Original Post
Hi there, I am an aspiring designer who is designing an MMORPG- I know what you are thinking and I will explain my ideas in a little more detail below. Anyways, I'm looking for an experienced PHP developer who has preferably completed a MUD before in helping me prototype my design. Applicants would be preferably angry at the slew of copy-cat/lackluster MMORPGs that are an affront to both the MMO and the RPG genres. Applicants would preferably be self-starters who have a passion for games and game development. Applicants will not be paid for their work. I have no guarantee of pay and I do not promise financial success after project completion. Applicants should be applying out of passion for game making. Once a candidate is chosen, he/she will be developing the game directly from my design document, and would be doing it alone. Once the project enters testing stages, the chosen developer would be working closely with a team of Game Masters and me in order to take the feedback from players and implementing it into design revisions. The prototype itself would of course turn into a project of its own, and I will pay for all costs. I also have experience with PHP and web development, so the project can begin immediately with only two people. Applicants, please apply to pin@twilightriot.com with a description of yourself and your PHP developing experience. So now you are thinking, what makes you think your MMORPG idea is any different than the slew of others I find on these very forums every day? Well, to begin with, its more than an idea. I have moved forward with the design document, I have done the research on MMORPG design, and I have talked to more people than I can count about their perspectives. As a designer I recognize the challenges presented to MMORPG developers and intend to face them head on. I recognize the need to balance a web of variables, a need to develop a game resting on solid philisophical foundations that make sense. I recognize the qualities of both MMOGs and RPGs that attract players, and I recognize those qualities which repel players as well. To show you I'm serious, here I'll list the key design concepts that my design rests upon:
Quote:[Edited by - PinFX on July 8, 2004 9:09:00 AM]
Dynamic and Meaningful Gameplay Dynamic gameplay is the key behind making WuXia an interesting and lasting experience. A player is provided with a set of skills, and with these skills the player can make decisions and act. Through actions, a player directly affects his/her character and the game world in a meaningful way. For example, because monsters do not “spawn” but are rather generated by planned GM events, killing a monster has more meaning behind it than simply “You have gained X points of experience.” Because of dynamic content, and because a player can develop a character’s range of skills and therefore range of choices, the decisions and situations presented to the player are constantly changing, and meaningful because they are unique. These concepts are reflected in systems such as combat, GM-quests and crafting. Balance, Player Freedom In a world where competition between thousands of players exists, and it is not possible for a single player to access all of the game’s content, a balance in game features is necessary. In some cases some aspects of a game or certain systems must be modified, not on the basis of their individual merits, but rather out of need to design holistically. That is, out of a need to balance a game’s features so a single feature is not exploited while other features are ignored, thus shrinking the amount of game content to players who wish to ‘progress’ as much as possible. A balance is necessary not only to avoid the exploitation of specific game features, but also to protect the freedom of players. Without balance, a player’s choices become less about what he/she wants to do, and more about what is ‘better’ for the character. The decisions and actions taken by players must carry with them meaningful effects on the world as well as the characters themselves in order to not overly discourage or encourage players from taking any single path. Realistic Character Restrictions Although it is necessary to balance a game, it is not always the case that actions taken to balance a game are beneficial in the long run. One way to avoid this, and a theme that is stressed throughout this document, is the concept of ‘realistic’ restrictions. To explain by example, a realistic restriction would be setting up social consequences for murdering another player (e.g. through a bounty system), an unrealistic restriction would be penalizing the offender with a direct intelligence modifier (representing murder as having a flaw in logic). Both methods implement a restriction on players and acts as a deterrent for them to commit rampant killing sprees, but the realistic restriction does so in a way that makes sense, and because it makes sense it is less likely to cause problems (i.e. murder is not necessarily representative of lack of intelligence). In many MMORPGs, it becomes necessary to place restrictions on players in order to maintain a balance; doing so realistically not only prevents future problems, but also makes sense to everyone, including the player. Permanence In a world that is dynamic in its nature, permanence becomes emphasized in different ways. To address and capitalize on this new perspective, certain systems are implemented to provide the player with a solid base that he/she can depend on over time. These organizations, establishments, character systems, etc. are what players in any MMORPG depend on, but become even more important due to the dynamic nature of WuXia. Furthermore, because nothing is truly permanent in the game world, a change in these systems may affect individual players in indirect but real ways. Using the concept of permanence, this design attempts to put emphasis on certain aspects as well as communicate to the player a philosophy about the state of order and chaos (and their options to strive for either). Shared & Limited Resources, Player Competition In most MMORPGs, monsters are the main resources, providing players with experience to advance their characters and ‘drops’ to equip them. As WuXia changes the role of monsters as re-spawning entities located in specific areas, it also removes infinite resources. Because all resources in WuXia are limited, the value of items, character skills and social connections are all raised because the ability to ‘power-level’ (or kill as many monsters in as short a time as possible) is no longer a big part of progressing a character. Sharing resources among players is the next step, by making more resources that are important but do not permanently attach to characters (i.e. experience, levels), players are encouraged to interact with each other because these resources can be shared or taken away. As players struggle to accumulate power, they will realize that they must step on the shoulders of others to truly gain more. Because of this, players are forced into conflict, and through this conflict alliances are formed. Death and the Value of Time Does death invalidate life? No, it defines it, and in this way gives it value. This value given to life by death is expressed through the importance of time. For instance, we like to be close to things we like, not because of distance, but because less distance means less time required in reaching those things we like. Everywhere time is an important part of measurement, if we never died then who would care about making 6 figures a year, when you would have all of eternity to make money. Without precedent, WuXia puts a huge emphasis on time in order to represent not only the reality of its value, but the influences of death as well. Open-ended Character Development (Really!), Character Development through Role-play WuXia employs a unique character development system that allows players to advance no matter what they choose to do. In the majority of MMORPGs, a player develops his/her character through a set of defined actions and in this way defines what he is capable of. Because of this, the concept of ‘leveling’ or ‘xp-ing’ is created. With an open-ended system for character development that does not assign power arbitrarily based on the ability of a player to ‘level’ efficiently, character development becomes a direct result of a player’s actions and decisions, thus making the game an RPG in the most basic sense. This philosophy of open-ended character development through role-play is the main conduit through which the themes of player freedom and choice are implemented. A Unique Setting A believable world is vital to the success of any game set in a fictional universe. However, it is important to draw the line between making a world ‘believable’ and making a world ‘realistic’. Although it is important to have elements in a world that players can relate to, and can view as ‘realistic’, the fantastical nature of a fictional setting is what draws many players to MMORPGs. Its in the details where choosing between interesting fantasy and believable realism that the delicate balancing act for making a perfect setting reveals itself. By focusing on interesting elements from the lore of several real-world cultures, and combining these elements with ‘realistic’ restrictions and game mechanics, WuXia capitalizes on the allure of fantasy while maintaining the believability of a world. Player-Defined Content Player-defined content can change gameplay while at the same time increasing its value. Content that can be created or modified by players gives characters more room to set themselves apart from others while also dynamically increasing the total amount of content itself. Using player-defined content, players can also be given an outlet to express their individuality. Throughout this document, various systems are outlined that utilize the concept of player-defined content, and the need to award players for creating quality content is stressed.