Proposition: Add Persistent World Capabilities to Foundry *Read!*

superrioisk

Hey Everyone,

I'm assuming this idea will probably go unnoticed, but I have an idea that would really add to the Neverwinter Nights/Dungeons and Dragons theme. I might as well try.

Add Persistent World Capabilities to Foundry!

Now, to sum it up, allow people to create foundries allowing 40 people (I think this is the cap to a zone) to join the area. This would ultimately bring the most complete sandbox mmorpg ever made. The user generated content would create an online game that the adventurer could really do anything. (A lot like Neverwinter Nights 1+2)

Here are some examples of the benefits of what I am talking about :

1) The Role-Play Possibilities would be endless. People could create taverns and stores that players could visit and purchase from them. Not only would this free up the Auction House from all it's stress, but Protector's Enclave would not be filled with billions of players, resulting in multiple crashes.

2) The players can create the game, leaving the developers to just manage what "tools" the players can use. This would make everyone a lot happier I believe and make creativity flourish. When I mean "tools", the leveling/loot system is still intact (making it so no-one can have a 1-click to 60 or get epic gear instantly). The foundry creation tool is very easy and allows for people to create a game inside a game.

3) Player Housing: People can create their own houses and invite their friends to come hang out with them. Guilds can have their own guild halls.

4) Introducing Raids: Players can create raids on big monsters. Would be fun to fight an epic scale dragon!

5) Player Made Events: Players can host in their world's events of fighting big dragons or participate in role play events. Players could make their own skirmishes, pvp arenas, etc.

6) Perfect World would made a LOT of money on this. Of course, charge zen to create a persistent world (because it adds to the server load). You could even charge zen as a monthly upkeep to keep the persistent world up and running.


I know this would probably affect server code and could crash zones because all zones that are not theme park based are instance based, but I feel it could be done. Not only would this idea be incredibly unique and progressive, but would increase the longevity of this game for many years.

If anyone has any suggestions or criticisms, please put down a reply of what you think about it.

superrioisk

Anyone got any suggestions?

kamaliicious

superrioisk wrote: »

Anyone got any suggestions?

Pray for pigs to evolve wings.

zahinder

I think this is a great idea and added a similar thought in suggestions.
It's also useful as guild housing.

I would make such zones provide 0 rewards (and possibly no encounters) to avoid exploit issues.

dadeleviathan

While a great idea, I don't know if it's possible where the foundry is concerned, because of the simplicity within the foundry. Compare this to NWN 1&2 where you very much needed a good knowledge of nwnscript to create good persistent worlds.

However, I don't think you can both introduce the ability to create persistent worlds and keep the foundry easy to use. But then again, I'm not in the know, so maybe it is possible.

nihilinanis

Please do not turn this game a new WoW. The originality is the thing to do.

mrcluck

What you suggest would actually be a gaming evolution. I have been looking for something like this since Neverwinter Nights 1. Sadly, it seems this will not be what we both are looking for.

It has economic potential, thus it may still happen once day.

kamaliicious

mrcluck wrote: »

What you suggest would actually be a gaming evolution. I have been looking for something like this since Neverwinter Nights 1. Sadly, it seems this will not be what we both are looking for.

It has economic potential, thus it may still happen once day.

Neverwinter Night 1 and 2 still run just fine. Well, other than Gamespy's decision in December to unilaterally switch off their handling of a shedload of games from companies across the industry and then demand ransom money link, but the NWN community fixed that in a few weeks...

zekrallmizzrym

UGC persistent worlds would be a fantastic addition, but the foundry would need major additions to allow custom scripting among other things to create anything as useful as NWN 1/2 had.

medullan

What you are talking about Is a different game that is currently in the works. I'll not mention it by name but This is not the road you are looking for Find a different Path. In any situation it is certainly possible to create persistence in our foundry quests or perhaps even increase the number of people able to join one at any given point in time, but the programming necessary to make that work with the currently developed system would be a nightmare at best. And it isn't that the devs are ignoring your idea trust me we all wish they could create this time of gaming environment in fact that has been the goal of every game published under the D&D name since the beginning of online gaming. Our ability to use the foundry to create D&D based quests for other players to play is a huge leap forward in the evolution of the rpg gaming experience. So what can you and other players do to make this dream a reality?

First off play this game spend money on it and tell all your friends to do the same the kind of leap forward we are asking for not only takes money but isn't even going to be researched until we the consumers have expressed that to the devs that the demand for this level of customization is high enough for them to earn a profit. But secondly and probably even more importantly you and your friends must use the tools you have been given with the foundry to come as close as possible to this type of gameplay.

I have been brainstorming and tinkering with the foundry and have come up with a few ideas that could help to at least give the illusion of persistence. i would love to share these ideas as they develop. But first a brief history...

In the beginning there was MUDD and from this evolved many creatures, from the elusive and perverse Furry, to the ever popular MMORPG. There have been so many incarnations of the virtual tabletop one could spend years trying to get each and every one to work for their gaming needs and still have very little success. Many tools have been created to manipulate these complex creatures brought about by this evolution in gaming but so far they have all practically required an advanced degree in computer programming and even with that they have still been extremely limited.

But the biggest problem isn't the tools we have been given or the platforms that they are used for, the biggest problem is something else entirely. I am talking about creativity sure there are a few gems of creativity out there individuals or groups that have spent countless hours developing and publishing epic persistent online D&D campaigns but these are few and far between and often did not survive for one very important reason. There just wasn't enough demand or that demand just didn't last through the time necessary to create such gems. The simple fact is an overwhelming majority of online gamers are looking for one thing a mindless grind accompanied by a virtual reward. This virtual reward gives an individual a real chemical fix produced by their brains. Now while a more challenging quest may give a better rush once completed many people will opt for quantity before quality. This fact leaves them choosing the simple hack and slash grind quest over the complex puzzle quest time and time again.

So you say but what about all of us who are already bored with the hack and slash grind and yearn for something that stimulates our intellectual needs. Well I say we have been given a miraculous tool with which to accomplish this lofty goal. Granted it is clunky and has very limited abilities, but all is not lost if we put our minds to it this tool can be used to fit our needs. How you ask? Well the first and most simple way this tool can be used is the dialogue editor. The dialogue editor when combined with interact objects can be used to satisfy nearly everything within the foundry. Now there really should be an easier way to create the kind of interactive persistent world that we need but there isn't so we must do the best we can with the tools we have been given. If we can create the kind of persistent world we are imagining with the limited toolset we have available to us and we are in constant communication with the devs and it attracts a large enough player base, then the devs will work to make the toolset better and better with our suggestions.

Okay I'll end this post a bit early and start a new one to explain some of the ideas I have that will allow us to use this tool set to give us the illusion of persistence.

medullan

The first problem is the linear storyline format of the foundry quests.
I have found the easiest way to get around this is to use dialog quest items and interact objects to create a gamut of "side quests".
Now at some point in order for the quest to function all paths must inevitably lead to the same ending. But that ending is merely the door we use to return to Neverwinter. Multiple paths can lead to acquiring the same placeholder quest item that can be marked as necessary to open that final door.

So what does that have to do with persistence?
Well let me give an example... Gary arrives in quest A and learns this quest is non linear from the first npc he interacts with. From this point forward Gary will have the opportunity to make choices he will be able to choose who to attack and who not to attack or possibly even whether or not to attack at all. As Gary makes these choices the world around him changes until he has finally reached the end of whichever quest line he has chosen and receives the key to the end door that will bring him back to Neverwinter. At this point a new npc has appeared one that is directly chosen by the quest path he has taken. Each different quest path will cause a different end npc to appear and each different end npc will give Gary instructions on how to find the next quest that takes into account all the changes that Gary has caused. So next time Gary wants to participate in a foundry quest he will search for the next quest in the quest line he has chosen using the information he acquired from the end npc. As soon as he arrives in this new quest he will be able to look around and see that he is in fact right where he left off and ready to go on a new adventure to cause more changes in this persistent world.

It gets better??
If we combine a well developed non linear set of quests with our ability to gather in groups via guilds. Then perhaps we could even introduce the ability to have a live DM for the quest. The individual who created the quest could host live play through events in guild chat. At this point the DM could offer dialogue options or event descriptions much like a PNP DM, and according to the results of said play through he could then do as a DM always does and write the next part of the quest for the players who participated in the event. When everyone wants to join a guild that has live foundry events that take into account the way players interact with the foundry quest via the DM. And DMs take the time to create new foundry quests for their guild members based on these live events the devs will have no choice but to improve the game in the direction the players have taken it. I say they will have no choice because the only way to continue to increase revenue is to provide the customer with the product they want.

We now have a unique tool with which to steer the consumers. Who will help me take up the wheel and steer this ship towards more persistent online gaming experiences?

zer033

The developers didn't use the foundry to create the game, they used a combination of a foundry-like map/quest builder along with scripting. What you suggest is entirely possible and probably already exists in some form. The thing is this game is technically still a beta and they want to slowly introduce the community to features. The foundry will improve a lot I am sure over time.

coanunn

Sorry, that will not happen in this game.. I'd get into why but I'd rather not argue over speculation. It is not the vision they set out with and the toolset is ill-suited to building what you describe.