ID:48604
 
Keywords: design
I'm saying this a bit early, as I've probably another month or two in development before something playable manifests. (Or maybe I'll get really motivated and have it done in 2 weeks - wouldn't that be something?) Also, I'm sure some things will change between now and then.

In any case, I'd like to say a little about what I'm currently planning. I'm aware of the risk that somebody will copy this and make their own game from it before I do. I say: go for it. It'd be awfully hypocritical of me to co-opt advice of Miyomoto, Chen, Koster, and countless others, and then say I'm afraid of being copied. Go ahead, stand on the shoulders of giants - just so long as you're standing there and not sitting and spinning.

Right then, enough of that mental image.



First off, the outer layer of emergence will be established by a setting in which the players are essentially able to build settlements from scratch, and these settlements can be destroyed. Basically, you (the players) are entirely responsible for the destiny of this virtual world.

It's going to be engineered in such a way that this loss is not irreconcilable, but rather observed as an inevitability. This is necessary because I don't want people considering their settlements as permanent homes away from home.

These homes are not permanent, they're going to get flattened, and I can't prevent that if I want the game to stay emergent. It becomes the players' goal to see how long their settlements can last.

This "losable settlement" mechanic doubles as a mechanism for flow. Much like a survivor game, the challenge steadily ramps up until flow is achieved.

There's actually quite a few existing BYOND games that have survivor-game like mechanics, such as Space Castle and Gold Guardians.

My game will differ primarily in that it takes place from an individual character's perspective and in a continual space where the players have a lot more influence over the environment. Sort of a Space Station 13 that never resets and has more flow-like mechanics and less emphasis on RP props.


Second, the inner layer of flow will be established by (in addition to the aspect I just mentioned) giving the player access to a surprisingly diverse character.

I want to keep a relatively RPG-based mechanic in that the BYOND engine is well built to handle it. However, I plan to ditch the standard concepts as much as possible, and replace them with ones that have a heavy focus on mastering the interactivity.

To counter the menace seeking to undermine their settlements, the players will not be given a weapon, tool, or ability but rather a fascinating combination weapon/tool that learning the ins and outs of becomes a game within the game.

This brings us to the concept of power accumulation. I'm trying to ditch the concept of the grind as much as possible, and instead focus on allowing players to unlock additional power through simply proving themselves capable of surpassing a challenge.

Killing stuff to gain experience points leading to levels just burns time. My goal is that the players kill just enough stuff to prove they've mastered their level, and are instantly whisked onto a harder challenge that allows them access to the next. Hooking this up to an RPG sense of accomplishment is tricky, but I think I can do so.


Overall, the dots are on the paper, and I like the looks of them. Now, I just need to draw the connecting lines.
OMG, SPOILERS!

Don't worry, the link is safe. You should check it out.
I'm not too worried about links. You'd be surprised how many web vulnerabilities go away if you simply avoid ActiveX like the plaguebearer it is.

Ah yes, I remember reading that, I should have remembered it. ;)

At this point, I think I'm safe because what I've announced is so abstract it could be twisted a number of interesting ends. All I really know for certain is that I want the flow and emergence, and I think I've solidified a good means to go about it. None of it's so impossible that I'd say it's something I've never done before (at least from a mental prototype standpoint).

No, my main issue with motivation right now is just getting myself to sit down and work out the details within those abstractions. I think many game developers here and elsewhere would agree that "the devil is in the details." It's not the idea, but the implementation that's hard.
Nice GhostAnime, very, very nice..

God..