Endgame content inc
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 3:58 am
I just for the first time read about Ryzom Ring (I guess by the timing of my coming back I hadn't heard of it), and I intend to design endgame content similar to high end raids in Everquest. I'm a programmer and game designer with a mix of professional and amateur experience. I've been told very good things about what I've done, and am confident that I produce polished and creative work. Lawrence, please read my PM too. Based on the comments up now on Ryzom-Ring, it's likely I'll be able to produce some difficult 9-team level 250 content. I'd really like ideas from anyone else creative and interested in content like this, and I'll type more of my initial ideas below.
Here are a few samples of content for existing games I've made, for anyone familiar with them... TZ.WAD contains two Doom 2 maps (01 and 02). Both maps are Deathmatch only, and will place you in 1 of 32 random tunnels to start each life before being teleported into the map. The difficulty will set what you start with and what's available. 1/2 starts with a random weapon + ammo, ammo/health only in the levels. 3 starts with a shotgun + ammo, weapons/ammo/health in the levels. 4/5 starts with max health and armor, weapons/ammo only in levels (this is the cheeseless one IMO :) . Level 01 is an open arena, lots of fun but short shelf life, and level 2 is a castle (what's *really* worth showing), minus a couple features that I never took the time to rebuild after having to remake the WAD:/ Take the small tunnel in the only lift to see the cavern below. Made entirely with the original graphics. Not to be modified or released, etc :)
More content, recently remade the Metroid (original!) worldmap, based on more modern design ideas. Metroid Z is the remade ROM. Brinstar and Norfair are fairly straightforward, with no secret bombable walls, and a more linear progression of items. Places where an item is needed should be fairly clear. The miniboss lairs should be tougher, requiring all accessory items to access, and include some tricks. DO NOT CONTINUE or use passwords, or you may lose energy tanks and missiles. Use save states in an emulator. Keeping the rooms with red doors all the same would have been too restricting in what I wanted to do. I almost put a halt or infinite loop just before the routine that displays a password, but items/location/bosses beat and important things are retained if you want to continue :P
I feel like I'm writing a resume lol -- I just want everyone who cares to know that I'm looking to produce some high quality Ryzom content. I'm hoping the R2 scripting language will allow some things I'm thinking of now.
Anyway, on to a couple initial ideas... Flagging of some sort would be nice. This is just wishful thinking on my part, I'm expecting no teleports in player made areas and no restrictions on what maps players can enter from the teleport points in the original worldmap. I would never make a mess like Everquest Planes of Power flagging, but possibly a region with a difficult event that's only accessible after completing 4 other events. Simple flagging like that. That kind of goal can make for some good, hard, lasting content for guilds :)
As a reward, depending on how instancing and respawn timers will work, unique loot may work without any camping/respawn watching. I would really not want to try to push for unique loot otherwise. If it would create negative situations among players, though, ideas for rewards other than gobs of supreme mats are welcome...
I'd also like to be able to make fights where careful execution was *key*, if there's any creative way to rig things so that once dead, you can't be raised for a minute or so. Forcing teams to carefully use slow and other afflictions or risk a full wipe deep within the zone make for exciting and hard content.
Swarms of lowbie MOBs spawning can also be used in a lot of ways. Other ideas are more than welcome... I'd like to have a lot ready to try to make as soon as the R2 tools allow.
Here are a few samples of content for existing games I've made, for anyone familiar with them... TZ.WAD contains two Doom 2 maps (01 and 02). Both maps are Deathmatch only, and will place you in 1 of 32 random tunnels to start each life before being teleported into the map. The difficulty will set what you start with and what's available. 1/2 starts with a random weapon + ammo, ammo/health only in the levels. 3 starts with a shotgun + ammo, weapons/ammo/health in the levels. 4/5 starts with max health and armor, weapons/ammo only in levels (this is the cheeseless one IMO :) . Level 01 is an open arena, lots of fun but short shelf life, and level 2 is a castle (what's *really* worth showing), minus a couple features that I never took the time to rebuild after having to remake the WAD:/ Take the small tunnel in the only lift to see the cavern below. Made entirely with the original graphics. Not to be modified or released, etc :)
More content, recently remade the Metroid (original!) worldmap, based on more modern design ideas. Metroid Z is the remade ROM. Brinstar and Norfair are fairly straightforward, with no secret bombable walls, and a more linear progression of items. Places where an item is needed should be fairly clear. The miniboss lairs should be tougher, requiring all accessory items to access, and include some tricks. DO NOT CONTINUE or use passwords, or you may lose energy tanks and missiles. Use save states in an emulator. Keeping the rooms with red doors all the same would have been too restricting in what I wanted to do. I almost put a halt or infinite loop just before the routine that displays a password, but items/location/bosses beat and important things are retained if you want to continue :P
I feel like I'm writing a resume lol -- I just want everyone who cares to know that I'm looking to produce some high quality Ryzom content. I'm hoping the R2 scripting language will allow some things I'm thinking of now.
Anyway, on to a couple initial ideas... Flagging of some sort would be nice. This is just wishful thinking on my part, I'm expecting no teleports in player made areas and no restrictions on what maps players can enter from the teleport points in the original worldmap. I would never make a mess like Everquest Planes of Power flagging, but possibly a region with a difficult event that's only accessible after completing 4 other events. Simple flagging like that. That kind of goal can make for some good, hard, lasting content for guilds :)
As a reward, depending on how instancing and respawn timers will work, unique loot may work without any camping/respawn watching. I would really not want to try to push for unique loot otherwise. If it would create negative situations among players, though, ideas for rewards other than gobs of supreme mats are welcome...
I'd also like to be able to make fights where careful execution was *key*, if there's any creative way to rig things so that once dead, you can't be raised for a minute or so. Forcing teams to carefully use slow and other afflictions or risk a full wipe deep within the zone make for exciting and hard content.
Swarms of lowbie MOBs spawning can also be used in a lot of ways. Other ideas are more than welcome... I'd like to have a lot ready to try to make as soon as the R2 tools allow.