[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Homogenized MMORPG Engines (Was: Arantagainst Vanguard reviews and rants)

[Dave Scheffer]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Huber" <huberc at frontiernet.net>
To: <mud-dev2 at lists.mud-dev.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 5:54 AM
Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Homogenized MMORPG Engines (Was: 
Arantagainst Vanguard reviews and rants)

>
> My own concerns with going too far down that road are 1) differences in 2D 
> interface vs. 3D, will it cause adoption of a mechanic that works fine in 
> 2D but bombs in 3D due to interface issues; and 2) is gathering a sizable 
> and appropriate test group, if/when that ever becomes desireable, even 
> going to be possible with 2D graphics, especially since what I'm working 
> on is a "hard-core" system of game mechanics?


I believe this to be exactly spot-on.  I have found the current fad of 
describing interaction in terms of "cards" to be conveniently programmatical 
and decidedly linear - I don't need more path entry points.  It's 1980s 
engineering looking to solve a problem that only exists now for the 
mega-world products solving cpu resourcing versus player expectation.  I 
don't fault that.  I'm personally not looking to recreate the next WoW on 
today's cluster.

It's the same concept of binary pathing versus quarkish field influence.  I 
*do* believe there is merit to this traditional modeling to get gross 
dynamics down, a form of storyboarding which is useful when the plot runs on 
rails.  And I do believe rails are highly relevant.

But... it is useless to me when trying to create niche world where the NPCs 
are the story, the gameworld dynamics are the story, and the player is 
fitting herself in to warp social dynamics to her personality center.  How 
do I allow a player to become the town conscience, a factional village 
social leader, a respected opinionator... and at the same time do so under 
the class guise of healer, politician, and milkman?  Coded implementation is 
important but there is "memory" on top of simple provocation of the 
immediate game mechanic.

Emphasis on "niche".  I'm interested in recreating "Otherworld" - behavioral 
agents with the capacity to assume AI mechanics in an instanced fashion.  To 
me it is no different than that "now" is 1985 but I am looking to 1997's 
Ultima Online.  YMMV


Dave Scheffer