Hoi lui
Zandbergen van Zwolle hier, ik heb wel ideeen voor de online versie
op papier gezet en ben benieuwd naar reacties.
sorry dat t int engels is - ik kan nog wel eens vertalen op verzoek
IDEAS FOR O.U(online universe)
STRONG AI PARTICIPATION
Besides players, the Non Player Entities should be dynamic. Expanding their territories, by ships and new structures instead of static presence, thus making their presence more realistic and inspiring. Races with their own agenda, instead of waiting till players wipe them out. Empires with their own will, desires and goals instead of mindless entities filling places.
Also able to react to players in a dynamic way, making them alive instead of zombies.
*they should have superior ships, while providing players with inferior models, “ape’-models,
and/or limitations to who they sell their ships. Also, players buying stations/factories of a particular race should be restricted in the way they can use and deploy structures. Split dont like argon structures build on their front door etc...
*they should have an eye for loyalty, willing to aid their affiliated players who gained in a reputation. Also, the idea of suddenly changing sides should be discouraged for players who want to have some benefit of Non Player Races/Entities
*They should take aggressive measures against anyone attacking their ships, included affiliated players, asking for support. For example, raiding sectors of a clan/player or attacking their properties if they harass any interest of the Race or its affiliated players.
*Making alliances , waging wars once in while with other races, according their nature or state of development.
*players should be able to aid a AI race in its prosperity in the means of economic, financial or military aide.
PLAYERS INFLUENCE
Players should be able to influence their envirnoment by their actions, in a realistic way. Wich every action has consequences. You fired in the direction of a planet for the reason of boredom? Would any owner of a planet like the idea of bored vandals firing blindy to their properties, even with a small chance of doing real damage? (this is just to get the picture)
Just like a player starting a new industry or station in a new region. New colonist would arrive, new cities rise. On the other hand, war and terrorisme can turn a thriving sector into a no-man’s land.
Aiding one race and attacking another should have any effect at the least, the significance determined by scale of involvement. This way, players can change the state of the galaxy, though they will have their own goals in what they want to achieve, thus creating a dynamic and somewhat inpredictable universe.
A player or clan with enough means, can choose to be a saviour or the destroyer of an planet, a sector or even an entire race. Honoured as hero or branded as war-criminal.
Dynamic gaming should also take in account the nature of missions, quest and the mayor game story. Where players accomplishments or failures effect the course of the game.
Most games have missions and quest, available to anyone, again and again. While practical for design reasons, they can be a bit predictive and a not very realistic. Of course, a game is a fantasy, but every game has rules and must have some logic, for selfrespect.
Making missions and quests that are a one time action for one particular player, and unavailable to others is a challenging, maybe impossible task. But it is a daring and revolutionary idea, worth of considering.
Since designers cant make such quests on daily bases, they should pop up here and there, revealing theirselves to ignorant players bizzy with trading, war and regular business in stead of waiting to such rare opportunity. But players who take on the quest or special mission should be able to make a difference, changing the universe, or at least receiving a special award in the form of devices, technologies, abilties etc to reward their services.
Also important is special effects, the feeling a player does make a difference. This can be achieved for example with a news bulletin of a galactic news network, or any other way. A cutscene , dedicated to honour the achievments of a particular player. Or a memorial stone in a city, or simply by the effect caused by completing the quest, like giving an race a new sector, or a planet transforming. Negative effects can also be included of course…
This way, a player is on his own to complete a quest, though he should be able to forfeit it,
wich shouldn’t be the end, but effects cant be excluded.
Also, special achievments on militar, economic, scientific or diplomatic issues should have effect on the galaxy, both players and non-player entities.
Concepts like these can make the game exiting as real life, where you not get a saved game or second chance or quest hints from a forum, but maybe new chances and ways to go, new
opportunities, new dangers.
Besides such special quests wich pop up during the course of playing and development of the galaxy, more regular missions still can be useful tool for game pleasure. As long as they can give some benefits trade runs, fighting etc cant supply. They must have a meaning, not only for colouring the game but stimulation to do them, instead of going for the money or guns.
For what logic is there to take on a mission wich give you 5000 credits if a trade run can give you more in the same time, from game start already?
TRAVELLING LONG DISTANCES
Of course by gates and jump drives. But within sectors the best way to travel far in short time
is a boost to your engine, accelerate several times your normal speed, but making your weapons unavailable, though shields remain intact. Other (dis)advantages are to be considered.
MISC. SUBJECTS
*Players sould be able to pick a profession of abilty, like diplomat, trader, engineer, scientist, bounty hunters etc. This way, different players can aid each other with different concepts, and
have abilties no other profession has. Maybe even particular quests or missions.
*you should be able to fire missiles without targeting anything, though it should be secured a hit ship knows who launched them! (if object A is property of Object B, its logic object B fired it)
*ships should have ECM to misguide enemy missiles
*highly customizable ships: a hull wich can be filled with equipment like engines, cargo, space, fuel, weapons, devices at the tast of the owner. More engines thus faster but less cargo space or weapons. More shields but less speed, etc. Also the opportunity to install fuel or
extra energy generators for weapons, shields.
*ability to build battle stations defending important structures or zones
*Ferry ships to transport paying players to distant sectors
*Gates wich can be build or destroyed with a large amount of measures
*planets, systems, stations wich can change by time or other means
*a high amount of activity in some regions, stations and planets, even with few players
online – there should be enough non player entities around so you don’t feel alone ,
but a part of a living world, even if you’re the only player around. Not only bartenders or
traders, but tourists, guards, wanderers, businessmen etc.
*the abilty of diplomatic missions in some sort – the word as a handy tool.
*making profit with transporting tourists or other people , or starting your own
transport station , with your own tour ships!
*landing, building, flying and walking on planets…
*meteors etc flying trough space
*explosive mines to guard regions for a long time
*abilty to make savings on banks, gaining interest
*abilty or the need to hire personell for your ships..
*ability to hire mercenaries to escort or protect your properties for a while
*abilty to donate money or properties/stations to clans, player and even Non player races!
*abilty to turn planets into paradise or into deserts
*players working together should be able to fly in formation by an autopilot
*players should have choice of different paths to different goals and achievements
*new aliens to encounter during progress of the game/galaxy. Artifacts, technologies to discover, loot or research.
*abilty to specify wich player, clan , race , profession, or entity can use your stations. Multiple
combinations should be possible.
Well that’s it for the moment. I hope any of this can be of use.
Sincerely,
Zandbergen
online universe ideeen
Moderators: X-Warrior B AS, Henkie
