I am waiting for the equivalent of an Elder Scrolls MMO.
Same. That's one I would pre-order.
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.
My dream MMO? One that combines an incredibly robust construction kit with a really deep rule set. One that allows people to create content with relative ease... everything from their own skins to laying out dungeons or whatever.
People could choose to play through anybody's content area, though there will be no rewards at first... sort of like a beta preview...
... and areas that get lots of votes, the game staff will check it out, maybe tweak the balance a bit, make sure it isn't a farming area or something, then put it into the game properly.
People would be able to have their own areas, and because there would be a shared ruleset, characters can go from one area to another.
To give it an overarching story, you'd probably have to make it something like a bunch of people in a cyberpunk type virtual environment... or demon lords and gods manipulating chaos to create miniature worlds or something.
Basically something that lets even the most wannabe amateur try their hand out at it, but lets people who really put work scripting and writing and skinning stuff (Like people who do mods for other games) end up seeing their work in the game, and maybe even get a cut of the game profit somehow (A game based off of microtransactions that let you buy access to each new world? Dunno. Would be nice if people could get rewarded for their efforts though)
As long as you have staff double checking everything for inappropriate stuff, you could end up with an interesting, chaotic universe.
I'm guessing it would have rules like GURPs or something, rules that allow all sorts of characters from science to magic to supernatural.
Vespura, everything you have asked for in your post already exists;
SWG in its current state. Race you are looking for is Bothan.
Personally my drean MMO would be based off Raph's full design for the original SWG, without a combat "system". Only to say it would be reflective of actual physics, like M&B Warband rather than a WoW type game (bob swings great iron sword for 8 damage / andy swings Barmans shanker dagger for 250 damage) I know time derived character damage / power creep makes easy money but its not rearly fun.
As well as incorporating design elements from the following games;
Stronghold Crusader - Design based economic and military structure
DC Final - Combat pacing, weapon spread / damage is perfect + vehicle vs infantry dynamic is great
Nehrim - World Design, "Exploration"
OFP - View range, and just as important but always underated, object and character draw distance. + Mechanics that allow a single person to take out a full armored coloumn with a few mines and satchel charges is the best representation of why a combat "system" is so limiting and denies posisibilites.
TFC/TF2 - Conc grenades/Sticky bombs. Best represents how delivering damage should always come second, to speed/ posistioning and in such a skill based manner.
To be able to fly in a spaceship and still be able to run around in it while in space and flying aroung, to have a crew of NPC/People who also work on that ship but an other fuction (Medic, engineer, Cook, Pilot, and MP to keep order) and much more of that jazz.
GonesoloCity of Heroes CorrespondentMemberPosts: 70
Originally posted by MumboJumbo
Originally posted by Master10K
My dream MMO is Guild Wars 2. Wake me up in a couple months when it's released.
Lol. I have to agree in terms of what is foreseeable! This is the best vision of a future mmo I've seen: EVE: Future Vision Trailer ("Lokofeits" tag)
I have to agree that trailer is very impressive. Keeping an eye on Eve to see if they can actually achieve it. Eve's biggest problem for me is the damn combat system it bores me to tears.
the SWG JTL space combat was fun, plus you could walk around your ship. They had so many big plans for that it could have been really great. Also the Star trek Bridge Commander combat was pretty cool too.
Dream MMO.......... hmm lots of options.
Eve with avatars and decent "1st person" space combat, bigger ships could be something like bridge commander type command system.
A Mass Effect MMO would be cool also.
Also a properly Decent Super Hero MMO. DCU was good but the limitations of the character creator was such a pain, COH did superheros much better. So COH with a graphics update and control system like DCU maybe?
- A community first game. This means grouping content will be rewarded more so than solo play. Solo content will be available as well. A ratio of about 60 grouping, and 40 percent solo content.
- A game were wisdom and challenge is a factor every time you log in.
- Top heavy PVE oriented gameplay. Hardcore PVE needs to make a comeback (like Old EQ) but implemented correctly.
- Realistic graphics with flavor that does not have over porportionilized armor or muscels on characters. Graphics that blend a balance of midieval and high fantasy setting and armor types.
- A vast seamless world that will captivate you to explore and adventure on a single shard server. Possibly no instances.
- In-depth class design which will immerse you directly into a class. To simulate that you are indeed that class you have chose.
- Two immense combat mechanics that allow tons of strategy with player adaptability within the fluidity of combat. Combat mechanics complement class design to allow a vast array of many options. Must become a tactician. Can't go into many battles without strategy of some sort.
- AI that has a chance to adapt to your strategy. For an example, whereas a more militaristic mob will adapt while in combat to your fighting style so you'd always want to be on your toes.
- A main plot line that will twist and turn you and flip you upside down. However, players can directly influence the world and the plot to have different possible climax's and outcomes.
- A player driven economy with separate crafting classes where player can establish their own markets.
- Raid Campaigns for progressing players and end game content that will immerse you into possible real militaristic medieval strategies.
A sandbox, with a large community, content, a player run economy, complex crafting system, and a large game world. Preferably this would be a sci-fi based game but fantasy or steam-punk would be alright. This game is just a dream though, one that will probably never really happen.
A sandbox, with a large community, content, a player run economy, complex crafting system, and a large game world. Preferably this would be a sci-fi based game but fantasy or steam-punk would be alright. This game is just a dream though, one that will probably never really happen.
Pretty much the same as this, although I personally feel the way forward is combining sandbox and themepark mechanics. With the sadbox elements being the primary focus for end game.
Well my dream mmo probably goes out of definition with the traditional mmo meaning, like option to play offline when it is a more personal storyline instance (eg: Guild Wars kinda personal story instances)
1. Main Storyline: a dark historic fantasy storyline, with multiple outcomes and possible endings, this will be playable in a offline mode as well
2. Make all your created characters related, like building a family, each account can set a lastname, with each character having a first name. This makes the community more relatable, each character will have a certain entitlement to them, making their actions much more accountable, preventing 'faggy' comments or actions
3. a rhythm based combat, where you can attack and counter attack, like Assassin's Creed. Also a faster paced combat, not like twitch much reaction combat, but like, lesser focus on amounts of hp, shouldn't take me 5 mins to stab a blade into an enemies chest and kill them. Perhaps even instant assassinations.
4. Multiple weapon system, each weapon presents a different advantage in combat, and you need to switch between them to counter enemies' strategy
5. Maximum hotkey of 10, sounds stupid, but I really hate having 10 rows of hotkeys on my interface, it looks ugly and half of them isn't even needed in most situations. This 10 keys will exclude healing pots and mana pots, they should have their own exclusive keys, like quick heal or such.
6. Realistic armor, I don't really like huge oversized giant armors that looks like it weighs 50 kg, I like my character to be my character, not my armor.
7. a bit contradictive, I sometimes enjoys a bit oversized 2h weapons, but bear in mind that oversized weapon for a character with normal realistic armor is a lot smaller than oversized weapon for characters with oversized armor as well
8. a mixture of sandbox and themepark elements, I like the whole go around and making houses kinda thing, but also need some harder instances that is NOT gear based to enter, and enforcing a huge amount of group interaction to play.
9. Puzzle instance design, it should take more than clearing out elite mobs, opening a few gates and beating a few oversized monster to finish an instance, it should be an intertwined and intrinsically designed with platform elements, puzzles to solve by groups, not individuals, and combatting bosses. Randomized dungeon will be a bouns, so there won't be a damn guide book to solve every instances puzzle
10. More intelligent boss combat design, using terrain as part of evading attacks, more emphasis on evasion than tanking and healing.
11. Evolution of the trinity system, still tank, dps and healer, but with a different mindset, tanking is done by controlling the boss, instead of just being a meat shield, DPS exploits/creates weakness of the boss, not just clicking out a rotation of spells, healer is about protecting your allies, not just recovering hp points, it involves putting up barriers or teleporting allies to safer areas.
12. Movement systems, mounts are for travelling faster, I get it, but movement powers becomes an integrated role in combat as well, dodging, dashing, rolling, sprinting, jumping, especially jumping, while spacebar is possibly the most favourite key of all time in mmp history, it does nothing more than a glorified animation
13. Camera angles, it is an enticing idea to be able to toggle between first person view and third person view, mouse controlled camera or hold right key to move camera methods
14. I stop, simply because I would go on forever.
EDIT: I got tempted to add one more idea :P
How much WoW could a WoWhater hate, if a WoWhater could hate WoW? As much WoW as a WoWhater would, if a WoWhater could hate WoW.
1. A fantasy world. By world I mean it's a place that you inhabit, and things happen with or without you. NPCs go about their lives. Mobs move around. Factions go to war and then sign a shaky peace treaty. I want NPC factions to be strong and powerful and matter just as much as players.
2. You're not the "chosen one". This mentality doesn't really work in a MMO. If everyone is the hero, then no one is. We're all just people going about our lives, doing our thing in the greater context on the world. Individuals may do heroic things, but there isn't a "chosen one" who happens to be every single player. But PCs are still "special", mostly because they can't die.
3. Mostly player-driven, political. PvP combat. Build cities, conquer territories. Think Shadowbane here. But I think maybe have things on an even grander scale. Building a real city is a huge effort, not a single-guild thing. Encourage the creation not just of guilds but of alliances and full-on nations.
4. Still have an overarching world story and events. I like how Asheron's Call did this. For the most part you just lived in the world and went about your daily business, but every month a larger, overarching world story progressed. Allow the actions of players to steer the direction of this. A player finds the ancient gateway that holds back the demonic horde. Do they tell anyone? Do they open it? Defend it? In this way a single player or a group of players can still be heroic and affect the entire world.
5. I'd like a hybrid skill system. Some skills require study over time (like EVE). Learn a language, study botany, or whatever. You can progress in real time by reading or training up to a certain level. Or you can gain XP by killing things and invest that into skills like in Asheron's Call.
6. As a skill-based system, I want a HUGE number of skills. People really need to get in and specialize. You start out just training in general melee combat or with a sword. You then go deeper into specializing with Sword (Sword Specialization or Mastery Skill). Then you pick a specific sword you want to focus on, and a specific combat style, and even a specific technique that is your trademark. Allow for both a huge breadth and depth of skill. You can go as wide as you want, or as deep as you want.
7. Still limit people, so they have to make choices. I like the way Asheron's Call did this by tying a level system to a skill system. As you leveled you could open up more skills. With a huge skill system this would be modified a bit, maybe more like a skill tree system. So as you level you both gain XP to progress your skills and points to unlock more skills along the trees. By limiting people you also encourage grouping and team play.
8. Even still, people with the exact same skills shouldn't necessarily be exactly the same. One idea is a trait or enhancement system at certain skill benchmarks. So every 10 or 25 or whatever ranks in a skill, you can choose between certain enhancements to a skill or power to better fit your playstyle.
9. A more engaging combat system. There's a lot of good discussion going on in the developers corner right now, both about ranged and melee combat. I want all the different types of combat to be more engaging, and to feel unique. It should not feel the same to play an archer and a swordsman.
10. A few different magic systems, each with their own mechanics. Necromacy and Sorcery and Psionics are not all the same, and once again, they should not play the same way.
11. Lower health, more focus on avoidance than absorbtion. Melee fights have dodges, blocks, and parries. You just move out of the way or use a shield to block arrow attacks. Dodge a magic missile or counterspell. Speed up the combat a bit and make every hit count, instead of spending ten minutes whiddling away at each other's 10k HP.
12. A decent variety of races that actually have a difference in playstyle. I don't care about one race being a better archer than another. They're just better suited to it. But who knows, maybe the other race has some trait that can complement their archery and actually give them a leg up in certain situations. I like the idea of racial skills that can be progressed. All minotaur have horns, but how many actually train to use them effectively in combat.
13. I want languages for each race. This is mostly a fun RP thing, but it can actually also have use in combat/strategy. If you're spying an enemy, you better know their language. All of these would be skills that others could learn, if physiologically possible.
14. Quests are dev-created events or hidden storylines, not "!" over some villager's head. Those are tasks. Have a "Task Board" in the town were NPCs and players can post requests and rewards for certain things if they need them.
15. Player-driven economy. Tons of resources in the world, of varied type and of quality, to encourage trade. Craft "recipies" can be improved by crafters so not all Broadswords are the same. Let crafters make a name for themselves by specializing in certain things. Items are not tied to certain skill levels. For example, you don't have to move from using a short sword to a broadsword simple because you went from 20 to 30 skill. You just get a better short sword to match your skill. This allows for variety of equipment.
16. Limited inventory, non-universal banking. Maybe allow for universal gold banking, but not items. Also characters can't carry 50 swords or 120 units of stone. Require trade caravans or shipping to move those things. Encourages conflict by attacking/defending these convoys.
17. Social interactions and games. Let players get drunk and play cards or dice in the tavern. Put in a real music system to encourage concerts and plays and all that sort of fun RP, community-building stuff. Give titles based on achievements, skills, faction membership/rank.
18. You don't know someone's name unless they introduce themselves, someone tells you who they are, or you have some sort of warrant/description that you can use to identify them.
19. Have NPC class guilds or factions that can give players direction/purpose for their skills. Assassin's Guild, Thieve's Guild, Mercenary Guild, Bard's Guild, etc.
20. One really important one for me is an in-depth pet/taming system. Taming of any creature, training it, breeding it, etc. I want it where people can say "Oh, don't buy your horse from X. Sure, they're big and make great warhorses. But Y over there, his horses are the fastest."
21. Drop all items/equipment on death, except for a limited soul-bind system for a few items. Also have equipment damage, to keep crafters working. Limited fast travel system based on the soul-bind. Can spend gold/XP to bind yourself to different towns, but to travel you drop all your non-bound equipment like you died. Travel should usually be a big comittment.
That's just a small sampling of everything I would want in my dream game.
Top MMOs: Asheron's Call, Shadowbane, EVE Online, Planetside Played: Pretty much everything at one point or another
Jeez, ppl have almost built GDD's on this topic, no wonder devs have a nightmare designing mmos: What to add and what to leave out, I guess it's someone else's problem... I'd like a game world that could be completely destroyed if players are ingenious/powerful enough or not stopped by other players... and the world is worth saving.
Comments
Same. That's one I would pre-order.
Everquest With better graphics. Pre Luclin.
My dream MMO? One that combines an incredibly robust construction kit with a really deep rule set. One that allows people to create content with relative ease... everything from their own skins to laying out dungeons or whatever.
People could choose to play through anybody's content area, though there will be no rewards at first... sort of like a beta preview...
... and areas that get lots of votes, the game staff will check it out, maybe tweak the balance a bit, make sure it isn't a farming area or something, then put it into the game properly.
People would be able to have their own areas, and because there would be a shared ruleset, characters can go from one area to another.
To give it an overarching story, you'd probably have to make it something like a bunch of people in a cyberpunk type virtual environment... or demon lords and gods manipulating chaos to create miniature worlds or something.
Basically something that lets even the most wannabe amateur try their hand out at it, but lets people who really put work scripting and writing and skinning stuff (Like people who do mods for other games) end up seeing their work in the game, and maybe even get a cut of the game profit somehow (A game based off of microtransactions that let you buy access to each new world? Dunno. Would be nice if people could get rewarded for their efforts though)
As long as you have staff double checking everything for inappropriate stuff, you could end up with an interesting, chaotic universe.
I'm guessing it would have rules like GURPs or something, rules that allow all sorts of characters from science to magic to supernatural.
It would be the ultimate sandbox game. :T
Vespura, everything you have asked for in your post already exists;
SWG in its current state. Race you are looking for is Bothan.
Personally my drean MMO would be based off Raph's full design for the original SWG, without a combat "system". Only to say it would be reflective of actual physics, like M&B Warband rather than a WoW type game (bob swings great iron sword for 8 damage / andy swings Barmans shanker dagger for 250 damage) I know time derived character damage / power creep makes easy money but its not rearly fun.
As well as incorporating design elements from the following games;
Stronghold Crusader - Design based economic and military structure
DC Final - Combat pacing, weapon spread / damage is perfect + vehicle vs infantry dynamic is great
Nehrim - World Design, "Exploration"
OFP - View range, and just as important but always underated, object and character draw distance. + Mechanics that allow a single person to take out a full armored coloumn with a few mines and satchel charges is the best representation of why a combat "system" is so limiting and denies posisibilites.
TFC/TF2 - Conc grenades/Sticky bombs. Best represents how delivering damage should always come second, to speed/ posistioning and in such a skill based manner.
Ultima online with unreal3 engine from 3rd person perspective
To be able to fly in a spaceship and still be able to run around in it while in space and flying aroung, to have a crew of NPC/People who also work on that ship but an other fuction (Medic, engineer, Cook, Pilot, and MP to keep order) and much more of that jazz.
ooohhh... what a dream
My dream MMO is Guild Wars 2. Wake me up in a couple months when it's released.
Lol. I have to agree in terms of what is foreseeable! This is the best vision of a future mmo I've seen: EVE: Future Vision Trailer ("Lokofeits" tag)
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014633/Classic-Game-Postmortem
I have to agree that trailer is very impressive. Keeping an eye on Eve to see if they can actually achieve it. Eve's biggest problem for me is the damn combat system it bores me to tears.
the SWG JTL space combat was fun, plus you could walk around your ship. They had so many big plans for that it could have been really great. Also the Star trek Bridge Commander combat was pretty cool too.
Dream MMO.......... hmm lots of options.
Eve with avatars and decent "1st person" space combat, bigger ships could be something like bridge commander type command system.
A Mass Effect MMO would be cool also.
Also a properly Decent Super Hero MMO. DCU was good but the limitations of the character creator was such a pain, COH did superheros much better. So COH with a graphics update and control system like DCU maybe?
- A community first game. This means grouping content will be rewarded more so than solo play. Solo content will be available as well. A ratio of about 60 grouping, and 40 percent solo content.
- A game were wisdom and challenge is a factor every time you log in.
- Top heavy PVE oriented gameplay. Hardcore PVE needs to make a comeback (like Old EQ) but implemented correctly.
- Realistic graphics with flavor that does not have over porportionilized armor or muscels on characters. Graphics that blend a balance of midieval and high fantasy setting and armor types.
- A vast seamless world that will captivate you to explore and adventure on a single shard server. Possibly no instances.
- In-depth class design which will immerse you directly into a class. To simulate that you are indeed that class you have chose.
- Two immense combat mechanics that allow tons of strategy with player adaptability within the fluidity of combat. Combat mechanics complement class design to allow a vast array of many options. Must become a tactician. Can't go into many battles without strategy of some sort.
- AI that has a chance to adapt to your strategy. For an example, whereas a more militaristic mob will adapt while in combat to your fighting style so you'd always want to be on your toes.
- A main plot line that will twist and turn you and flip you upside down. However, players can directly influence the world and the plot to have different possible climax's and outcomes.
- A player driven economy with separate crafting classes where player can establish their own markets.
- Raid Campaigns for progressing players and end game content that will immerse you into possible real militaristic medieval strategies.
A sandbox, with a large community, content, a player run economy, complex crafting system, and a large game world. Preferably this would be a sci-fi based game but fantasy or steam-punk would be alright. This game is just a dream though, one that will probably never really happen.
Retired: EVE, SWG, STO, EQ2, Ryzom, AO, LotRO, FFXI
Currently Awaiting: SWTOR, TSW, ArcheAge
Pretty much the same as this, although I personally feel the way forward is combining sandbox and themepark mechanics. With the sadbox elements being the primary focus for end game.
I would like one where no one crys on the internet about it all the time.
Well my dream mmo probably goes out of definition with the traditional mmo meaning, like option to play offline when it is a more personal storyline instance (eg: Guild Wars kinda personal story instances)
1. Main Storyline: a dark historic fantasy storyline, with multiple outcomes and possible endings, this will be playable in a offline mode as well
2. Make all your created characters related, like building a family, each account can set a lastname, with each character having a first name. This makes the community more relatable, each character will have a certain entitlement to them, making their actions much more accountable, preventing 'faggy' comments or actions
3. a rhythm based combat, where you can attack and counter attack, like Assassin's Creed. Also a faster paced combat, not like twitch much reaction combat, but like, lesser focus on amounts of hp, shouldn't take me 5 mins to stab a blade into an enemies chest and kill them. Perhaps even instant assassinations.
4. Multiple weapon system, each weapon presents a different advantage in combat, and you need to switch between them to counter enemies' strategy
5. Maximum hotkey of 10, sounds stupid, but I really hate having 10 rows of hotkeys on my interface, it looks ugly and half of them isn't even needed in most situations. This 10 keys will exclude healing pots and mana pots, they should have their own exclusive keys, like quick heal or such.
6. Realistic armor, I don't really like huge oversized giant armors that looks like it weighs 50 kg, I like my character to be my character, not my armor.
7. a bit contradictive, I sometimes enjoys a bit oversized 2h weapons, but bear in mind that oversized weapon for a character with normal realistic armor is a lot smaller than oversized weapon for characters with oversized armor as well
8. a mixture of sandbox and themepark elements, I like the whole go around and making houses kinda thing, but also need some harder instances that is NOT gear based to enter, and enforcing a huge amount of group interaction to play.
9. Puzzle instance design, it should take more than clearing out elite mobs, opening a few gates and beating a few oversized monster to finish an instance, it should be an intertwined and intrinsically designed with platform elements, puzzles to solve by groups, not individuals, and combatting bosses. Randomized dungeon will be a bouns, so there won't be a damn guide book to solve every instances puzzle
10. More intelligent boss combat design, using terrain as part of evading attacks, more emphasis on evasion than tanking and healing.
11. Evolution of the trinity system, still tank, dps and healer, but with a different mindset, tanking is done by controlling the boss, instead of just being a meat shield, DPS exploits/creates weakness of the boss, not just clicking out a rotation of spells, healer is about protecting your allies, not just recovering hp points, it involves putting up barriers or teleporting allies to safer areas.
12. Movement systems, mounts are for travelling faster, I get it, but movement powers becomes an integrated role in combat as well, dodging, dashing, rolling, sprinting, jumping, especially jumping, while spacebar is possibly the most favourite key of all time in mmp history, it does nothing more than a glorified animation
13. Camera angles, it is an enticing idea to be able to toggle between first person view and third person view, mouse controlled camera or hold right key to move camera methods
14. I stop, simply because I would go on forever.
EDIT: I got tempted to add one more idea :P
How much WoW could a WoWhater hate, if a WoWhater could hate WoW?
As much WoW as a WoWhater would, if a WoWhater could hate WoW.
DAoC2
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
My dream MMO:
The dungeons and slower leveling from EQ1
The classes from Vanguard or DAOC
The diplomacy system from Vanguard
The music system, open explorable world, sitting on chairs from LotRO
The housing zones and merchant/broker setup from DAOC
The interior decorating options and in-game guild recruitment tab from EQ2
The entertainers/image designers and usefulness of a cantina/pub from SWG
Content updates that don't continue to widen the gap between casual and raiding gear
champions online, but with more end-game content
or somethign action oriented, been waiting over 3 years for vidnictus but I heard it repetive.
so its my dream but I haven't played it yet and if I don't like that game, then I'm quiting mmorpgs, or wait 5 years for the next big thing
거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다
No matter how cynical you become, its never enough to keep up - Lily Tomlin
1. A fantasy world. By world I mean it's a place that you inhabit, and things happen with or without you. NPCs go about their lives. Mobs move around. Factions go to war and then sign a shaky peace treaty. I want NPC factions to be strong and powerful and matter just as much as players.
2. You're not the "chosen one". This mentality doesn't really work in a MMO. If everyone is the hero, then no one is. We're all just people going about our lives, doing our thing in the greater context on the world. Individuals may do heroic things, but there isn't a "chosen one" who happens to be every single player. But PCs are still "special", mostly because they can't die.
3. Mostly player-driven, political. PvP combat. Build cities, conquer territories. Think Shadowbane here. But I think maybe have things on an even grander scale. Building a real city is a huge effort, not a single-guild thing. Encourage the creation not just of guilds but of alliances and full-on nations.
4. Still have an overarching world story and events. I like how Asheron's Call did this. For the most part you just lived in the world and went about your daily business, but every month a larger, overarching world story progressed. Allow the actions of players to steer the direction of this. A player finds the ancient gateway that holds back the demonic horde. Do they tell anyone? Do they open it? Defend it? In this way a single player or a group of players can still be heroic and affect the entire world.
5. I'd like a hybrid skill system. Some skills require study over time (like EVE). Learn a language, study botany, or whatever. You can progress in real time by reading or training up to a certain level. Or you can gain XP by killing things and invest that into skills like in Asheron's Call.
6. As a skill-based system, I want a HUGE number of skills. People really need to get in and specialize. You start out just training in general melee combat or with a sword. You then go deeper into specializing with Sword (Sword Specialization or Mastery Skill). Then you pick a specific sword you want to focus on, and a specific combat style, and even a specific technique that is your trademark. Allow for both a huge breadth and depth of skill. You can go as wide as you want, or as deep as you want.
7. Still limit people, so they have to make choices. I like the way Asheron's Call did this by tying a level system to a skill system. As you leveled you could open up more skills. With a huge skill system this would be modified a bit, maybe more like a skill tree system. So as you level you both gain XP to progress your skills and points to unlock more skills along the trees. By limiting people you also encourage grouping and team play.
8. Even still, people with the exact same skills shouldn't necessarily be exactly the same. One idea is a trait or enhancement system at certain skill benchmarks. So every 10 or 25 or whatever ranks in a skill, you can choose between certain enhancements to a skill or power to better fit your playstyle.
9. A more engaging combat system. There's a lot of good discussion going on in the developers corner right now, both about ranged and melee combat. I want all the different types of combat to be more engaging, and to feel unique. It should not feel the same to play an archer and a swordsman.
10. A few different magic systems, each with their own mechanics. Necromacy and Sorcery and Psionics are not all the same, and once again, they should not play the same way.
11. Lower health, more focus on avoidance than absorbtion. Melee fights have dodges, blocks, and parries. You just move out of the way or use a shield to block arrow attacks. Dodge a magic missile or counterspell. Speed up the combat a bit and make every hit count, instead of spending ten minutes whiddling away at each other's 10k HP.
12. A decent variety of races that actually have a difference in playstyle. I don't care about one race being a better archer than another. They're just better suited to it. But who knows, maybe the other race has some trait that can complement their archery and actually give them a leg up in certain situations. I like the idea of racial skills that can be progressed. All minotaur have horns, but how many actually train to use them effectively in combat.
13. I want languages for each race. This is mostly a fun RP thing, but it can actually also have use in combat/strategy. If you're spying an enemy, you better know their language. All of these would be skills that others could learn, if physiologically possible.
14. Quests are dev-created events or hidden storylines, not "!" over some villager's head. Those are tasks. Have a "Task Board" in the town were NPCs and players can post requests and rewards for certain things if they need them.
15. Player-driven economy. Tons of resources in the world, of varied type and of quality, to encourage trade. Craft "recipies" can be improved by crafters so not all Broadswords are the same. Let crafters make a name for themselves by specializing in certain things. Items are not tied to certain skill levels. For example, you don't have to move from using a short sword to a broadsword simple because you went from 20 to 30 skill. You just get a better short sword to match your skill. This allows for variety of equipment.
16. Limited inventory, non-universal banking. Maybe allow for universal gold banking, but not items. Also characters can't carry 50 swords or 120 units of stone. Require trade caravans or shipping to move those things. Encourages conflict by attacking/defending these convoys.
17. Social interactions and games. Let players get drunk and play cards or dice in the tavern. Put in a real music system to encourage concerts and plays and all that sort of fun RP, community-building stuff. Give titles based on achievements, skills, faction membership/rank.
18. You don't know someone's name unless they introduce themselves, someone tells you who they are, or you have some sort of warrant/description that you can use to identify them.
19. Have NPC class guilds or factions that can give players direction/purpose for their skills. Assassin's Guild, Thieve's Guild, Mercenary Guild, Bard's Guild, etc.
20. One really important one for me is an in-depth pet/taming system. Taming of any creature, training it, breeding it, etc. I want it where people can say "Oh, don't buy your horse from X. Sure, they're big and make great warhorses. But Y over there, his horses are the fastest."
21. Drop all items/equipment on death, except for a limited soul-bind system for a few items. Also have equipment damage, to keep crafters working. Limited fast travel system based on the soul-bind. Can spend gold/XP to bind yourself to different towns, but to travel you drop all your non-bound equipment like you died. Travel should usually be a big comittment.
That's just a small sampling of everything I would want in my dream game.
Top MMOs: Asheron's Call, Shadowbane, EVE Online, Planetside
Played: Pretty much everything at one point or another
Jeez, ppl have almost built GDD's on this topic, no wonder devs have a nightmare designing mmos: What to add and what to leave out, I guess it's someone else's problem... I'd like a game world that could be completely destroyed if players are ingenious/powerful enough or not stopped by other players... and the world is worth saving.
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014633/Classic-Game-Postmortem
Wurm Online more polished.
Playing - EVE, Wurm
Retired - Final Fantasy XI, Anarchy Online, Mabinogi
Waiting - ArcheAge, Salem
Far West Online
possibly the greatest idea for an mmo. You can anything fit in there. Huge lore, conflicts and many types of gameplays.
Cowboys, Indians, goldminers, bounty hunters,gold miners, robbers, cattle thieves.....
Imagine the battles between famous wanted criminals and brave sheriffs. Trading between little towns.
There is simply too much to get into that idea!
Any *very popular* MMORPG that gets on MMORPG.com's list by nothing but positive reviews would be my idea of a dream MMORPG.
~Miles "Tails" Prower out! Catch me if you can!
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a bug/exploit free Mortal Online with a map as large as DF, the teraforming of Xsyon, and pve content of Oblivion.