I just thought about starting to make a collection of the strengths of both gametypes which Oort connects in its project. I continue the started point of @DarkRepulsor at another topic: …Crafting Professions:
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So what do you think are the true strengths of each gametype which Oort should focus on? For me some of them are the following: …
VOXEL SANDBOX GAMES:
Many different biomes which each unique ressources to explore
Cave systems that reach to the bottom of the world filled with ores and creatures.
Stop spawning monsters/creatures trhough the use of lightsources (helpful )
Rich crafting systems which are easy to learn but very creative
Equipment gives you the stats, but skill is needed to hit foes.
Build what ever you want and can imagine with a mass of different materials
total freedom of movement, cuz if there is no way, just make one
Farming and herding can be time filling but very enjoyable
Many different components to collect to experiment with in crafting
MMORPGs:
Groups of weapons where each weapon of a group may have different stats and bonuses cuz of lvl, enchantment, rarity or just of random factors.
Progress of the character through the gameplay which may take mounth to max it out.
Each Player can specialize in a gameplay style and become special in his function in his group.
Many many many different creature types and sub-types with different stats, powers and/or resistances.
Go forth in the World(s) and reach new areas while becoming stronger
Each player may be strong, but in a group you reach your full potential.
Archivements to fulfill to get titles, fame or sometimes rare rewards.
Ok, that should be enough for the start. What are your personal strong points of those gametypes?
As a fan of both types I probably lean on the sandbox side for most aspects, however combat and social features would definitely be dominant on the MMO side. I will say though, Minecraft, my comparison to Oort, does not have deep customization. Yes you can build anything and go nuts with the command block if you are a Magicka wizard, but you can’t make a fire sword or a grappling hook sword if you are a normal person who doesn’t understand programming. I’m hoping Oort will throw in deep customization everywhere.
Can someone tell me why a “crafting profession” is messing the balance system?
Another strengh of MMORPGs is the currency, the market, the social aspect. If anyone can craft/build anything, why should anyone use the ability of being able to trade/sell/buy?
We had a topic in the past about soulbinding of items (weapons, armor etc), which was clearly for the health of the market. And now “the sandbox” is going the other way? I understand that you guys love to use all the blocks, you can use them all.
But I honestly love the idea of special professions who can craft awesome special blocks and sell them to the market to guys like me who will mainly play the MMO part of this game.
Oort Online is an MMO sandbox. It’s a sandbox game at it’s core, with MMORPG elements. That’s just semantic really – we don’t follow it to the letter. We include the features we think will make Oort the most compelling package for players within our budget.
We don’t really have any discussions along the lines of “we can’t include this feature because Oort Online is a sandbox, not an MMORPG”. Everything is judged on it’s own merit, and then against all other features.
MMO : Mechanics that encourgae interaction between players
Sanbox : Being able to play how you want without getting forced into a “storyline”, therefore most sandbox games adviser with: make your own story
What I expect from each genre:
Voxel: basically what it is now. Maybe a few more block types (especially things like crafting stations and furnaces like in MInecraft) and some sort of electricity system (aka redstone)
RPG: Being able to improve and customize every aspect of my character (armor,tools,weapons, stats, abillitys and yeah also my professions) by leveling, exploring or whatever. I´m not expecting something as complex as full on MMORPG system but I´m expecting something more complex than Minecraft
MMO: mechanics that make me want to group with other players. Not only for PvE (titans and dungeons) but also for PvP (Guild vs. Guild maybe?) and building (City/Guild -beacons)
Sanbox: Being able to set my own goals in the game or said differently: A big variety of things I can do while I´m playing.
I personally think that something that “fuels” this kind of discussions is that we have plenty of “sanbox/voxel- features” already implemented but don’t have any MMORPG features yet.
But people are using the argument, ‘‘but its a sandbox, there should be no limitation’’ the mmo part, not necessarily the MMORPG, just the MMO is what is the important thing, cause most people who think sandbox are those who played minecraft alone, there just needs to be limitations in an mmo to not create total chaos.
but again, i will write a long rant later on the different aspects since you dragged me into the crafting conversation, so hope you have some time to spare xD
yeah this is the biggest thing, i know you guys are working hard on making a balanced game, but we just keep getting new blocks and ways to build, which is important, but the RPG players feel kinda left out, which is maybe why we seem so vocal about what we want and why the sandbox players see it as too much since all we have gotten are sandbox builder features that they care about and they expect it to stay that way.
we have so many boxes we can put players into, which i have said is a problem even from when the game came in pre-alpha, it is a massive grayzone, how casual/hardcore will it be? how solo/party focused will it be? how minecraft/RPG based will it be? all of these things. and everybody who bought the game have one vision or the other in mind when they buy the game.
Oort should focus on these points from both of your lists plus some additions/comments from me:
Many different worlds which each with unique ressources to explore including things like cave systems that reach to the bottom of the world filled with ores. Creatures/Titans on the frontpage are put in place by the Oortians so i think aggressive creatures will be limited to temples.
Rich crafting systems which are easy to learn but very creative// Many different components to collect to experiment with in crafting… and that doesn’t require levels and grinding << This is important. See crafting professions thread.
Combat system combining game types: Equipment gives you the stats, but skill is needed to hit foes. This could combine MMORPG features, such as groups of weapons, and modifiers and levels of proficiency increased by the players use, rather than defined " i have level 3 sword therefore i can now use lvl3 swords and do more damage.
Build what ever you want and can imagine with a mass of different materials. Yes!
Farming and herding can be time filling but very enjoyable. << Definitely fun and rewarding
Progress of the character through the gameplay which may take mounth to max it out. << this could increases and be balanced against the gameplay loop which is a great idea.
Each Player can specialize in a gameplay style and become special in his function in his group. << fully achievable in Oort without the need for defined party roles like many MMORPGS, e.g tank, dps, etc which will limit you to one style of play.
Each player may be strong, but in a group you reach your full potential. Yes! especially for titans.
Achievements to fulfill to get titles, fame or sometimes rare rewards. << Could be really cool.
MMORPGS do guilds and trade really really well so no issues seem to arise in Oort with this coming straight from MMORPGS. As for trade it needs to be a system where you can’t reach max via buying gear. So the best stuff needs to be locked in someway, this needs discussion about how combat progression works.
Well that’s what i think Personally i think it’s a good representation of the last graph.
i just thought of something for crafting, if u find a rare material your name comes bound to it, and if you sell it the material switches owner, who ever picks up the material after wards out a chest for example will put a secondary bound on the mat, if the mat gets crafted the the product can only be used by the person with the primary bound.
so potentially the guy could pass the material to the smith guy that is maxed out and then smith will make wep but cannot use it, as it is primary bounded to the original finder, secondary bounds can still carry in inventory but cant equip as tools. owners can put a pass on the item for etc pass = 874
reason for pass is this next bit.
if a unwanted person wanted to steal the item he could but he cant use, and in order to deconstuct the item to raw mats he would if the tool is passworded enter the password to deconstruct, if failed the item would then go to owners inv, chest or into his mail.
i may make another topic to back up this idea. but @ben how does this sound as a solution to the problem of people getting items without any effort?
that sounds insanely complicated and makes no sense in my ears, so if you make a post give me a shoutout, also the point is not this, the point is that a person who just started can use ‘‘level 121 master sword of doom’’ multiple ways it can be achieved, but i dont think this would be one of them, just myopinion though.
well in that case you just need a level check that checks their level compares it with the tool then checks if they can use that tool and if they cant it wont allow them to equip it
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Personally i think it’s a good representation of the last graph.