Actually, I believe that one of the early Might & Magics had an arena (maybe more than one), or at least some place like that to build up your fighting skills.

Though it certainly wouldnt be the type of thing that could be made today in an MMRPG...

-Geoff

An RPG with an arena quickly devolves to an arena with a weak RPG attached. In a massively multi-player context, I think the devolution would happen even more quickly.

If you want an arena game, make an arena game. Don't waste your time building RPG elements that most of your players will never notice.

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DavidRM
Samu Games

Ah but that is the point using the arena like I mentioned above, without prizes, and without gaining XP (killing players does not gain XP of a signifigant amount, in my RPG design). It would get around most of those problems, and mainly it would be used for events, guild wars, dueling, and fighting for rank among some serious players.

Even without most of the common incentives for fighting in the arena, I believe that it would only be good to have in about 1 in 10 major cities. This way you could have them be in cities, that players can not start in (using everquest system of death, it sends you back to starting city, so only serious players would want to risk it).

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Tell the truth and you will never fear someone will figure out you lied.
<<I'm sure I'm quoting someone out there, wish I knew who!>>
David Abresch

i have seen many rpgs with arenas
the one that comes immediatly to mind is might and magic
i know in 3 there was one in every city
it isnt a new concept

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-PoesRaven

None of you have ever seen an online arena that has the detail and thought that he mentioned. Sure in a game like Might and Magic, and Wild Arms(good game) there were arena's that allowed gaining and building of your character, but I think his point is to make it online and an internet deal. To me this is a fine idea. I've seen people just play games like that with text, and to allow them actual characters would allow a new generation of online gamers. This could very well revolution online gaming like Quake and Halflife. Great Idea.

Sounds like a graphical MUSH. To make it really effective you could take all the elements of a MUSH (comm channels, zones, IC, OOC,etc..) combine it with a UO type world, and add the arena. Most MUSHES I've seen use the arena concept as an out of character thing, that way more time is spent role playing.

I guess I haven't played most of those games, unluckly I don't have the funds to buy many but maybe I'll try getting one of those to see the ideas in them.
Thanks for thinking about the subtelties of the idea King and I think I'll look into the combination of one with mush type elements. That sounds like it could have some possibilities.
Thanks for the input.

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DESIGN FANATIC
David Abresch
abre1657@blue.univnorthco.edu

Right now as far as I have seen there are no arena's in most RPG game's. I think I've seen only one ever, and it wasn't on a computer.

I believe that this is because it makes it far to easy to gain experience and make money by fighting time after time. I think that there is a great way to do an arena in an online game though, and it would add a lot to gameplay if done in this way.

First the arena would be large enough for at least 20 duels to be happenning at once, and be in a rounded rectangular or oval shape.

Second, there would be at least 3 gates(min) by which to enter the arena. One gate for low ranking players, one for medium, and one for high ranking (more categories with more gates, or have some days set aside for different ranks (monday loest 3 ranks, tuesday middle 3 etc...

A player could only enter through a gate he was ranked for, and only if another player would enter at the same time. The two entering players, would be dueling competitors, and when one of them one, he could leave, or move towards a fight in progress, in any rank area. When that fight was won, he could select a option(new duel), and click on the player that had just won. it would notify that player, and in 15 seconds(or so) you would be dueling with that person. You would gain rank by beating an opponent of higher rank, or at leat 5 or so of the same rank.

Also on some special days, or just at random times, it might be announced that a monster had just been captured, and was going to be released into the arena in a few minutes. You know just have all 20 or so people try to beat a giant, or a group of 5 large ogres or something to spice it up a little.

Plus have no special rewards, but allow people to watch for free from the bleachers, and allow them to throw money if they want to to a winner, and I think that some people would. Plus it would mean that a dueler that was skilled at making the fight look good would get more coins, rather than one that just went into a slashing fit while running at the enemy.

Also some days could be set aside for magic duels, or archery contests and jousting tournaments. This would add a place for tournaments to be held which can be nice to have spice up a RPG game every once in a while.

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Tell the truth and you will never fear someone will figure out you lied.
<<I'm sure I'm quoting someone out there, wish I knew who!>>
David Abresch

I think EverQuest has one in every city, and a whole zone dedicated to an arena. Where you can fight anyone that is within 4 lvls up or down from you. You get no Exp and no Items for killing in one, so not to many people do it. I truelly think you have to take leveling away in RPG to get the Roleplaying, all you get is power leveling. OU died because of it, and EverQuest has lost alot because of it.

The only arena I saw in a game was in Final Fantasy 3 on the SNES. The arena was there to bet items. You didn''t gain exp. by fighting in the arena. I think it''s a every good was of doing thing.