Yet another MORPG... (with different approach)

[Ethnar]

I'd say professional game designers don't see such project profitable enough to bother. But you are right, issues you mentioned are rather difficult, complex and important.

I have some projection of how to solve those issues, but as I read your question I started to doubt if what I think would be actually enough.. I need to get a bigger picture if I want to move on.

Your last question is quite interesting, I must say, and I should definitely prepare such description. Seems to me that it may actually help me in building this concept, shaping it. Thanks for suggestion.

In case you are wondering, you actually made me doubt in accuracy of the whole concept. I need to deal with some questions now and determine what and if there should be a next step. Thanks again.

[Jetrel]

I bet most professional game designers would agree that making an interesting non-combat oriented MMORPG is one really tough game design challenge. At least so that it would attract and keep enough gamers to keep things rolling in-world.

Simply, you'd need to make the bread-and-butter of the game something other than "combat". Every game has some component to it that is its 'heart' of gameplay. Every game - and it seems to me to be sort of a law of game design that games are good if the heart of their gameplay is also good. If the heart of their gameplay sucks, it doesn't matter how much you prop the game up with art/content/etc.

For most games, this "heart" is fighting.
Other options include "building an RPG skill tree"
Building a pile of cash through trading.
Solving puzzles.
Acquiring items/property.
Building 'relationships' with simulated elements (be it diplomacy with countries, friendship with other characters, or the affection of some digital pet).

One example of an online MMO that would work great without any sort of fighting, would be "The Sims". Take Sims - except make it so that your sims aren't living in a community of generated-on-the-fly bots, but are living in a city/town/etc comprised entirely of other people's sims. Compete to see who can get their sims richest, and living in the most posh housing in town.

[Ethnar]

Thanks for some more input.

Jetryl, could you name another non-combat, online multiplayer game except for The Sims? This one is quite specific as it is quite a major title - there was already huge fanbase that allowed to assume The Sims Online will be a success.

List is quite interesting, looks good. I'd say that in my project stress is put in building community. Then next in line would be character development. Possessions are to be taken lightly - nothing you can ever get is eternal.


Well, using this occasion I'd like to thank again for the feedback, especially to Turuk and Zookeeper. This topic had rather big impact on this project really.
First of all - I thought about the system, mechanics and if the game will actually differ from combat oriented MMORPGs we see today. Next was the major issues Zookeeper raised - that was a though one, and I'm partially still working on this. But I gained some confidence that it can be solved (I had few things throughout my mind).
After all I decided that the only real way to push it forward is what Turuk suggested - making actual progress. I'm hoping to get it to early alpha (basic function, not many skills and items implemented - but fighting will be at the end of the journey).
The work already started.

Thanks guys, thanks again.

[JW]

List is quite interesting, looks good. I'd say that in my project stress is put in building community. Then next in line would be character development. Possessions are to be taken lightly - nothing you can ever get is eternal.

Building a community cannot alone be a driving force; the community has to be based around something. Character development...but what do they do? Possessions deteriorate...so why would someone want to stay?

[Ethnar]

Right, I forgot about exploring part. Exploring in both: land and knowledge (heavily connected to character development).

Let's just say this project is extremly experimental, can we?

[Turuk]

Well, using this occasion I'd like to thank again for the feedback, especially to Turuk and Zookeeper. This topic had rather big impact on this project really.
First of all - I thought about the system, mechanics and if the game will actually differ from combat oriented MMORPGs we see today. Next was the major issues Zookeeper raised - that was a though one, and I'm partially still working on this. But I gained some confidence that it can be solved (I had few things throughout my mind).
After all I decided that the only real way to push it forward is what Turuk suggested - making actual progress. I'm hoping to get it to early alpha (basic function, not many skills and items implemented - but fighting will be at the end of the journey).
The work already started.

Not a problem, glad to help. The important thing is that you put your ideas out there, accepted the comments and critique that people gave you, and are using that to funnel both your work ethic and to fine-tune your ideas. A number of people do a great deal more work than you did before asking for comments, and then find themselves stuck with a barely working game that no one particularly cares to play. So good luck on your work.