Game Attributes (RPG-like)

Are we to be limiting ourselves to game mechanics or just any general term that could describe the game.

Some of the following might be attributes:
the use of magic
the kind of interaction allowed between player and NPC
the types of goals the player must achieve
the setting

I remember that the main complaint about ganeres is that they were not well-defined. What would be considered an attribute? Are attributes separate from say, plot? Is ''the player goes around killing dragons'' an attribute?

I am so glad that Landfish is finally getting the respect he deserves.

It''s a weird idea I''ve come up with, but have been thinking about recently. You know how single-player games are, right? With storylines that move you along and such. Multi-player games are usually nothing like that. Usually a static world that doesn''t change with the same big boss guy being defeated by 5,000,000 people world-wide. I think that a non-static multiplayer game would be kinda cool. Imagine a multi-player game where the plot actually advances. It does complicate the designing, of course. Single-player games, the plot starts when you start the game. Multi-player games start when the first person starts playing. Some guy who shells out $50 may come in when the game is close to ending. Not a good idea?

Well, there would be alternatives. Like maybe the story resets after it gets to its conclusion, and all characters are reverted to as if they just entered the game. Or, maybe you design the game so that you (the designers) can design the next storyline while the first one is in progress. Sorta like having an online-DM. The only bad thing about that is, it means that a designer can''t exactly start designing the next game, you are stuck on that particular game. And what if you decide that you are done and want to move on? Those Joe Blows that spent $50 only to find out that there is no more storylines are going to be sore.

I don''t know, that is something that I''m not going to solve in 10 minutes, but I still think a non-static multiplayer online game would be very interesting. (Note I didn''t say RPG anywhere!! This idea could apply to anything)

-Blackstream

"See you later, I'm going to go grab a few Bytes. I'm so thirsty, I could drink a whole data stream."

To answer you, Blackstream, without going into the myriad difficulties involved, random story-lines.

I am so glad that Landfish is finally getting the respect he deserves.

Blackstream - check out one of those "How to Host a Murder" party kits.

Game elements that I just generally think are cool but under-discussed are:

Games that test for the player''s personality/ethics and conform themselves to these. Essentially, any game that asks the player: what do you like? and tries to give it to them.

Puzzles that involve manipulating a simulation of a physical system (e.g. sliding/twisting puzzles, many of the puzzles in Jewels of the Oracle). More generally, what type(s) of puzzle do(es) the game have

A plot-driven main game with strategy sub-games. (Or other kinds of sub-games, but I like strategy.) These sub-games have to significantly affect the resources that you get to use in the main game.

Great all... This is not just limited to game mechanics. It includes any aspect of ANYTHING that you would want in a game.

We''re on the right track

Well there are some mechanics things:

Murder-Based
Stat Maxing
Experience System
Skills system
etc..

-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft - Site:"The Philosophers' Stone of Programming Alchemy" - IOL
The future of RPGs - Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche
          

If this includes everything, why have a formal/(not-so-formal) list of attributes? You could do more of a back-cover (like on books)

This game is an intense thriller filled with murder and suspense . . .

In other words, what prevents these ''attributes'' from becoming a paragraph or two that describes the game? Or is that the point? Or are you looking for short, consice terms that are quickly picked up on?

Character-focused
Strategic warfare
New York Times bestseller . . . maybe not
party-based combat


Think outside the dodecahedron

Some attributes to ponder and develop:

Society building in multiplayer: players build and develop societies and organizations together which service and threaten other players'' societies and organizations. Players define the structure, hierarchy, rules, and laws of their organizations.

Multi-agent (NPC) communication and cooperation: Requires knowledge and how to use knowledge.

Random goal generation with random side-plots and sub-plots added to remove the template feel of the goals.

An AI game-moderator which may override and prevent unlucky events (like character death) if this is going to do nothing for the player''s enjoyment of the game. In other words, there are certain types of games where immersion and experience are more important than strictly testing the player''s ability to advance.

Detailed health and medical modeling of the character without boring the player with the details. In other words, a player may die of bleeding to death or severe head trauma.

Some possible scenarios that I believe should see more exposure include: (note these need not be cast within any game framework)

Alternative realities / alternative worlds. (sci-fi, but with little emphasis on space or high-tech)

Wild West: horses, guns, trains, outlaws, wanted posters, etc.

Forensic medicine: crime scene investigation, criminal profiling, etc.

Medical thrillers: Probing sinister medical plots, exposing patient testing, etc.

Technical thrillers: Genetic engineering, viruses, DNA manipulation, etc.

Hacking: Either networks, or highrise buildings, information attainment, extraction, etc.

Intrigue: Espionage, spying, intelligence operations, etc.

Political: Power hierarchies, organizations, etc. (see the first paragraph of this post).

The reason we want a list is because we want ideas that haven''t been thought of or implemented. If we just think of them as possible attributes to be put into games, then we are more likely to see them implemented. I agree with you though that attributes needn''t be defined, I just wanted ideas to tell the truth ... good ideas people

-Chris Bennett of Dwarfsoft - Site:"The Philosophers' Stone of Programming Alchemy" - IOL
The future of RPGs - Thanks to all the goblins over in our little Game Design Corner niche
          

Since killing a PC is usually not allowed on multiplayer online games, have 2 cases:

being killed by a PC - items are lost, player starts from scratch, or perhaps keeps levels, but the killer gets all items from the deceased.

being killed by a NPC - No items lose, no (or limited) penalties, just returned to a nearby town.

I would like to see a game in which the player is given a toolset and the ability to pick either a dungeon, town, etc., and create an X by Y area which the creators will connect to other areas, and then all players, once they have contributed to the world, may join in the fun. Players can get jobs, and such, but each player has a domain which they have created, where they may choose to start, or have even more control over. Also, having a player created story line could be fun. A power hungry guild, perhaps, in which the players become a part of the story. This way, an ending is not determined when the scenario starts, and a story can be begun at any time. Perhaps the guild takes power, murdering innocent people, or perhaps the guild is put down and the realm returns to peace. These events can be recorded on the website, with details as to who did what. This could make for a great roleplaying experience.

Also, I''d like to see an epic, first-person shooter, somewhat like Turok, except with towns and other elements found in RPGs. Perhaps a combination of Parasite Eve and Turok? It would have a huge world, and a great story line, of course.

Another idea I''ve had is having a racing game in which the player has nearly free roaming of a world full of roads. The player can set a distance or a path to travel, and the opponents then race in this setup. This could be really cool as an online game, as players can set up races and invite X people to race with them.

True greed driven economics systems. There have been numberous studies to show what makes things addictive, and one of the best of them, is the potential to get stuff, get stuff that others dont have. Now, in MMORPG''s and the like, alot of times it ends up being (for the vet players), a battle of who can achieve the greater level. Instead, provide the player with other ways to show off there actual in game wealth and such, through allowing them to buy space (on the server), build huge elaborate mantions, hire guards, enlist/place monsters they have purchased, exc. I am essentialy doing this already, but on an online MMORPG it would truely be awsome. You need things to show off, thats what keeps people at it.

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Original post by RichardMV
Also, I''d like to see an epic, first-person shooter, somewhat like Turok, except with towns and other elements found in RPGs. Perhaps a combination of Parasite Eve and Turok? It would have a huge world, and a great story line, of course.

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Ah, but are you sure you would really enjoy such a game? I personally don''t think it would flow very well. I think the point of this thread was to forget about genres. Let''s try to think of something new, instead of thinking about making the newest MMORPGRTSFPS.

Yes, I think I would like it. But the main reason I wanted to post was to ask if anyone saw the date on the original post, or even the one before mine. I just revived a very old forum! Now, lets see if Dwarfsoft comes back...

I''d also like to see a game using the Creatures engine, allowing the player to communicate with a town created Sim City style. I''d like to see a game in which the player is a sim in a growing sim town. I''d also like to see it done in a way that combines many sim games, for example, you can make a planet, a civilization for that planet, countries for that planet, cities for the countries, buildings for the cities, and people for the buildings. then you can become one of the people and interact with the world you have created by getting a job, buying stuff you can use, etc. Perhaps have a computer which can connect to your own where you can play games, a TV which connects to internet TV stations, a radio which connects to internet Radio stations, etc. This would bring a whole new dimension to computer gaming, but it would take so much computer power that I can''t see a game like that coming any time soon.

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I am enjoying this topic, so, I''ll give it a bump.

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