MMORPG, with "countries" (idea)

[eyu100]

Basically, a player would be introduced to the game on some island. They can be transported to the mainland by player-made boats. If someone gets "killed", they have to wait 1 month to register again. People could register again immediately if they are on the tutorial island and have never been off it. Players would not be able to walk through each other.

Players could band together to avoid being killed by random people. The bands could try to get a permanent territory on the mainland by driving everybody else off. Players would only be able to communicate by voice or writing. This could lead to rebel bands trying to cut off communication between different parts of a country.

Each player would have a technology rating and a skill rating for different things. Skills must be trained, while technology can be researched. Players can also give other players technology without losing any technology themselves (takes time, but much less than it takes to research it, and only if the player has a higher technology rating for that thing). Players would need skills to make things.

[turin]

The main problem is that most people would try the game, die in their first two hours, and then, being irritated that they cannot start over immediately with little setback, never try the game again. The 'tutorial island' would have to be rather extensive, enough so that players would spend considerable time there learning to play the game before being forced to leave (by lack of stuff to do).

But I like the basic idea of removing the normal MMORPG instant respawning, rather minor consequences for death.

My question is, how would the "bands of people" organize themselves? It seems rather informal, which is good in some ways, but bad in others.

Here's a similar idea I've had, which has much more formalized alliances of players. Firstly, characters begin as children, and age, and then die; life span of a character would be probably 1-3 months (each day represents a year, or maybe a season). Characters are able to marry, thus making alliances between families, and reproduce, thus securing their survival in the game.

When the player dies (for whatever reason) he takes over the life of the (up to this point NPC) offspring. He could also invite others to join his "family", and they would take over the bodies of his younger children (the eldest son is reserved for the original 'husband' player, the eldest daughter for the 'wife' player).

(BTW, players cannot join the game, they must be invited.)

If a player's entire line is killed off, he has to be reinvited to join another clan, and he loses all seniority he has gained himself (because as far as the game knows he's not the same person).

One problem with this, of course, is that it makes explicit the difference between male and female characters in-game (other than that female characters get to wear a steel bikini and still be considered to be fully armored ), and female characters would be at a disadvantage because they would essentially be breeding machines.

Though, if a life-span is only 1-3 months, it would only take one-two days, max, to create a new child, so the mother character would just have to log off for a few days, and when they come back, they have another child. They'd have to do this at least twice to ensure both players' survival in the game, and more if they want to invite more players to join. So it wouldn't be that bad.

[Kestenvarn]

I've considered the lineage respawn method before too, Turin, near to what you described. It's an interesting idea.

Overseeing the development of the NPC offspring might be rather entertaining...

[eyu100]

The main problem is that most people would try the game, die in their first two hours, and then, being irritated that they cannot start over immediately with little setback, never try the game again.

My question is, how would the "bands of people" organize themselves? It seems rather informal, which is good in some ways, but bad in others.

Well, you could let newbies register again immediately (you could get off the island immediately if you wanted to). I want to make controlling the ships around the island a good thing for a country that wants to grow.

Groups of people would settle down on the mainland and build some farms (you need food to survive, this makes food something you can always sell and money something you always need). They would try to recruit people and set up a government. The countries should be kept informal because rebel bands would have a (wierd) status.

Also, the death system is also for law enforcement (you can threaten to kill somebody if they resist arrest). It also lets you coerce information from others. Countries can also fight wars and be overthrown by a rebel band.

[Darn Penguin]

I've considered the lineage respawn method before too, Turin, near to what you described. It's an interesting idea.

Overseeing the development of the NPC offspring might be rather entertaining...

I remember reading about a MMORPG just like that before around New Year's Y2K, except reproduction was asexual, so you could pop out offspring on your own and wouldn't have to worry about what gender it turned out being.

In case you haven't guessed, the characters you played as were far from human.

[Ranger M]

Turin, have you ever seen this? It's almost exactly like what you said, but no invite.

[turin]

Turin, have you ever seen this? It's almost exactly like what you said, but no invite.

I have not - but yeah, it looks somewhat similar to my idea. Cool. Too bad they don't have a playable demo yet.

[Cuyo Quiz]

"Your eldest son broke a relic being transported out of the monastery. He will be taken by the monks to be raised and realize a pilgrimage to redeem himself".

"Your eldest daughter wants to marry a town free lance, and requests a dowry:

a. Comply
b. Deny
c. Kick the casanova's ass"

Sounds spiffy.

[Kestenvarn]

Turin, have you ever seen this? It's almost exactly like what you said, but no invite.

I have not - but yeah, it looks somewhat similar to my idea. Cool. Too bad they don't have a playable demo yet.

Hmm, that has a few features I've thought would be pretty cool to have in a game. (Especially the Legacy mechanic replacing the Resurrection mechanic.)

I'll have to keep an eye on this.

[turin]

"Your eldest son broke a relic being transported out of the monastery. He will be taken by the monks to be raised and realize a pilgrimage to redeem himself".

"Your eldest daughter wants to marry a town free lance, and requests a dowry:

a. Comply
b. Deny
c. Kick the casanova's ass"

Sounds spiffy.

EXACTLY. I would SO want to play that game.

[eyu100]

My idea is like Genesis, but what people can do is restricted far less. Also, it has "countries" and is more realistic.

[kshinji]

.

[Jastiv]

I think part of the problem with game designers in general, is, instead of thinking of a game they want to play, they always think of some tedious thing to torment the players.

Several things I think programers and game designers in general tend to forget is

1) players are more easily flustrated than you.
2) players get bored faster than you.
3) players are far more creative than you.

[Dave]

Several things I think programers and game designers in general tend to forget is

1) players are more easily flustrated than you.

Yes.

2) players get bored faster than you.

Yes.

3) players are far more creative than you.

No.

It is common for players to think they are more creative than game designers, but they rarely are.

[Drake Blademaster]

Players may have some good ideas, and there may be the occasional exception to #3 being wrong, but the devs made the game. They had the right ideas, and were creating a complex and interesting games while you were cooling your heels doing nothing in particular. (No offense, I was cooling my heels too.)