I'm moving some of my ideas over from MMORPG.com to see if they get more feed back here The following is a game concept; please feel free to make comments where appropriate. Please if you do, make a quote of what you’re commenting on. This game is set in the future…and is mainly a space combat MMO with some RPG elements. It is NOT however a space based RPG like EVE or Earth and beyond. Its designed to be a combination of action and strategy. A war rages across the cosmos. It started when the Valkier empire made an invasion into Terran space. The war has been raging for about 150 years both sides are about equal in territory controlled. Then from out of nowhere a new group, the Laredo, have started harsh attacks on both sides and seem intent on wiping them both out of galactic existence. Teams. Terran Alliance- An alliance of many races (decidable at character creation) formed under the ideals of American philosophy Player guilds are known as Corporations. Valkier Empire- A warrior empire made up of the Valkier. The empire grows by making constant war. Player guilds are known as Sects. Laredo- A new entry into the war, but not truly new to the area. At the beginning of the war a large battle between the Terrans and the Valkier nearly wiped out the population on a small world. The survivors left to uncharted space where they ran across the remnants of an ancient empire. Using technology found there, they have rebuilt themselves as an army bent on revenge. Player guilds are known as Clans. Nuetrals- In a war like this true neutrals are not existent. Nuetrals in this game are not fence sitters, but are out casts from each of the teams and form up a fourth group of people that are free to roam around the galaxy as they see fit, acting as merchants that can run between empires, mercenaries that can be hired by any of them, Pirates, or even spies. Player guilds are called whatever they want. Nuetrals are not a team in and of themselves. Travel Travel is made by way of jump gates. Jump gates are used extensively by all groups to make instantaneous travel between sectors of the galaxy. Rumors also exist of worm holes that have unsteady starting and stopping points….if you find one take it at your own risk. Local semiwarp drives allow for fast travel inside sectors. Large capital ships are the only ships capable of making warp jumps into other sectors without help of jump gates or worm holes. Guilds This game is run by guilds. Guilds are able to make warfare on each other inside of a team, but they gain NO money from it. People only gain money from warring with either neutrals who attack them first or from fighting enemy teams or from completing sales of merchandise (neutrals only). Nuetral guilds are able to fight whoever they want for xp. Large guilds of 200 plus people on one of the three teams are able to purchase capital ships for large scale assaults. Smaller guilds and nuetrals must make due with fighters. Guilds are able to place stations to help secure the area they control. Money in the game all goes to the guild, the guild uses it to purchase ships and maintain bases, and to buy enemy technology off of neutrals. Bases and Stations_(deployables) Deployment bases- These are the only bases that can guilds can buy ships from. Also available here are the matter-energy bots that can be used to build other bases. Each empire has one main deployment base that all players can purchase ships from. It only sells up to mid level ships. Deployment bases provide small weak snub fighters for free. (Think tie fighter) Player bought deployment bases must be placed near a planet and. Sensor bases- Sensor bases provide scanning ability in a sector and will sound a system wide alarm when it picks up enemy ships. Upgrades to this base increase the scanning range of the base. Repair bases- Though ships can land at any base to log out, they can only repair their ships at repair bases. These become important staging grounds from which to launch attacks. Upgrades to this base provide more docks for repair and faster repairs to ships. Weapons platforms- Weapons platforms can be placed near bases to provide extra protection from attacks. They can also provide protection around the entrances to jump gates. Upgrades to this deployable increase their firepower and armor. These require no supplies to maintain if deployed within a certain distance of either a station or a gate. However if deployed at say the entrance to a path through a mine field then they do require supplies of batteries to maintain. Mine Layer- Mine Layers are robotic ships that will mine an area with mines. Players choose the density and area to mine and then purchase the number layers required to place the mines. There are no upgrades. Requires no supplies to maintain. Scientific research stations- Scientific research stations are required to obtain the ability to upgrade other installations past a certain point. No upgrades. Capital Shipyard- Required for building a capital ship. No upgrades. Storage Depot- Holds large amounts of imported supplies. Upgrades to the storage depot increase its storage capacity. All stations require an influx of supplies from the home base of each team. The only exception to this is the deployment station which gets all the supplies it needs from the planet it is stationed by. If a station becomes unsupplied it will simply cease functioning. Combat Combat is real time action. Controls are done either by mouse or by joystick. Each of the three teams has an advantage over the others guns and shields however can be bought off of neutrals. Each team also has a technological secret that cannot be bought. Terrans- Terrans weapons have a higher rate of firepower, but lack any real punch. They do however have holographic technology that will create a holographic ship next to them that confuses enemy sensors thus giving them an apparent advantage in numbers, and enemies an extra target to shoot at. Higher level ships provide more targets. Valkier- Valkier weapons are all power. Their guns have a low rate of fire but are the most powerful of the three races. Their ships come equipped with a cloak that allows them to sneak up on enemy fighters and then unload their firepower. Higher level ships provide a longer duration cloak and a faster cloak recharge. Laredo- Laredo have weapons that are in the middle of the road. Not as powerful as the Valkier, and not as fast as the Terrans. What they do have though is powerful shields. Shields of the Laredo are in high demand as they are at least half again as strong as either the Valkier or the Terrans. Laredo ships come equipped with a short range teleportation device which allows them to instantaneously move between two spots. If a target is selected that is in range of the teleportation the Laredo is able to actually teleport directly behind it. Higher level ships increase the range of the teleportation. There are two types of fighters in the game, two types of freighter, and two types of capitol ships, and one type of assault ship. Ships come in different levels that allow for stronger guns, shields and armor. Higher levels are faster and more maneuverable than lower level ones. However they do cost more. Capitol ships come in one level only. Fighters Light Fighter- Weak shields, low armor, 2-3 guns, 1 missile launcher, High speed and maneuverability. Heavy Fighter- Strong shields, good armor, 4-6 guns, 2 missile launchers, lower Speed and maneuverability. Freighters Intersystem- Large cargo space, capable of capable of semi-warp speed. Intersystem freighters can only dock with depot stations. Local- Local freighters have less cargo space than intersystem. Can only go ½ semi-warp. It can dock with any station. Capitol ships Carrier- Carriers are capable of holding 20 fighters and 5 torpedo ships. Capable of creating own jump hole. Battleship- Battleships have 12 anti snub fighter guns, and 3 large cannons able to lay waste to anything in its path. Each gun must be manned by a player, and has limited range of movement. Assault Torpedo boats- Torpedo boats are the only ships capable of launching powerful torpedoes. They are usually a little larger than a heavy fighter. They have low speed, low maneuverability, and no forms of self defense. As a final note, neutrals can only build deployment stations, weapons platforms and sensor stations. They have no unique ships but are able to buy ship plans from other teams. These come unequipped with the specials of each race. Ideas presented here are free. They are presented for the community to use how they see fit. All I ask is just a thanks if they should be used. [edited by - robert4818 on May 30, 2003 9:07:51 PM] [edited by - robert4818 on June 6, 2003 6:32:42 PM]

I would definately like some feedback on this idea...even if it is a flame But honestly what do you all think of this idea, would it be fun? What would you change, what do you see as problems, etc.

You need a more complete description of how the player actually plays the game.

Is it 1st person? 3rd person? How many ships will there be? Etc. What are the controls like? Interface?

As a note I have NO programing skills, or skills in making games...I''m a simple player who has ideas. So if these sound ameturish its really what they are...I''m putting out ideas that I, as a gamer, would like to see. I have no ideas of technical possibilites.

Well in response to your questions, I want this game to be as close in feeling as to games such as X-wing Tie Fighter, Wing Commander, Starlancer, Freelancer, etc. So It will be from a cockpit view. As for controls I am a fan of joystick controls for a game like this. Though I''d be happy with mouse control also.

I''d like for people familiar with the types of games i''m talking about (Space Combat Sims) to be able to hop right in and have little to no learning curve for the controls. (does this make sense?)

For communications I would like to (though it wouldn''t happen) go away from chat channels and actually have total voice compatability. Since I don''t see that happening with the community I''ll just say I want voice comms in there...at least 4 channels that can be broadcast to at any time (I.E. hit F9-12 to start broadcasting on a certain channel, but be able to recieve from any)
Broadcast- A must have....you want to be able to taunt someone you just toasted
Guild Chat
Group Chat
One-to-one chat. target the player to private chat and then hit the correct F key.

If a player is using a joystick i''d like for a mouse to be used to select certain on screen buttons.

The main Idea on this game is an MMO "wing commander" With some strategic elements. You have to protect your supply lines to keep your auxiliary bases active. You have to protect your augxilary bases to keep thier special functions operational. You have to build those bases also.

There is competiton between guilds on the same side...and it CAN lead to open combat between them, but no incentives are in the game to encourage it. I.E. You can go into combat to take an area of space from an on team guild, but its going to be costly to do so because you gain no money from doing so, or anything else you get while fighting the enemy.

I do appreciate your feedback, but I''d like some more suggestions on the Ideas presented in the game. I''ve put out a rough outline...I need help to fill in the notes.

A community project so to speak...and maybe just maybe someone might like the idea enough to make it thier own.




Ideas presented here are free. They are presented for the community to use how they see fit. All I ask is just a thanks if they should be used.

Are more babies or MMORPG ''projects'' born each day?


-- Note: This is going to be my reply to every new ''brilliant and unique'' mmorpg idea I see on this board. Well at least every one I accidentally read. Too many otherwise.

Yay My first Flame! I''m so happy.

I''m not sure that counts as a flame, or an honest and truthful observation.

Technically, it was a (rhetorical) question, not an observation.

That sounds like quite an interesting and ambitious game. I would certainly like to play a game such as this.

quote: Original post by robert4818
For communications I would like to (though it wouldn''t happen) go away from chat channels and actually have total voice compatability. Since I don''t see that happening with the community I''ll just say I want voice comms in there...at least 4 channels that can be broadcast to at any time (I.E. hit F9-12 to start broadcasting on a certain channel, but be able to recieve from any)
Broadcast- A must have....you want to be able to taunt someone you just toasted
Guild Chat
Group Chat
One-to-one chat. target the player to private chat and then hit the correct F key.

Voice-over-net communication is generally done (at least in the games I''ve played) in a peer-to-peer manner where you select a person and talk directly to them instead of to an entire group. I imagine that it would be possible to have a general broadcast ability. Either way, the players will need some kind of microphone.

A good idea would be to have a combination of voice chat and text chat and built-in voice messages (such as "help me out" or "attack my target").

mmm... that sounds a lot like the game im writing right now....

I started out with a list of features, a lot like yours, and then I spent 4 months creating the basic concepts needed to support each one.

Its no small task, no matter how basic you keep the game. I''m starting to think I need help to pull this off.