Setting - subject to change

[Faille]

Rather then trying to decide upon a setting or theme for the project, I figure the best option is just to have a central zone, or few zones, that have portals leading to other worlds that will form mini mmos. This will allow people to build their fantasy worlds, their post apoc worlds, etc, though its not quite free form since they will need to conform to the central rules that will allow players to move between the worlds.

The central world would serve the purpose of a lobby area, allowing for player housing, market places, etc.

[Khorum]

Ooh, I vote for a mechwarrior mercenaries MMOG. Open PVP (blow up ur mech and it's gone kinda thing) salvage, grief ppl for loot to reverse-engineer, or just plain steal shit while you get work from seedy, amoral warlords in space.

Kinda like early EVE (maybe add player-owned territory later) but with a more tactile (maybe even twitch) mechwarrior warfare. May have to call it something other than mechwarrior though, get some copydork to scrounge up a backstory that doesn't use copyrighted names.

[Zuuljin]

Here's my idea, see what you all think. My idea is more of a concept of what the game is about, rather than how the game actually plays, but its a starting point. I'm also completely unsure about the legality of it, but whatever.

The setting is based in present time. The idea in my head is to have a world GTA style, with full on PVP. Lame and unoriginal I know. Here's the seller though. The in game currency is REAL world cash. Everything costs real world cash, from guns, to cars, food, housing, armor, taxes (so we make money of course!) etc etc. You mug someone on the street and they have $20 on em? Grats, you have an extra $20. But if his friends mug you, you lose all your money. You have to decide if its worth it to purchase bigger guns, faster cars, better armor with your cash.

You could have players choose sides, from gangs, to working on the police force trying to stop the gangs. Various penalties could be set for those who get caught, and the cops recieve bonuses on the number of gang members locked up. Various jobs could be implimented throught the city, to earn cash, and each job could be a mini-game, such as burger flipping etc.

Various missions(quests) around the game world will offer cash for completion, so people could make cash playing it in a single player manner, but they have to watch out for other players. Where will we get this cash? Thats the next big thing, and why it must be set in modern times.

Advertising out the wazzoo. Have a virtual best buy in the city, that players can walk into (PvP free zone) and actually purchase music, dvd's, etc and d/l right to their computer, or have it shipped to their house. Virtual target, Newegg, amazon, ITunes, anything. Banks could set up to have their actual bank account tied into the game. Casino's so we can take everyone's money.

Millions of things can be done here, The idea's are limitless.

The downside are the obvious legal and ethical situations presented, as with security of real funds. The problem of duping items and cash is serious business, and CS better be top fucking notch with real money on the line.

As to how the actual game plays? Well that I'm not sure lol.

Anyways, thats the idea I'v been toying around in my head. Any thoughts?

[xilsharn]

Originally Posted by Faille

Rather then trying to decide upon a setting or theme for the project, I figure the best option is just to have a central zone, or few zones, that have portals leading to other worlds that will form mini mmos. This will allow people to build their fantasy worlds, their post apoc worlds, etc, though its not quite free form since they will need to conform to the central rules that will allow players to move between the worlds.

The central world would serve the purpose of a lobby area, allowing for player housing, market places, etc.

So, basically, Playstation Home?

[GuardianX]

Or phantasy star online, or really any RPG that dealt with a portal /zone system.

A way you could implement the "Multi-setting" enviornment is with NPC's that change the base character template to something of that realm.

Something along the lines of a simple NPC you hail and it changes you to your character stats for that realm and asks for a password confirming who you are. You can evolve on this, code wise, later once everyone is comfortable the bugs are worked out.

It will be semi cumbersome having several different Elements (Kept inside the Role play realm) per character. You could essentially end up with a whole new database entry for a character for each world making any system used pretty bogged down, gotta make sure you back end it pretty well. Whats an MMO that only supports 3 - 5 character before bumming out.

I have a friend from school that has been working on alot of Artwork and character designs for an MMO that he's been working on for quite some time, I'll point him this direction.

[Faille]

Yeah, not really the most original idea, but one I think suits the nature of this project. Trying to decide on a single setting that enough people agree with to contribute to would just be an exercise in frustration.

I'd like to see the different worlds be similar enough that no major changes are needed, so things like stats would be applicable to each different world. Gear would be different, though perhaps some items might be able to transport between worlds, but that is just inventory switching, so that should be more easily done.

[Zarcath]

I agree with the portal system.

[FoghornDeadhorn]

Underwater SeaQuest meets TFTD sort of thing. Can have combat with some of the restrictions of land-based and some of the freedoms of space-based, but not the vast emptiness.

[Wildstone]

I'm guessing a Shadowbane successor would be impossible?

[Believe]

One idea perhaps that would fit with the portal/different game type theme:

Perhaps all the different "Mini-MMO's" could be set on the same planet, but in different time periods.

For example, very early eras would be like a typical fantasy game. Magic and very limited technology.
Later eras would be very futuristic. Weapons, vehicles, etc could be powered by magical items such as runes - Or not, perhaps the art of magic is forgotten completely. The options are really open. This could even lend itself to a MMOFPS.

Just think of all the different time periods on Earth, there are quite a lot of themes that could be explored (Colonization, Westerns, etc).

What would also be very cool would be seeing how the world and people change throughout different time periods.

Anyways, just an idea. But as was mentioned, may be hard to get everyone to agree on some basic things about the world.

[xilsharn]

Don't forget steampunk.

Wouldn't multiple themes require multiple development teams?

I mean I like the cool factor of the portal system but maybe we can pin down one theme to really run with.

[xilsharn]

Or hell, is setting what we really should be discussing first? Shouldn't the ruleset come first? Hammer out a rough outline of how the game should work independent of theme then pick a thematic overlay?

[Faille]

Originally Posted by xilsharn

Or hell, is setting what we really should be discussing first? Shouldn't the ruleset come first? Hammer out a rough outline of how the game should work independent of theme then pick a thematic overlay?

Well, as long as most people are happy with the portal system, seems like we could make a start on the lobby world, which would lay the foundation for the other worlds, set the basic rules etc.

[...]

you could universaly use a 'fallen scifi' setting as the setting. An ancient civilizations built the gates (and fell apart in ancient times, or show up in the story later). some worlds connecting to it 'went feral' and fell back to fantasy-esque midevil style sword slinging.

add extra-planar demony monsters that let magic seep in the world (for wizards, warlocks etc) and that will let you have gates that go to fantasy realms, scifi realms, victorian steampunk etc. Maybe each world has to obey a paradigm set for that dimension, locking out the high scifi from the high fantasy.

I say make it 'fallen scifi' the most because scifi can contain fantasyelements, but fantasy tends to loose it's Fantasy Feel when you have elements of scifi in it anywhere.

[Vatoreus]

Said it in another thread, but making your lobby world akin to Sigil from D&D's Planescape setting would be incredible. As for development of different worlds, my friends and I are currently attempting to develop a steampunk/fantasy setting world (something akin to FF9/Eberron)