I'll fill this post with information, bit by bit, as the pieces resurface (and I have time to write it down). I'd be happy to get some feedback from you guys (but I'll finish it if I don't get any. You have no chance to survive. Make your time).
1. Introduction
---1.1 Genre
---1.2 Platform
------1.21 Specs
---1.3 Targeted Audience
---1.4 Background, name etc... (fluff)
2. System
---2.1 Character management
------2.11 Creation
---------2.111 New game
---------2.112 Recruit
------2.12 Free Exp Buy (FEB) system
---2.2 Group management
------2.21 Guilds
---------2.211 Guild traits
------------2.2111 The base
---------2.212 Moral
---2.3 Loot management
------2.31 The dungeon
---------2.311 Crawling
---------2.312 Building
---2.4 Crafting
------2.41 Items
------2.42 Spells(?)
2.5 Gameplay
---2.51 Skills and Stats
------2.511 Combat Skills
---------2.5111 Equipment system
---------2.5112 Magic System
------2.512 Trick Skills
------2.513 Crafting skills
------2.514 Minigames
1. Introduction
---1.1 Genre
MMO RPG/Strategy/Management. Its an FF Tactics like RPG, with some Suikoden and X-com in it (base building) and a hefty bit of Dungeon Keeper (... I won't spoil this, but you can probably guess). Probably fantasy/steampunk setting. In this game you control guilds/clans/whatever the hell you name your organized group of mass murderers.
---1.2 Platform
I was thinking DS and/or Wii, maybe even dual platform (crystal chronicles anyone?), and the oh so classic PC (mac?). The Touchscreen and the wii's motion sensor can be utilized in minigames (see later... much later) in the same manner, however, the second screen of the DS can be used for maps, stats etc, without clouding the playing field with data, so it would be the platform I'd prefer. Also, WiFi.
------1.21 Specs
I've imagined the in-game graphics should be mostly like Ragnarok online. Basically, sprite characters/enemies, within a 3d world. Menu = FF (Blue with white borders), for nostalgic value, and/or (probably and) customizable. Nothing special.
---1.3 Targeted Audience
Geeks like me, who enjoy numbers, theory crafting, and strategic party building more than OMGWTFIMBAHAXORSWORDOF1337I\I355, that gives 20 to all stats, immunity to magic and casts armageddon whenever you attack. And it can be dual wielded. Also, everyone can get it after a 200+ grind to complete a silly quest, or paying farmers. There will be strong weapons, but not of this nature.
---1.4 Background, name etc... (fluff)
Ah yes... some fantasy world much like DnD (bit more advanced; basic machinery, such as steam engine and guns should be OK). Group of adventurers... do something. In a group. Duh. I don't really care, its not like people play an MMO for its story.
2 System
The system can be split into 3 greater parts:
1. Characters: Your tools to achieve... whatever you want.
2. Guild: The organization that takes care of your character issues. Too bad it only consists of your starting chars, and a HQ with 4 beds... in the start.
3. Dungeon: the donjon doesn't have to be an underground maze. It can be fortress, a thick forest, a swamp, anything. The point is that there is treasure in there, and it belongs to someone else. Except if its YOUR dungeon.
--- 2.1Character management
------Creation
---------New game
You get a set amount of exp that you can create your characters from. Unlike the exp you get later, this is freely used, so you can get one strong char, or more less powerful guys. The characters you create can be any of the starting races, but no beast races.
---------Recruit
there are two ways:
1) you "make" a new character. Based on how high (and detailed) the specs are, you'll have to wait for a participant to join your guild (or if you are lucky, you might snatch someone who got fired, or left his guild rare occasion though). Again, no monster races.
2) You capture an enemy, be it human or (here comes the good part) anything else. Then you can "convince" him/her to join you. Unintelligent beasts (manticore) need trainer, food offered, etc. The educated ones... While its tempting to get a dragon in your party, you'd have to capture him, convince him that your goals don't crash, and THEN, you'll probably have to pay him a fortune. Every day. This part of the system will be using the same moral value (see later) as normal guild members, but the moral of the one you captured is in -200%. You can put him into the party once it reaches 50% (and even then, there is a chance that he'll simply refuse to help). The captives can be used for other things, but that comes later...
------2.12 Free Exp Buy (FEB) system
Originally I've wanted a class/job system, with DnD base classes, but... how about this: There are no levels. No classes. You use XP to buy higher stats, and skills. How many XP it costs, depends on the stat/skill you are about to buy. Obviously, there is a skill tree, and you might need some items (for example: you need a sword to learn how to use it) or a tutor (to show the basics of something...), but what you learn is up to you. XP is meant to represent the experience you gain while traveling; while this is still not perfect to model learning, its at least a bit better. Its also has a lot more freedom, but it can be controlled by restrictions and a clever skill tree.
---2.2 Group management
Similar to a tactical RPG, you are in control of more than one people. Unless you use only one uber-char, which the stat-skill system WILL discourage. You have to put together a party. Preferably a party that can solve most of its problems. However, adventuring is not only crawling in dungeons. You have to get equipment. You have to get sleep. You have to recover. And you might need help with some task that is impossible for you at the moment. Not to mention you have to store the loot somewhere.
------2.21 Guilds
---------2.211 Guild traits
The guild you create decides the strengths and weaknesses of your group. Well, what strength/weakness they should have anyway. You have to choose a terrain for your base, that will have effects on how much the buildings you raise will cost. And also, how well different species feel in the base. An elf probably likes a forest, and he will have some qualms about living underground. Next to the his dark skinned bruddas. You can also choose an occupation for the guild, such as mercenary, assassin, thief, etc.. that'll draw people with different talents to your base. In other words, an "assassin base" can get a poison brewer, or a "knights order" a smith faster, then say, a "thief guild" a healer. You can train a smith everywhere though, so its more of a... guideline.
------------2.2111 The base
This is where your chars hang out when they are not crawling (a dungeon, I mean a dungeon!), and do... stuff. Other then the ultimate power (rare items...), the only thing that defines your base (similar to how XP does your chars) is gold. You can (or rather HAVE to) add attachment rooms to the base, then form them into something that you need. A blacksmith, a magicians library, training grounds, bakery, another living room, a small shrine, torture chamber, whatever you (and the developers) have in mind. Oh, and lets not forget the treasure vault accompanied by the dungeon. To build/upgrade you'll need someone who has the required skill to use the place (you need someone with the blacksmithlvl1 skill to build a place where he can work). The buildings can be used for various purposes as you would have guessed.
Basically, the base works as a character with an own skill tree, that requires a certain set of skills from your real chars.
---------2.212 Moral
The moral of your group is a dynamically changing value. How it changes, and what it determines depends on your group, and your members. This is based on the alignment system of DnD. When you form your clan (you start a new game), you have to choose an alignment by pairing Chaotic-Lawful-Neutral with Evil-Good-Neutral.
Chaotic: More effected by moral ("Oh yeah? Well I don't feel like it!")
Lawful: Less effected by moral ("As you wish, my liege")
Neutral: Normally affected by moral
Good: "Good" actions raise moral, "Bad" actions destroy it.
Evil: "Bad" actions raise moral, "Good" actions destroy it.
Neutral: Unaffected by "Good" or "Bad"
Moral is also effected by many other factors, such as the comfort of your chars (depends on how developed the base is), how are they thinking about each other (dark elves might like the company of elves... in the torture chamber, next to the sacrificial altar), and what acts they perform while adventuring.
Good moral is important, as it boosts the performance of your chars. And bad moral might make them quit (and take their part of the treasure with them).
---2.3 Loot management
This, ladies and gentlemen, this is the heart of the game.
Step 1: Get loot
Step 2: Hide it
Step 3: Get the loot of others who hid it not as good as you
Step 4: Try not to let anyone do the same to you.
---------2.311 Crawling
You go to a dungeon and fight yourself to the room with the poorly locked (and lethally booby trapped) treasure chest, using your party of adventurers, while getting exp for doing ...stuff.
You have 3 choices:
1. Random dungeon: You get a a randomly generated dungeon you can crawl, looting monsters, etc...
2. Player Dungeon: Loot another players dungeon. A lot riskier, for a lot more rewards.
3. Clan dungeon: You descend into your own private little dungeon. This is actually a reverse dungeon crawling, since you have to get to the treasure room, to place treasures in safety. However, you know where the traps are, which button you need to push, or there just might be a secret room that teleports you right to the chamber (hidden doesn't mean that its impossible to find though... so thats a bit risky).
---------2.312 Building
You have to build a dungeon, unless you want to get yourself looted by everyone. What parts you can use is up to how advanced your base/chars with building skills is.
But be prepared that you have to get down there if you want to place/use your well earned loot, so if you make it impossible to be beaten... that sucks.
The only resource when building a dungeon (aside from required items and skills for traps and other machinery) is work. Obviously, when someone is working on a dungeon, he can't be put into your party.
---2.4 Crafting
Powerful items won't pop out of dragons in this RPG. You'll have to craft your imba items/spells yourself, using base items/spells, and combining them with components, that monsters drop. However, you'll need a trained craftsman (smith, enchanter etc.) to do that, and a place (smith, lab etc.) he can work at.
Gameplay
Mess of ideas aka "The perfect MMO"
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YOU STEAL MY IDEAZORZ (sort of) OMG!
But I love unhealthy competition. So bring it on :3.
But I love unhealthy competition. So bring it on :3.
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Well, for DS, you can make something called homebrew.
Homebrew is just a fancy name for self-made games. You'll need a flash-card or a really rare network card (so you can use that download demo thingy on your ds) to run it.
As for the Wii, homebrew is on the way. But, it has a browser, so you could make a fullscreen page that has a very large flash game.
Homebrew is just a fancy name for self-made games. You'll need a flash-card or a really rare network card (so you can use that download demo thingy on your ds) to run it.
As for the Wii, homebrew is on the way. But, it has a browser, so you could make a fullscreen page that has a very large flash game.
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Well then, it would be very hard to obtain this game, wouldn't it?
Shouldn't we just try to make it on a webpage, like runescape?
Shouldn't we just try to make it on a webpage, like runescape?
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Hmmm...
Well, it says that most Homebrews are for earlier systems, so they are easier to work with. I'd say that making one for such a new game system such as a DS or Wii would be incredibly difficult.
Well, it says that most Homebrews are for earlier systems, so they are easier to work with. I'd say that making one for such a new game system such as a DS or Wii would be incredibly difficult.
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Quote (ZeroSaber)
Hmmm...
Well, it says that most Homebrews are for earlier systems, so they are easier to work with. I'd say that making one for such a new game system such as a DS or Wii would be incredibly difficult.
I've made homebrew for the DS.
It is a lot easier to make for new systems than old systems. I looked into homebrew for the NES, and I gave up. Heck, that looked hard >>
Stuff become better with time, not worse. Just because you have more possibilities for gfx and such, doesn't mean that the making of the game itself will be harder. You don't have to use the full capabilities always.
