After some time on the forum, the game and the planeshift website, I have discovered that first,
- Planeshift is supposed to be a very realistic world, hence the typing to talk with NPCs and the skill system.
- Planeshift is a pure fanatsy world, hence the \"Bent for medieval setting.\" in the recruitment page and the fantasy name requirement.
Therefore, I have come to the groundbreaking conclution that:
Planeshift is a Realistic Fantasy World.
Note to devs, GMs, WTBs, and other members: The following is just things to think about, to make PS an MMORPG, and indeed, a game, that surpasses any other ever created. In no way do I expect them to be carried out soon, if at all. If any of these proposals are already being carried out or have been stated, please ignore them. First of all, in almost every game, character motion is govened by animations and moving the ground underneath the character along with the feet to portray a walking or running of the character (Actually, PS does not do the latter yet). This is of course fine, but leads do a very linear game experience and character handling. What would change the world of gaming would be an engine that uses all the time a frame, I think it was called \"skeletal and dynamic driven animation\" or was it \"Rag doll\". Anyway, instead of a fixed animation for each action, what would be truly amazing would be a character that moves according to forces applied. A realistic character physics engine. A character model would be built around a skeleton with each polygon at a fixed location fron a joint. When the character gets hit with a very powerful blow (20% health?) It would be almost blown away due to frontal pressure. The back would curve away from the blow and the character would rise up and hit the ground. If it hits a wall it will stop and slide down. Of course, this is all but impossible with individual animation, but with a skeleton and collision detection system it would be possible. Another would be if a character jumps off from a high place (By the way, there is no jumping animation yet :/) And hits ground, his legs would bend down to take the impact more than if he just jumped. If it is too high, he would hit, and not crumple but simply hit the ground and fall at the same time, like in real life. This would add an incredible amount of effects, smoothness and realism never before seen in a game.
Secondly, in every game the base combat is generally hit - hit - hit... Or hit run.. etc. And there is a few diffrent animations for combos and the such, but this of course is not true-to life. Using a skeleton, one could accomplish such things such as slashes, parries, flips, backstrokes, and pretty much unlimited moves. of course, with a low level in a weapon, one would not be experienced enough; the character would do slashes and stabs or whatnot. Complexity would increase with level. when you block an enemy your sword could actually move up to block or stave off the enemy. it would not be turn based either. Each would attack at his own speed, and if the level is high when there is an opening in the enemy defense therefor a greater chance of hitting. If facing with your back to the enemy, unless your level is very high you would not be able to block attacks at all. When moving it would give you a better chance of being hit and missing because you are not concentrating of fighting. Such a combat system would be truly astounding.
Third, every MMORPG just has your character\'s level and if you play a long time it goes up etc etc. What would be even more immersing would be having a degree of control over the character\'s fighting, not quite like tekken, with much less control and combos (That would be too complicated and tedious) but more a degree of control. You would be able to strafe around your enemy, and if you press back you would break the attack and give you the ability to run away without the \"You are too far to attack\" sign.If you press forward you would press the attack and srafing around to try and get behind the enemy would give you more chance to hit greater. If the enemy gets lots of damage quickly (or not), if could stumble back in a way, and that would be a good opportunity to press the attack. Also, the only way to disengage from a fight would be to press back, so the fight inches back and forward as you gain ground or lose it. If you press the attack when the opponent is conident, that could lower your defense and do you harm. Then, there would be a few diffrent \"styles\" which you could learn from trainers that come from the left or right or from down or flips and from the top (and even from behind), and in diffrent landscapes , situations and monsters, these would give you an edge or not. As the player himself gets more experience the character will become powerful in combat. This would add a very interesting never-before seen element in duels and boss fights.
Of course, you would and would not need to do all this against rats. If you do not press anything the fight will just go on without and edge to either side. This player involvement is not a required part in fighting, otherwise the game ould become overly tedious. After all, you don\'t need a flip-slash stab to defeat a rat, a slash will do.
Next, in real life, people do NOT just \'gain a level\' and suddenly become stronger. The levelup system should be scrapped because it is an all-too familiar element that exists in EVERY SINGLE RPG. Instead there should be just two big bars of total experience, with a learning bar and a practice bar. The practice bar stops growing when it reaches the learning bar, and you will need to learn a bit to start advancing yor practice again. When using your skill, you will get results based on practice, not learing, but learning would be essential to increase your practice. Success/Damage etc would increase gradually based on the total experience (practice) in that skill. In smithing and magic and stuff, you would need a certain number of
learning in that skill to cast a certain spell or make a certain weapon.
Characters also get stronger physically with loth of sword/axe/maxe etc fighting, so the character strength should inch up with continuous fighting. Not very much, just a little, but enough that you can feel a diffrence in a week or two of fighting. The same would apply with will, intelligence and charsima. This would add an additional realism element in the game ans will definitely set it far apart from other MMORPGs, especially the experience part.
PS: And what RPG would be complete without the ability to charm monsters and use them to help attack things? Even RIDE them?! A wild pterasaur mabye.. Then monster mounts would become another part of the player economy and would add yet ANOTHER ineresting element to the game! Charming could be done with various magic ways I suppose and would only work when the monster is weak in mind. Strong monsters and other certain monsters would be un-charmable or simply harder to charm. (I mean, charming a rogue would be just stupid.)
Continued on 8.Aug An RPG should have lots of things other than fighting monsters to do, fun things. LOTS of things. Otherwise, no matter what the point of the game is people will go fight in sewers to get their money. I know that there are already a great deal of money-making skills planned, but some other, unique things would also be interesting. For instance, there could be \"Guild Wars\" (No, no realtionship with the game) where 2 rival guilds could fight with several rare items or perhaps tria at stake. Perhaps even their allies could fight alongside each other. There would be no duel option, and people from the enemy guild would be treated in the interface just like monsters. Of course, thhis will lead to a chaotic clash with people milling about everywhere, so to prevent this there could be a more advanced map layout to add interest. Melee, Sword, etc fighters could fight at the bottom while mages (And of course more spells will be added right?) and rangers fire from ramparts. Of course, fighters could take a trip up to the rampart to take care of a few of the mages. Enemy people would be marked and you shouldn\'t even be able to click on allies to decrease confusion.
Will continue later.. :rolleyes:
