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VATS could work...
Josher
Member Posts: 2,818
Hearing the news about a potential Fallout MMO made me think about how their combat system could translate without it being typical turn based like WOW/EQ or a pseudo / fake FPS like Planetside.
VATS in realtime could work. No pausing. The limb just lights up as you cycle around. No special CC abilities anymore either. Actually, you still need them for specifics like taunting, but like Fallout, you get CC depending on the limb you hit. Hit a leg and its a slow effect. Hit an arm and you can dissarm a weapon or lessen their accuracy. Hit em in the head and you can blind, confuse, stun, ect. Hit em in the chest and its a knockdown, ect. Weapons would enhance what they're good at. Obviously, you would have the typical damage types like flame, impact, energy, ect, and armor types would enhance aganst specific damages, ect. Lots of fun with traps, mines, and trip wires=) Nukes should be rare as hell, but devestating. People have wanted a new combat system. This would be it. Don't even bother with a bad FPS system where it seems like you're aiming but you never are. Go full VATS but in realtime and you've revolutionized the genre.
The skill system and perks would translate perfectly. The GOAT would be a fun character creation system for a MMO. Bobbleheads would let you swap out your SPECIAL and move stats around. Combined with a clone system it would allow people to have different builds without rerolling. No alts. You are who you are. No hiding. Make reputation matter.
Everyone starts off human, but too much radiation would turn people into ghouls if you so choose, with the benfits and negatives that come along with it. Go on a specific mission to turn yourself into a SuperMutant, again with the benefits and nasty side effects;) Join factions. Be a trader. Loads and loads of craftng possibilities. Raiders would just be you typical guild you can create. But have premade guilds in place like the Brotherhood. All the potential is there.
You want to go over the top, force an aging system. Allow players to become old and gain the porper benfits for doing so. By using a clone system similar to TR, you never have to officially die. But veterans could really have veteran characters as time goes by=) It fits the theme of the game for sure. If you want to hang it up and retire, you just do it.
Zone design would be a breeze with lots of potential. Let players slowly build their own towns or just be a part of prebuilt ones. It just works. Player housing would be a must.
Comments
Bethesda, the maker of Fallout 3 isn't making the mmo, Interplay still has the rights to it. It would seem pretty weird for them to use another company's system like that, even it is technically the same IP.
I like it.
They need to come up with some more interesting ideas for instances though. Post Apoc office buildings and twisting caverns would become boring. Travel will need to be well thought because living (animal) mounts don't fit into the equation. Pets fit in great. But your pet would have to be something a little more permanent and useful than something in other mmo's because the theme from Fallout is you gain a connection with the animal. Vehicles could be a maybe but should be designed differently per each faction (if applicable). Enclave have flying vehicles. Hell you could even modify a robots treads into something of a personal mobility unit. But over-use of these vehicles doesn't really fit well.
A Crafting system should be designed to be a little more deep than in any of the previous games. Personal and guild housing is definately a must at release. Including limited (but expandable) personal storage and a place to rest and craft.
A level cap higher than 20 would be nice as well. As for pvp I think it should be 60% Level, build, and gear based and 40% player skill. ie. If I'm 10 levels higher than my opponent and I have a more pvp oriented build that should have a profound effect on the outcome of the battle even if he is highly skilled. BUT - If you pit two identical characters (level, build, gear) but I am more skilled than my opponent in twitch games then that should determin the outcome of the battle.
Also: Skills, Attributes, and Builds will need to be more fine tuned. The player should have the ABILITY if he/she so chooses to specialise, and specialising has it's ups/downs. Example, someone with a meat puppet or "Tank" specialty should never be able to out damage a "DPS" specialised player. In pvp or pve. Regardless of player skill.
That would just be unbalanced. A character that can take the most punishment AND do amazing damage? We'd all be making those characters.
One more big issue - Healer. I'd like to hear your ideas on how a healer in a FA MMO would work. Magic doesn't really fit into the picture. Mutation does, but the supernatural doesn't.
Thanks for reading.