One reason MMO''s don''t enforce sleep in MMO''s is that its forced down time, for no reason. Thats a big NO.NO. But what if the game included a dreamworld. What would the dreamscape look like? Im in favor of it being a world where the rules are different, the look is different, and there is no set pattern to the world. Also certain classes could enter and possibly even open a portal into the dream world. (yes the idea is stolen from wheel of time)

sounds cool to me...but im not a big MMORPGer...so I dont know. Just make sure that the dreamworld is voluntary somehow. I wouldn''t want to be stuck there for an hour.

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Brian J
DL Vacuum - A media file organizer I made | MM

Sounds like a good idea, but you have to ask yourself why people would want to or have to gain from the dream world. Mabye in this dreamworld, the character is not able to gain new items or gold, but will gain experience faster. Mabye they will be able to use skills that are not normally available to them, or mabye even the dreamworld is just a battle field where a player can quest with little fear of repercussions.

What it boils down to is you just dont want your target audience to say "Aw man, now I have to spend time in the dream world. Why bother?"

Geez, robert we're on the same page here with MMO's, hehe. I was goofing around last year and half-designed a mmorpg (with that afterlife death system I mentioned in your other thread) which contained, among other things... a dream system.

I havent ever played wheel of time but the private realms in other mmorpg's got me thinking about it. I had a friendship point system (couldnt think of a better name, was either that or buddy points ) where if you group with the same people during combat or creating items (for crafters) you get XP but also friendship XP. It goes up in ranks and increases the strength of your abilities with the more friends you have, and also gives you a 'power boost' if one of your friends dies in combat while your grouped (you become enraged because your pal died and get a temporary increase in hp/mana/regeneration/str/dmg absorb etc...). It was to encourage people to group but also open up a way for them to still be able to play with their friends in the dream world.

You know how in dreams you often see friends or family? Thats what this system was meant to do. Once you are friends with the players they can join you in a dream world which is essentially a private realm. In this dream world there are various different situations that you and your friends can choose from. It isnt really a permanent world more like selecting a mission in anarchy online.

You could choose a pirate dream, dragon raid, lost at sea, your an animal in the forest... etc etc. The choice would place you in the world that your dream is based in. You would get stat and ability boosts or have them taken away for whatever your dream demands. Your not going to be a powerful mage then dream your a hawk casting lightning bolts for example

Anyways, the dreams act to give alternative playing fields for players to enjoy and get out of the main world. It can be completely different from the game world allowing the designers' imaginations to go wild. If you've ever heard of Everquest's planes it would be a lot like that. Anyways I dont want to go *too* much into it but definately, dreams in a MMO would be great.

Too bad all the companies are too preoccupied figuring out how they can create a better EQ clone than their competitors to actually think up an original idea for once.

Edit: Forgot to mention that while the dream system wouldnt be mandatory it would be a way to refresh your character. Overtime they will receive stat penalties if they dont sleep. They could play with those penalties but why bother? This also gives newbies a chance to do things more exciting then the usual mmorpg's allow. Also by completing the objectives in dreams your "mind resistance" skill would raise allowing you better resistance against mind attacks such as charming you or mindstun. Also it would allow you extra abilities within your dreams. Ever had a dream where you realize its a dream? Thats what it was meant to simulate... you may have a mind skill high enough to recognize your dreams and grow yourself huge within the dream, or be able to fly...

[edited by - Raedis on September 9, 2003 9:26:42 PM]

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raedis :
Edit: Forgot to mention that while the dream system wouldnt be mandatory it would be a way to refresh your character. Overtime they will receive stat penalties if they dont sleep.

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I like the idea... but...

"not mandatory" and "recieve stat penalties unless they do it" don''t quite mesh?

Lol, I was thinking about that after typing Could just put a limit on how far down the stats drop. It would still be playable and you didnt have to sleep but in order to get those back you would. It wouldnt affect their character all that much, just enough for them to want to rest. I was meaning that it shouldnt be a thing where someone is saying, "Damnit I dont want to rest, waste of time!" it should be something they enjoy and want to do even when theres no reason to rest.

uhm.. i have enough to do with RealLife(tm), and the dreamworld i have to meet every night currently is hell, too.. hell because its beautiful, but will never be more again than a dream..

i think if you get RealLife(tm), you have no need for another MMO-thing.

and on the other side.. its "forced downtime".. but don''t you have "forced downtime" every night yourself, too? you can''t play 24/7. so let your character sleep while you sleep, too.. or while you''re at work.. or both, if thats at the same time:D

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If that''s not the help you''re after then you''re going to have to explain the problem better than what you have. - joanusdmentia

davepermen.net

quote:

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Original post by robert4818
...What would the dreamscape look like? Im in favor of it being a world where the rules are different, the look is different, and there is no set pattern to the world. ...

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Well that should be easy to code, especially the ''no set pattern'' part....i''ll get started right away. No wait a minute, I''m already done


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"Kierkegaard reminds us that belief
has nothing to do with how or why.
Belief is beyond reason.

I believe because it is absurd."

I was being non specific for a reason, but i guess since you want me to clarify I will.

In the real world there are certain "patterns" for geographic areas. Plains and deserts near mountains, Gradually getting colder as you go N or S from the equater etc.

What I mean by no patterns is tropical area immediately next to a winter tundra. Oceans at the top of mountain rainges etc. Its a dream world, it doesn''t follow the rules of the real world.

As for looking different, A different graphical style, perhaps everything looks like its been viewed through a fun house mirror, or perhaps the the color scheme is just scewed.

However the idea is placed to be taken and made your own, so it was left very vuage so you could fill in on your own...

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Original post by robert4818
However the idea is placed to be taken and made your own, so it was left very vuage so you could fill in on your own...

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i did make it my own

its a world where just thinking about a game causes a quantum ripple in the space-time continuum that simulates a billion monkeys hammering at a keyboard for an eternity and out comes a finished game....


...all in the blink of an eye