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Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 2:32 am
by Jackolantern
I have been reading this book called "The Name of the Wind" and for a good long time, the main character goes to a university to learn the basics of magic.

I actually thought this could be an interesting concept for an (MMO)RPG. Probably a text-based MUD or something similar although it could work graphically as well. For example, when you start the game, you are just a person. No class, no abilities. The beginning of the game is the first day of your character entering the university. You have a choice of classes you can enter, and each one is a path to having certain skills and magic powers. Of course a lot of this could be set up through the game's questing system, and the "tests" could be summoning monsters that your character has to use their new skills to defeat. When they graduate the school, the world opens up and they can continue to level-up their abilities but their paths are set in the school.

It feels like an interesting way for the player to create their character and to build them how they want when they are in the university. My main concern is that it would need a lot of work and content to ensure it doesn't become boring.

What do you think?

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 2:51 am
by hallsofvallhalla
Jackolantern wrote:I have been reading this book called "The Name of the Wind" and for a good long time, the main character goes to a university to learn the basics of magic.
Oh what a novel idea, and they should take a train there and each book should be filled with how the school really sucks at protecting their kids so each book the main character nearly dies due to weak professors -cough Potter! -cough

haha kidding!

But yes I love that idea. Imagine how much more our character would mean to us if we had to go through all the training with them and develop them based on our own skills.

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 2:58 am
by Jackolantern
Haha! Yeah, it does on the outside sound a bit like Harry Potter but it is much darker and less "kids are up to hijinx in class" kind of stuff like HP.

But I agree, I think it could really bond players to their character. But like I mentioned, it could be tough to keep it interesting and exciting. I think this idea lends itself a lot more to a text-based MUD than a graphical game since MUD players already tend to be more invested in story and character-building.

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 7:30 pm
by hallsofvallhalla
That reminds me I still need to build an epic mud to change the world of Muds and bring thousands, nay, millions of players back to muds. :P

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 10:02 pm
by Jackolantern
I have kicked around that idea as well (including the bringing millions of players back lol). You know what I think the real secret to it is? Use the same GUI elements and mechanics that you see in games like WoW. Every MMO player instantly understands that UI and how to interact with it. The only difference is that instead of seeing a graphical world you see text. Of course you would have to have some different parts, like movement icons on the screen rather than moving around with keyboard and mouse, and you would likely need more command icons available. But I think that would make the barrier to entry as low as humanly possible for a new MUD player to get into it and figure it out. Most MUDs out there kill new players because they rely on being Telnet-compatible and thus have to use dozens or even hundreds of cryptic text commands.

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 10:17 pm
by hallsofvallhalla
agreed there. While more features are great, if each feature is some new command you have to learn then it becomes a game you need to start from the beginning of when it was created.

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 11:53 pm
by vitinho444
I kinda liked it. The magic part for me it's meh, but the development of our character, taking classes that WE want because WE want and then the world opening at graduation sounds like great ideas for a game. Can't see it working in a MUD tbh, I was thinking 3D already, but I'm a little biased.

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:41 am
by Jackolantern
vitinho444 wrote:I kinda liked it. The magic part for me it's meh, but the development of our character, taking classes that WE want because WE want and then the world opening at graduation sounds like great ideas for a game. Can't see it working in a MUD tbh, I was thinking 3D already, but I'm a little biased.
For the most part anything that could work in a 3D game could work in a text-based game. And in fact, you can actually do a lot in a text-based MUD that you cannot do in a 3D MMO.

But the more I think about the idea, the more I like it and the more I think it could work. You could meet other players in the school as you are working towards graduation and could maybe even form school buddies lol.
hallsofvallhalla wrote:agreed there. While more features are great, if each feature is some new command you have to learn then it becomes a game you need to start from the beginning of when it was created.
I was also thinking you could use the UI to teach the commands to the players. So when you click an icon in the GUI to perform an action, you see the text of the command entered. Since the more advanced players are going to gravitate towards keeping their hands on the keyboard and using text commands, the longer a player plays the game the more text commands they learn. But even advanced players may forget a command syntax at times and use the GUI.

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:10 pm
by vitinho444
Jackolantern wrote: For the most part anything that could work in a 3D game could work in a text-based game. And in fact, you can actually do a lot in a text-based MUD that you cannot do in a 3D MMO.

But the more I think about the idea, the more I like it and the more I think it could work. You could meet other players in the school as you are working towards graduation and could maybe even form school buddies lol.
Yeah I can see that working yeah. Follow the idea, and see where it leads, unless you are already working on something, in that case, drop it (this idea) :lol:

Re: Interesting idea for an RPG

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 7:22 pm
by hallsofvallhalla
Jsut the idea of having to play the first parts of the MUD in a school sounds awesome. Make quests in the school itself to make it entertaining. It would make the world outside the school that much more special as you would work to get there. Especially if the monsters out there could easily kill you without your training.