I am currently involved in a project where a large portion of the game will be set in a place called The Grid. This is like the internet, but you can walk around and talk to other people like you can in real life (If you have read TechnoGoths online book, its a bit like that). Now considering where its set, and considering its in an rpg, I am trying to think of clean ways to execute the grid world. So I would like to ask for input into the following areas: 1. Moving around the Grid: I originally thought of the sites on the grid as being like new towns in a typical rpg. Most rpgs give you an overworld map to move from place to place, but if your on the internet it doesn’t make much sense to have to *jog* from site to site. What would be a clean way of managing places you’ve been to, moving to places you want to be, and thinking of a rational reason why the main character cant access any of the other sites? 2. Currently one of the people who is in charge of the project has said that they would not really like the player to be able to visit places they have already been, as they feel it will detract from the story line. So, would you rather an RPG that, although a bit more linear, has a story that is always moving forward, or a game that you are roaming around the Grid visiting sites and talking to people ala final fantasy game style to move the story forward. I may post some more questions later, but I think this post is already long enough. Thanks all.

Please don''t take this negatively, but I think variants of this have already been done before, primarily in games such as the .hack series, and with that in mind, I could not help but immediately consider your project somewhat unoriginal. It is certainly an interesting idea in and of itself, but I do not think it reflects well on the developer that it is very similar to other games/stories.

The idea that is being used should still be origonal. The internet world is more of a backdrop than the purpose of the game (as it was in, say, shadowrun).

The ideas we have so far are focusing more on the characters IN this internet world, rather than a cyberpunk hacking game.

The .hack series also focuses on the characters in the world; it doesn''t have anything to do with cyberpunk hacking (that would be Shadowrun, as you mentioned). Again, I''m not trying to start trouble, I''m simply bringing this to your attention based on casual observation.

Dont worry zircon, no offence taken. I appreciate constructive criticism.

I dont suppose you have any links to .hack do you? I tried google but it dosnt seem to like the ''.'' sign.

I don''t have any offhand, unfortunately. Check on amazon.com or look for hack//sign or something along those lines..

Does it really frickin matter how original it is? NO IDEA is completely original. Let it go and focus on what frickin counts!

On the note of not visiting where you''ve been? dont do it. People want exploration. Maybe keep it linear for a bit but people hate leashes in such a huge world. How does the internet work right now? You type in an address and within that address is links that you may click to other addresses. Maybe in your world you could have people dial into the grid. Depending on where you dial into the grid determines your access rights to the grid and your opening portal.
From that portal it gives you a directory of sites to dial into from that grid point. If you want to keep players moving along the story the way you want them to either infect areas with viruses so they can''t go to them, or offer bonuses on links you want them to go to. Let the player go where he wants on the grid but only to areas that you open. Perhaps only a few sectors on the grid that would interfere with story progression could be closed to the player for most of the game. Some areas of the grid could be encrypted so that you can''t even exit that area. Or the evil agency that is after you(if there is one) could be sending viruses to lock your signal in one grid sector.

And with the clicking, came the ticking, of a page that was no more!
Quoth the browser: "404".

(God I love that)

Why don't you use a web-browser style interface? Have pages 'unavailable' when you don't want them in that part of the Grid?

[edited by - GroZZleR on March 28, 2004 8:29:06 PM]

why not do something like tron? like a real-world "interpretation" of the internet...maybe thats what you want to deliberately avoid?

Is this about the AI vs. Girl idea, or whatever? Thought that was a very cool project, but never got around to commenting. Its tough to comment when there are already 20+ posts on a thread.