Making a world in which the player can do anything is impossible, since there will always be restrictions (even in real life). But since I''m working on a game that should let the player do as many thing as possible, I''d like to have some input about what you as player really want to do in the game. I know the question is very open, but I don''t want to restrict the answers by presenting my ideas right in the first post. To not leave you completely clueless here''s a short description of the game: It''s an RPG, that plays mainly in a large city. It focuses on NPC interaction, politics, diplomacy and intrigues. There will be battles, assassinations, ambushes, many different factions with conflicting ambitions and more. I hope you get the general picture from my limited description. What would you like to be able to do in such a world? What would be fatal if missing? Thanks for your suggestions and answers, even if the question is a bit vague! ------------------------------ There are only 10 kinds of people: those that understand binary and those that don''t. Bad Entertainment

Single player or mmo?

quote: Original post by sunandshadow
Single player or mmo?

The focus definitely is single player. If there is enough time and the concept looks promising, a limited multiplayer mode (4-8 players max) might be included later on.

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There are only 10 kinds of people: those that understand binary and those that don''t.

Bad Entertainment

Just from that description (and my fascination with the Ireland/England hostility), I think it would be great to be able to play a game that allowed you to become a member of a particular group (maybe partly by choice and partly by birthright) and then play out the role of a member of one of those groups (or guilds) in the game. For example, you could be a specific group-sympathizer and decide how to go about exercising your beliefs - militant, political, etc.

Of course, that would require a very well-organized and complex data management system.

The thing that I don''t like abot many RPGs, though, is that there are often too many choices - but none of them are particularly good. Don''t focus on "freedom" as much as "fewer choices with more depth"

______________________________________________
The title of "Maxis Game Designer" is an oxymoron.
Electronic Arts: High Production Values, Low Content Values.
EA makes high-definition crap.

I want to be able to chop goblins to death.

On a serious note...

Construction. Being able to build stuff is terrific. I don''t care if it''s like The Sims or what, but designing and building edifices, digging tunnels or basements, and then of course being able to destroy them would be super.

What they already mentioned and more ofcourse like ... Im working on something similiar but then on a planet scale not city scale,

I would like to see enterpreneurs, like your this low life street bum, with big plans, you start small working from the streets, then you have this small shack stand,
then you move your way into an office, then into bigger things, and they your CEO of a big ass company.

Such things is what im gonna work out, and seem so cool to me, and this like GRBRG said would also involve construction and interior decorating, politics, marketing, real economy, suplly and demand, such things do it great for a game.

I''m very satisfied with the level of "freedom" I experienced in Deus-Ex. I''m looking forward to see what else they''ve added to the 2nd version. From what I''ve read, they focused more in the graphics and the visual/auditive AI this time.

I''d like to be able to influence the city as a whole - kinda like playing simcity from the inside, the gang/faction colors could change in response to your actions, areas of the city could change from being trashed to being in good repair or vice versa (and the shops there would also change accordingly). It would be nice to have some kind of home turf that would improve from your efforts I''m thinking Harvest Moon and Azure Dreams.

Things I''d like to see

1. hire hechmen or underlings to do dirty work (mainly steal, kill my enemies, cover my back and other things that I don''t want to do myself)

2. Perhaps work as an underling for awhile until I can advance to the point where I can have people work for me.

3. Get lots of skills (perhaps lockpicking, martial arts, bartering, a disguise feature, etc.)

4. Multiple ways to accomplish goals (If I want to rob a bank, I can either bust in through the front and demand money, dig into the vault from underground, Blow up the whole building and carry the vault away to break into later, etc)

5. Work as a ploiceman to twart such activities mentioned above.

Many of the things mentioned (build stuff, start business...) is not directly related to the gameplay. Does this mean you enjoy doing stuff that does not yield any advancement in the game itself? Or do you think those things should be included in the "main game"?

quote: I''d like to be able to influence the city as a whole (...)

The influence the player has on the world will be a major part of the game. What exactly would you like to influence? The look of different districts, and the richness of its inhabitants? What else?

quote: 5. Work as a ploiceman to twart such activities mentioned above.

So you want the player to be able to fill different roles in the game world, right? What kind of roles besides police and criminal? If the world was open for many roles, would you require the player to earn his living (and by that force him the take one role or another)?

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There are only 10 kinds of people: those that understand binary and those that don''t.

Bad Entertainment