Wednesday, July 15, 2009

MMO Design: Proper Explanation

I just came across a great succinct series of blog posts by Brenda Brathwaite about game design documents. So I figured as long as I'm spitballing here I might as well make an effort to format it in a clearer fashion. In an attempt to follow her model, here's the game so far:

A Post-Apocalyptic MMORPG

Core Statement: Survive and shape the rebuilding of society in a violent and devastated world.

Feature Set:
Customize your character's skillset
Engage in fast-paced combat with guns, explosives and hand-to-hand combat
Complete quests that tell the many stories of the wasteland
Acquire gear, vehicles and property
Build a network of friends and allies amongst the inhabitants of the wasteland
Influence the character and growth of settlements
Become a powerful leader of your own band of survivors
Protect your vision of the future from other players seeking a different path

Well right off the bat that makes it a lot clearer. The core goal for the overall story feel of the game is somewhere between the player-made world and territory battles of Eve Online and the deep quest and raid narrative storyline of World of Warcraft. I chose the word influence in the feature set because I do want it to be a more behind the scenes type of territory-building, rather than the overt claim-staking of Eve.

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