New Epic Ability ?

[Mythrax]

I've been wondering for awhile about the idea of creating 'strongholds' as a housing idea. Where an Epic level character, can create a 'stronghold' and then within the boundries of that stronghold, place their own NPC's, (ie. a necro populating his own stronghold with a block of summoned pets, which he can 'charm' and command to guard different points, etc. Or a mage, or a druid usuing animals. With the idea of having Epic characters being able to be 'overlords' of certain areas/zones....

This is analogous to the allegiance systems in games where allegiances or corporations extend power over a region of a game.

The reason for this idea, is partly the RP value, of having characters extend their playing into the realm of creating player driven political faction(s).

It could be a priveledged Epic ability, extended to players in positions of trust, like trainee GM's.

At a technical level, it may be a leap, but consider the idea of a player summoning multiple pets, which can be commanded one at a time, and in the interim, when they are not 'charmed' they operate as regular NPC's but driven by the faction and/or path set by the epic player/summoner.

Just a thought, I realize the scope of the game, and the current development of WR is currently in a growth mode with a focus on the integration/modification of areas.

I'm just trying to spark a thread about a potential idea of RP-event level play, driven by players. The idea of players conducting raids on player strongholds in the effort to perhaps, free an area from dominance of an 'evil' epic level necromancer.

Not sure if there is a new zone creation policy, or of the WR staff are considering accepting zone submissions for testing, but that is another possibility for character 'stronghold' development.

As a measure to prevent abuse, the exp factor on stronghold mobs could be adjusted to prevent epic summoning exploitation.

I may be inviting flames for 'pie in the sky' thinking about WR and the mechanics of the game. But the idea is tantalizing, and I'm hoping there are other WR fans/staff who hope to see more RP driven playing. Not that I'm an RP purist, but the idea of the fantasy RPG environment is essentially story-driven, and the potential of player driven 'storylines' is one that I'm hoping to someday see in MMORPG's.

just my two cents...

 

[Turtle]

I like your ideas. Not sure how feasible it is using the EQ engine, but it would be interesting to try. There should be more opportunities to RP in the game. Anything RP related that can be implemented would be nice.

 

[Raherin]

I think the best way to implement RP is to tell the players to start doing it first.

I think its like the peer pressure thing, "If everyone else is doing it, I'll feel/look funny if I don't do it too!"

The only reason I don't RP on WR is because I've gotten some really strange looks from people when I did.

Never-the-less, hehe, I would <3 L <3 O <3 V <3 E <3 to see more RPing here. It really adds alot to your character when you RP and create a life with a character. Yay for PRing...maybe I'll try to start everone on doing it........

 

[belghast]

I'm a gamer first, roleplayer when I get in the mood. I would never play any game longterm that had an expected roleplaying element. Just dont find that much fun in trying to keep up a character, so instead I just make the character behave like I would.

 

[zodium]

I think the best way to implement RP is to tell the players to start doing it first.

I think its like the peer pressure thing, "If everyone else is doing it, I'll feel/look funny if I don't do it too!"

The only reason I don't RP on WR is because I've gotten some really strange looks from people when I did.

Never-the-less, hehe, I would <3 L <3 O <3 V <3 E <3 to see more RPing here. It really adds alot to your character when you RP and create a life with a character. Yay for PRing...maybe I'll try to start everone on doing it........

Generally, we don't want to enforce a strictly RP environment constantly, so we just enforce it during the events. I'm going to try to do more events, though. I've done about six in the past month and a half and I hope to do some more.

 

[Mythrax]

Not a compaint.

Please don't take my original posting as a complaint.

Forbes ran an article a couple of years ago, forecasting the growth of the MMORPG genre, and one of the predictions in that article, was of an online 'entertainment' environment, populated by players, with 'actors' filling out role of NPC's in the online setting.

Since reading that article, I've been thinking about ways it may come about.

One possibility is the idea of 'player created' content, or players with GM responsiblity, but specifically directed towards 'acting as NPCs' or having a 'cast' of NPC 'characters' they can control or direct like puppets. With the end result of having the MMORPG setting be analogous to a play or show, with actors collaborating with writer's and directors to create quest driven content.

I think there would be a great enticement for players 'questing' to best an Epic level player/actor in a zone under their influence, or co-ordinating the defense of a 'stronghold' or zone that he has been effectively taken over. Compare this to the enjoyment of playing an FPS or RTS against the computer, or playing that same FPS or RTS against other players.

Currently within the scope of MMORPG's this kind of happens already, since the GM admins, or area makers are pitting their ingenuity against the relentless rapacious hunger of players for loot and levels. But this is a closed system, with the entry level for the zone creation partication open only to devs and area makers. Part of this is understandable, given the steep learning curve associated with the coding, or even working within the scope of current zone creation tools or coding conventions.

What my suggestion was geared towards was opening the zone creation dynamics of the game 'in a limited' sense to players.

This is not however a complaint on my part, against the current RP sensibilites of the game, or of the GM events, since I have not partcipated heavily in either.

I do understand that the current framework for WR and EQ does not easily lend itself to this scenario. My post was aimed at a creating discussion of the possibilities. Having a ruling, that 'no that won't/can't happen' kind of squashes that.

But hey this is a discussion board isn't it ?

 

[Nuralia]

The problem with today's MMORPGs is that it doesn't give enough control/point to roleplaying. You can't roleplay truly if the game mechanics just stop you after a point. For example, the pvp restrictions. Granted, it makes it so people who don't like PVP won't have their game ruined by griefers, but what's the point of roleplaying a hatred if all it is is words? I can't ever hurt you, so it doesn't matter if my character hates you.
Also, the game doesn't reward roleplaying. Why go to an inn and chat? Why go to an inn at all? The only rewards come from the progression of power. EQ is not set up for roleplaying. It's an action/adventure game. Unless players have total control over the environment, right down to a dynamic faction system (Not just killing people should lower faction, and it shouldn't be so easy to flip-flop. Yes, people hate that faction is hard to build, but in a roleplaying environment, it should be. If you murder a guard, the city is going to hate you. )

While I dream of the day that computer roleplaying is actually viable, it's not really going to happen, especially not to DnD standards. We need a fluid model. You'd need an entirely new system to give players the control required to be NPC actors. You'd need a structure that responds to absolutely everything you do automatically. You'd need dedicated, impartial players to play this parts. And do you realize how hard that'll be, for someone to act in character 100% of the time? I know I couldn't. You'd need people in paid positions, otherwise you'll get griefers now and again. People who hold grudges. People with personal vendettas.

It's a good idea. But it's definitely not coming for a while.

 

[Malakai^]

A game coming up that has TONS of RP potential is World of Warcraft. Since opposing factions (good and evil/horde and alliance) can always fight, even on regular servers, it opens up a lot more RP potential.

I used to RP back on UO a long time ago, I quite enjoyed it. A non mmo rpg game that has lots of online RPing is Neverwinter Nights. There are tons of great RP persistent worlds with 30+ players.

 

[Bella]

First off... the Pole itslef... answer - all of the above - every line of the pole is correct and accurate.

Storyline / lore can help a game follow a theme better, but is it required? Typically, themed games are a bit more linear (you must do this before you can do the next part which must be done before you can do the next part and so on till you win). This linear concept does NOT fit a game you can not win (like EQ).

All the really great games that have these themes and storylines like Fallout, Final Fantasy, Might and Magic... et al, all have an end and you can win the game. EQ you can not win, there is no end sequence. Like Dungeons and Dragons where most all these fantasy games are based these linear games are equivalent to a DnD module. EQ does not fit that, it has expansions but they aren’t even similar to modules other than the fact that there is a new setting and inhabitants.

In DnD modules, the lvl 1 crap mobs (orc scout, orc guard) are often the front line to the fortress held by the boss mob the players are endeavoring to defeat. Granted there are often side lairs of spiders or bears or something, and side quests which may or may not be linked to the main story line. In EQ there is no connection between the a large bats, or wolves, or fire beetles, or skunks, or skeletons to the gods or demigods that everyone is looking to take down and loot. ahhh looot...

Yes loot is the key to all of these games. Loot is your reward for victory, whether its a snake skin to sell or turn in to an npc for a quest item or the few coppers you can save up to buy your bread, or the Uber_weapon_06 you have been waiting so long to get your hands on, if there was no loot, no one would play. killing the mobs over and over just to exp and not improve your own loot and wealth would get boring extremely fast (like the first 30 minutes of such a game I would be writing nasty letters to the developers demanding my money back).

Expansions are in EQ to add new mobs, and thus new, more interesting more attractive more useful items.

I hear/read people talking about lore and storyline and role-play, but these are also the same people that shout "DING 13!!!" or link their newly found items. I have NEVER grouped with people that were actually role playing, I have seen role-play enforced during events, but don’t really feel it added to the fun of anything, at most it added confusion because the only people who knew what was going on were the GM's that knew the storyline being played out, all others where just guessing at who's side we were on and what our task was supposed to be. - the event in mind is the dragon/giant war thingy, and somehow, it still is not clear to me, Iksars were involved and are the bad guys to all or something but were trying to make some sort of treat or such but poof they were out of it and dragons swarmed the giants and no more iksars to be seen .... huh? It was so confusing that no one really knew who won till prizes were handed out. (ah see loot again)

Factions: I see the value of faction, I don’t see the value of how hard it can be to change factions particularly when it is moronically changed from week to week by your guild(s) where is the role-play in that... clearly the reason for changing factions frequently is to get new loot and share it with other guilds by letting them have giants this week and dragons next and so on... dudes... kill whatever you want when you can when its up, first come first served... trading off good loot mobs back and fourth is just silly.

This game, and all rpg games mm or not, are basically this... hack slay, dungeon craw, gather loot, repeat. The only thing that makes keeps these games going are finding new places, exploring, trying something new and finding new loot that no one has found yet.

The object of all is this get exp, get loot, kill the "uber_mob" for his uber loot. And on the linear games (which I hate) when you finally kill the uber mob you are rewarded with a cut-scene and not loot and I'm like, "is that it? What a let down, that sucked... where is my loot? What did he have on him? I want to carry into the next game or expansion (where applicable).


~Bella

 

[Kagera]

Role Playing

I think the best way to implement RP is to tell the players to start doing it first. [/quote="Raherin"]

uh, No. See the problem here? You can tell me to role, and I can tell you no.

You can not tell people to play a certain way. Granted you can TRY. but it is a little controlling, much like my 3 year old when he wants me to sit in a certain chair and play a certain way.

I would not stop you from playing role, but neither would I ever play it.
I understand that you think it is fun, and you enjoy the roleplay, and that it helps immerse you in the game and you want to share that. However, I find it tedious, rather boring, and some of the situations and even the grammer used in the story line as stupid. So you see, what you may enjoy in the game, I may not.

This game does not lend itself very well to being a roleplaying game. The restictions placed on spells like CH can hit only 2.0 seconds is against a roleplay environment, its a limitation enforced on a charectors, and therin is the problem. Real Roleplay would be, you bathe your charector, or chr goes down, you can heal all you want, and even limiting buffing to higher level charetors is against true roleplay. Roleplay would have weapons break, and clothes tear. But no one wants to deal with all that and the GM's and admin's need to be in control.

Roleplaying totally is impossible in a game where you kill a mob, loot a mob, and learn you killed it the wrong way and need to start all over again.

I am sorry that you had a bad experiance with non-role players. You should not feel weird about playing role, if you wish. Here is a suggestion for you roleplayers - see about forming a guild, that does nothing but roleplay, therefore you can easily group with people of similar likes.

 

[Raherin]

Ok, I think I should have worded it differently. Maybe instead of telling people to RP, or enforcing it, make it a nice option. As an example, in Neverwinter Nights, when I played it, I was on a server that didn't make you RP, but rewarded you for good RPing, or for just doing it.

Maybe a reward, if a GM notices a group or person doing good RPing, they could get some kind of reward. Maybe GM points...I don't really know what would be appropiate to give someone for it but I think a really good idea to see something other than "OMG, dude, inc A Kobald, GET IT OFF", it would be nice to have some RPing, but not in a way that it forces people to do it.
Anyways, that's my copper peice of the day. Tell me what you think. (Maybe what would be a good reward or somethin)

*edit* Well, I reread some of the above posts. I think its true that EQ is really hard to RP. I do think it is possible, but difficult, to RP in this game. Anything is possible. =) But from reading some of the above posts, I think it will be horribly difficult to change things on WR because it has been this way for a long time.

I think the people who made EQ planned somewhat RPing, I would think, due to the fact that Ogres, Trolls, Dark Elves, etc etc cannot just run into Erudin, also vice versa for Good chars to run into Thurg, as well as the whole good/evil faction thing...And we can't forget the /roleplay option!
So I think what I'm getting to is; it would be nice to have -some- RPing, even if its somthing like dwarves poking fun at elves for being skinny and malnutritioned...hehe...not hard core RPing, but just a little...a taste...a morsel....hehe
And like some of you have said, it cannot be forced because anyone can type "No". *edit*

(Forgive me, I don't usually say much on forums and forgot that you have to really think about what you write =\ )
amelor!

 

[Tarison]

I'm a brand new player on WR, and while I did play a little EQ ages back, the furthest I was got was late 20's on my first character, before I started hopping servers, finally settling on the EQ RP server. Even on there, I didn't really find an abundance of RP, though I definitely forced myself to play the part regardless.

I had a halfling named Brenley, that liked to talk a lot, and also didn't mind exploring. Long story short, I spent more time exploring (without POP-- Going from Rivervale to Freeport and Greater Faydark while under level 12) than I did fighting mobs or anything, but I'd consider myself one of the exceptions.

I also have something of a different past when it comes to RP. For the past six years I've also played, staffed and even run various mushes, which if you're familiar with it, RP is the focus. They were mostly Star Wars themed, but RP is pretty much the basis of a MUSH. I can guarantee you that though there were definitely the means to kill others, it didn't interfere with RP'ing, and was usually always a last resort for the better rp'ers, because the fun part in RP isn't the Killing, its the conflict.


Now, I don't know what the eventual plans for WR are (as I said, new here), but today I was passing through Felwithe, which is currently quite abandoned. This could be intentional (part of the storyline), or temporary, but if its seen as a good idea to the powers that be, I think it would be feasible to encourage it to be a player-RP zone. Get some Players as the rulers of the city, whether it was drawn along some kinda faction lines or not, and work out some plots.

I know roleplay isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I figure it would be easier designating an area supportive of RP, than trying to enforce/encourage it across the board. It might even help if everyone taking these ideas in, players and staff alike, gave their impression of what they saw Roleplay consisting of.


My personal view of this, is that roleplay is adopting a personality for your character. Even the word character says about as much. It isn't talking in 'ye olde english' (unless the setting calls for it, and judging by the npc's, it doesn't), and it isn't playing a text version of the sims where you have to make your character brush their teeth every day. Roleplay can make a game more immersive. I've seen it done with pure text, and it can definitely be done in this environment too. It just depends if you're willing to give it a go.