All Names Taken

I think I'd like to see the chins alittle less square and more rounded, and the right arms (well, on our left) stretch out from the bodies abit to far (Also the 1 pixel width part of the dagger I think will look abit odd like the blade is 'hovering' when made to a smaller scale). Other than that they are quite good and simple for the style.

 

I think the main thing to keep in mind with class trees is to try and make each path a viable option, in similar games players get frustrated if they spend 50 levels working towards Paladin only to find out Paladin is inferior to Spellsword. The obvious conundrum is you also want to make each path different enough to each other to have players want to try new combinations each game.

Coordinate a network of spies? Tell your military where to go and who to conquer? Maybe you could do a Medieval style system of power, marry off your sons and daughters to form political alliances type of thing. Hobnob with diplomats of foreign/alien powers? Shoot lightning at people?

I hadn't thought of that ... and although maybe not as complex as you are suggesting, event based trade options would be neat ... possibly with the option to plant agents on other worlds/rival colonies to get the dirt on them.

 

I may disappoint but I wasn't planning on going with alien races (just alien animals and such) at least not to begin with, I thought I'd resign that to possible future expansion. There is an alien presence in the form of the aforementioned relics as well as archeological artifacts which are the long forgotten debris of ancient alien technology that will act as a source of conflict and competition as they can unlock powerful research options (such as shields, anti-gravity, teleportation, deathrays, etc, etc), 

So as alittle side idea I was roughing out my thoughts on a game about establishing productive colonies on different planets. A mix of Outpost/Fragile Allegiance with the likes of such things as Anno, Tropico, Patrician and Industry Giant.

 

In a way I saw it as the opposite to elite, rather than being the spaceship that buys X at one planet and sells to another your the actual planet trying to establish a viable trade system for your corporate overlords (and I thought of elements like you can buy ships and send them off to other planets to buy or sell, but much less directly controlled).

 

So I was trying to think different resources and commodities that could be produced on varying planets and was wondering if you guys had any ideas?

 

These are some of my ideas so far.

 

Building Goods

Alloy - Generic metal stuff.

Polymer - All purpose material made from just about anything broken down and remade into polymers.

Energy - From power plants.

Equipment? - Maybe something like Anno's tools? Or maybe it will just be a luxury good.

 

Life Support Goods

Food

Water

Air/Oxygen?

 

Luxury Goods

Liquor

Textiles

Perfumes

Spices

Caffeine

Furs/Hides

Lumber

Pharmaceuticals

Robot Servants?

Holovids?

Nanite Thingies?

 

Industrial Goods

Space Fuel?

Isotopes

Livestock

 

Illegal Goods

Narcotics

Exotic Lifeforms

Alien Relics

Slaves?

Clones?

 

What else could I do and how might they be produced?

Brigandine!

 

This was leather armour with sewn in metal plates (or some armour expert can correct me).

 

Obsidian?

Skeletal?

Demon? (Maybe you have an actual demon skinned into a sort of armour, with still gnashing snarling teeth and whatnot + snarky commentary if thats your cup of tea).

The other topic that comes to mind that can dampen fun is PVP

 

For that statement, I feel you should be reminded that for some people it can dampen the fun; for others, it is literally the only reason the buy/install the game.

 

Well as I mentioned it can be a dampening also if it is omitted due to its weaknesses ... unless your saying for some the draw is to grief, in which case I personally would have say they aren't the ones I want in my playerbase anyway. I was more thinking of how to have a system of PVP that rewards fun challenging combat between players and punishing abusive behavior.

 

AltarofScience: As far as competition I see your point, I've never really liked the idea of fanatical hardcore competition and rather versus situations between players is aimed more towards fun, although I know by its very nature some competition is always going to arise.

Not for any planned game as of yet, but I've been hitting up a few MMORPG's recently including my first, Everquest as well as reading various posts here on MMO design.

 

One of the main draws of an RPG I believe is a sense of reward and progress ... doing what the game wants you to do rewards you with some form of 'experience points' which make your character stronger, tougher. As well as earning money to buy new and better equipment (or being rewarded with equipment itself). Part of this reward is being able to venture further afield and fight deadly monsters.

 

Personally I feel this falls down when you bring the 'MMO' part to the party. Friends can out level you and you wont be able to play with them in the newest dungeon because your to weak ... or on the flipside your waiting for your friends to progress to join you. Than there is the idea of PVP, the more powerful player can run around ganking weaker ones with little threat from them.

 

So I suppose what I'm looking for is a 'Have your cake and eat it to' solution. Is there a form of progression that keeps players at least on an even footing while stilling letting them feel like they are progressing? So at level 5 you can play with your level 15 buddy and both have a fun and exciting time without certain threat of death due to being low level. Or that ten or so level 1's CAN fight off a level 30 player.

 

The other topic that comes to mind that can dampen fun is PVP ... either you have it and a few ruin it for everyone because all they do is gank the helpless singing trololololo all the way or PVP is removed because of this leaving those who legitimately want to have proper battles with other players out to dry. So wondered if there was a middle ground, fighting territorial battles for power and glory is promoted while "pwning n00b3" who are happily making elf cookies is punished?

 

I guess this is a very old horse of a topic, but I wanted to see what people thought these days on it? Can you have open world game, PVP, mechanically rewarding RPG gameplay and level player footing? Or is this the unreachable dream?

Sorry yes, certain combinations will be forbidden (or possibly result in a 'magical backlash' when one attempts to create them).

What is the product of necromancy, wall, multiple? I have difficulty understanding what configurations are valid.

Good point (and apologies if this was a repetitive topic.

• a brutal turn-to-wood attack (instantly lethal?) with "Imbue" execution (and optionally the "Infect" enhancement to lignify multiple people)

Actually that one would just turn their weapon into a bush, bushes grow where arrows land maybe? ... okay yeah that one probably will be an invalid combination.

• a dangerous bombardment of bushes with Falling and Multiple

Although amusing I imagine it more creating projectiles of green energy that fall to the ground where bushes than grow.

• a straightforward (but even sillier) attack with Projectile and Seek

Ditto, green energy flies out and if it hits a valid target (say, ground) it grows a bush. Oops, missed the seek part, yeah thats would be another spell that just doesn't combine.

• completely useless with the Instant execution (the bush disappears before anyone can pick the healing fruit).

Supposedly, depending how quickly the 'bush' lasts. Or it can be cast towards an ally who collects the fruit.

But yes I admit my post was abit slap-dash and the system in mind is very much just rough on paper and some spell ideas will likely be cut. As mentioned a table of valid combinations is planned but I was hoping to collect a few more ideas on spell effects to build such a table and determine the visual of spells (as obviously I have very different visuals from what others take from my post).

In a sandbox fantasy game I've wanted to include a system of spell making which allows the player to create new spells. I felt things like effect/duration sliders seemed to take one out of the experience alittle so I had the follow idea.

Spells are made up of runes, these runes can be found around the world and when combined in a certain order create a new spell. Each rune has a property of a spell attached to it and runes come under three (iterative) categories.

Effects
The core element of the spell, what it does, be it light things on fire, heal, put them to sleep.

Execution
How the spell is delivered, does it shot out as a fireball, rain down from the heavens, etc.

Enhance
Makes the spell last longer, increases the potency of the effect.

All spells need an effect and most need an execution. The effects are further split into the six Arts of magic which a player invests their points into, Arcane, Dark, Elemental, Mystical, Primal, Spiritual. So I'm trying to think of runes mostly for effects and which art they fall under, so I was hoping you guys could give me some ideas.

EFFECT RUNES

Arcane (Magic of time and space)
Warp: Target instantly travels to a nearby location.
Teleport: Target can be moved to a location chosen on the map.
Portal: Has two functions, sets a location for a portal or creates a portal linking to a previously set location.

Dark (Magic of death and evil)
Raise Undead: Creates a servile undead creature (may have many sub varieties like Raise Zombie, Raise Skeleton).
Necromancy: Cast on a corpse creates a subservient spirit that can directly aid or bestow information.
Health Drain: Targets health is transferred to the caster.
Mana Drain: Targets mana is transferred to the caster.
Curse: Target becomes hindered/debuffed in some way.
Summoning: Summons a demonic creature to fight for the caster (again may have varieties of demons).

Elemental (Magic of Fire, Ice and Thunder) Maybe earth, water and wind too.
Fire: Creates damaging flames.
Cold: Creates damaging ice.
Lightning: Creates damaging electricity.

Mystic (Magic of the Mind)
Sleep: Target falls asleep until awoken.
Berserk: Target will turn on foe in a frenzied attack, but will turn on the caster once finished with them.
Peace: Target loses its aggressive tendencies for the time being.
Charm: Target instantly likes you and will be more responsive in conversation and such, but may become angry when effect wears off.
Control: Target is at the casters command and will act as an obedient ally as long as the effect lasts.
Paralyze: Target can't move until effects wear off.
Phantasm: A ghostly duplicate of the target is created who will help the caster.

Primal (Magic of the Wild)
Entangle: Creates entangling thorny growth.
Ambrosia: Creates a small bush of healing fruit.
Swarm: A magical swarm of insects chases after enemies of the caster.
Shape-shift: Caster/Target becomes a half man(woman) half animal creature (varieties may include wolf, bear, panther and possibly rat, hawk, shark and others).
Polymorph: Caster chooses an initial 'animal' target which is unaffected, the next target of the spell is transformed into that animal for a time.

Spiritual (Magic of the Gods)
Heal: Target recovers health.
Bless: Target becomes enhanced/buffed.
Exorcism: Undead/Demon targets are harmed/debuffed.

EXECUTION RUNES
No Rune: Effect occurs to an adjacent target or caster themselves. (e.g. Healing hand type spell, melee shock)
Projectile: Effect travels a direct path until it collides with a target. (e.g. bolt of fire)
Instant: Effect occurs instantaneously on the target in the casters sights. (e.g. freezing a target on the spot)
Falling: Effect falls from the sky towards a target. (e.g. a rain of fire)
Wave: Effect spreads out as it travels (shotgun effect).
Beam: Effect travels along a direct path passing through targets till it reaches the extent of its range (e.g. dragon breath/flamethrower).
Pillar: Effect forms a column rising to the sky.
Wall: Effect forms a horizontal wall.
Aura: Effect all within a proximity to caster.
Resist: Target becomes protected from effect.
Imbue: Targets items will produce the effect (e.g. sword with electricity, arrows have an ice effect).

ENHANCEMENT RUNES
Empower: Effect is more potent.
Constance: Effects duration is extended.
Blast: Effect spreads over an area from where it connects on target.
Multiple: Spell happens several times (e.g. volley of ice shards)
Seek: Spell will veer towards its target.
Infect: The effect will spread to others nearby.

So yes, some are more filled out than others so any ideas for spell effects would be great.

I enjoyed Morrowind's. I also enjoy how Morrowind let's you skip the minigame, and just do it as chance-based.

Thief 1 & 2's was fun, particularly because it was completely in-game, and not some pop-up screen.

Morrowind didn't have a minigame did it? It was just use lockpick on lock and it determined if you could or not?

Wasn't there one game where Superman's "health" was Metropolis' ... the more the city is destroyed the closer you come to failure.

But than one of the things I find fun is when superman fought foes that could harm him, Metallo, Doomsday, etc. I remember one idea suggested while discussing such was simply to have a superman game as a series of epic boss fights against foes who could harm him.

Or perhaps rather than health you have a sort of ... morality system ... Superman is all about doing whats right with near limitless power, so what should harm him is failure to do things right (letting that plane crash) or worse, doing whats wrong (killing a bystander or even a villain).

I also disagree that Superman can't have puzzle solving gameplay ... I think it should all be about how he rescues people (or hinders badguys) ... use ice breath on this burning building, use heat vision to drop this girder in the robbers path (but not on them) ... keep track of everyone with x-ray vision.

The last option seems the best choice to me, one its a lot less work as you don't have create all that back-story development and secondly allows players to very much make up their own back-story and make the playable character very much their own, being in their shoes.

Perhaps throughout the game the player gets asked questions and can build up back-story via dialogue choices and create back-story progressively, a certain set of answer maybe generates that the player's character is of noble birth and unlocks a quest line based around their lineage, or another set will go with that your an outlaw who might have a bounty hunter turn up after them. Not sure if I'm explaining it right, basically as the story progresses the choices the player chooses to reveal about their past unlocks new story elements/quest-lines.

If you can however make multiple 'good paths' and multiple 'evil paths' ... one thing I hate in morale choice games is when there is only one way to do each according to someone elses philosophy of good and evil (i.e. KOTOR's 'be a sociopathic jerk' to become evil route).

Been ages since I posted but I'm still sketching out thoughts and ideas on a game idea I'd love to make someday. For a general idea of it, it is an open world fantasy RPG in the vein of the Elder Scrolls/Dragons Dogma and such titles. Each world being procedurally generated when you start a new game and than procedurally generating quests and content as play progresses.

Big bright eyed ideas I know, but anyway ... one of the things people often request is that they wish to meet people on their journey, merchants travelling the roads .... bandits migrating to good picking grounds, refugees fleeing battles, other adventurers, etc etc. The problem mentioned is it would be near impossible to keep all areas loaded and tracking the individual NPC's within them.

This lead me to an idea and wonder how workable it might be to you guys. The immediate region (think of Minecraft 'chunks') are loaded around the player to varying degrees, I'll call this the 'Adventure Environment', its where you run, fight, ride, talk to NPC's and fall off waterfalls and what not. In addition the game generates what I'll call the 'World Environment' which does a number of things ... one it provides a guide of what areas will be that haven't generated in the Adventure Environment, secondly it could also act as the world map ... and thirdly hidden behind the scenes for the most part it will track important 'parties' in the world ... rather than fully generate everything about these parties it will be more like 'Douglas the Brave + 6 Retainers + 2 Priests + 1 Misc: Diplomatic Mission to Y,X: Currently at Y,X). Douglas and his party are than only generated as individual entities when they are in the same Adventure Environ as the player.

Leading on from this is the idea of 'becoming King/Queen' and beginning to play more of a civ game ... at which point some of these map entities become visible, you send a merchant caravan to the Kingdom of Jix and you can see its progress across the overworld map. In a way I imagine it abit like a simplified version of civilization or Total Wars turnbased mode or somewhat like Mount and Blades overworld map but occuring as you events take place during your adventures in the world.

Ambitious but I was curious if this might be a good way to pull off the world being 'lively' and things happening outside of the players immediate scope.

Edit: As an extra, if anyones ever played the failed Lords of Midnight 3 that may also give an idea of what I'm thinking.

I was considering for a fantasy RPG you can only save via Inns or by Camping .... so need to be in safety first, sort of akin to save spots I suppose.

Some more background would be good to best help you out, what sort of setting is the game in, what sides are fighting?

Other than that a few ideas crop up how it can be added to game play:

- Conserving a resource (lets say a forest) provides you with resource X, which is needed for Y class units, structures and special abilities ... as long as the forest stands it generates a slow amount of X over time, alternatively you can chop the forest down for resource Z which cuts off your access to Y class stuff but is quicker and more profitable.

- Mining/Harvesting leaves the area (or surrounding area) barren/polluted and units slowly take damage when in these areas. Alternatively units themselves pollute the area as they pass through, destroying natural resources, making small attack groups best.

- The doomsday countdown ... not sure how this would work in multiple missions, in my mind its more of a single multiplayer game mechanic. The more resources you harvest the closer you come to doomsday, the more resources you expend to conserve the environment you start to get further away from doomsday ... if either player consumes to much than everything dies ... think of it sort of like the Global Warming thing in Civilization.