Well, sort of... Imagine playing on a game map that''s broken into dozens and dozens of zones. Each zone has a goodie or resource that you may want. The problem is that the better the goodie, the more dangerous the zone is. Zones are dangerous not only because of enemies and traps, but because they flux between cycles of effects. The schedule of effects is readily visible in most cases (with the very best of the best being more wildly variable). Here''s where it gets tricky: The effects can modify, or even negate player abilities depending on the zone and time within the zone. One zone might disrupt laser weapons for 10 days while in the zone. Another might randomly cut shield defenses in half while in the zone. The challenge for players is in the timing of when the goodie is available versus when the effects kick in. They might risk their neck to go after treasure only to not get to it in time, find some of their functions (radar, communications, missiles, etc.) near useless, and have to escape with their lives or hide in the zone until things change. Players would not only face the challenge of getting into a zone, but might have to decide if its worth it to travel through zones. They would also be encouraged to explore a zone for shortcuts leading into other zones or even build things in a zone to make it more managable. ? -------------------- Just waiting for the mothership...

Another good idea wavinator(He must be intercepting transmissions)... I say its good only on the basis that I know nothing else about the game. It sounds like a mmo-space...fighting/adventure/... but I could be wrong. Even so a game like armada(it was on dreamcast, now coming for ps2) is an interesting game with a friend. I would risk many things to go into a zone to get something, probably more willing to take risks than many... but I am also more willing to try and -screw over- potential riskers. I would probably configure(if possible) my ship to be pretty cool all but some ...effects. I would start by taking a disadvantage. Lets say I will only use missiles, taking no lasers, as I detest such things. I would be unaffected by going into a zone where lasers are ...well generally affected anyhow. This gives me an advantage(a small one as I suspect(and probably read) that zones will change). I would further this advantage by taking anti-missile eq, as to not run into my future self... I mean other people doing the same thing.

All this leads to me being superior(in theory) to people with all lasers in a laserless zone, and slightly superior to people with partial lasers and part missiles in such a zone. Hopefully I can hold off a full missile person(why I took anti-missile) for long enough for me to escape(I like faster ships over armor bound things). This of course being only one example, keep in mind I would try to accomplish this all around the board(in all aspects). The one other question I do have it, how important is it to go into these zones? (series of questions)... will I have to continue to delve into them? How big are these zones? The goodie... is it just sitting in the middle in a bag marked " Goodie!! "?? That is all for now.

"Practice means good, Perfect Practice means Perfect"

This is on the assumption that these effects can be predicted or at least are known before-hand. Also, there should be a good reason for these effects to actually happen - having bad stuff happen to you for no particular reason isn''t my idea of fun...

If I had my way, I''d have all of you shot! codeka.com - Just click it.

Agreed.

Not Fun: "Oh look, my shields went down for no reason now I''m dead. Let me reload and try this again 46 more time so I can work out when it''s safe and when it''s not."

Fun: "Hey my scan says that comet emits some kind of harmful radiation. I better stay away from it."

Well, as noted above it''d be nice to know what your game is actually about if you want some real discussion going.

Have a machine that was a part of an experiment gone wrong generating magnetic/temporal fields. The machine was poorly calibrated and the field is nonuniform. The machine has a predictable pattern of fluxuation, however because of the temporal effect, layering sets in intensifying the effect around certain objects that are like a magnet for the fluxuating field. Fortunately you have a portable shield that you can generate around the objects that _seem_ to aid in removing the object from its zone, if you don''t encounter it in a temporal state where it isn''t where it should be. Your personal shield is stressed attempting to keep your personal armory in full working order, so leaks are bound to happen, especially in more turbulant areas. For instance, remember 10 days ago when you had your deflector shield at half power, or two months from now when you are recharging your weapon''s battery?

Well I was thinking of this as an online multiplayer game. As such everyone''s(or all of one type) shields would go down, so you should have no problem there(they would have as much chance to die as you would. That is where my presumption came in. Certainly in a single player game, saves can ruin it for some people.

certainly the idea as presented is rough, but I like the overall concept. Consider just the idea of limitation, without the vague "goodie" thingy.

It adds a limiting factor that would a) balance players with "unbeatable" combos of weapons/skills because there''s a good chance one of the unbeatable combo will be unavailable, and b) force players to develop multiple strategies in case of certain limitations. Multi-class/skill/weapon combatants would be very necessary for play if you don''t want to be hiding all the time.

I agree that justification would be nice, at least most of the time (gun jams to occur, though, I think, not everyone''s on the field at once). Certainly, justification does not need to be given hours in advance all the time. It might be fun to send a cosmic string through an area to disrupt communications with three seconds of warning and watch as everyone runs away.

quote: Original post by KingRuss
Another good idea wavinator(He must be intercepting transmissions)...

Thanks!

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It sounds like a mmo-space...fighting/adventure/... but I could be wrong.

Sort of, but not massively- and mostly coop. (MMO would be cool, but I don''t have the knowledge or resources).

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Even so a game like armada(it was on dreamcast, now coming for ps2) is an interesting game with a friend. I would risk many things to go into a zone to get something, probably more willing to take risks than many... but I am also more willing to try and -screw over- potential riskers.

Great point. I''ll have to remember to put lots of different NPCs of varying risk levels in these zones, so you''ll have targets of opportunity.

(I remember Armada, btw, it was a fun game).

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This of course being only one example, keep in mind I would try to accomplish this all around the board(in all aspects).

Cool, this should work in theory because you can own multiple ships and outfit them different ways.

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The one other question I do have it, how important is it to go into these zones?

It''s optional (free action game). But it''s an alternate to missions, hopefully rewards exploration, and can be a great way to advance. I''m not sure if I''ll make any missions where you have to go into the zones (because you lose points if you refuse too many missions).

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will I have to continue to delve into them?

They''re resource areas that renew over time, so this means only if you want to (think of it somewhat like mining, except the resources deplete and renew).

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How big are these zones?

They vary in size. Some are small enough (again, in theory) to get in and out of in a few minutes. Others are large enough to take several hours of game time.

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The goodie... is it just sitting in the middle in a bag marked " Goodie!! "??

Actually, it''s exotic high energy matter that''s damaging space around it as it intersects our universe (uh, fictionwise anyway ). It creates lots of different and dangerous effects, but the group that can harvest it can bring it back to forge weapons, devices, and new technology (as well as advance whatever side their working for).




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quote: Original post by Dean Harding
This is on the assumption that these effects can be predicted or at least are known before-hand. Also, there should be a good reason for these effects to actually happen - having bad stuff happen to you for no particular reason isn''t my idea of fun...

Agreed. You can look into a region beforehand to see if you even want to mess with it. Each region has a certain level of indeterminancy, but you can mostly gauge risk and reward.

The effects are "spatial disturbances" surrounding the treasure. Essentially, it''s the sci-fi version of a dungeon full of monsters guarding the storehouse of gold.



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Just waiting for the mothership...

quote: Original post by mumboi
Agreed.

Not Fun: "Oh look, my shields went down for no reason now I''m dead. Let me reload and try this again 46 more time so I can work out when it''s safe and when it''s not."

Fun: "Hey my scan says that comet emits some kind of harmful radiation. I better stay away from it."

Definitely the later, with an impending schedule visible to the player (sort of a "lights out in 15 minutes!" warning).

quote:
Well, as noted above it''d be nice to know what your game is actually about if you want some real discussion going.

Right. Well, I''m working (have been working!) on a free action multiplayer space game which has elements of combat, trade and stealth. Players can alter the game environment and grow a character or faction in a limited amount of time. These zones are one way they can grow (by getting cool stuff within them).


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Just waiting for the mothership...