Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

A prehistoric MMO - How would you do it?

13

Comments

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    small map but lots of interactivity between levels?

    Chins

  • TheCrow2kTheCrow2k Member Posts: 953

    I would also have timed & offline crafting like in Fallen Earth & similar vehicles & mounts system with fuel/food.

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k

    I would lso have timed & offline crafting like in Fallen Earth.

     Generally or as a caveman?  Would you kill sabre-tooths or Tyrannesauras?

    Chins

  • TheCrow2kTheCrow2k Member Posts: 953

    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k

    I would lso have timed & offline crafting like in Fallen Earth.

     Generally or as a caveman?  Would you kill sabre-tooths or Tyrannesauras?

    Sorry I was expanding on my earlier idea of Human colonists stranded on a prehistoric earth-like planet.

    Well since I would not have to follow the rules of Earth's prehistoric timeline I could make tyran and sabre-tooths co-exist in the world at the same time & therefore kill both and make a bitchin helmet with a T-Rex skull and a cool fur cloak with the sabre-tooth skin :) :)

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    fair enough.  But if a new world why not let your imagination run wild?

    Chins

  • lthompson94lthompson94 Member Posts: 194

    Originally posted by Homitu

    Originally posted by Karesh

    Pretty much like the title stated, feel free to post your ideas, etc.

    I always find people's opinions and ideas interesting, so that's pretty much my reason for creating this thread.

    There would be a fundamental paradox with a prehistoric MMO.  Prehistory by definition refers to a time before recorded history.  That means a time before people (whatever races inhabit your MMO world) could communicate via language to pass down stories and lore either orally or through written text.  This would eliminate all possibilty for lore, background story, context, and, logically, even communication in your MMO, which are all rather essential "MMORPG" features.  A game lacking these features could hardly be called an MMO or RPG, thus the paradox.  

     

    The only way I can comprehend a "prehistoric" MMO is if you control a particular beast in a sort of Darwinian, cut-throat, survival of the fittest jungle world.  You would focus on strengthening your beast in typical RPG/MMO progression fashion.  Perhaps a milestone to shoot for would be to "evolve" a la Pokemon.  Perhaps if you work with others to take down a larger beast, you then (inexplicably) gain control of that beast as a means of "progressing."  

    Not if it happened before a certain "mass extinction" that wiped out all of the records.  You could easily work lore into the game, it would just be on the brink of utter devastation in a million years or so.

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    you mean why not long term future after all records of us are gone?

    Chins

  • TheCrow2kTheCrow2k Member Posts: 953

    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    fair enough.  But if a new world why not let your imagination run wild?

     

    Oh dont worry it would, I wanted the prehistoric world to seem familiar but alien as well. Keep that "cool, look there are  dinosaurs" feel while still offering plenty of "what the hell is that" moments.

    I already know my first expansion would probably be an area were hostile aliens have landed ships to rape & pillage the planets natural resources and intend to destroy the planet in the process. Since its your new home you would need to stop them.

    Alternatively this could be in at launch with factional sides for players to choose human or alien.

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k

    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    fair enough.  But if a new world why not let your imagination run wild?

     

    Oh dont worry it would, I wanted the prehistoric world to seem familiar but alien as well. Keep that "cool, look there are  dinosaurs" feel while still offering plenty of "what the hell is that" moments.

    I already know my first expansion would probably be an area were hostile aliens have landed ships to rape & pillage the planets natural resources and intend to destroy the planet in the process. Since its your new home you would need to stop them.

    Alternatively this could be in at launch with factional sides for players to choose human or alien.

     I assume you would have genetically engineered humans full of Nano's friendly or otherwise?

    Chins

  • AdamantineAdamantine Member RarePosts: 5,085

    Well - "prehistoric" does NOT mean "no language".

    For all we know, man knew language for at least very least tens of thousands of years. In fact, our language apparatus is so sophisticated that at least hundreds of thousands, more likely some millions of years are much more likely. We dont know if homo erectus could already speak, but given the level of specialization our speaking apparatus has, its likely that they did and that it was a huge advantage and an important part of the reason why humans developed such large brains.

    However, mankind until recently didnt knew the idea of scripture, or at least not lasting scripture (they might have written on leather etc, but not on stone).

    There is also the issue of lost languages. The Maya knew script, but nobody can read it.

    Otherwise I find little appeal in a prehistoric MMO. I simply fail to see many possibilities what to do.

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    Originally posted by Adamantine

    Well - "prehistoric" does NOT mean "no language".

    For all we know, man knew language for at least very least tens of thousands of years. In fact, our language apparatus is so sophisticated that at least hundreds of thousands, more likely some millions of years are much more likely. We dont know if homo erectus could already speak, but given the level of specialization our speaking apparatus has, its likely that they did and that it was a huge advantage and an important part of the reason why humans developed such large brains.

    However, mankind until recently didnt knew the idea of scripture, or at least not lasting scripture (they might have written on leather etc, but not on stone).

    There is also the issue of lost languages. The Maya knew script, but nobody can read it.

    Otherwise I find little appeal in a prehistoric MMO. I simply fail to see many possibilities what to do.

     Please don't, I have had more than a days worth of ignorance and googlism.  Please ignore it. 

    Chins

  • AdamantineAdamantine Member RarePosts: 5,085

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k

    Oh dont worry it would, I wanted the prehistoric world to seem familiar but alien as well. Keep that "cool, look there are  dinosaurs" feel while still offering plenty of "what the hell is that" moments.

    Oh, if they put dinosaurs in such a game, that is a pretty huge "what the hell is that" moment already.

    Dinosaurs vanished from the earth 65 million years ago. The first humans appeared 2 million years ago.

    Never have humans met alife dinosaurs.

  • TheCrow2kTheCrow2k Member Posts: 953

    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k


    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    fair enough.  But if a new world why not let your imagination run wild?

     

    Oh dont worry it would, I wanted the prehistoric world to seem familiar but alien as well. Keep that "cool, look there are  dinosaurs" feel while still offering plenty of "what the hell is that" moments.

    I already know my first expansion would probably be an area were hostile aliens have landed ships to rape & pillage the planets natural resources and intend to destroy the planet in the process. Since its your new home you would need to stop them.

    Alternatively this could be in at launch with factional sides for players to choose human or alien.

     I assume you would have genetically engineered humans full of Nano's friendly or otherwise?

    I had considered nano tech from the AO experience but they had it more like magic which wasnt so great. Nanotech to me would be more like upgrades, buffs & maybe a healer class.

    genetically modified/engineered humans I had in my first post as a "player race/s". Thinking about it more now I have somewhat changed my mind.

    Races:

    Human - straight forward human.

    Gene Enhanced Human - Using surgery to implant vat grown organs and recombinant DNA gene technology these humans have been enhanced to help them perform at a higher level in zeroG and alien environments, performing under low oxygen conditions, and a variety of other environments. They are still human just enhanced. Their weakness is the implants and gene therapy make it harder for them to heal from injuries.

    Neo Sapien - Or new Human, scientifically the next step on from gene enhanced. This new race has been genetically engineered from scratch & were created for hard labour. They have all the advantages of the gene enhanced human but they are also bigger and stronger with natural dermal plating for portection and the ability to breathe under water among other things. Originally a slave race the remaining Neo Sapiens of the colony ship have been granted their freedom to help themselves and the rest of the survivors carve out a home on the primitive New Earth. Their one weakness is they lack creative thought and are not very independant as a result.

  • thebigchin11thebigchin11 Member Posts: 519

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k

    Originally posted by thebigchin11


    Originally posted by TheCrow2k


    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    fair enough.  But if a new world why not let your imagination run wild?

     

    Oh dont worry it would, I wanted the prehistoric world to seem familiar but alien as well. Keep that "cool, look there are  dinosaurs" feel while still offering plenty of "what the hell is that" moments.

    I already know my first expansion would probably be an area were hostile aliens have landed ships to rape & pillage the planets natural resources and intend to destroy the planet in the process. Since its your new home you would need to stop them.

    Alternatively this could be in at launch with factional sides for players to choose human or alien.

     I assume you would have genetically engineered humans full of Nano's friendly or otherwise?

    I had considered nano tech from the AO experience but they had it more like magic which wasnt so great. Nanotech to me would be more like upgrades, buffs & maybe a healer class.

    genetically modified/engineered humans I had in my first post as a "player race/s". Thinking about it more now I have somewhat changed my mind.

    Races:

    Human - straight forward human.

    Gene Enhanced Human - Using surgery to implant vat grown organs and recombinant DNA gene technology these humans have been enhanced to help them perform at a higher level in zeroG and alien environments, performing under low oxygen conditions, and a variety of other environments. They are still human just enhanced. Their weakness is the implants and gene therapy make it harder for them to heal from injuries.

    Neo Sapien - Or new Human, the next step on from gene enhanced, this new race has been genetically engineered from scratch & were created for hard labour. They have all the advantages of the gene enhanced human but they are also bigger and stronger with natural dermal plating for portection and the ability to breathe under water among other things. Originally a slave race the remaining Neo Sapiens of the colony ship have been granted their freedom to help themselves and the rest of the survivors carve out a home on the primitive New Earth. Their one weakness is they lack creative thought and are not very independant as a result.

     It was a joke, nano's could never differentiate between good and bad cells, the whole thing was a joke... You can improve the genes they have, make them more cancer proof, but the cell death will always outsrip renewal and they will always die

    thats it.

    Chins

  • PraetorianiPraetoriani Member Posts: 1,147

    Originally posted by Requiamer

    Originally posted by Homitu


    Originally posted by Requiamer


    Originally posted by Homitu


    Originally posted by Karesh

    Pretty much like the title stated, feel free to post your ideas, etc.

    I always find people's opinions and ideas interesting, so that's pretty much my reason for creating this thread.

    There would be a fundamental paradox with a prehistoric MMO.  Prehistory by definition refers to a time before recorded history.  That means a time before people (whatever races inhabit your MMO world) could communicate via language to pass down stories and lore either orally or through written text.  This would eliminate all possibilty for lore, background story, context, and, logically, even communication in your MMO, which are all rather essential "MMORPG" features.  A game lacking these features could hardly be called an MMO or RPG, thus the paradox.  

     

    The only way I can comprehend a "prehistoric" MMO is if you control a particular beast in a sort of Darwinian, cut-throat, survival of the fittest jungle world.  You would focus on strengthening your beast in typical RPG/MMO progression fashion.  Perhaps a milestone to shoot for would be to "evolve" a la Pokemon.  Perhaps if you work with others to take down a larger beast, you then (inexplicably) gain control of that beast as a means of "progressing."  

    I don't want to be rude but i think you should check a dictionary because your definition is really off.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehistory  

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prehistory

     

    Actually, my definition was spot on.  The only ammendment would be that prehistoric peoples, although non-literate, could communicate in a primitive way without a fully developed language.  

    Ho really? no your definition is totally off. During all prehistory people used oral tradition, history is written this is what make them different, it doesn't mean tradition and language wasn't fully developped, in fact very far from that. Language was fully developped during pre history i think it is confirmed in your link too. The fact you don't have proof, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. All the prehistorical work in fact proove that human intelligence and language was pretty much the same as today, only the mean was poorer.

    Seriously - his definition is the one archaeologists (many of whom study prehistoric human and human-like life) use. They're, you know, the experts in all things prehistory together with paleontologists. Their definition is literally 'before written word'. When a society did not develop written word, it was prehistoric. Simple as that. You people shouldn't go around adding your own definitions where you see fit when it clearly contrasts with the expert opinion.

  • BizkitNLBizkitNL Member RarePosts: 2,546

    A prehistoric MMO would be impractical and outright unattractive. In the historical sense, I mean.

    10
  • TheCrow2kTheCrow2k Member Posts: 953

    Originally posted by BizkitNL

    A prehistoric MMO would be impractical and outright unattractive. In the historical sense, I mean.

    True, but as a starting concept it has a lot of possibilities like my "similar to earth, alien prehistoric world" concept.

     

  • BizkitNLBizkitNL Member RarePosts: 2,546

    Originally posted by TheCrow2k

    Originally posted by BizkitNL

    A prehistoric MMO would be impractical and outright unattractive. In the historical sense, I mean.

    True, but as a starting concept it has a lot of possibilities like my "similar to earth, alien prehistoric world" concept.

     

    Dino Riders comes to mind :).



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnHuNUNV0BE

    10
  • AmarantharAmaranthar Member EpicPosts: 5,801

    Actually, I think such a game would be ideal for an Indie developer to get into the game, so to speak. And this is something I've thought about from time to time, a "Stone Age" game. 

    First let me put forth the general idea that I think it could go.


    • Game is based on Clans (guilds) but solo play should always be possible at greater risk, usually but not required as a clan member

    • Sandbox

    • Skill based

    • Heavy lean on Stats (75% skills, 25% stats)

    • Magic based on religions (Earth Mother, Sun Gods, Storm Gods, etc.). Elemental in nature.

    The basic concept for game play would about learning new skills and developing existing skills, as well as building up your home (whether that's a clan home or as an individual). Keep this "home" idea in mind as I go along and you'll see what I mean.


     


    Cave Paintings and Rock Art would play key roles in skills. These are more than just cult art, they are the chalkboards of clan/personal education. I'd use this as a system to learn new skills from, and to advance skills to higest levels. I'd seed the game world with Cave and Rock art left behind from lost clans, and players must find them and study them to learn what they teach. Success in studying them would be based on a skill tree as well as Stats. Some examples:

    • You would have to be a master spear chucker (and have a certain level of applicable stats) to understand and learn making and using an atlatle or bow and arrows.

    • You'd have to be a master stone bowl maker to understand and learn how to make a stone fireplace.

    • Levels of carving wood and bone

    • Magic

    • Etc.

    I'd give maxed skill players the ability to create Cave/Rock Art themselves, so as to teach others in their clans from there home base.


     


    Food would be something I'd really add "need" to. I'd make levels of being fed important on an ongoing basis. I'd make these levels add or subtract to stats, and with stats being so important that it matters in all you do whether you are "well fed" or not. I'd also add differences in kinds of foods and what stats they affect more.

    • Meat

    • Seafood

    • Grain

    • Nuts

    • Berries

    • Roots

    Materials to work with, construct, etc.

    • Wood

    • Stone/flint

    • Bone

    • Leather and as part of the advanced skills include wool (clothing would have armor function)

    • Shells

    • Advanced skills to include pottery

    • Feathers

    The world would basically be a large penninsula, surrounded by impassible mountain ranges and seas. I'd include a vast area in these mountain ranges as well as the sea as explorable, but eventually block them off by predators that can't be passed. I'd go as far as to set up the final zone with automatic, unbeatable predator attacks as the way to close the world to the players. This would allow for world expansions by modifying it.


     


    I'd have lots of caves and caverns, as well as huge plains and forest areas, and lot's of coastal areas, lots of rivers and small lakes.


     


    I'd have skills in building basic stone entrances for caves, as well as building wood/bone/hide huts. I'd allow players to make Cave/Rock Art on hides as an alternative (for skill advancement/learning).


     


    I'd have areas that are good for "mining" stone and flint.


     


    I'd have lots of deep cave systems to explore (with some Cave Art of special skill advancement, and often full of wondering critters to fight.


     


    For flora and fauna I'd have:

    • Regular critters (deer, wolves, boars, birds, etc.)

    • Mega critters (Mastadons, Saber Tooths, Cave Bears (these were giant bears), and all the others of that erra

    • Giant predatory flightless and flighted birds (they were from a different era, mostly)

    • A small set of Neanderthal and other "races"

    • Fantastical Man Eating Plants (trap type stuff)

    • Some leftover dynasour predators

    • And I'd add some fantasy Orcs, Trolls, and Dragons (especially for those caves and cavers).

    Weapns would be spears, axes, and knives. Made of wood, stone, bone, and flint.


    Armors would be basic, wool and leather clothing type stuff.


    I'd add shields as an advanced item.


     


    Edit to add: There'd be no monetary system, all is trade of goods. Oh, and I'd add artistic things to the game skills also, such as beads, shells, painting, etc.


     


    Edit again:


    A Picture of Skara Brae, a Neolithic (late stone age) home


    Skara Brae hut 1

    Once upon a time....

  • IhmoteppIhmotepp Member Posts: 14,495

    I would go Land of the Lost with Sleestak and their strange crystal technology.

     

     

     

    image

  • IcewhiteIcewhite Member Posts: 6,403

    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    Oh God, please can we accept the point that dino's and humanoids never co-existed.

    The main problem is that pre-civilization Egyptians or Babylonians poking the mud with sticks to grow crops just wouldn't be a terribly interesting game.  More of a civilization sim than an MMO.

    All of those Lost World type novels published by Burroughs and the gang made money (despite imperfect science) because the conflicts between man and nature, or man and man, or man and martian, made for some interesting tales.

    Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.

  • AdamantineAdamantine Member RarePosts: 5,085

    Originally posted by Icewhite

    Originally posted by thebigchin11

    Oh God, please can we accept the point that dino's and humanoids never co-existed.

    The main problem is that pre-civilization Egyptians or Babylonians poking the mud with sticks to grow crops just wouldn't be a terribly interesting game.  More of a civilization sim than an MMO.

    All of those Lost World type novels published by Burroughs and the gang made money (despite imperfect science) because the conflicts between man and nature, or man and man, or man and martian, made for some interesting tales.

    Exactly.

    The idea of a prehistoric game very likely results in boring and pointless gameplay. Just look at todays remaining primitive people, especially normadic ones. Thats how this game would be.

    You CAN add dinosaurs etc, but then you will have made a fantasy MMO, not a prehistoric MMO.

  • CastillleCastillle Member UncommonPosts: 2,679

    Hmm...

    A kiddie MMO set in the flintstones world would be how ai do it >.< 

    Kind of like free realms mixed wif GTA except yknoe...Yabba dabba doo~~

    ''/\/\'' Posted using Iphone bunni
    ( o.o)
    (")(")
    **This bunny was cloned from bunnies belonging to Gobla and is part of the Quizzical Fanclub and the The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club**

  • KareshKaresh Member UncommonPosts: 242

    Originally posted by Castillle

    Hmm...

    A kiddie MMO set in the flintstones world would be how ai do it >.< 

    Kind of like free realms mixed wif GTA except yknoe...Yabba dabba doo~~

    Man, that show used to be great.

  • garrygarry Member Posts: 263

    Just another suggestion from an old retired game designer. There is a theory that Mars was once hit by a comet destroying the atmosphere, rearranging the lands and killing off of all life. There is also theory that Martians established a colony on earth prior to the destruction of Mars, a colony called Atlantis.

     

    Since prehistoric means, literally, before history, just add the two together and place Atlantis 65 million years ago in the Jurassic Age. Now set that Atlantis in a medieval, struggling colony survival on a heavy gravity planet (to martians). Then take the players, let them outfit themselves with all they can carry of modern equipment (materials on their body only) and transport them (one way only) to the Atlantean continent by means of a time travel (portal? Machine?)

     

    Here we would have the whole range of Jurrasic dinosaurs, genetically modified humans, animals and plants by the Martians. We would have the Martians (using mech exoskeletons to move about, left after the destruction of Mars. No more supplies from home). You can add fantasy elements or if needed, lore can use Martian science to recreate the legends we have in our own time (dragons, werewolves, vampires, zombies, monsters etc..). Also giant insects, hive minds, the list is long as to what is available for game.

     

    Players will have a distinct advantage in their modern equipment (guns, explosives, electric lights, kevlar armor, medical kits, knives, swords, bows etc...). HOWEVER there are no replacements for any of their equipment (specially ammo, medicines etc..). Players must use local stuff and Crafting is a necessity if players want to keep ahead of the power curve in competition with Martians, humans, hybrids, genetic alterants, dinosaurs, monsters (created or imported and modified).

     

    For added flavor the art, science, architecture of ancient historic civilazations can be used in some protoform (Mayan, Egyptian, Chinese, Southeast Asian, African, Anasazi, Arctic) for a degree of familiarity. Basic concept would make a neat novel or trilogy too lol ! So there it is - a prehistoric, non realistic gaming environment and layout in simple form. Let me know if anyone wants to make it, I will be happy to be a consultant!!!

Sign In or Register to comment.