and Siege System:
- Full Designinable Castles, Turrets(No not guns :P) Moats, etc... With Siege Equipment, Mercenary System(Including for players) and aerial combat(Very Rare, only the top would be able to get the equipment and animals to do this....less then 1% of the population, but they also wouldn't be too overpowered, more like generals)
- PvP would be totally skill based, a level 1 could realistacly kill a lvl 60 but it would be hard. Different weapons do different damage to different armor. Use your knowledge to your advantage.
Wanted System:
- If you commit a crime in a city and get away, a wanted sign will be put up for you. The only way another city will know is 1) If someone tells that city, 2) If someone from that city goes somewhere that city has a percentage to learn about it automatically, or 3) Every City in the World would have a Very small chance to learn about you, the farther away from the orgin the smaller the chance.(And I mean pretty small)
- If you kill someone who is in the city you have a chance at alerting the city guards. If you get caught you can get placed in jail. From there you can get rescued, try to escape, or just wait for your trial.
- If you kill a noncombatant outside of the city, that person can place a bounty on your head along with the local city placing a wanted for you.
- There will be enough percussions in the game that will prevent most non combatants from getting killed. Now if your somewhere nere a dark(If your light) and trying to do stuff then most likely nothing will happen to your killer, and that is what happens when your in enemy territory.
Races:
- This isn't set in stone, but basically you could select from a whole slew of different races. You'd get to select from a set list of cities to start from(Such as Orcs would only get to start from cities that accept orcs in their cities) and then you'd go from there. You will be able to play monsters as well as normal characters. Just "most" monsters will have a INT adjustment meaning more combat then anything else.
Classes:
- With no set classes can't go into much detail here, but here we go with what you could be if you choose. Fighting Types: All types of Magic Users(Wizards, Necromancers, Clerics etc..), Rangers, Thieves, Fighters, Holy Warriors, Defenders, Full Fledge Damage Dealers, All Range No Close, Assassin, and tons more...really you would decide what you want to be.
- Many types of magic will be available, from Fireballs, and Magic Missle type spells, to Huge Meteor Showers, Summoning of Monsters, to Opening the Plane and letting in cruel beasts, Conjouring Helpful Fakes, to the simple Summoning of a Torch. Were going to try and implement a system where you can develop your own spells. Using a modifier of using different "Essences" and types of magic you would be able to be the inventor of your own spell and once made, it would be named as you see fit, within reason of course.
- Ability to develop your own combat moves. No more just using the same old stuff. Think something might work better then what your using? Try it, we'll incorporate a interface to use different parts of their body to your advantage.
- Crafting will be able to develop a whole slew of different items. They will be able to specialize if they wish, but they will be able to backtrack and try going another route if wanted. Building Houses, Castles, Weapons, Armor, Clothing, Tackle, etc... will be up to them. Custom Equipment too.
Cinematics along with World Progression:
- Now when you help something in the game, save a city, or destroy one, it wont show up as it did when you started, it will actually be destroyed now. Were going to incorporate a system in which groups will attack cities, attack each other, and attack other creatures. If a group of orcs are attack lets say Fairhaven, and you wipe out that group, fair haven will be safe for the moment, and next time you go to where those monsters were they wont be there. But if no one defends the city and they attack, they might just succede, and next time they might attack closer to your home. You must actually help if you wish for that town to survive. Also dark/evil players may help destroy or take over these cities.(And Yes, Light/Good Players would be able to take over dark cities also)
- In Game Cinematics during quests that will use live feeds showing your character in the scene to get you involved in the quest. No more boring repetition, get into the game!
Pet/Mount System:
- Potentially any animal in the game may be made your pet, and any ridable animal your mount. This will all depend on your skills in that section. If there are only 2 red dragons, and they get tamed then there will not be anymore dragons available unless those 2 people help them have more dragon babies. Natural cycles will work. If something goes extinct they will not show up in game anymore(Of course you might have missed some)
Expansion Ideas:
- For the first expansion were going to plan on doing an underwater world. Any part of the world when you go underwater you'll be able to explorer(With the right equipment which will be hard to find) Once underwater there will actually be underwater mounts, cities, whole new races, etc.. This would go for our first part of the future game type setting
- For the second expansion were going to plan on doing a system with boats that fly in the air called cloud jumpers. These enable you to get other flying mounts, flying cities(Way above the sky) and even get to other worlds once in awhile(Portals that we would open and do live RP events)
There are a lot of others, I mostly wanted to get your opinions on what you want to see in a game to come out in a few years(8-10 
) This game would be all self invested, but with no stupid company overhead from SOE, etc... There would always be feedback from myself and the developers, and unlike other companies I'm striving for a no hold bar everything we say were putting in is going to be in at start and no delays. I'll hire who I need to get this done and on time, I just want to make sure it's how you guys want it.
--
As for me, I love mmorpgs and I'm sick of the current games. Ultimately I would love to develop a D&D Forgotten Realms MMOPRG, but I'm pretty sure Turbine got an exclusive license for all of D&D.
And yes, I know I'm going to get flamed since I'm asking the community what they want and that my age, blah, blah, blah. Help if you want, don't help if you don't. For anyone who wants to give some input, thanks a ton!
**EDIT1** Also, what is the setting you'd most like to play in? Is fantasy getting old, or is that just because everything is being done the same old way?
**EDIT2** Added more ideas in what were going to implement from what I typed on the second page
**EDIT3** Added Expansion Details and More About the Death Realm Possibility
Comments
ARgh, so many I want to check but I can only check one!!! *drives me crazy*
Hi! My name is paper. Nerf scissors, rock is fine.
MMORPG = Mostly Men Online Roleplaying Girls
http://www.MichaelLuckhardt.com
What ever it is man I'm sure it will be a great game (I will be your first member!
) Any ways here is what I think:
These are few aspects of my own but remember it's all up to you in the end!
GOOD LUCK!!!!
Add a good crafting system in. Games can be more than just combat remember make crafting as fun as combat not just navigating through a bunch of windows.
Lol, actually what I meant was my team. Not me personally...that would take forever to make a good MMORPG.
There are some free game editors out there, but it wont be enough to make a decent mmorpg unless you know how to code, design, etc..
Haha, yeah I'd wait a bit
, I dont' have a team yet, I'm getting all my stuff together on what I want to make, how to make it, etc... before I go any farther.
For another question what is the ultimate setting you'd want to play in?
Try the Kaneva engine. Its in beta and free to use. They will even host your game for a price.
Hi! My name is paper. Nerf scissors, rock is fine.
MMORPG = Mostly Men Online Roleplaying Girls
http://www.MichaelLuckhardt.com
All the points you mentioned are all well and good. But it has nothing that other games don't already have. You need to break the mould (or at least crack it a bit).
Sell both the game client and a server version.
Enable both official and unofficial servers. Just make it that characters aren't transferable between them.
Include a map editor.
Many players love making maps for their favourite games and it solves the ongoing content problem.
Release the game with a full single-player game included then let them choose to go online for the MMO experience with new maps and content.
Armour and weapons
Ensure there is never a "best set of armour" or "best weapon". Institute a rock/paper/scissors approach so that armour might provide great protection against slashing damage but is weak against stabbing weapons. A weapon migh do great stabbing damage but no blunt damage. You get the drift anyway.
Levels
Remove levels. Find another way.
Server/s
Investigate using a distributed server business model whereby official servers are dotted all over the world. Or look at imple
I always love skill based games over lvl based (one of the most important aspects of a game for me) and of course there must be a lot of skills. Makes sure the tutorial of the game isn't boring as h*ll with lots of reading and stuff, that turns me off, unless the game has been hyped a lot with good reviews and stuff (like EVE online - even though in the end I didn't keep playing, I did go through the entire tutorial and played the trial).
In the end it comes down to the community and thats what will make or break a game IMO. I dunno how developers can get good community or a bad one, to me it just seems like luck.
Good luck
______________________________
"When Saddam flew that plane into those buildings, I knew it was time to kick some Iranian ass!"
-cheer leading, flag waving American
wow where to start? heres just a few things i believe a game should have obviously its personal taste
* high character customization (when everyone looks the same it gets dull)
* how about instead of just classes make them available for quick character creation and instead have an extensive list of skills allows players to be whatever they want.
* jumping , climbing , swimming , flying ?
* make the world available ( beautiful backdrops are neat but suck when you cant get there)
* if your going to have unique items in the game truly make them unique not something everyone can eventually get
* character created items shouldnt necessarily be the best items in the game but they should be of very good quality otherwise its not worth it.
* mounts are fun to get but they shouldnt be easily attained yet shouldnt be limited to ( X mount is available to X race ) allow anyone the ability to ride any mount
* levels and classes are not necessary if you have an extensive skills list and allow character development through skills. (some good ideas in Developers corner)
* make monsters/NPC's intelligent ( a good AI make for alot more fun and challenging in the end)
* the whole world should be explorable and should be very large.
* player created houses and cities that can also be destroyed.
* magic shouldnt just be something you learn easily make mundane spells easy make more advanced spells harder to find. ( thats right find .. it shouldnt be something you level and up and buy the spell from your local magician. I would even go so far to say someone of low skill would have to use a scroll to cast from until they got better at it)
* have hidden things in the world where people have to actually explore to find
* the larger number of races i think the better
* there should be no maps available at the start and character can get the skill map making and make maps by exploring.. the higher their map making and exploring the better their maps will be.. helps the economy and rewards people for just being an explorer
* dont focus on killing monsters only.. have an extensive quest / task system
* for personal taste I would prefer NPC's killable and once killed they are gone no more quest from that NPC. perhaps a family member of theirs will come take their place but they are now dead. so maybe killing that hermit all by himself way up on the hill isnt such a good idea.. he might have had the best quest in the game.
* make quests unique sure there will be quests that can be done by everyone.. killing local monsters etc.. but make unique quests given to players who are at the right place at the right time and ask the right questions.
* make death an adventure .. a fun thing.. not a pain in the ass.
* invite griefers.. use them.. make them outlaws..have the game hunt them etc.. have quests to hunt grifers for bounties.
* hide as much of the game as possible make the players find out on their own.. giving too much of the game takes away from the adventuring element.
* possiblity is to have a way to let characters create quests they can set up their character with quest / reward system. much like in other games where they set their character up as a merchant.
* Allow the players to have the ability to affect the world ( statue for saving the city, NPC's talking about the player, naming something after the player etc..)
* allow characters to be completely anonymous ( if your having PvP or such not having levels makes it much more difficult and challenging especially if you have a wide array of skills)
* tactics.. tactics .. tactics.. height , elements (weather) , surrounding (terrain) , weapon choice , skills , stats, mounted versus not (again weapon choice) , lighting (rogue using shadows for instance)
* dont make everything Aggresive ( very annoying when everything attacks you no matter what )
* if a monster or NPC has armor or weapons on them visually.. they should drop them. may be damaged versions but they drop them.
* decaying items ( the more you use it and what you use it on should determine how much they decay and they need to be repaired.)
* correect weapon assessment ( spears pierce , swords slash , axes cleave , hammers smash) now incorporate that versus different armors. ( part of tactics )
* buildable siege weapons to be used accordingly ( buildable and destructable player cities and or NPC cities)
* stop the endless spawning ( x monster dies.. x monster respawns 5 minutes later in x spot) please for the love of god get away from this. ( true random spawning is a must.. not knowing where or when something is going to spawn adds more to a game and helps get away from camping)
* wolves , rabbits , chickens etc.. shouldnt drop weapons and armor.
I have more but if you like some of what i have said lemme know i will give more im sure everyone is tired of my list of a few things by now.
Tanjin
I for one am waiting for the ultimate rpg game world. A place where you do many things not just fight and urn things. A place where you can do anything.
A world which is fully player driven... an example would be.
Think of two Kingdoms at War, each kingdoms are ruled by the strongest faction within itself, it could be the strongest guild. Then that faction controles the economy(taxes and stuff) and soo much more. Then village lords who are ruled by other factions affiliated to the Rulers of the kingdom...
Then theres the normal players.. other guilds... to protect the kingdom from the other kingdom... However theres not only soldiers... theres farmers, crafters, merchants, miners... and what not.. jobs for everyone... you could even work in an Inn.. or start your own Inn if you have enough money in a villages.. or aim for the top.... head position of the village... Infinite Possibilities...
Each kingdom would start from nothing.. maybe a puny village... I'm sure you see the big picture, it certainly would be hard to achieve. heh.
Wow, some really great ideas so far. I have alot of goals with this game, namely letting anyone do what they want. If someone wants to kill someone let them. If someone wants to build a fortress right next to the Giants Lair, let them. If you want to sail across the sea at level 1 and fight the dragons, let them. But each will have consequences.
Below is a list of what I'm planning on implementing in some form or another. (Finals aren't yet done, hence this post
and alot of other input down the line)
PvP:
- This is most likely how we will do PvP. Most items in game will not be that rare, but items themselves will be very numerous(Types). There will be rare items but use at your own risk because if you die they can get your items. While there will be no best items, there will be an almost infinate amount of abilties to use, and therefor "leveling" will always be possible to get different skills. You will be able to somewhat max out on a specific tree but you can then move on to a different tree. There will be a set limit to how many abilities you can use at a time(Don't worry, still alot) But ultimately it will come down to a mix of skill and your abilities.
Totally Interactive Environment:
- Everyone may be talked to. They follow they're daily lives actually moving around and doing jobs. They also will remember you throughout your progression and make unique comments just as in real life.
- Animals will follow a Migration System in which they will actually move, and if being attacked they can actually move somewhere else. This provides "Trackers" the ability to actually have something to do, track their pray.
- Animals will also hunt each other. The game will actually have a so called "Eco-System". You will actually be able to walk in on lets say, the Lizard Men mounting an assualt on the Human Village and you'll be able to help, or not
- Full Weather System with snow, water, blizzards, fog, sand storms, etc... Including Flooding.
Unique Advancement System:
- Rather then just have levels, or just have skills we have a multi-purpose system involving both. You are assigned a Level for how many skills you have, but in reality that level tells nothing about you. You could be a level 1 fighter will all in exploring but still level 100. This presents the ability to actually roleplay and let people learn who you are rather then just "Oh there is another lvl 60 Shaman"
- Through the Advancement system you would be able to be anything you want. There would be no limitation to how many aspects you wanted to be. I never understood why you couldn't be a little of everything. You will now be able to be a skill 1 healer, skill 20 explorer and skill 80 Fighter...and obviously the healing part wont do you much good but isn't it your choice?
- Ability to never fight if you don't want to....but also the ability to change and after some work become a fighter. (I.E. Become a Builder and Build a castle, then change your skills and learn how to fight. Now you designed your own castle and can now defend it. But alas just don't get caught before you learn how to fight.) Why should you always be stuck with what you choose originally? You should be able to change, albeit slowly or course.
- Rare Items are actually rare. If you need a Red Dragon Scale and there are only 5 Red Dragons in the world, good luck getting more then a few scales.
Full Scale PvP, Castle, and Siege System:
- Full Designinable Castles, Turrets(No not guns :P) Moats, etc... With Siege Equipment, Mercenary System(Including for players) and aerial combat(Very Rare, only the top would be able to get the equipment and animals to do this....less then 1% of the population, but they also wouldn't be too overpowered, more like generals)
- PvP would be totally skill based, a level 1 could realistacly kill a lvl 60 but it would be hard. Different weapons do different damage to different armor. Use your knowledge to your advantage.
Races:
- This isn't set in stone, but basically you could select from a whole slew of different races. You'd get to select from a set list of cities to start from(Such as Orcs would only get to start from cities that accept orcs in their cities) and then you'd go from there. You will be able to play monsters as well as normal characters. Just "most" monsters will have a INT adjustment meaning more combat then anything else.
Classes:
- With no set classes can't go into much detail here, but here we go with what you could be if you choose. Fighting Types: All types of Magic Users(Wizards, Necromancers, Clerics etc..), Rangers, Thieves, Fighters, Holy Warriors, Defenders, Full Fledge Damage Dealers, All Range No Close, Assassin, and tons more...really you would decide what you want to be.
- Many types of magic will be available, from Fireballs, and Magic Missle type spells, to Huge Meteor Showers, Summoning of Monsters, to Opening the Plane and letting in cruel beasts, Conjouring Helpful Fakes, to the simple Summoning of a Torch. Were going to try and implement a system where you can develop your own spells. Using a modifier of using different "Essences" and types of magic you would be able to be the inventor of your own spell and once made, it would be named as you see fit, within reason of course.
- Ability to develop your own combat moves. No more just using the same old stuff. Think something might work better then what your using? Try it, we'll incorporate a interface to use different parts of their body to your advantage.
- Crafting will be able to develop a whole slew of different items. They will be able to specialize if they wish, but they will be able to backtrack and try going another route if wanted. Building Houses, Castles, Weapons, Armor, Clothing, Tackle, etc... will be up to them. Custom Equipment too.
Cinematics along with World Progression:
- Now when you help something in the game, save a city, or destroy one, it wont show up as it did when you started, it will actually be destroyed now. Were going to incorporate a system in which groups will attack cities, attack each other, and attack other creatures. If a group of orcs are attack lets say Fairhaven, and you wipe out that group, fair haven will be safe for the moment, and next time you go to where those monsters were they wont be there. But if no one defends the city and they attack, they might just succede, and next time they might attack closer to your home. You must actually help if you wish for that town to survive. Also dark/evil players may help destroy or take over these cities.(And Yes, Light/Good Players would be able to take over dark cities also)
- In Game Cinematics during quests that will use live feeds showing your character in the scene to get you involved in the quest. No more boring repetition, get into the game!
Pet/Mount System:
- Potentially any animal in the game may be made your pet, and any ridable animal your mount. This will all depend on your skills in that section. If there are only 2 red dragons, and they get tamed then there will not be anymore dragons available unless those 2 people help them have more dragon babies. Natural cycles will work. If something goes extinct they will not show up in game anymore(Of course you might have missed some)
Of course many other things also, but that for now. We will be striving for a gaming scene in which anyone can do what they want, where people who want to do politics can, people who want to go treasure hunting will be able to. Assasins will work for money, Crafters will be the mainstay of the economy, as it should be. And we will not be rushing this game looking for money, or have any major company making decisons for us. I will be making this game because this is the game I've been looking for and I'll be damned if it doesn't come out right.
As for the setting, I'd love to get Forgotten Realms as I stated Earlier, but if Wizards of the Coast won't allow that(Because of D&D Online) then I will be holding a Setting Search. We'd let people submit settings along with lore, maps etc... and the most thought out one would get hired on to help make the game, setup quests and lore etc..
just a thought if your making it fully PvP yet people can choose not to be fighters how do you incorporate them into the game? are the non fighters killable? it just seems abit unbalanced if someone who is a non fighter is walking down the street and is killed and looted with no defense or reprecussions. trust me im all for PvP but there needs to be a down side to just aimlessly killing players I think. well not so much of a downside as they shouldnt be rewarded if you want it to be a living breathing world. PvPers can be outlaws or those who hunt the outlaws. either way I think there needs to be a purpose for those players.
Were going for a more realistic(Well as much as can be in a fantasy setting)
- If you kill someone who is in the city you have a chance at alerting the city guards. If you get caught you can get placed in jail. From there you can get rescued, try to escape, or just wait for your trial.
- If you kill a noncombatant outside of the city, that person can place a bounty on your head along with the local city placing a wanted for you.
- There will be enough percussions in the game that will prevent most non combatants from getting killed. Now if your somewhere nere a dark(If your light) and trying to do stuff then most likely nothing will happen to your killer, and that is what happens when your in enemy territory.
All of this is still in development. This is what we want to do but this is why we are probing the community to see what we want to adapt and change. We are mostly interested in creating a new type of game that changes as you play. But that doesn't mean we can't change where, or how we want to do the rest of the stuff.
excellent jails, bounties and such were some of the ideas i didnt mention but wanted to.. im glad to hear thats the idea you have.
How do the bounties spread? If you commit a crime in city a does every npc in the world know straight away or does the word about how evil you are slowly spread until the bounty is paid off? Just curious.
How did you get $ to start an Mmorpg?
* I like rare items.
* drops should be rare. Like for killing 10goblins you get
- 12 silver
- 1 helmet
- 1 short sword
* have silver or bronze be the starting currency.
* I like fantasy setting but perhaps as an end game content. Have a portal leading to a futuristic area.
* Healers & mages should be very weak at the start.
This is How were thinking about doing this:
If you commit a crime in a city and get away, a wanted sign will be put up for you. The only way another city will know is 1) If someone tells that city, 2) If someone from that city goes somewhere that city has a percentage to learn about it automatically, or 3) Every City in the World would have a Very small chance to learn about you, the farther away from the orgin the smaller the chance.(And I mean pretty small)
I just have an investor investing the money into the company. This way I'm not like SOE or Blizzard who have to listen to their parent company. We still have to get this done within a few years and have a deadline but with this money I'd be able to hire quite a nice crew and produce a pretty awesome game.
This is obviously later in the game as an expansion but here we go.
- For the first expansion were going to plan on doing an underwater world. Any part of the world when you go underwater you'll be able to explorer(With the right equipment which will be hard to find) Once underwater there will actually be underwater mounts, cities, whole new races, etc.. This would go for our first part of the future game type setting
- For the second expansion were going to plan on doing a system with boats that fly in the air called cloud jumpers. These enable you to get other flying mounts, flying cities(Way above the sky) and even get to other worlds once in awhile(Portals that we would open and do live RP events)
Now here is a question for everyone. We've been thinking if we want to develop this or not.
Death System:
- Instead of just dying and coming back to life everytime you would actually go to the death realm. Here you can choose to either stay in the death realm, or return to the living. If you return to the living you would have to complete some quests to get to a portal to return. But you would actually be able to stay in the land of the dead and eventually rule this place and even then you would be able to amas an army(Real Players and Hirelings) and invade the land of the living.
Haha taht sound very cool ... but after reading all the post... And i thought I posted something but acn't find it now.
This game is gona take alot of work if you want to bring all that to life... staying in realm of the dead might be something you can do for an expansion... but you know it's gona be hard to fight vs the dead cause each time someoen die they become your enemy lol... what if the dead die ... where they go ? lol