Another if I won the Lotto thread. (Space MMO)

mrputts

Every so often. A thread about what type of game would you build if you had the money arises. I always enjoyed these, and thought I would throw my hat into the ring with an Idea. Caution it is kinda long.

This is by no means the entirety of my idea.

 

My Space MMO

The goal of this game is to create a living organism.

The Universe is controlled by 6 starting factions

• 4 are governments and 2 are criminal organizations

• The 6 starting factions are controlled by real people. Company employes

• Additional factions can be created by players (given enough time and wealth)

  • Nothing the 6 factions can do is off limits to the players. Including hiring, and outfitting NPCs

• All factions can (and most likely will) be destroyed.

• Goals of factions are different (or similar) depending on the faction.

• Factions can, and will attempt to spy on each other.

  • Smuggling spys (NPC or Player) into stations to report missions being accepted, and possible other information.

• Factions will play an active role in economy. (Buying, and selling)

 

A dynamic mission system is used for all missions.

1. Goals (short and Long term) are set by the factions, and missions corresponding to those goals are generated.

• Expansion

• Espionage

• War

• Industrial

• Trading

2. Missions of various types appear as other missions are accepted.

• A cargo hauling mission accepted will generate an escort mission for someone else.

• A raid or assault mission from an opposing faction could create a call to arms mission (if proper intelligence is in place) or a retaliation mission for your faction.

 

Everything is created through crafting, and customizable (Stats etc.) by players

1. Players obtain raw materials from asteroids, comets, planets etc.

• Turn raw materials into useable parts

• Turn useable parts into finished products

1. Players can salvage parts from enemies (NPC or Player) and reverse engineer custom equipment, or just Jerry-rig it to current ship

2. Most equipment on NPCs (except absolute basic) will be crafted equipment from players. (Usually obtained by missions, but can also be purchased)

3. Space stations, “warp gates”, capital ships are built in full or in part by players.

 

The universe starts small (A few planets, and systems), but grows.

1. Size of the universe is increased via factions, and players.

• Players discover all additional parts of the universe. If a player doesn't see it/ record it. It doesn't “exist”

  • Players are charged with discovering the universe in 2 ways.

    • They discover them through their own volition

    • A faction tasks (via missions) them to explore a region of space. When it is advantageous to the faction.

• Players craft survey equipment to map areas of space, planets asteroid belts, comets..

  • Info is either turned in for a mission, sold to other players, or kept to themselves for secret locations

• Until an area is mapped, and added to a ships navigation, jumping to the location is next to impossible. Manually flying there would be the only way (could take a generous amount of time)

Combat (varies depending on ship load out.)

1. Tab target for “Beam” type weapons (targeting computer assisted) Lower dmg output but wider arc. (think Star trek phasers)

2. Twitch based cross hair fire blaster weapons (think star wars) Higher dmg output but less directional

3. Capital ships can work in 2 ways. Multiple players in a ship controlling turrets with 1 player also steering. Or multiple ships with rudimentary AI controlled by 1 player via a more RTS style UI (most likely a mono/bi color holographic style display)

4. Out of ship combat 3^rd person shooter with cover mechanics.

Other thoughts.

 

All objects have orbit (if applicable) so even when you jump you might not be exactly where the object is (unless you have advanced navigation systems)

 

Criminal/Police system

PVP is everywhere. Factions are in charge of policing their own area. Failure could cause other factions to withdraw trade agreements, military aids etc.

Police officers can be NPC or Player specially fitted ships for the purpose of policing will be loaned to players on patrol. (stealing ships could put you on black lists preventing docking in that factions space.)

All player ships (and some NPC) have a distress beacon which is available for activation once a Player is hit by another player.

All police in the Area (sector most likely) will receive an on screen notification, and Auto jump coordinates (it is not instant teleportation they still have to travel the full distance to the location)

Ships explode causing loss, and maybe 30% of total cost of equipment can be salvaged by another player. Not sure on other death penalties.

Skill system for professions, but combat would be player skill. (you get a ship you shouldn't be in. You better learn to use it well)

I am still working to put the rest of my idea down on paper.  Let me know what you guys think. And maybe one day if I ever win the lottery I would put that money to creating it.

Thanks for reading this far.

Mrputts

Octagon7711

I would have a game like TSW but the three factions would be Vampires, Werewolves, and Hunters.  The hunters are disguised as humans but are actually angels sent down to eliminate the Vamps and WWs.  Lots of shape shifting abilities in all classes.  You would be easily able to switch builds like in Rift.  A foundry with player created content like in STO and NWO.  Dynamic events, questing, leveling like in GW2.  PVE and PVP would be setup like GW2. 

 

 

Shilar

If I designed an MMO, I would want high fantasy with sci-fiish elements (ala Rifts), but instead of classes, you build your character to what you want (ala GURPS/HERO). Want a centaur mage? Possible. Right now I play Champions Online due to their level of customization being second-to-none, and the RP community is very well-done with many places for people to take the RP around. I mean... name an MMO where you can play a Satyr, a succubus, or even something with wings. I would love to see that level of customization in another MMO, especially in fantasy. Heck, in WoW I wanted to play a dryad, and in EQ I wanted centaurs (least EQ2 has faeries). I know Shadowbane had centaurs, but that game was very PVE unfriendly. Myth Wars has centaurs, but it's a very ugly 2.5D game.

 

One idea for the fantasy/scifi backstory is a thing developed by Jon Lotshaw (of Accidental Centaurs) called Otherspace. You are in some way taken there and changed into a mythical creature. Not one person is human (though elves and such do exist). Centaurs, Naga, Satyrs, merfolk... all are there.

sunandshadow

I waver between a non-earth biofantasy setting, a science fantasy setting, or a low tech survival setting as the most interesting setting for an MMO.  What's similar about these three to me is that they aren't about war, and they avoid that historian perspective I strongly dislike, which is ubiquitous in high fantasy and high sci-fi.  All three would be suited to a sandpark style of game (which I consider ideal) though the survival one would probably be a bit more toward the sandbox side, while the other two would be more toward the themepark side.

sunandshadow

Originally posted by Shilar

If I designed an MMO, I would want high fantasy with sci-fiish elements (ala Rifts), but instead of classes, you build your character to what you want (ala GURPS/HERO). Want a centaur mage? Possible. Right now I play Champions Online due to their level of customization being second-to-none, and the RP community is very well-done with many places for people to take the RP around. I mean... name an MMO where you can play a Satyr, a succubus, or even something with wings. I would love to see that level of customization in another MMO, especially in fantasy. Heck, in WoW I wanted to play a dryad, and in EQ I wanted centaurs (least EQ2 has faeries). I know Shadowbane had centaurs, but that game was very PVE unfriendly. Myth Wars has centaurs, but it's a very ugly 2.5D game.

 

One idea for the fantasy/scifi backstory is a thing developed by Jon Lotshaw (of Accidental Centaurs) called Otherspace. You are in some way taken there and changed into a mythical creature. Not one person is human (though elves and such do exist). Centaurs, Naga, Satyrs, merfolk... all are there.

Istaria has playable satyrs and I think dragons are unlockable or buyable, though not in the free trial options.  Perfect World has winged angels which can fly as soon as you start playing the game.  Also mermaid/merman and beast people (though they are gender-locked, which sucks).  I'd like to play a centaur, but definitely not in a high tech setting.  Centaur bodies just would go best in a tribal or paleolithic setting, in my personal opinion.

Pepeq

I have great faith that if you did win the lottery, you'd completely forget that games even existed.  You want a new game yes, but given the option you would not spend the money to get it.

 

If for arguments sake you have been a faithful WoW player... so much so that Blizzard sent you a 10 year anniversary statute... that means you potentially spent $1,800 on sub fees alone, another $300 on the game/expansions, and probably another $300 in mounts/pets/race/faction/name/server changes.  Then there was new equipment here and there and internet access fees... add in another $7000.  So for that time period, you spent around $9,400 to play this game.

 

Knowing that you spent nearly $10,000 over the course of 10 years playing a video game is kind of scary... but let's just say your Aunt Mary just died and left you $10,000 tax-free in her will.  Since it's free money, and you've already spent that kind of money on a game in the past, would you drop all $10,000 onto a kickstarter to have this game made?  Remember, you are dying to have this game made.  You already spend this kind of money on gaming anyways... what the hell, right?  What's $10,000 in the grand scheme of things?  Surely the game is more important than say a new car, paying of school loans, paying off a mortgage... putting away for retirement?  A game, that will give you all of two months of actual true enjoyment is surely worth $10,000 upfront.

 

Come on, don't knock off your Aunt Mary, just clean out that checking account and do it.  It makes so much sense to enjoy it now than wait until later.  You have your entire life to re-earn the money right?

 

So what do you do?

 

That's what I thought.

Shilar

Originally posted by sunandshadow

Originally posted by Shilar

If I designed an MMO, I would want high fantasy with sci-fiish elements (ala Rifts), but instead of classes, you build your character to what you want (ala GURPS/HERO). Want a centaur mage? Possible. Right now I play Champions Online due to their level of customization being second-to-none, and the RP community is very well-done with many places for people to take the RP around. I mean... name an MMO where you can play a Satyr, a succubus, or even something with wings. I would love to see that level of customization in another MMO, especially in fantasy. Heck, in WoW I wanted to play a dryad, and in EQ I wanted centaurs (least EQ2 has faeries). I know Shadowbane had centaurs, but that game was very PVE unfriendly. Myth Wars has centaurs, but it's a very ugly 2.5D game.

 

One idea for the fantasy/scifi backstory is a thing developed by Jon Lotshaw (of Accidental Centaurs) called Otherspace. You are in some way taken there and changed into a mythical creature. Not one person is human (though elves and such do exist). Centaurs, Naga, Satyrs, merfolk... all are there.

Istaria has playable satyrs and I think dragons are unlockable or buyable, though not in the free trial options.  Perfect World has winged angels which can fly as soon as you start playing the game.  Also mermaid/merman and beast people (though they are gender-locked, which sucks).  I'd like to play a centaur, but definitely not in a high tech setting.  Centaur bodies just would go best in a tribal or paleolithic setting, in my personal opinion.

I tried Istaria, and it reminded me of well... me trying to make an MMO using poser... no offense.

 

I did notice PWI finally having winged elves, so I might try them. It does push the notch up for me to "middle-fantasy" so that is a plus (only one game made mid-fantasy, Shadowbane... but PVP was a big turnoff).

 

Surprisingly, I'd play centaurs, mermaids, lamia, etc in ANY setting. Otherspace is a mix of magic/scifi, as is Rifts, so it is tons of fun.

Maurgrim

Give me a full fledge sandpark MMO in a vast world called Forgotten Realms.

Akulas

I wouldn't even build a MMORPG. Have afew concept ideas but it costs alot to put it into action even if I knew what I was doing. If I did I'd make a mobile device games to fund the proper game that I was going to make as even with multi millions of dollars that can go fast without having much to show to the public so gaming wise that's how I'd invest the money until I could get a gauranteed return.

 

Once that's set up I'll do a fantasy medieval game which will cater to the tastes of 4 people in this world and 4 people only. Anyone would be free to play of course but I have a specific view in mind and anyone elses opinion other than those 4 others are irrelevant even if it means it will only be a 4 player game as a result.

 

I think most developers listen to the community too much and that's all very well but you should know what you already want to do and do it. Businesswise not the best choice but the way I would make a game is to make it to make a good game and not to make money and get the money from other means such as my other company which makes shitty f2p mobile games. It'll be worth it to make a game to make a good game as to make a game to make money.

Rydeson

If I had my way as CEO, I would go with a futuristic Call of Duty theme..  The game's major points would be these:

1. Minimal level power progression. Everyone starts off as a recruit, and with each level of progression, the player gains minimal physical & mental bonuses..  Once a character reaches a certain point, they must choose which path to take > Enlisted (physical) or Officer (mental) progression each having their own set of pros and cons..   But in the end, a maxed level toon will only end up with maybe a 30-50% advantage over a recruit.. 
2. There will be no seamless world.. Zones will have a defined border of zone in / out entry points similar to EQ1.  Mobs will not have an agro leash.. If you get agro, that mob will not forget you under normal conditions.. He will not just reset and run back to a starting point.. Unless you zone out, or someone memory blurs him.. LOL
3. The game will be heavily focused on player made crafting economy similar to SWG..  And items will NEVER last forever.. So you like the sniper rifle!, Great.. , but keep in mind that after so many rounds fired, it will show it's durability problems, and eventually need replaced..
4. Skill based game with restrictions.. What this means that sure you can switch from a sniper to a heavy weapons commando, but you don't become an expert in one overnight.. As you gain experience in heavy weapons, you lose your sniping skills.. You can't be a master expert in both.. 
5. Combat: will be both tab target and/or twitch reticle.. If you use tab targeting, the odds of you having a critical hit is rare, and your misses will be more frequent..  But if you wish to gamble for that head shot or other critical areas, go for it using the reticle.. There are pros and cons for both options..  Yes, I want players to be able to engage the mob enemy from a LONG distance, just like in Call of Duty.. If you give away your position, expect the enemy to find you and eliminate you.. LOL
6. Three major factions.. A) Govt. faction, Corporate faction and C) Organized crime (NPC Only), and there will be dozens of sub factions below them all tied to each other in a way..  So earning trust and respect is a huge part of the game.. 
7. Achievements up the ying yang.. I want players trying to earn as many medals and ribbons as they can in the process.. (These will be displayed on a characters bio, as well as some on their uniform).. Who doesn't like wearing their Dress Uniform to a NCO / Officer's club while socializing..
8. Most of the game will be soloable if you choose your fights wisely..  While other areas such as infiltrating the enemy liar to eliminate a leader will require more fire power.. There will be NO instancing.. 
9. The game will be heavy PvE content, with consensual PvP similar to vanilla WoW.. Unless you are on a PvP server in which you are free game to the enemy from the get go.. 

Mendel

Originally posted by DMKano

I would go and put a team of experienced MMO designers I respect  and ask them to build a game THEY wanted to play - and just stay out of it.

Chances are they would do leaps and miles better than somebody like me who has no first hand experience in video game design.

 

I'm with you.  The only responsibility I want is taking an extra-long lunch, then knocking off early for the day.

General-Zod

Originally posted by DMKano

I would go and put a team of experienced MMO designers I respect  and ask them to build a game THEY wanted to play - and just stay out of it.

Chances are they would do leaps and miles better than somebody like me who has no first hand experience in video game design.

 

Interesting....

Who are your top 3 designers/developers?

Phaserlight

I don't play the lotto, but my better half does.  If we made PowerBall millions, I'd be left with whatever she decided to bequeath to me.  Of that figure, 10% would be donated to the devs of my favorite (underfunded) MMO.

MMORPGtester

My game would be a mix 2 games in 1.

MMO: The players build there player towns and battle other towns alot like shadowbane had.
RTS: Players could log into a RTS mode where they have limited control over a group of NPC's to build, research and atk other NPC / Player towns.

There would be a PVP instance and a PVE instance. PVP instance being where NPC's can be person controlled. Greater rewards and EXP gained from battling in PVP instance. PvE instance being safer.

Servers would be connected. Where every server is a new planet. Players can freely travel between them if they have the corresponding Tech. Opening it to the possibility of a unified planet attacking not a city but an entire other world.

Things like spells and weapons would all be player crafted as far as putting them together. Using found runes to build spells to make them fully customization down to there look. Want a sword with 2 blades place the parts in the crafting, However this would increase the overall weight and agility of the weapon and required stats.

I worked on this idea for a long time. I have like 2 notepads of this junk and drawings. Started it way back in my EQ days. Above is not even the tip.