Mission Creator: A new direction for MMOs?
By
Alphane,
Posted on: 2008-08-27 07:05 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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I'm not an expert on MMOs by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems to me that the concept of a "do it yourself" mission creator is truly ground breaking and potentially will impact on MMOs and computer games for years to come.
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There is another MMO that had/has a mission creator.
Ryzom. Direct link to the story creator... Thingy.
So ground breaking... not so much.
Easier to use... Most likely.
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I'm not an expert on MMOs by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems to me that the concept of a "do it yourself" mission creator is truly ground breaking and potentially will impact on MMOs and computer games for years to come.
[/ QUOTE ]Apart for Ryzom which was already mentioned, there's already a long history of user-created content (with official tools or otherwise) in non-MMO games, so it's hardly revolutionary.
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I'm not an expert on MMOs by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems to me that the concept of a "do it yourself" mission creator is truly ground breaking and potentially will impact on MMOs and computer games for years to come.
[/ QUOTE ]Apart for Ryzom which was already mentioned, there's already a long history of user-created content (with official tools or otherwise) in non-MMO games, so it's hardly revolutionary.
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If i look plain to the 'world of MMOs', its rather unique. Mods and 'custom' packs for online games been around for very long (CS was a great example, but also the C&C generations have a huge mod-scene), it somewhat is comparable to the UI-costumisation of WoW.
It was not untill recently that 'full costumize' your character has got a hype-flavor, majorly fromout the asian MMO's where this was implemented on a large scale.
So to look at 'revolutionair' new features, specialy compared to *shurgs* 'the new level of mmos' AoC, it does add a whole new level of playability. Where AoC failed massively on their unique aspects (combo system is a plain joke), CoH hopefully get more succes on this new feature. (where they remain rather unique on character comstumisation).
50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore
Sign the petition, dont let CoH go down! SIGN!
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I can see that future games offer you an engine, a sketchy environment, a set of customisable powers, and a mission builder kit, effecitvely a DIY MMO. You and your friends can buy the game, create the world on a server and then invite people to join your community.
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This has potential, no? I know private servers for some games exist, but this is more of a- personal server.
If a toolkit were to be released that allowed such a thing, I'd buy it. I mean, I spent weeks working away on the NWN editor. 
Plus lets see how advanced it is before giving it the "ground breaking" tag.
If it doesn't have in-map triggers and events and some branching logic in the arc dialogue it'd be fairly unimpressive to me really.
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I can see that future games offer you an engine, a sketchy environment, a set of customisable powers, and a mission builder kit, effecitvely a DIY MMO. You and your friends can buy the game, create the world on a server and then invite people to join your community.
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This has potential, no? I know private servers for some games exist, but this is more of a- personal server.
If a toolkit were to be released that allowed such a thing, I'd buy it. I mean, I spent weeks working away on the NWN editor.
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Just to be clear, I'm not talking about "private" servers. But I am - for example - talking about something like NCSoft hosting your world on one of there servers but it's effectively your game, built using their tools. People can come and join your world but they play your stories or play to your rules
It's the Ultimate Dungeon Master's kit 
Thelonious Monk
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I can see that future games offer you an engine, a sketchy environment, a set of customisable powers, and a mission builder kit, effecitvely a DIY MMO. You and your friends can buy the game, create the world on a server and then invite people to join your community.
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This has potential, no? I know private servers for some games exist, but this is more of a- personal server.
If a toolkit were to be released that allowed such a thing, I'd buy it. I mean, I spent weeks working away on the NWN editor.
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Just to be clear, I'm not talking about "private" servers. But I am - for example - talking about something like NCSoft hosting your world on one of there servers but it's effectively your game, built using their tools. People can come and join your world but they play your stories or play to your rules
It's the Ultimate Dungeon Master's kit
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Yah, why I used the term "personal server".
I'd buy it. You should work in this business, or something.
Erm, didn't NWN do this 5 years ago?
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Plus lets see how advanced it is before giving it the "ground breaking" tag.
If it doesn't have falling blocks, floor traps with spikes, collapsing bridges, and pits of molten lava (or fake plastic lava for overlords on a budget) it'd be fairly unimpressive to me really.
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Edited for truth.
Is it time for the dance of joy yet?
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Plus lets see how advanced it is before giving it the "ground breaking" tag.
If it doesn't have falling blocks, floor traps with spikes, collapsing bridges, and pits of molten lava (or fake plastic lava for overlords on a budget) it'd be fairly unimpressive to me really.
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Edited for truth.
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Motion passed!
Make it so (although you left out oversized rolling stone balls and snakes DW, but I'm willing to forgive you)
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Plus lets see how advanced it is before giving it the "ground breaking" tag.
If it doesn't have in-map triggers and events and some branching logic in the arc dialogue it'd be fairly unimpressive to me really.
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Its an direction, the first who does it doesnt have to be the best from start.
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oversized rolling stone balls and snakes
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Serious, you're not talking about 'that' MMO isit? 
50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore
Sign the petition, dont let CoH go down! SIGN!
The mission creator and its UI were stolen from WoW, clearly. Educate yourselves on MMO history, nubs.
NWN was close to MMO but not quite MMO.It did do this 5 eyars ago and , while I am very happy to see the mission editor, it is the NWN editor that I will be comparing it to, so its got a lot to live up to
IMHO:
It has to allow for scripted events (triggered by player action , npc death and/or time) - button puching to open a door in another section of the map, the fantastic three levers trick where combinations open different sluice gates in a sewer giving access to different parts of the map, escaping a cave before the lava rises, bombs not found get detonated on the evil bombers death etc.
It needs to allow the option to actually design the level. a randomly generated tileset will never beat a carefully mapped floorplan. lighting etc can make or break a map withthe atmosphere it provides.
It should allow for the placement of actual mobs (freakshow tank in a bottleneck anyone?) rather than just spawn points
branching story arc: consequences for failing a mission eg:
mission 1: retrieve the necklace before the Cat burglar gets it
on success: bring the necklace to finny the fence and avoid the Cat Burglars minions
on fail: Intercept Cat burglars minions on their wa yto finny the fence
etc etc, so a series of fails would end an arc prematurely after giving the opportunity to get back on track. Yes this would mean that missions run the risk of never being played but it would give the arc replayability and a real sense of urgency (dont let him get away!!! I really dont want to have to crawl through the sewers again !!).
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Plus lets see how advanced it is before giving it the "ground breaking" tag.
If it doesn't have in-map triggers and events and some branching logic in the arc dialogue it'd be fairly unimpressive to me really.
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Its an direction, the first who does it doesnt have to be the best from start.
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It had to be a decent enough feature that a fair proportion of the player base access, like and use it though (see what happened with bases). Not saying it won't be, but for my money the best way to create fun scenarios (or arcs if you prefer) is to give writers decent tools to create with. 2 I personally would like the most would be in-mission triggers and events (so you can have ambushes, NPC dialogue and various twists in-mission) and branching dialogue so you can make meaningful story choices outside of missions to drive the story in a certain direction.
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oversized rolling stone balls and snakes
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Serious, you're not talking about 'that' MMO isit?
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Erm no. I'm mostly talking about Indiana Jones 
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NWN was close to MMO but not quite MMO.It did do this 5 eyars ago and , while I am very happy to see the mission editor, it is the NWN editor that I will be comparing it to, so its got a lot to live up to
IMHO:
It has to allow for scripted events (triggered by player action , npc death and/or time) - button puching to open a door in another section of the map, the fantastic three levers trick where combinations open different sluice gates in a sewer giving access to different parts of the map, escaping a cave before the lava rises, bombs not found get detonated on the evil bombers death etc.
It needs to allow the option to actually design the level. a randomly generated tileset will never beat a carefully mapped floorplan. lighting etc can make or break a map withthe atmosphere it provides.
It should allow for the placement of actual mobs (freakshow tank in a bottleneck anyone?) rather than just spawn points
branching story arc: consequences for failing a mission eg:
mission 1: retrieve the necklace before the Cat burglar gets it
on success: bring the necklace to finny the fence and avoid the Cat Burglars minions
on fail: Intercept Cat burglars minions on their wa yto finny the fence
etc etc, so a series of fails would end an arc prematurely after giving the opportunity to get back on track. Yes this would mean that missions run the risk of never being played but it would give the arc replayability and a real sense of urgency (dont let him get away!!! I really dont want to have to crawl through the sewers again !!).
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Ooh, I hope for the devs sake, Ramon is pleased.
I reckon they might be using a (new?) system like the (new?) base one, when it comes to actual design. If they allow for scripted events, I will be very, very happy, as I don't expect too much, but I also expect we'll be suprised with it's sheer size. They're certainly using it as the highlight of the issue, and they really outdid themselves with Cimerora and the QoL improvements.
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If i look plain to the 'world of MMOs', its rather unique.
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Only if you exclude MUDs and MUSHes from MMOs, and I've yet to hear a good definition of MMOs which doesn't also cover some of the old MUDs or MUSHes.
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It had to be a decent enough feature that a fair proportion of the player base access, like and use it though (see what happened with bases). Not saying it won't be, but for my money the best way to create fun scenarios (or arcs if you prefer) is to give writers decent tools to create with. 2 I personally would like the most would be in-mission triggers and events (so you can have ambushes, NPC dialogue and various twists in-mission) and branching dialogue so you can make meaningful story choices outside of missions to drive the story in a certain direction.
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What aint there yet, doesnt mean it wont come in the future 
Believe positron stated sortlike in his forum post.
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Erm no. I'm mostly talking about Indiana Jones
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Ah.. so that is where those failers got their insperation from
(serious, they get these features in their next 'whenever' update).
50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore
Sign the petition, dont let CoH go down! SIGN!
[ QUOTE ]
Just to be clear, I'm not talking about "private" servers. But I am - for example - talking about something like NCSoft hosting your world on one of there servers but it's effectively your game, built using their tools. People can come and join your world but they play your stories or play to your rules
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Won't happen. It would require enough legal documents to fill a library and a complete vetting of the 'game world' you had created to ensure there was no inappropriate content.
I do wish people would actually consider the ramifications of this kind of pipe dream before starting on it.
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Honestly I think this is a feature that is far more attractive to the Devs than it is to most players. In MMOs the Devs will never be able to create content as fast as some players consume it, so getting the players to create content is obviously the only solution to that problem. Also the Devs don't have to pay us for it - in fact we'll be paying them (our subs) while we create content - win-win for the Devs really.
User-generated content has been discussed in depth by Devs from all the main MMOs at most of the recent Game Developer Conferences and I'd expect most MMOs will have user-generated content as standard in a few years time. Nice to see CoH getting in relatively early though, as far as mainstream western MMOs go. Not to mention this feature will be a massive PR boost for CoH's adverts/marketing in future - something that very few of the competition have yet.
I love storytelling, but I can't get excited about the mission architect until I see how powerful/flexible it is (or not, as the case may be). It is in the nature of MMO players to wish for more than Devs can deliver and hype things up in our own minds to the point that the actual promised system just can't fail but disappoint. So I'm trying to restrain myself from thinking about this mission architect too much until we have more concrete details.
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The mission creator and its UI were stolen from WoW, clearly. Educate yourselves on MMO history, nubs.
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You've seen the mission creator's UI?
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The mission creator and its UI were stolen from WoW, clearly. Educate yourselves on MMO history, nubs.
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I couldn't care less who created it as long as it works for us.
In theory this could be tremendous as I'm pretty positive there are bright sparks out there that will really create some awesome missions. But, and it's a big un, that depends on the tools the devs allow us to use.
One other thing, is it possible that we have access to the usa custom missions and vica versa? Now that would really rock. We use the same auction houses...
Can it be done?
Don't get into a flap. It's only my opinion and I'm thick
Arc 56763 Lord Anarchys heaven
2 mission arc. Bring friends cause Lord Anarchy means business...
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You've seen the mission creator's UI?
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Obviously. Everything is derived from WoW, and I can say without sarcasm, irony or humour that this is no different.
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Also the Devs don't have to pay us for it - in fact we'll be paying them (our subs) while we create content - win-win for the Devs really.
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And you never know, someone who is especially good might be offered a job
[url=http://vox-doom.deviantart.com]Take A Gander At This.[/url]
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Also the Devs don't have to pay us for it - in fact we'll be paying them (our subs) while we create content - win-win for the Devs really.
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And you never know, someone who is especially good might be offered a job
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Sounds pretty clever to me actually. Good luck to em and I hope it works.
Don't get into a flap. It's only my opinion and I'm thick
Arc 56763 Lord Anarchys heaven
2 mission arc. Bring friends cause Lord Anarchy means business...
I'm not an expert on MMOs by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems to me that the concept of a "do it yourself" mission creator is truly ground breaking and potentially will impact on MMOs and computer games for years to come.
I am not aware of any other game that offers this choice but, potentially, I can see that future games offer you an engine, a sketchy environment, a set of customisable powers, and a mission builder kit, effecitvely a DIY MMO. You and your friends can buy the game, create the world on a server and then invite people to join your community.
It potentially allows for massive scope, a Superhero game, an army game, space, fantasy, pirates and ninjas, all in the same universe. Potentially amazing, almost certainly chaotic, but wow... limitless potential.
Am I being over-imaginitive? Just how much of a revolution will this be?
Thelonious Monk