So I was looking over the discussion about game mechanics, and decided to play around with it a bit more. Out of coincidence, an old friend of mine from my days playing the Legend of The Green Dragon PHP game (Based on an even older BBS game I played) decided to send me an instant message to say hello. This gave me the crazy idea of merging the simple game design I had in mind with something a bit more interesting. So listed here is the second (more detailed) revision of the Feature Analysis.
Before I progress, however, I'd like to make a note. I have TONS of design ideas about MMORPG's, but I opt to keep the majority of them to myself, as it may be financially viable for me to create a game company in the near future, and MMO's are on the menu for probable projects. Understandably, I'd like to save my design ideas for the commercial product. As a result, I'm trying to make this engine/game as generic as possible, while still making it interesting to those following the Experiment.
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Feature Analysis; Draft 2.0
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Chat System
The Chat system will include "slash commands" in order to send conversation to the 'say', 'yell', 'whisper', and eventually 'party' channels. Additionally, there will be the ability to /join custom named channels. Once you've joined a channel you can use /<#> and / to converse with the channel you desire. Finally, /leave <#> or /leave will remove you from the channel, though you cannot leave the say, yell, whisper, or party channels. One last thing, conversation will always go to the last channel you spoke to by default. Using /command is only required to CHANGE who your conversation is directed at.
The Interface
The interface will consist of a main menu, a character sheet, a skills menu (which illustrates combinations for special abilities, etc...), an inventory, an area map, a quest log, and a crafting menu. This is in addition to the dialogs for conversing with NPC's, for dealing with special events, or for evaluating specific items, such as signs, etc...
Zone
There will be 1 zone, which will consist of a desert theme. The appearance of the theme will range from yellow, to brown, to red - (think Arizona/Nevada/New Mexico) Inside of the 1 zone there will be a single, randomly generated instance which will take the form of an ancient sunken pyramid, which has been covered in sand over the millennia, but has recently been uncovered. At the bottom of the Pyramid will be evil untold, and defeating such evil will earn you fame and recognition.
Races
There will be one race - Humanoid, with character customization consisting of physical build (height/weight), skin color, hair color, and eye color. There will not be customization in the form of hair style, or facial skeleton.
NPC's
There will be NPC's scattered across the map of various types, including:
Quest Dispensers - Yeah, gives quests
Class Trainers - Allows training of class skills when tests are passed
Profession Trainers - Allows learning to create new patterns and plans
Event NPC's - Unique
Bankers - Will allow you to withdraw/deposit items and cash into your bank
Merchants - Can buy/sell items of all types
Ability Scores
Strength - Determines how much damage your character does with medium & large melee weapons, and how much can be blocked with a shield.
Endurance - Determines your hit points, as well as your characters resistance to critical strikes
Focus - Determines how much damage/healing your character does with spells, as well as the amount of mana your character has
Agility - Determines how much damage your character does with light melee weapons as well as ranged weapons, and improves chance to dodge attacks
Health - Your character's health
Mana - Your character's pool of energy, from which spells are drawn
Fatigue - Determines how much fighting/adventuring your character can do in a day.
Days & Fatigue
In the world of MiniMORPG, characters suffer from daily fatigue. When a player performs tiring activities such as exploring, killing, and training, their Rest meter drops from full to empty. Once the fatigue meter drops to empty, they may no longer exit the town to explore, train, or do other strenuous activities, though they may still hang out in town and chat, or perform crafting. If a player is already outside of a village when their Rest meter drops to 0, they begin taking progressively worse hits to their attributes, including a decrease Strength, Focus, Agility, etc...until they eventually begin losing health itself. A character's fatigue automatically resets each game day. (probably twice daily). When this happens, your fatigue meter returns to normal, and you may once again engage in tiring activities such as exploring, killing, and training.
Item Types
Armor - Warn on the body, or as a shield to increase damage absorption
Weapons - Equipped in the hands in order to attack at range
Potions - Drank to immediately regenerate health and/or mana
Gems - Rare objects which can be exchanged in various places for unique events and/or effects
Food/Drink - Ate/Drank to regenerate health/mana slowly, as well as to help reduce fatigue and fatigue rate
Crafting Materials - Combined to create Armor and Weapons
Coins - Collected to trade for other item types
The Bank
There will be a bank, which allows the withdrawal and deposit of coins, as well as items carried on your person.
Crafting
There will be two professions which can be learned (1 profession per character) which grants the player the ability to craft either armor or weapons as proficiency in the skill improves. Each time an item is created or reagents are prepared, skill in the profession increases. At certain intervals, new patterns/plans can be learned which grants the crafter craftable items. Players can opt to learn a profession and obtain new patterns at Profession Trainers. To construct an item appropriate resources must be gathered, and then the appropriate tools must be used at the appropriate location. For construction of Armor, Ore and/or Hide must be collected and prepared. Ore is collected from Veins, scattered around the map. Hide is collected from skinning various animals scattered across the map. For construction of Weapons, Ore and Wood must be collected. Wood is collected by chopping wood from fallen branches.
Combat
Combat is initiated by either engaging a passive mob, or getting within range of an aggressive mob. Once combat it initiated it can be ended either by fleeing far enough that the mob loses interest, or by the defeat of either the player or the mob. Melee combat must be at close range (range not yet decided), while ranged combat must be done between a minimum and maximum range. (ranges not yet decided). When combat begins, the player will automatically draw his weapon (if he has one), and assume a combat stance. When combat is ended, the player will automatically return to his normal stance. When in a combat stance, the player may initiate special abilities by using a combination of DPad and Button presses, similar in style to the current generation of Fighting Games (Think Soul Calibur).
Player vs. Player
There is limited PvP in this game. It is actually more Player vs. Player AI. Whenever a player logs out, their characters are flagged as attackable (Yes, they are persistent within the world). This happens whether they are out in "The Wild" or whether they are in their room in the Inn (though they are more difficult to reach). At this point, other players who are currently logged on can engage them in combat. The person who is the victor may, if they choose, loot all coins and inventory (not equipped items) which are on the corpse of the opponent. When the defeated player signs back on they will be Dead (See below).
Death
Whenever your character dies they enter the Underworld. This is an alternate plane which exists within the same realm of the living. Everything looks grayscale, as though shrouded in shadow. While in the land of Shades you cannot commune with those that are living, except by visiting the psychic. You can, however commune with the dead. As well, you can go out and explore. While exploring you will encounter mobs as usual, however killing them doesn't grant Prestige, but instead grants Favor with Osiris, Egyptian god of the Underworld. Gain enough Favor with Osiris and he will bestow you with favors, perhaps even reincarnation. If you "Die" while facing mobs within the Underworld, your soul becomes trapped, and you may not do anything but commune with others in the underworld until the next day, when you may be reborn, and find yourself within your bed.
Mobs
Scattered about the world there will be half a dozen or so killable mobs, mostly all skinnable for crafting. Inside of the random dungeons there will be another half a dozen or so mobs, most likely evil and/or humanoid in nature. Finally, while in the Underworld there will be another half a dozen or so mob types.
Classes
There will be 4 classes - Tank, Nuker, Healer, and Handyman. The 4 classes will differ in their party roles, with abilities associated with their titles.
- Tank (Heavy Armor) will have agro-gaining abilities as well as shield use, and the ability to wear the heaviest armor. The primary attributes for the Tank will be Endurance and Strength.
- Nuker (Light Armor) will have spell-casting abilities for maximum explosive damage. They are the stereotypical "glass cannon" and will be weak in physical combat as well as armor use. Primary attributes for the Nuker will be Focus and Agility.
- Healer (Medium Armor) will have spell-casting abilities for healing and buffing. They will be similar to the Cleric/Paladin of classic RPG's. Their primary attributes will be Focus and Strength.
- Handyman (Medium Armor) will have skill abilities for detecting/disarming traps, opening locks, etc...Although they have some melee skills, their primary combat skill is in ranged combat. Their primary attributes are Agility and Endurance.
Levels
There will be 15 levels. As your character kills mobs he/she will gain "Prestige." When your character has earned enough prestige, he may challenge his class trainer to a dual (for a fee, which enters you into a betting pool). If you defeat the class trainer, you will be promoted to the next level, which grants you additional stats, and occasionally access to new special abilities. At this point, you will be assigned a new trainer. If you lose, there are no negative consequences, however whether you win or lose, facing a tough challenge such as your class trainer leaves you fully fatigued, and you must wait until the next day to do any strenuous activities.
Special Abilities
Each class will have special abilities, which can be activated by performing a special button combination with their DPad (Arrow Keys for Keyboards) and Buttons. Some abilities will require a target, while others will not. Some will have a casting time, while others will be instant. Some will have a cooldown, while others will be spammable.
Quests
Various NPC's throughout the world may have tasks and quests for you to go on. As a reward for completing the quests they will gift you with some combination of either money, items, or Prestige.
Parties
Players may join parties in groups up to 4. This is so they may share quest challenges, and also so they may take down tougher monsters (such as the final boss) located within the Ancient Sunken Throne room.
Random Events
Occasionally, random NPC's or events will occur which will either grant or penalize you with gold, items, or fatigue, depending on the outcome of those random events.
/Discuss
