Multiple games, one world. The next step in MMOs?
Just a thought on the MMO Market.
Instead of putting out one game, and focusing your world around that one concept. Put out many games (not necessarily all at the same time) that interact with each other, that each offer a completely different game.
If a person owns more than one game belonging to the world, characters could cross over, but the focus would remain on the core gameplay of each specificgame.
I'll use the GTA series as sort of a back drop for this example.
GTA provides a living breathing world, so to speak. It focuses on one aspect, that of the criminal. In creating the MMO world, for GTA we start with just that concept. Other games in the world may follow completely different rulesets, but all intereact to create a living breathing world.
Game one is GTA Online: Criminals. This game recreates the GTA series, and includes Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice city. Players take the role of thugs, and play similar to the normal game.
Later on down the line, Rockstar releases the new game in the world: GTA: Godfather. This is a strategy game, where players take the role of various lieutenants in the criminal organizations. As players progress they compete for fewer and fewer slots up the food chain, making alliances, and controling various portions of the cities criminal underpinnings.
Next comes another game tied to the world: Rockstar's Flight Simulator. In this game players play a flight simulator game similar to microsoft, but it is tied to the GTA universe. Playes from the other games are able to travel from one city to another in planes now piloted by other players.
GTA: Medical. Similar to Nintendo's Trauma center games. Players end up fixing all the other players who die.
GTA: Boys in Blue: More of an expansion to the criminals game, allows players to play as cops.
GTA: DJ. Players create and run thier own radio stations. Using an online licensed database of music, players create playlists, make talk programs etc. Players in the other games can tune in and listen to the other players stations.
I have a feeling you may find that your separate games end up competing largely with each other - it is very unlikely that I will play several games concurrently, if they share 90% of their content. On the other hand, since each game aims for a niche market, and has vastly lowered production costs, this may be justifiable.
There are a few games that do what you're suggesting. For instance, the Mario games. Aside from all the platformers, you have Mario Kart, Mario Smash Court, Mario Soccer, Mario Tennis, Mario Party, etc. etc. and you have Luigi's Mansion and Wario-Ware, as well. And, of course, Super Smash Brothers. In the case of Tekken, that franchise had a spin-off game called Death By Degrees, starring Nina Williams, a character from Tekken. The Final Fantasy franchise follow a vaguely connected model. And, so does Warcraft, with their strategy series and their MMO, which is based on the original Warcraft games.
But it's not limited to MMO's. I can't see how this idea has anything to do with MMO's.
But it's not limited to MMO's. I can't see how this idea has anything to do with MMO's.
Quote:Original post by MetallonI think the OP was intending that the games actually share the same world. As in same database, same servers, players can interact with the players of the other games.
But it's not limited to MMO's. I can't see how this idea has anything to do with MMO's.
Quote:Original post by swiftcoder
I have a feeling you may find that your separate games end up competing largely with each other - it is very unlikely that I will play several games concurrently, if they share 90% of their content.
You might only play one, but then if you're playing game A, but I'm playing Game B, we both get to enjoy the experience we want while both contributing to the same online population of this city.
I think the idea is pretty good. The hard part is implementing the different parts in ways that make them all fun to a particular audience while actually adding something to the players of other games. Just being part of the same city isn't enough. Some of your ideas definitely hit on this (healing players from GTA: Criminal or GTA: Cops, for instance).
It'd be interesting to see if anyone takes this concept and runs with it. If I had a gigantic studio and tons of money, maybe I'd do it. :p
Quote:Original post by NickGravelynQuote:Original post by swiftcoder
I have a feeling you may find that your separate games end up competing largely with each other - it is very unlikely that I will play several games concurrently, if they share 90% of their content.
You might only play one, but then if you're playing game A, but I'm playing Game B, we both get to enjoy the experience we want while both contributing to the same online population of this city.
I think the idea is pretty good. The hard part is implementing the different parts in ways that make them all fun to a particular audience while actually adding something to the players of other games. Just being part of the same city isn't enough. Some of your ideas definitely hit on this (healing players from GTA: Criminal or GTA: Cops, for instance).
It'd be interesting to see if anyone takes this concept and runs with it. If I had a gigantic studio and tons of money, maybe I'd do it. :p
Swift is right. The games are designed to be complimentary, but not equal. Each game is unique in and of itself. The gameplay of GTA Criminals would be nothing like GTA Medical. The games would be quite different, and would be connected only by the online universe they inhabit.
Having multiple games belonging to the same universe would open up various options.
Owning Medical and Criminals would allow you to take your doctor into the city, possibly trying to patch up criminals/cops during shootouts. It would also alow you to own an apartment/house, drive and race cars etc with your doctor character. Of course, if you associate yourself with criminal elements like that, you might end up having to help out those elements when you don't want to.
With the Godfather you can actually put your man into the city. Perhaps take part in a couple of raids, and issue missions personally, instead of relying on NPC's in the other game to send the jobs out. Of course, this puts your character in the position of being open to assassinations by other players. You could also begin investing in the various other agencies in the game(hospitals, radio stations etc).
Quote:Original post by robert4818I was envisioning separate games that just happened to occur in the same environment. If you want this level of interaction between the games, things become more complicated. For example, is there a difference if a GTA: Criminals player is gunned down in a back street, as opposed to a GTA: Medical character in the same circumstances?
Having multiple games belonging to the same universe would open up various options.
Owning Medical and Criminals would allow you to take your doctor into the city, possibly trying to patch up criminals/cops during shootouts. It would also alow you to own an apartment/house, drive and race cars etc with your doctor character. Of course, if you associate yourself with criminal elements like that, you might end up having to help out those elements when you don't want to.
With the Godfather you can actually put your man into the city. Perhaps take part in a couple of raids, and issue missions personally, instead of relying on NPC's in the other game to send the jobs out. Of course, this puts your character in the position of being open to assassinations by other players. You could also begin investing in the various other agencies in the game(hospitals, radio stations etc).
Quote:Original post by swiftcoder
I was envisioning separate games that just happened to occur in the same environment. If you want this level of interaction between the games, things become more complicated. For example, is there a difference if a GTA: Criminals player is gunned down in a back street, as opposed to a GTA: Medical character in the same circumstances?
The level of interactivity will depend on the games you own. Each game would be playable, and contributory in and of its own with the level of interactivity you are thinking about.
The added layers of interaction become available if and only if you own multiple games in the series.
As for getting gunned down in the back alley, regardless of the person killed, they end up in the hands of a Doctor and being treated. Of course if you are gunned down in an alley as a doctor, depending on the circumstances (were you in a car that wasn't yours, were you helping criminals or cops etc.) it could have negative repercussions on your status in the doctor game.
The games would still be separate. While you were in the hospital doing the job, you would have your set up (possibly top down view of the body tools to one side etc) and when you were done you would choose the option (Leave hospital) from a menu, and the game would load up the criminals/cop game and your character would appear there. If you choose to help someone in game (perhaps a right click menu) it would bring back up the other game, perhaps less tools, tighter time limit etc.
They need to be tied close together like that. It might not need to be perfectly seamless, but for the entire world to be believable, you need to be able to have the options.
But again, I would like to point out that the games are still perfectly viable in and of themselves WITHOUT purchasing the other games. It is just that more options become available if you have more games.
It sounds like it'd be alot of fun. It also sounds like it'd be a horribly large amount of work.
It'd be worth it though, if I could engage in a bank robbery with a few friends, and have other players chase after me as cops (which isn't anything special), but while making my awesome getaway, crash into a group of players playing a streetracing game in the same city. Or me and a bunch of cops about to storm into a building held by a terrorist group, when some careless pilot crashes his F16 into the building.
I think its reception by gamers would depend alot on how you describe it. If you describe it as you currently are in this quote:
If it's described in a way that makes me think of it as a single world broken up into several games, I wouldn't be interested.
If it's described in a way that makes me think of it as a group of games that interact very smoothly with each other, I'd check it out.
It'd be worth it though, if I could engage in a bank robbery with a few friends, and have other players chase after me as cops (which isn't anything special), but while making my awesome getaway, crash into a group of players playing a streetracing game in the same city. Or me and a bunch of cops about to storm into a building held by a terrorist group, when some careless pilot crashes his F16 into the building.
I think its reception by gamers would depend alot on how you describe it. If you describe it as you currently are in this quote:
Quote:But again, I would like to point out that the games are still perfectly viable in and of themselves WITHOUT purchasing the other games. It is just that more options become available if you have more games.It sounds like you are breaking up a MMO into pieces, forcing players to buy multiple games to get the whole experience. This isn't what you mean, I know, but it almost sounds like it.
If it's described in a way that makes me think of it as a single world broken up into several games, I wouldn't be interested.
If it's described in a way that makes me think of it as a group of games that interact very smoothly with each other, I'd check it out.
Quote:Original post by Metallon
There are a few games that do what you're suggesting. For instance, the Mario games. Aside from all the platformers, you have Mario Kart, Mario Smash Court, Mario Soccer, Mario Tennis, Mario Party, etc. etc. and you have Luigi's Mansion and Wario-Ware, as well. And, of course, Super Smash Brothers. In the case of Tekken, that franchise had a spin-off game called Death By Degrees, starring Nina Williams, a character from Tekken. The Final Fantasy franchise follow a vaguely connected model. And, so does Warcraft, with their strategy series and their MMO, which is based on the original Warcraft games.
But it's not limited to MMO's. I can't see how this idea has anything to do with MMO's.
I agree.
But I'am clueless about MMO never played one.
But outside MMO there are some examples.
The way i see it.
The TS want to give players free choice of different gameplay?
That's nice.
1 ) Thug gameplay, they compete with each other and are hunted by law.
2 ) Godfather. A Pack of thugs operating above the law. It's more mannaging operation and illagal busness and keeping track of competition. OR wars. A kind of RTS style.
3 ) Cops they ristricted by law hunter off thug's.
4 ) Inspector hunter of proof to nail a godfather. Hunting evidence.
5 ) Flight simulator?
etc.
All those other fit in the same enviorment. 3 city big and a lot of driving.
Except flight sim 5) that need a lot more space. City hopper's with 3 city's nearby a full airfield is overkill. Cessna's small airstrip also.
A helipath's that can. But for a heli sim 3 city's isn't big. But big enough to do your gameplay thing. Like airsupport cop chasing badies. But 3 city's is big for driving. Heli is more a need.
But I see something different. you mention MMO. And each gameplay style is like a different client.
As gamer it could feel the treated like a cash cow.
You can't choice freely you choose with your reallife money the gameplay what you want. That's oke if you only like one and hate the others. But most people like to play any wahy the want. Like 3 out 5 or all. So they need mutiple clients. Or they merge as module addon's wich also can act as stand allone.
I would prefere to see it as a Game iteration or feature addon.
Core with feature 1 ) would be gTA 1.x
addon 2) GTA 2.x
etc.
one cleint wich extended. But the gamer decide how to play it. only one client.
Altho gamer could still pay for each add-on.
How ever the two games must have something in common. Must be mergable.
Flight sim vs FPS. The enviorment needs differ. What good for the other might be to big or to small for the other.
Example.
Like Space games. Trade build combat think.
Space combat sim
Capital ship sim
Fleet sim
Trader
A game like X3 Reunion and Terran Conflict
Also have captivating and bording crews.
5 way's to play the game. But some gameplay you must setup till it can be automated largly.
Example.
Other games offer variation but not choice. Like Crysis and FArcry1.
The opponent changes drasticly wich influence gameplay mechanics. largly.
Human opponent like a tactical shooter, changes in
Mutan's or aliens. Wich render waepons agains human almost useless.
It become a put halve your ammo in one mutant or alien, instead one(few) shot(s) one kill gameplay.
This is no choice but forced upon.
Giving Player gameplay choices is great but you merging two games
wcih blow up production resources to do it right.
Example.
Universal combat merges 4 gameplay styles. I don't know the game well.
But it's the battlecruiser sim.
Navel and Firstpurson shooter. Because each gameplay also need it's own content. it's like doing 3 to 4 games and merge them.
Another point complexity
It's Complex gamedesign and also production. I would thing 3 years be decent for a finished game with a tight feature set. But such feature rich game would need a lot more.
Gamer expectation Point
Also If you offer like say FPS gameplay and a RTS. Gamers espect a fps experience just like if it was a pure FPS game. And also a great RTS game.
WIC merge with ARMA.
The problem of doing multiple gameplay is the focus.
Often well wanted and valued features like Co-op are droped. Because of time.
Often A game focus on one thing, doing one thing well then two tings medicure.
Pure Single player or pure online.
While X3 series has.
Combat play from X2 to X3 on decent level.
Capship you can play but as a fighter. Nu fine tuning of gameplay and interfaces for capital ship command.
Carrier managing isn't there. it's micromanaging true the same interfaces like fighter combat.
Forget fleet. If it was turn base you could micromanage a fleet in battle. Trough not for RTS ment interfaces. but it's realtim. it's a mess.
Each release of X-n game is more feature complete.
The latest is X3 Terranconflict.
Few things might be solved.
The game is complex by nature such game just need a lot of time to deliver something pulsihed.
I now play farcry 2. I expected a Shooter. But your mostly driving. it's like GTA4 in africa. it's no choice it's forced upon.
BF2 is a example. It's FPS. But one player can be commander some kind of RTS. It's free choice.
Operation flashpoint is a FPS shooter. I played it as a Tank commander game.
The idea is great. And doing one thing first wich get full focus keping the odd for sucses higher.
A way to slash feature creep in smaller eatable chuncks.
A way to tackle a complex game. Each sequel is a feature extension.
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