I have an idea that would change the way online RPG's are played. The base is formed around teamwork. You start out by yourself but can form a team by asking a person to join you. That person then becomes a member of your team and you become the leader. The parties can only hold up to 4 or 5 people. The leader makes the final decisions of the group so the members make requests on what they wish to do. If you wanted to go into a store then it would have to be oked by the leader. If you die you would be saved by God's Grace and be separated from the team. If you are the leader and die then the team is disbanded.

The questing system would be different as well. There would be universal quests instead of having a specific ending the game is left open ended. Unfortunately this does require a lot of random quests ranging from mundane tasks to bosses and overlords. Since the party members are separate they have their own pile of gold, experience, etc... If you are part of a team the results of quests and battles are split among the members. Also this could make for plot twists and new areas. I think to start with it would consist of one area and then build from there.

The battle system would resemble that of an old style rpg. Much like a Final Fantasy game there would be a menu that the player would select their action from. It will be more of a mix between real-time and turn-based. I think the players should enter a battle as they would in Final Fantasy where you can't see the monster but you are pulled into battle. I think having the battles non-realtime would free up the server to do other thing and also allow the players to do better actions without worrying about moving around. Of course this would mean a bunch of items and abilities so no one gets bored.

The game would be made in C++. I think the graphics should be 2D since it will take a lot of processing power to handle the quests and such. I am looking at creating a new engine using OpenGL(Video) and OpenAL(Audio). Please give me comments on what you like or dislike. Also if you are interested in helping me, e-mail me at jfpeople@hotmail.com.

[This message has been edited by HeardTheWord (edited August 16, 2004).]

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If the dream is big enough the facts don't count.-Dexter Yager

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Reasoning with non-believers without encouraging them to read the Bible, I have found, is quite useless. God's word convinces - not our own reason.
--CobraA1

Switch Mayhem now available! Get it here
Codename: Roler - Writing object code and GUI.

My other thoughts were about the other realm and how if it was just a snapshot of the current world you're in. If that was so then there could be people in the normal world that seem to be nice and loving but in the second world they are cruel. This could show how people live two lives and they need healing from Jesus in order to be saved. Then in the original world you could talk to them again, knowing what was bothering them, and witness to them about christ. Pulling them out of the darkened world. You might be able to gain npc team members that way.

I am still working on formulating ideas if anyone has any they would like to share or any questions for me please post. I am also working on the engine so I will have a base by the time I get my ideas straight.

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Originally posted by HeardTheWord:
I have been think about how you would enter a battle since I would like to see this over the internet. I think there could be another realm or a coexisting world where the creatures on the other side are trying to pull you over to their dark world. Kinda like demons and how they try to pull you away from God. When you are "pulled" into battle you would make a motion like there is something going on in your head and then fade as if going into the other world.

My other thoughts were about the other realm and how if it was just a snapshot of the current world you're in. If that was so then there could be people in the normal world that seem to be nice and loving but in the second world they are cruel. This could show how people live two lives and they need healing from Jesus in order to be saved. Then in the original world you could talk to them again, knowing what was bothering them, and witness to them about christ. Pulling them out of the darkened world. You might be able to gain npc team members that way.

I am still working on formulating ideas if anyone has any they would like to share or any questions for me please post. I am also working on the engine so I will have a base by the time I get my ideas straight.

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I agree there should still be fighting, like if someone has been taken by the demons then you should fight to free them of the demon that has taken over their body or something to that extent. I think there also could be an ability that is something like "detect evil" in D&D where you can sense sin or a demon that has taken hold of something.

[This message has been edited by HeardTheWord (edited August 26, 2004).]

Eph 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. "

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Soterion Studios

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

[This message has been edited by crazyishone (edited August 27, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by crazyishone (edited August 27, 2004).]

I am still in the planning stages so I need to work out how the battles are going to work. If you have suggestions I am open to listen to them. I know many of you may not agree with me but I would like the game to be more metaphorical. My idea of a base story goes something like this:

The world has been taken over by an evil force(Satan) and everyone is lost to sin. But then a man(Jesus) comes to earth and releases a few(disciples) from the evil one's grasp. They are then known as the released(christians) and will then be open to the evil one's attacks(battles). When you start the game you will be one of the lost(lost from christ). You will have to search for release. Once you find release you will be given gifts of the spirit(abilities or classes?). You will also be given a faith meter. This is your health meter and it will start out at a low level because your faith is not as strong. As you battle your faith will increase and which is really like getting more life.
You then are free to roam the world as a released(christian). Your goal is to group with others to free the world from the evil one. The evil one only attacks from the other realm so you are pulled into that realm when attacked and must defend yourself against the demons. So technically your spirit or whatever you want to call it is battling the demons.

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

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Originally posted by crazyishone:
Would the people you convert follow you around and help you fight the demons?. If so there should be a command where you can send them off to do tasks or convert a specific person or fight a certain target.

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I think it would be possible to recruit them as members of your party. I would also like to be able to have real people be part of the party as well. I am still debating whether to make this an online rpg or a single player game. I think possibly once you convert someone they may give you a quest or an item or some token of appreciation. They also may be able to help you in a time of need. I think you should be able to recruit some npc's but first you have to free them from the bonds of the evil one.

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Soterion Studios

now the whole thing about single player VS. mmorpg is a difficult question.
MMORPG: If both sides (good,evil) arent equally appealing and fun to play, the game will be unbalanced. You'll end up with most people on one team. MMORPG's are alot of fun, but all choosable sides have to be appealing. That means the team will have to spend as much time making it fun to be a hideous soul stealing beast as they would making it fun to be a righteous instrument of God. Will the player be told that they need to go save unbelievers(ai controlled), or will they choose to sway good or evil?

Single Player: still alot of fun but no interaction with intelligent people, which means alot of time must be spent on ai developement.

pros/cons
pros/cons
pros/cons....

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

Crazyishone, I read that you were interested in doing sprites. Once I get the base code done I may ask you for some help. Thanks for your input so far.

About just walking up to people and teaming up with them, that is a good idea. It is succesful in many mmorpgs(eg runescape). It would be a nice feature to be able to enter into a private conversation with a specific person. This all will come later though...

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

[This message has been edited by crazyishone (edited August 28, 2004).]

One problem with using the keys is they have to be held down constantly and that can get annoying. I am just trying to decide if this is a corner I can cut.

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

[This message has been edited by HeardTheWord (edited September 03, 2004).]

I cant help but think of the game ICO when those shadow creatures keep trying to pull the girl into the dark holes of the other realm. Except your game is cooler, because you get to find out what is on the other side of those holes.

I am glad I stumbled upon this site because I can see all the work that is being done for God's Glory. It really is a cool thing to be able to talk to other Christians that have similar interests.

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

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Hard work often pays off in time, but lazieness always pays off now.

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The game would be made in C++. I think the graphics should be 2D since it will take a lot of processing power to handle the quests and such. I am looking at creating a new engine using OpenGL(Video) and OpenAL(Audio). Please give me comments on what you like or dislike. Also if you are interested in helping me, e-mail me at jfpeople@hotmail.com.

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I am working on the design document as we speak. I hope to start working on the base code for the engine in October or possibly sooner. It all depends on when I get the design document done. I am trying to get the old style feeling without copying anyone's ideas too much.

It will very likely be done in C++ because I have the most experience in that language and I know it will run faster than VB or some of the other high level languages. This will allow me to add a lot more things in it than I could with say VB. I also thought about using a game engine to create the base code off of but most are 3d Game Engines and I would have to strip a lot of code out which would take just as long.

I would be interested in talking with you, conan. Is there a way I could talk to you like msn? Same with crazyish-one and anyone else that is interested in working to make this a reality. You have been an answer to prayers!

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proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

I want to stay with a pseudo-realtime battle engine. This will allow for the possibility of adding in networked multiplayer down the road. Players select the action they wish to use and it is put in a list. The game then goes down the list and performs the actions in the order they were selected. The actions can be anything from attacking to using an item .

I want to stay away from Greek Mythology or traditional mythical creatures. I think it is possible to create a world with new "species". Like in Zelda there were the Dekus, Zoras, etc... Also the "species" would relate back to this world where they reflect something in our culture. This would help the player relate everything back to their life.

I like the idea of player abilities. The abilities will be similar to the Gifts of the Spirit. I would like to see them integrated into battles or outside of battles. For example, if you have the gift of Faith then you could raise your party's spirit (or something along that line). The gifts are randomly given to you because we don't pick them as christians(1 Cor. 12:11).

I would like to keep the learning curve to a minumum. I dislike the D&D games because you have to know how all the dice rolling works and stats(low armor class just doesn't make sense to me). I would also like to stay away from the buy/sell concept. I feel like a business man because I have to know the properties and prices of all the weapons and where I can find the best price. There has to be a better way of keeping an inventory(like in diablo, once you ran out of inventory you just started throwing stuff out). I am not saying I want to get rid of advanced options though. The keyword is options. I want to make it friendly for novice gamers or those that just want to have fun.

I like the final fantasy battle system and want it to be based off of that. Although I want it to be unique and not completely emulating something else. A player should be able to play the game and not think of any other games that they have played in the past.

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It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Abe Lincoln

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proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

www.gfa.org - Gospel for Asia

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Originally posted by AmazingJas:
Regarding an engine, I have had a lot of people suggest Allegro, and I've seen a few games made with it and it seems to be pretty impressive.

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I think I am going to use OGRE as a Graphics Engine and OpenAL as a Audio Engine. They are free and can create professional quality games. They are used for the C Language which I am using. I am impressed with Ogres FPS and features. It has the ability of using Quake 3's BSP format and can import from Milkshape or Blender (cheaper modeling software). OpenAL has 3D postitioned audio for a surround sound effect.

I need an artist to help concept some ideas and someone to help me with the story line. If you want to talk to me use MSN Messenger. My e-mail is JFPeople@hotmail.com (It stands for Jesus Freak People) or m0rra7h@yahoo.com (no meaning whatsoever ).

OGRE - www.Ogre3d.org
OpenAL - www.OpenAL.org

[This message has been edited by HeardTheWord (edited September 16, 2004).]

This game will probably be in the design stage for a while. If anyone else would like to contribute to this project then just email me or contact me through MSN Messenger. I am writing down the peoples names who help so I can mention them in the credits.

[This message has been edited by HeardTheWord (edited September 22, 2004).]

--D-SIPL

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If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that suggests you tried

--Conan--

"We're almost there... How boring!" Paladins: Lands of Darkness

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"We're almost there... How boring!" Paladins: Lands of Darkness

Now, about your game, will it be 2d overhead, 2d iso, 3d characters on painted 2d backgrounds with wired boundries, or completely 3d? Or is this still undecided.

Conan has used his ideas for a new game (which I think has great potential) and is in need of someone to help lead. Check out his post for more information.