Dungeon Mastering

trapdoor · 2006-05-29T03:17:31

Updated: Friday May 26, 9 AM EST. K Below the long line is the original post. I'm editing the first post to summarize what is generally decided on. Imagine an MMO or an online meeting place like MSN's Zone (if it's still there). Or like battle.net or something. Now imagine that players have the chance to create their own dungeon and let other players wander through there. Anyone can create a dungeon, assuming they have met the requirements. DM's ARE THEIR OWN RACE/CLASS I'm putting this idea in it's own area as it will drastically change everything below it. There would be no need for DM's to make money if they do nothing but just create dungeons. Anyway... It is suggested that DM's be a character of themselves. Completely seperate from an adventurer. They'd probably have their own leveling system as they don't gain levels normally. I'll probably still have them as character who walk around, but cannot be attacked. This is because they'll have to "buy" land to start their dungeon. Or maybe even be allowed to create a dungeon to safeguard other people's stuff. They can join guilds and be the guild's dungeon master. There are many possibilities with having a DM be it's own character. I'm going to keep everything below as is, instead of changing it to if the DM is it's own character. This is to show what it would be if they were not as everything would have to be rethought if they were their own char. FREE CLIENTS FOR MONSTERS People who haven't paid for the game would be allowed to possess a monster in a dungeon. It's quite possible that it wouldn't be restricted to just this however. (Only paid accounts get the elite monster possession ability... such as dragons...) Quote: by Edtharan There would need to be restrictions placed on the monster players. This might be limited areas (like an invisable wall, ot the creature starts taking damage if they leave their specific area, etc), random selection, waighting in a que until a position becomes avaiable, etc. This kind of system will give monsters a much more "intelegent" behaviour than any AI could do and increase the challenge for the normal players.MONEY It seems the money issue as a reward is a touchy one. The final reward will not be a large sum of money. While buying mobs to guard the dungeon is needed, maybe the money used to buy them is what falls. Or at least a portion of that. Either way. I think it's safe to say that the money issue should be resolved after deciding how the economics will work. I don't want the economy to be or feel "tagged on" and for an economy system to work, it will have to influence player created dungeons as well. LOOT Jeez. This is the biggest response that I've seen wether the loot that is stored in the dungeon is purchased by the DM, is placed there based on the difficulty of the DM, or is put there as a bank, it's still in the air. So far my favourite idea is that the dungeon acts as a second bank full of stuff the player would have sold or thrown out anyway but could still be of use to someone. Some interesting ideas popped up with having the mobs actually using the weapons themselves. turning a regular mob almost into a boss. For sure, the first adventurer would not be able to collect everything that is in the dungeon. That requires too much maintenance and drain on the DM, instead it will at least be gradual. LOOT: WORLD UNIQUE ITEMS I also liked the idea of using dungeons to protect World Unique Items. To understand World Unique Items, everyone must realize that these items are extremely rare. They give superior powers to those that use them. Some have curses, others are just plain bonuses. But less than .5% of all players will have them. (Even less as the server population is very high compared to standard MMO servers). The downfall of these Items are that they are lootable. Even when the player is using them. All other items will most likely be bound to the player. So all epic items are stuck to that player. But these legendary items which give a regular warrior the power of 4 warriors, will be lootable upon death. Or if the player is off-line, then inside his dungeon. To rephrase, all other items are safe unless the player decides he wants them as drops EXCEPT for these World Unique Items. What happens when the dungeon collapses with a WUI in it? Of the two ideas I had, the one that would cause the least amount of grief to everyone was to have the item return to the owner. (Another note: Characters never leave the game. Just like Dark and Light, when a player logs, the character remains in the game and becomes almost like an NPC. The character is safe from everything but being looted of WUIs.) This causes one problem. What if the character is within a large city? It's almost impossible and even better way of safeguarding this item. Somehow the player will have to go to a poorly guarded part of town where it's easier to get ganked. Of course this has to be balanced, but they can't just leave their character sitting beside the king where no enemy faction can get to. RANDOMNESS While only mentioned a few times, it seems that another common idea is that dungeons must be random. Or at least have some random spots in it. Wether the dungeon changes shape over time, the turn is to the left and not the right. Mobs don't spawn in the same spot all the time. Basically so bots cannot be used to farm the dungeon and that details don't get published to the net or if they do, they quickly become inaccurate. DM INTERVENTION There seems to be some differences here. I personnally would like to see DM's have the ability to control their own mobs. But a common viewpoint is that dungeons should ... no must be self effective. the DM is not needed. To be frank, a dungeon that needs the DM's intervention is a poorly made dungeon. But back to controlling mobs, it seems that if this is the case, some limits must be in place to ensure the DM doesn't make it easy for their friends or too hard by getting all mobs to rush the party when they normally wouldn't. A lot of work needs to go into this part to ensure balance and the best possible way of preventing cheating. Another Idea was Guest Hosting a Dungeon. In this scenario, (probably upon approval of the DM, a guest could take part in controlling mobs in the DM's dungeon. MAKING THE DUNGEON To clarify, not everyone can make a dungeon. Just as in most MMO's not everyone has reached the highest level. I don't think everyone will want to make dungeons. But either way, there also seems to be a concensus that while everyone should be technically able to make a dungeon, having everyone actually make a dungeon could lead to saturation and nobody playing dungeons. To make a good dungeon, it takes a long time of playing. Months to perfect a dungeon. Only those who enjoy this sort of thing, wether it be sandbox style or whatnot, will be the ones who make the good ones people visit over and over. I think having the initial cost of a dungeon low would allow for aspiring DM's to start dungeon making. The cost of maintaining would be tied to how large it is and how many mobs are inside, maybe even the loot (depending on how loot is decided on). Dungeons also cost money to make. People make money through the normal means, drops from mobs anywhere, selling stuff, quests... Once getting enough, they can learn to start making dungeons. After a while of investing, good DM's may learn to actually make money off dungeons. But they are very high maintenance and will fall appart if left alone. So it's no simple setup and leave alone to generate income. Getting more into dungeon making will also require some economic buffs as the cost of this or that or how the mobs are purchased or other, will require the economics of the game be established first. STATS & OBJECTIVES (ADVENTURERS) A popular note was for players to recieve trophies for completing dungeons. Another was a way of rating DM's on how well or tough or how many people play their dungeons. There definitely has to have a motivation for entering the dungeons. Having world unique items at the end is definitely one draw, or just for looting as much gold / loot as possible. Maybe to drain as much as you can from rival guilds. Another idea was for trophies or tokens of some kind. But Unless others come up with ideas for motivations, any ideas regarding loot will have to be decided after how the loot should be placed in there in the first place. Another suggestion was to have Dungeon Masters become Adventurers to "learn" new dungeon modules. There could be many many themes for dungeons (ice, fire/lava, prison...) and many structures. But the starting DM only has a handful that they can use. They must become adventurers and learn these new plans. They may also learn to attract new types of mobs or even bosses. Maybe some bosses can be "captured". STATS & OBJECTIVES (DUNGEON MASTERS) As for the DM's, they also need a drive to make dungeons. While this isn't as necessary as running through the dungeon, (some people will make dungeons just because they can), it still is important, as we get the brightest of people who have a drive behind making amazing dungeons. I agree that dungeons should allow the DM to make money but only as a sidenote. Maybe enough to pay back the investment into the dungeon and enough to pay for the maintenance. Tolls seemed to be the safest way as it encourages well made dungeons instead of impossible dungeons. Each case would have to be controlled carefully so that a DM who makes an impossible dungeon will be punished and lose the investment into the dungeon where a DM who makes an easy dungeon ... too easy, shares the same fate. Only a good DM with a well balanced diet, i mean dungeon will reap the benefits. Should the DM have control over what loot is in his dungeon or shouldn't he. If he does, then maybe what amazing loot at the end is actually posted on a sign outside or inside some tavern or somehow a quest is created relating to the prize at the end. SPIN OFFS A few unique ideas even popped up. One such one was to have the objective even different than the typical kill all beat the boss type. Suggestions of having a Lumber camp or Ore Mine where you get materials if you can fight off waves of mobs. OTHER NOTES Guild dungeons where multiple people could pool together to safeguard their stuff. DM's could also have restrictions on what mobs they can play (if any) and that they would also have to level up in that to get to use the tougher mobs. Would easy dungeons be easily exploitable or should the higher the rank, the less drops you get therefore making it pointless to enter a dungeon designed for lowbies. I'l try and keep this post updated so you don't have to read the whole thing. vvv Original Post vvv ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Imagine an MMO or an online meeting place like MSN's Zone (if it's still there). Or like battle.net or something. Now imagine that players have the chance to create their own dungeon and let other players wander through there. Anyone can create a dungeon, assuming they have met the requirements. There are a few holes that I need to fill first before my idea becomes solid. I would also like suggestions on things to change or what I have done well with. Also, picture a game where Grinding and Farming are pointless in the game. Going into Dungeons is about the adventure and challenge, not so much about the shiny object at the end. As far as Grinding goes, I've got that figured out how it will be useless. Farming,.... sort of. Weapons and armor are something that is free (at least for the basic stuff) The better armor costs money but not huge $. So remember, when I talk about loot at the end of the dungeon, that redoing the dungeon 30 times so that everyone in the party gets the nice loot would be pointless or close to. While people can, it serves no purpose to farm the dungeons. (This may be a problem from the start) First, what I have so far. Steps to make a dungeon: First they have to learn the skill to make one. Then they have to purchase some land to make one. With each part of the dungeon (Picture a game like Dungeon Keeper or Evil Genius) it costs gold to create. There are themes to pick from, monsters to pick from to guard your loot. With each expansion and addition to the Dungeon, it costs gold to create and upkeep. Now the benefits of such: This is potentially a source of income. When opening such a tool to players, it allows for unlimited types of dungeons to pop up. Players can make their own and they could all be unique. Notes: An unused dungeon falls apart after time. There is definitely an investment on the dungeon master. They have to fork out gold to build it. But if they make it too hard, people won't try it and "An unused dungeon falls apart" so they have to fork out more gold if they want to keep it up. I'm thinking that the DM gets gold whenever someone dies in their dungeon (based on their level). Now the holes: The loot should depend on how difficult the dungeon is to players. So an easy dungeon drops crappy loot while a difficult dungeon will hold epic loot. Or maybe the loot is just "purchased" from a dungeon Lord (but the DM cannot use any of it as they cannot enter their own Dungeon in a real way. (They can practice but they get nothing out from it than just testing.) I still am unsure about this as they could make an easy dungeon with high loot and have their friends go through with no trouble. But if I make it depend on the difficulty, how can the actual difficulty be tested? What's to keep this balanced so that you don't get people don't make dungeons too hard to too easy? Or if having a dungeon which is hard for a mid-level character and having high level characters help them every time which means they don't die. that turns into a loss for the DM. Opinions? Suggestions? [Edited by - trapdoor on May 29, 2006 8:19:17 AM]