Loading ...Coffin Nail (MMORPG) - Game Concept
THANKS TO GUTS FOR OUR FIRST GAME CONCEPT (WE ARE A DIM BUNCH REALLY):
Coffin Nail (MMORPG)
The concept for the game I’m about to propose came to me while I was anxiously speeding to a distant mission in SWG. What is the single common problem with every MMORPG out there? The answer that comes to me personally is the repetitive combat
systems. Every MMORPG when stripped down to its core gameplay revolves around random number generators and statistics, there’s no real sense of pure combat or user interaction. It boils down to coming up with a certain combination of trusty
moves in quick succession to win. My concept is to take the elements that make most MMORPG’s great, i.e. Role-playing, Community,
Progressive Story and mesh them with a straight out and out Beat’Em Up combat system.
The Outline
The backdrop for the game will be a modern day New York esk city in which crime and corruption rain supreme. Gangs patrol the streets like soldiers of war and defend their respective territories with brutal force as the cops try desperately to contain them, Blah Blah Blah….
The Combat System
The combat system will mirror that of current 3D Fighters with the player increasing in skill and power of defense/attack through pvp combat, missions and training in dojo’s/gyms throughout the city. All players will begin the game with bog standard brawling moves, i.e. punch, kick, throw but through gaining exp the player can branch into different trees of combat, i.e. Boxing, Kung Fu, Karate, Kick Boxing etc learning new and more power moves as they progress. There will also be the ability to mix styles.
PVP
Player vs Player combat will play a major role in the progressive story of the game and will give the most exp. To way out the possibility of ganking low level players the challenged gang must accept the proposal before the fight can begin. In the case of the gangs being uneven in numbers the larger gang’s Leader will pick the members he wishes to fight prior to combat. Once the Leader’s have decided which member will fight which combat will begin the winner being the side that won the most fights overall.
The Gangs
Gangs within the game will work as player controlled clans/factions/guilds; each gang has its territory and depending on their standing (LVL) can challenge rival gangs expanding their empire. To limit one gang from gaining total control of the city the limit of territories that can be controlled by a single gang at anyone time will be three, but by gaining more territories the gang will gain the ability to recruit double of triple the members and get access to more large scale missions etc.
Territories
There will be four Hoods to the city separated by subway, these being
The Slums (Player Controlled)
Downtown (Player Controlled)
Uptown (Player Controlled)
The Center (NPC Controlled)
As a gang gains more reputation through pvp combat with rival gangs, bank roll and territory popularity (Gained through amount of time players spend in your territory) it can decide to move up through these locations.
Gangs can also unlock new properties such as Pubs (Including Pool/Darts/Cards mini-games for cash), Nightclubs, Dojo’s/Gym’s, Salons, Clothing stores and Underground Fight Clubs (PVP battles for cash) based on rep, bankroll and territory popularity.
Ranking
The Ranking system will be based on a gang’s reputation and bank roll. As gangs move up the ranking table they will be given access to special hair styles, clothes, clubs, pubs etc etc.
Missions
Missions will vary from vandalism in the early stages up to all out assaults on police precincts at high levels. There are lots of possibilities here just use your imagination.
I’m quiet optimistic about this concept and think it might make a good alternative to the generic MMORPG’s out right now. I have alot more idea’s that can be implemented but i’d like some feedback on it first :).
I like the idea of Beat em Up system. I have played SWG in depth and the combat system is nothing to write home about. I heard from someone that the Matrix Online Combat system was similiar, just lining up[ a few combat moves and watching it all.
As regards PvP, I would have suggested having PvP on all the time to make it more realistic. But then, the noobs would be hunted down and hanged as they started each new game! So a “Challange Acceptance” system would be fine.
You have to think about introducing guns, cuz everyone likes em and most gangs have alot of them. Maybe you could write in the story line that due to the Post World War 5 Nuclear Fallout and Resources race, weaponry is not readily available!
The setting is cool, I like future settings that are in disarray. Examples of settings, Total Recall or Bladerunner.
Back at the Gang HQ each gang leader or high ranking officers should be able to access a topdown view of the city, the territories, so they can plot where to strike next or where to defend.
Maybe Players could play as the Cops too??
Comment by Martin — October 4, 2005 @ 1:09 pm
Thanks for your comments Martin, being a lvl 50 MXO’er i can verify that the combat although hidden by mind blowing animations is still of the point and click variety. But on the subject of The Matrix Online i think the “interlock” combat system used in that particular MMO would translate well to Coffin Nail.
In MXO when a player enters combat be it against another player or an npc enemy the camera zooms in on the combatants and follows the action rather than the camera being player control ala SWG and what not, it gives the combat a more movie like quality. I’d like to implement this style of camera work in CN as apposed to having a “swoosh” screen to a generic background. Plus this gives the option for having players take on several enemies at any one time.
As for guns although i’d love to put them into the game and they do seem like a necessity in a gang style enviroment i think it may take away a large portion of the realism. Try to think of the gangs as Martial Arts Schools rather than Criminal Organisation such as the Yakuza/Triads/Mafia. Of course the “commander” aspect of the game will mirror such organisations but i’d like to keep the combat system pure to the Beat em’ Up genre. Outside of PVP and Gang PVP im sure they can be implemented in the missions and what have you.
I really like your idea of a topdown “Commander View” at Gang HQ’s. I have’nt really thought about it much just yet but straight off the bat i can see that idea branching into some great little tidbits such as issuing orders to members or sending out challenges to rival gangs. Also when i say issue orders i dont mean sending a PM to a member of your gang and hoping that he did’nt miss it in a hail of spam chat i mean actually orders ie the user gets a screen prompt as if he has selected the mission himself of if the user is offline he gets an e-mail telling him what he needs to do for the day.
When i played MXO i was in a clan of Americans with several random Europeans thrown in. It became insanely hard to get orders from my CMD since she was never online given the time differance which meant a large portion of the clan just roamed around aimlessly during the day, if the above ordering system is implemented a Gang Leader can set out mission plans for a gang member and not have to be in constant communication.
When it comes to the Cops i would prefer to have them just be associtated with NPC’s but maybe gangs can become vigialtes by doing “good” missions much like the Faction reps in MXO ie aligning yourself with The Machines means your missions will focus on killing Zion and Merv operatives,etc.
I’ll hopefully get some more idea’s up shortly.
Comment by Gutts — October 10, 2005 @ 6:00 pm
*Sob Sob* http://pc.ign.com/objects/729/729120.html *Sob Sob*. It looks like my ickle concept is just about to be released to the masses. Although its not an MMO it seems quite similar. Ah well
Comment by Gutts — October 10, 2005 @ 6:33 pm
I like the idea of mixing different game styles together it creates great variety. This reminds me of an old game for nintendo “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves”. Its an overhead RPG like that of Zelda but when confronted by an important enemy you battle PvsP. Its old and the graphics are of coarse dated but it is still the same basic concept.
Comment by plaingrove2004 — January 25, 2006 @ 10:40 pm