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12:38pm - So, I was going to start working an hour or two ago but then I opened twitter. ^.^;;
Still, I've got stuff I want to do. Mostly daydreaming about what I could do.
With regards to my Dungeon Creator Project, I want to brainstorm some ideas for what I want to make, and also tell the 'story' of the game, ie what playing it should be like.
I'm not sure if I can do the latter but the former I should be able to!
I think one of the 'achievement' goals of the game should be creating a sort of encyclopedia of monsters. In Viva Pinata there was a goal of having at least one of each Pinata type in your garden at some point, and there was a record of them and what you achieved with them. Mostly it was having them reproduce, but I don't think I want to make that a goal in mine. Just having them dwell in your dungeon should suffice.
I think there are two essential types of monsters to be concerned with. Animal type and Sapient type. Animal type monsters operate mostly on instincts like animals do, but have special properties or needs that classify them as monsters. It would probably also include actual animals like bats and rats and spiders that you usually see in dungeons, and mindless undead like zombies and skeletons. Then Sapient monsters are creatures whose needs or powers make them unsuitable for life in civilization. This could include Dragons, Sphinxes, Liches... but also people who are monsterous yet people-like. That would be your orcs and goblins that can't function in 'normal' society yet are intelligent enough to have their own. They might be natural cannibals, or have emotional issues that make them unsuitable for humanlike society.
So there will probably be a monster society in your dungeon, made up of intelligent monsters who have their own views on eachother and the outside world.
Speaking of the outside world, I think there should be 'The Dungeon' which you deal with as a game, and 'The Outside World' which you deal with through dialog windows and such. The Monsters might go out of the dungeon to do their monstering, hunting etc. and come back later if they survive. You'd trade with the outside world for materials for your dungeon, and possibly you'd trade with the monsters for the things they bring back. I don't think it would be appropriate to appropriate monsters' things without their say so, even though you're providing many of those things gratis like the environment and many food supplies.
The next thing I'm thinking about is environment and the starting dungeon. I don't think it would be normal to start with a full mountain and hollow it out, rather you'd take over some previously existing locale. This could be a barrow, an abandonned underground building, or even someplace only marginally underground like a forest dungeon. The best dungeons from D&D have a lot of history, having been occupied time and again and redecorated each time, with little signs of the previous inhabitants left behind. For megadungeons, like I hope the player will make, there are often several dungeons made up of layers of history all tied together by a central structure. Usually dwarves are involved somewhere. They're interesting because they're small people who build huge. So naturally, one of the starter dungeons will be a former dwarven settlement.
I think there are three main facets to the game I'm designing. Three main gameplay ideas. The first is designing spaces to attract and house monsters. The second is to manage those areas and keep the ecology in balance. The third is to defend yourself and your dungeon from external threats like adventurers. There might be a fourth though. The fourth would be becoming a more powerful wizard through research and experimentation.
Alright I've got to stop for the moment and take care of a limited time event in Phantasy Star Online 2. I might try brainstorming some more later.
Still, I've got stuff I want to do. Mostly daydreaming about what I could do.
With regards to my Dungeon Creator Project, I want to brainstorm some ideas for what I want to make, and also tell the 'story' of the game, ie what playing it should be like.
I'm not sure if I can do the latter but the former I should be able to!
I think one of the 'achievement' goals of the game should be creating a sort of encyclopedia of monsters. In Viva Pinata there was a goal of having at least one of each Pinata type in your garden at some point, and there was a record of them and what you achieved with them. Mostly it was having them reproduce, but I don't think I want to make that a goal in mine. Just having them dwell in your dungeon should suffice.
I think there are two essential types of monsters to be concerned with. Animal type and Sapient type. Animal type monsters operate mostly on instincts like animals do, but have special properties or needs that classify them as monsters. It would probably also include actual animals like bats and rats and spiders that you usually see in dungeons, and mindless undead like zombies and skeletons. Then Sapient monsters are creatures whose needs or powers make them unsuitable for life in civilization. This could include Dragons, Sphinxes, Liches... but also people who are monsterous yet people-like. That would be your orcs and goblins that can't function in 'normal' society yet are intelligent enough to have their own. They might be natural cannibals, or have emotional issues that make them unsuitable for humanlike society.
So there will probably be a monster society in your dungeon, made up of intelligent monsters who have their own views on eachother and the outside world.
Speaking of the outside world, I think there should be 'The Dungeon' which you deal with as a game, and 'The Outside World' which you deal with through dialog windows and such. The Monsters might go out of the dungeon to do their monstering, hunting etc. and come back later if they survive. You'd trade with the outside world for materials for your dungeon, and possibly you'd trade with the monsters for the things they bring back. I don't think it would be appropriate to appropriate monsters' things without their say so, even though you're providing many of those things gratis like the environment and many food supplies.
The next thing I'm thinking about is environment and the starting dungeon. I don't think it would be normal to start with a full mountain and hollow it out, rather you'd take over some previously existing locale. This could be a barrow, an abandonned underground building, or even someplace only marginally underground like a forest dungeon. The best dungeons from D&D have a lot of history, having been occupied time and again and redecorated each time, with little signs of the previous inhabitants left behind. For megadungeons, like I hope the player will make, there are often several dungeons made up of layers of history all tied together by a central structure. Usually dwarves are involved somewhere. They're interesting because they're small people who build huge. So naturally, one of the starter dungeons will be a former dwarven settlement.
I think there are three main facets to the game I'm designing. Three main gameplay ideas. The first is designing spaces to attract and house monsters. The second is to manage those areas and keep the ecology in balance. The third is to defend yourself and your dungeon from external threats like adventurers. There might be a fourth though. The fourth would be becoming a more powerful wizard through research and experimentation.
Alright I've got to stop for the moment and take care of a limited time event in Phantasy Star Online 2. I might try brainstorming some more later.
