If you were making a scifi MMO, what would you do?

SirCedric

You have the money, you have your team, and you have the equipment to get start.

You have to make a Sci-fi MMO, what would you do?

Bitrip

Flying. Flying Vehicles. Flying Player Characters. Flying Non-Player Characters. Flying Mobs.

Everyone will be able to fly. Because reasons.

waynejr2

Originally posted by Bitrip

Flying. Flying Vehicles. Flying Player Characters. Flying Non-Player Characters. Flying Mobs.

Everyone will be able to fly. Because reasons.

And all the adventure would take place underground!

H0urg1ass

Originally posted by DMKano
First I'd build a cash shop with lockboxes. After that point the rest is irrelevant. Add some lasers and futuristic costumes, throw in an alien or 2 and call it a day.

Yep.  First off, don't give the gear or weapons stats.  Make it like SWTOR where modules that you add to the gear and weapons gives it stats.  

Then make sure that the starting gear and progression gear are all kind of bland, or even terrible looking.  Put all the most badass looking gear in the lockboxes and give it a 1% chance to drop.  Offer decent looking outfits/weapons in the Cash Shop for $20 per outfit.

Then buy an island in the Bahamas while grown adults pay you tons of money to play digital dress up dolls online.

waynejr2

Originally posted by SirCedric

You have the money, you have your team, and you have the equipment to get start.

You have to make a Sci-fi MMO, what would you do?

I wouldn't build one. Players don't deserve a new game.

Loktofeit

Originally posted by SirCedric

You have the money, you have your team, and you have the equipment to get start.

You have to make a Sci-fi MMO, what would you do?

I'd put it all on Gods and Idols. 

 

waynejr2

Originally posted by DMKano

 

Originally posted by waynejr2

Originally posted by SirCedric

You have the money, you have your team, and you have the equipment to get start.

You have to make a Sci-fi MMO, what would you do?

I wouldn't build one. Players don't deserve a new game.

 

 

Yes this is good idea - instead of s sci-fi game it would be a tool of torture for the undeserving masses.

The chief weapon would be surprise and fear ... because players would think it was a game. The 2 chief elements would be surprise, fear and ruthless efficiency. ... wait . Our three weapons would be surprise, fear, ruthless efficiency and almost fanatical devotion to the cash shop.... Amongst our weapons..... I'll come back later.

If I wanted to do that I would make a Star Citizen clone!

Loke666

Well, first I would try to get the license for Shadowrun and if that don't work out, the Willian Gibsons Neuromancer.

I would make a sandbox styled games with big corps fighting a hidden war amonst eachothers. Both npc and player run corps who manifacture gear and such while spying and sabotaging eachother with hiring in soldier of fortunes (or 'runners) to do their black ops.

Make that a lot about planning, finding out floorplans and security before finally making that run.

The corp players will place cameras, traps, hired security guards who patrols specific rounds and so on. 

I would make it mainly about PvE but corporate characters who get runners could PvP inside their fascilities.

Corps should be smaller guilds with say 25 players maximum who also will do a civilization like reaserch game while trying to get the competitor down, the corps could focus on manifacturing different things from vehicles weapons to clothes, beer or whatever and yur specialization will put you up against the other corps on the server with the leading one earing more money (players can of course by any corps gear). The higher up you get the more other corps will try to steal or sabotage your products.

Also the corps should get a little saying about how the stuff looks, if you make a motorcycle you should be able to mix how it looks from putting 3-4 parts together and pick the color. Also corp players could look for rare materials and plants, stuff like that.

Runners on the other hand will do illegal stuff, they can get hired by player or npc stuff to work against other corps, they can mess with criminals and law enforcement, bounty hunt and generally adventuring. They will operate in groups of 6 but they should also be able to create gangs, also up to 25.

And runners will be able to have player housing as well as a "guildhouse", which could be a bar other players could visit or a more private place to plan the coups. The runners will more or less start living in a cardboard box but able to buy a mansion eventually.

So a small mainly PvE game with plotting players Vs player, mainly a sandbox  but with plenty of themepark elements as well. A focus on planning when you go up against corps as well.

No levels, skill increases as you play, from fast in the beginning to very slowly but you will not gain more hitpoints, getting hit by a gun will be bad. 

I think it would have to kick you in first person whenever combat starts (yeah, you will need to aim those weapons) but you should be able to play 3rd person out of combat if you prefer it that way. Also, if I would get the SR IP, mages should be able to play 3rd person all the time and so could melee characters. Anytime you draw a handgun or other ranged weapon you get licked to first person.

And no trinity combat.

Yeah, this is probably not what you were thinking of when you said sci-fi MMO but it would be pretty awesome.

SirCedric

Originally posted by Loke666

Well, first I would try to get the license for Shadowrun and if that don't work out, the Willian Gibsons Neuromancer.

I would make a sandbox styled games with big corps fighting a hidden war amonst eachothers. Both npc and player run corps who manifacture gear and such while spying and sabotaging eachother with hiring in soldier of fortunes (or 'runners) to do their black ops.

Make that a lot about planning, finding out floorplans and security before finally making that run.

The corp players will place cameras, traps, hired security guards who patrols specific rounds and so on. 

I would make it mainly about PvE but corporate characters who get runners could PvP inside their fascilities.

Corps should be smaller guilds with say 25 players maximum who also will do a civilization like reaserch game while trying to get the competitor down, the corps could focus on manifacturing different things from vehicles weapons to clothes, beer or whatever and yur specialization will put you up against the other corps on the server with the leading one earing more money (players can of course by any corps gear). The higher up you get the more other corps will try to steal or sabotage your products.

Also the corps should get a little saying about how the stuff looks, if you make a motorcycle you should be able to mix how it looks from putting 3-4 parts together and pick the color. Also corp players could look for rare materials and plants, stuff like that.

Runners on the other hand will do illegal stuff, they can get hired by player or npc stuff to work against other corps, they can mess with criminals and law enforcement, bounty hunt and generally adventuring. They will operate in groups of 6 but they should also be able to create gangs, also up to 25.

And runners will be able to have player housing as well as a "guildhouse", which could be a bar other players could visit or a more private place to plan the coups. The runners will more or less start living in a cardboard box but able to buy a mansion eventually.

So a small mainly PvE game with plotting players Vs player, mainly a sandbox  but with plenty of themepark elements as well. A focus on planning when you go up against corps as well.

No levels, skill increases as you play, from fast in the beginning to very slowly but you will not gain more hitpoints, getting hit by a gun will be bad. 

I think it would have to kick you in first person whenever combat starts (yeah, you will need to aim those weapons) but you should be able to play 3rd person out of combat if you prefer it that way. Also, if I would get the SR IP, mages should be able to play 3rd person all the time and so could melee characters. Anytime you draw a handgun or other ranged weapon you get licked to first person.

And no trinity combat.

Yeah, this is probably not what you were thinking of when you said sci-fi MMO but it would be pretty awesome.

Sounds good to me.

Theocritus

The sci fi MMO is about the only one that hasnt been overdone and to me no one has got it right yet.......Eve has a nice looking universe but you play in a ship, no avatar,  and theres only ship combat.......Star Trek Online was horrible and SWToR was as themeparkish as they come....I think thats why games like Star Citizen draw so much attnetion is the fields are ripe for a great MMO sci fi game, just no one has been even close to making a good one.

Amaranthar

Originally posted by SirCedric

Originally posted by Loke666

Well, first I would try to get the license for Shadowrun and if that don't work out, the Willian Gibsons Neuromancer.

I would make a sandbox styled games with big corps fighting a hidden war amonst eachothers. Both npc and player run corps who manifacture gear and such while spying and sabotaging eachother with hiring in soldier of fortunes (or 'runners) to do their black ops.

Make that a lot about planning, finding out floorplans and security before finally making that run.

The corp players will place cameras, traps, hired security guards who patrols specific rounds and so on. 

I would make it mainly about PvE but corporate characters who get runners could PvP inside their fascilities.

Corps should be smaller guilds with say 25 players maximum who also will do a civilization like reaserch game while trying to get the competitor down, the corps could focus on manifacturing different things from vehicles weapons to clothes, beer or whatever and yur specialization will put you up against the other corps on the server with the leading one earing more money (players can of course by any corps gear). The higher up you get the more other corps will try to steal or sabotage your products.

Also the corps should get a little saying about how the stuff looks, if you make a motorcycle you should be able to mix how it looks from putting 3-4 parts together and pick the color. Also corp players could look for rare materials and plants, stuff like that.

Runners on the other hand will do illegal stuff, they can get hired by player or npc stuff to work against other corps, they can mess with criminals and law enforcement, bounty hunt and generally adventuring. They will operate in groups of 6 but they should also be able to create gangs, also up to 25.

And runners will be able to have player housing as well as a "guildhouse", which could be a bar other players could visit or a more private place to plan the coups. The runners will more or less start living in a cardboard box but able to buy a mansion eventually.

So a small mainly PvE game with plotting players Vs player, mainly a sandbox  but with plenty of themepark elements as well. A focus on planning when you go up against corps as well.

No levels, skill increases as you play, from fast in the beginning to very slowly but you will not gain more hitpoints, getting hit by a gun will be bad. 

I think it would have to kick you in first person whenever combat starts (yeah, you will need to aim those weapons) but you should be able to play 3rd person out of combat if you prefer it that way. Also, if I would get the SR IP, mages should be able to play 3rd person all the time and so could melee characters. Anytime you draw a handgun or other ranged weapon you get licked to first person.

And no trinity combat.

Yeah, this is probably not what you were thinking of when you said sci-fi MMO but it would be pretty awesome.

Sounds good to me.

Me too. Except I'd only kick to FP view if actively aiming, and allow only walking speed movement at that point.

One thing I've always wanted in a Sci-Fi MMO for explorers is an armored camper style vehicle to live out of. Basically a moving house (small) with weapons, also functions as a slowish (player run speed) travel vehicle limited to flat terrain. Able to be transported to planets via crane-ships and cargo space vehicles. Able to be converted to submarine version for water worlds.

waynejr2

Originally posted by Loke666

Well, first I would try to get the license for Shadowrun and if that don't work out, the Willian Gibsons Neuromancer.

I would make a sandbox styled games with big corps fighting a hidden war amonst eachothers. Both npc and player run corps who manifacture gear and such while spying and sabotaging eachother with hiring in soldier of fortunes (or 'runners) to do their black ops.

Make that a lot about planning, finding out floorplans and security before finally making that run.

The corp players will place cameras, traps, hired security guards who patrols specific rounds and so on. 

I would make it mainly about PvE but corporate characters who get runners could PvP inside their fascilities.

Corps should be smaller guilds with say 25 players maximum who also will do a civilization like reaserch game while trying to get the competitor down, the corps could focus on manifacturing different things from vehicles weapons to clothes, beer or whatever and yur specialization will put you up against the other corps on the server with the leading one earing more money (players can of course by any corps gear). The higher up you get the more other corps will try to steal or sabotage your products.

Also the corps should get a little saying about how the stuff looks, if you make a motorcycle you should be able to mix how it looks from putting 3-4 parts together and pick the color. Also corp players could look for rare materials and plants, stuff like that.

Runners on the other hand will do illegal stuff, they can get hired by player or npc stuff to work against other corps, they can mess with criminals and law enforcement, bounty hunt and generally adventuring. They will operate in groups of 6 but they should also be able to create gangs, also up to 25.

And runners will be able to have player housing as well as a "guildhouse", which could be a bar other players could visit or a more private place to plan the coups. The runners will more or less start living in a cardboard box but able to buy a mansion eventually.

So a small mainly PvE game with plotting players Vs player, mainly a sandbox  but with plenty of themepark elements as well. A focus on planning when you go up against corps as well.

No levels, skill increases as you play, from fast in the beginning to very slowly but you will not gain more hitpoints, getting hit by a gun will be bad. 

I think it would have to kick you in first person whenever combat starts (yeah, you will need to aim those weapons) but you should be able to play 3rd person out of combat if you prefer it that way. Also, if I would get the SR IP, mages should be able to play 3rd person all the time and so could melee characters. Anytime you draw a handgun or other ranged weapon you get licked to first person.

And no trinity combat.

Yeah, this is probably not what you were thinking of when you said sci-fi MMO but it would be pretty awesome.

Add in government forces that you have to avoid or evade for more engagement too!  Stealth that mission or turn it into grand theft auto.  The game syphon  filter had a stealth mission that was very cool.

Loke666

Originally posted by waynejr2

Add in government forces that you have to avoid or evade for more engagement too!  Stealth that mission or turn it into grand theft auto.  The game syphon  filter had a stealth mission that was very cool.

I was thinking about that, and with the SR IP stuff like smuggling someone out or in Tir Taingire with the Tir militare trying to stop you as well as player run security corps and a few other stuff as well. But it would be a wall of thext if I posted more.

And I love stealth missions as well. In fact would most missions against Corps start out that way but if you mess up they will turn hot very fast.

Loke666

Originally posted by Amaranthar

Me too. Except I'd only kick to FP view if actively aiming, and allow only walking speed movement at that point.

One thing I've always wanted in a Sci-Fi MMO for explorers is an armored camper style vehicle to live out of. Basically a moving house (small) with weapons, also functions as a slowish (player run speed) travel vehicle limited to flat terrain. Able to be transported to planets via crane-ships and cargo space vehicles. Able to be converted to submarine version for water worlds.

Well, firearms would need to be aimed, anything else just wouldn't work. And slowing down when aiming is a good idea of course.

I kinda think that players should decide if they prefer 1st or 3rd person view themselves otherwise, it is the one playing who should make decisions like that.

Shadowrun actually got a class called Rigger who usually stays outside the corp in a cutom built truck while using drones (this was pretty cool in 1990 actually), many of them tend to live in their truck as well so player housing you could move is fine by me. 

Cargo ships in the harbour would do fine as guildhalls for certain guilds and a yacht is an excellent player house for a rich runner or corp boss that like the sea.

The submarine is probably a bit much for me though.

Amaranthar

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by Amaranthar

Me too. Except I'd only kick to FP view if actively aiming, and allow only walking speed movement at that point.

One thing I've always wanted in a Sci-Fi MMO for explorers is an armored camper style vehicle to live out of. Basically a moving house (small) with weapons, also functions as a slowish (player run speed) travel vehicle limited to flat terrain. Able to be transported to planets via crane-ships and cargo space vehicles. Able to be converted to submarine version for water worlds.

Well, firearms would need to be aimed, anything else just wouldn't work. And slowing down when aiming is a good idea of course.

I kinda think that players should decide if they prefer 1st or 3rd person view themselves otherwise, it is the one playing who should make decisions like that.

Shadowrun actually got a class called Rigger who usually stays outside the corp in a cutom built truck while using drones (this was pretty cool in 1990 actually), many of them tend to live in their truck as well so player housing you could move is fine by me. 

Cargo ships in the harbour would do fine as guildhalls for certain guilds and a yacht is an excellent player house for a rich runner or corp boss that like the sea.

The submarine is probably a bit much for me though.

I want me sub! What kind of a crappy game is this, anyways?!

Daikuru

Star Citizen.

sunandshadow

One fun option would be to start out with Earth as a low tech backwater which isn't a member of the galactic federation or w/e it's called.  Earth does have two major contacts with other races going on though - a project where they were invited to colonize a planet alongside a different humanoid race (so, a wide-spectrum first contact situation) and trade negotiations which result in alien spaceships regularly landing on Earth (could spawn daily quests).  But young Earthlings who do really well on some test can get accepted to the federation's academy.  (Anyone else currently reading Armada?  If you aren't an Ernest Cline fan, then maybe The Last Starfighter is a better reference.)  From the physical location of either Earth's spaceport or the academy, you can choose to become a pirate or mercenary, illegally adventuring in space.  Or you can be a good little student and take quests to earn a federation rank.  The lowest rank allows you to legally be a civillian in federation space instead of getting deported back to Earth.  Higher ranks are direct employment by the government, and according to your specialties they may send you to do diplomacy, assassination, scientific study, medical aid - anything you'd see in a Star Trek episode.

FrodoFragins

Amazing space combat first and foremost, no EVE or STO or SWTOR crap.

 

Star Control level of ingenuity, alieness and discovery.

 

The rest is negotiable.

anemo

I'd probably go with a two world system.

 

The first world a limited amount of the real world* IE: just the work place.   The second world where "we are the invaders" on a world where we can't understand it(IE: the living things are suicidal since that's part of their reproduction cycle, the world it self that is constantly in shift, Cases where gravity and physics goes wrong).

*real world being the games real world

___________________

In the real world* you can do basic stuff like your character's kit, taking on NPC contracts, selling off loot, crafting loot into something else.   However where I would aim to make is the ability to research the other world, find information about maps(IE you must earn the auto mapping feature some how).   Along with the ability for players to find friend/guild/contract members so that they can modify their experience IE: warp in more people, warp in ammo, get materials out, map ahead, "hack" artifacts and similar.

 

In the other world you have a run and gun style MMO.   You enter a sufficently large enough world, so that it feel instanced but occasionally bump into other players or with work can track down others(with real world* player help).   With raid bosses not being instanced but out in the open, but in a disabled/stone form until players trigger/unlock them.    

______________________

Basically the goal of being is to travel other world quickly, collect loot, and find the next raid boss before other players do.   Then after the boss is found have the person who finds start working on the triggers, while the real world* organizers work on warping in more people/gear.   

And depending on the the area/server players may need to defend their find from others.

Hariken

Originally posted by DMKano
First I'd build a cash shop with lockboxes. After that point the rest is irrelevant. Add some lasers and futuristic costumes, throw in an alien or 2 and call it a day.

Don't forget the open world PVP so you don't have to have much content.

Loktofeit

Originally posted by Theocritus
The sci fi MMO is about the only one that hasnt been overdone and to me no one has got it right yet.

It's been the opposite for me. I haven't found one that I didn't like

• Shores of Hazeron
• EnB Online
• EVE Online
• Neocron
• Anarchy Online
• Vendetta Online 
• and, yes, even Pardus

 

I found them all fun. 

 

 

KenFisher

Starship Troopers clone.

 

Time for a BUG HUNT !

Mendel

Originally posted by SirCedric

You have the money, you have your team, and you have the equipment to get start.

You have to make a Sci-fi MMO, what would you do?

I have to make a Sci-fi MMO?  You mean instead of investing the money wisely?

Well, since it's just a mental exercise, here are some things I would have to do.

• No Swords.  Ancient hand held weapons do not stand up against futuristic energy-based (F.E.B.) weaponry.  Not only that, but with smart sensors and advanced targeting systems, the effective range of the F.E.B. could be from horizon to horizon, with shots moving at near light-speed.  The guy with the sword has no chance.  These weapons would be show pieces, relics of long-ago days hung on the walls.  Futuristic combat is incredibly deadly.

• No Fighters-in-space.  The WWII fighter / carrier model doesn't really scale up to interplanetary vessels -- the combat distances are simply too great for small ships to be effective.  Distances would require speeds far beyond what is currently achievable, and no one would really want to play a dogfight starting from planetary distances.  Invest instead in unmanned drones with high-powered versions of the F.E.B. weapons or torpedoes which are far more resilient to G forces generated by travel through normal space.

• Interstellar travel.  I wouldn't really see a ship being within the fiscal capabilities of anything less than a major company for quite some time.  And even most major companies wouldn't be able to own a ship.  So, I would envision a static jump-gate as opposed to some kind of ship-based FTL drive.  Think public transportation using Babylon 5 tech as opposed to Star Trek tech.

• Futuristic Combat Gear.  To improve survivability, combatants would need extensive combat suits, with power systems to support the weaponry and sensors.  Also, the suit should have options for specialized modules, such as mobility (atmospheric flight), medicine, and stealth.

• Non-combat Activities.  Since I would intentionally make futuristic combat so effective, I would hope that this degree of fatality to encourage players to pursue other non-combat activities, such as politics, business, jurisprudence, entertainment, espionage and exploration.  There would need to be robust systems to abstract these functions.

• Science.  Individual crafting wouldn't really compete with futuristic production lines using matter replication technology, so I'd work out a system of Science, instead.  Players would be able to develop unique new production techniques, using mechanical, chemical, electrical or genetic engineering.  These formula would be similar to the character's Intellectual Property, some might be useful, most worthless.

Enough mental exercise for now.  That's sort of approximately how I'd choose to make a sci-fi game.  Assuming I couldn't use the money to buy a stadium full of hot dogs or something useful like that.

FomaldehydeJim

I'll bite, it would start with a tutorial describing a realistically long and arduous journey (in flashbacks) by beam craft to another solar system. You are a frontiersman, the first of several humans to set out to explore this new world. At the destination solar system there would be a powerful laser array in orbit around the sun to decelerate your sail ship.  You go into orbit around the destination star and then fall into orbit around its earth-like planet.  You land.  

There is plant life but no aliens. You wonder who it was that built the laser array around the star, and who sent those communications in a universal mathematical language to earth. After some exploration you find ruins. Other humans have now followed you and landed themselves and you start to meet one another. Then you see a humanoid race on the horizon. It simply vanishes as you come close. Events are thrown at you, a dust storm to destroy your emerging encampment and drop-ships, a vast predator you have to battle together, and you start to wonder if you are a rat in a maze...

That would be the start of it.   

MMOVet74

A futuristic MMORPG that takes place in  New York, a few hundred years in the future.  2 factions: Human (good), Android (bad).

You start the game as a Cyborg. Your 50% human/50% Robot, and have no allegiance to either  factions. Over the first 20 levels or so  you quest, and your decisions  bring you closer to   either the  Humans or Androids. If you choose to side with Humans, you begin to lose augmentations eventually become 100% human. If you go down the path of the Androids, you  add augmentations to the point where you eventually become fully android.

Combat is first person, but can be played in third if so chosen.  Android and Humans look alike and to decipher between them takes certain skills  and abilities, as well as just the players intuition.  Makes for interesting quest choices, knowing that you may be  helping the wrong faction and not know it.

The city of New york is   corrupt. Politicians, Gangs, Mobs,  etc.. Some are human, some are android,  but only a few know.  

You don't have any crafting professions. Your profession is your job.  You could be a private detective, a  cop, a surgeon, an assassin,  etc... 

The city is fully dynamic and every house, building, sewer, etc... can be entered. 

The guild is a very important part of this game and has a very deep leveling system. They are very important to the overall story and gameplay. Organizations,/Gangs  are guild types in the game. Your guild type will tell others what you stand for and the guild quests you receive will directly be influenced by what type of  guild you choose.

Every guild starts of as a society and eventually levels up through   guild tasks and quests to either an organization or gang.They can be good or bad. (neutral)

Organizations are guilds that want to  rid the world of android technology, through diplomacy, strength of arms, etc...  always good. (human only)

Gangs are all about controlling territory through  violence, illegal operations (augmentations, drugs/gambling/prostitution, black market), and are  always bad.   (android only)

Mendel

Originally posted by FomaldehydeJim

I'll bite, it would start with a tutorial describing a realistically long and arduous journey (in flashbacks) by beam craft to another solar system. You are a frontiersman, the first of several humans to set out to explore this new world. At the destination solar system there would be a powerful laser array in orbit around the sun to decelerate your sail ship.  You go into orbit around the destination star and then fall into orbit around its earth-like planet.  You land.  

There is plant life but no aliens. You wonder who it was that built the laser array around the star, and who sent those communications in a universal mathematical language to earth. After some exploration you find ruins. Other humans have now followed you and landed themselves and you start to meet one another. Then you see a humanoid race on the horizon. It simply vanishes as you come close. Events are thrown at you, a dust storm to destroy your emerging encampment and drop-ships, a vast predator you have to battle together, and you start to wonder if you are a rat in a maze...

That would be the start of it.   

That pretty much describes Alien Legacy, and old (1994) PC strategy game from Sierra Online that mixes city building, research, population management and production.  Quite a good little single player game, playable with DOS-BOX.