Bay 12 Games Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 26

Author Topic: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!  (Read 24336 times)

gilmouta

  • Bay Watcher
  • Urist McGuard has been shot in the knee.
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #45 on: December 12, 2012, 12:42:36 pm »

First, I'd like to say this game sounds awesome. I do have some questions though:

As Sappho mentioned, if you character is still online even when we are not, it will inevitably be more exposed to the dangers, since no AI can replace human judgment. What's preventing the players from waking up every day just to see they died again?
We will be able to script objects, right? So am I able to make a button open a door that's miles away? What are some restrictions?
Finally, if someone broke a law, such as the "don't step on the mushrooms" law, is the only way to identify a person as the criminal through witnesses?

Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward for this game.
Logged

Ludorum Rex

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
    • Wizards and Warlords
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #46 on: December 12, 2012, 12:54:19 pm »

Good luck with the kickstarter - a very ambitious project, but also great to see someone trying to break new ground and do new things. I hope you reach your goals and have success with your development.
Logged

Kruniac

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #47 on: December 12, 2012, 01:17:16 pm »

Can you automate certain processes? Like say, I'm a baker and most of the community's bread comes from me but I won't be playing for the next few days. Can I automate the process so that my character still makes bread even without my input?

This is pay-to-play right? What happens if my baker suddenly stops baking bread for the community?

That's the entire idea. Your character is always in the game world, and as such, scripts will be needed to make sure you're getting food, doing things, or whatever. We encourage players to write their own scripts, but a slew of scripts will be available at the start of the game for everyone to use. At any point in the game, you can have every monster character you have running scripts, as well as your human character.

Quote
They "wouldn't care" if their main objective is to annoy other players. Your assumption is that people who are playing the game are doing so because they want to play the game. Sadly, many people play a game (yes, even a pay to play one - there are far too many people with disposable income and nothing better to do with their lives) simply because they like the opportunity to cause trouble for other real-life people. They're willing to put in a certain amount of time and effort to get to a point where they're able to do that. And if you get an entire group of people willing to put in that effort together so that they can exert as much influence on the game world as possible, which might include surrounding every starting point with areas that a new player can't access due to their laws, they can ruin the entire world for everyone.

To be honest, I really can't see why we are the ones to decide who is griefing, and who is playing the game the way they want. If a person wants to be a mass murderer, that's on them. If they are seriously destroying the game for the population, we could always toss the ban stick. Again, what defines a "griefer"? How do we know who is griefing, and who is taking a course of action they simply choose to? It opens up a nasty can of worms when the devs step in to police what is supposed to be a community driven sandbox.

Allowing the community to remove these players wouldn't work, either. It would promote a clique mentality of "we don't like you, and so you're banned". Total disaster.

I understand your points about permadeath, but the entire system is designed to provide consequences to actions, not to reward poor choices. Also, you seem to be really concerned about griefing - what do you think would happen if a griefer has "nothing to lose"? They just go right back to griefing after respawning or whatever other typical system is in place.

As for cliques ruling the world - there is a huge difference from having the option of interacting with a cooperative group, and them deciding if you can even play the game at all. Trading influence and setting laws is one thing - allowing them to dictate who is a griefer, who is right, who is wrong, isn't something we're shooting for here.

At the end of the day, this MMO isn't like others. And it is more "hardcore" than others. Some players simply won't want to lose their skills when they die. The only advice I can give is - protect yourself, and try to put yourself in your character's position. Be intelligent about choices, and survive.
Logged

majikero

  • Bay Watcher
  • Poi~
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #48 on: December 12, 2012, 01:25:57 pm »

Let me clarify my last question.

This is pay-to-play right? What happens to my character when I stop paying?

Will it disappear? Will it stay and continually run the script?
Logged

Sappho

  • Bay Watcher
  • AKA Aira; Legendary Female Gamer
    • View Profile
    • Aira Plays Games
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #49 on: December 12, 2012, 02:10:50 pm »

I understand your points about permadeath, but the entire system is designed to provide consequences to actions, not to reward poor choices. Also, you seem to be really concerned about griefing - what do you think would happen if a griefer has "nothing to lose"? They just go right back to griefing after respawning or whatever other typical system is in place.

Yes, they go back to griefing after respawning just like they would after permanently dying. On the other hand, the player who has been griefed hasn't lost their hard-earned character. The consequences are not deterrents for people who just want to ruin someone's day. They are only obstacles for those who want to play the game for real and work hard on their characters.

I'm so concerned about griefing because it has ruined so many otherwise-good games for me. All it takes is a few dedicated jerks to ruin the game for many people who want to build a world together but are constantly having their work destroyed. Honestly, a game where it's possible for someone to go on a killing spree just for fun and I have to constantly fear that anyone might kill me at anytime on a whim is probably not the right game for me. Which is a shame, because aside from that one issue, this game sounds perfect. I can never find a sandbox game I really enjoy, that gives me proper freedom to really build something. Your game sounds like it would be just what I'm looking for, except I don't want to have to worry about permadeath. This world could turn out to be a wonderful civilized society which I would love, or it could just be a wasteland game where everyone is constantly killing each other and destroying things for no good reason. Since there's no way to know how it will turn out until the playerbase gets going and shows their true colors, I would hesitate to join at the start.

Also, what about the being killed while offline thing? Is it possible someone could kill a character when the player is logged off? And the idea of a group or collection of groups deciding to surround all the spawn points and block off new players? Is that possible too?

joshrmt

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #50 on: December 12, 2012, 03:03:27 pm »

Hey guys, im Josh, the lead developer of Topia Online.  The game does not have a monthly fee, so you can stop playing at anytime.  However, your characters will still be left in the game world until they die.

Sappho:  Your concerns are valid.  With any sandbox game that gives players true freedom, there is always the possibility of 'grief play' taking place.  As developers, we are dedicated to providing tools to the community so that they can enforce this type of behavior.  Our company does not have the resources to enforce gameplay, but we do have the resources to provide power to the community.  As long as the community is larger than the 'griefer' population, then the community will always have the upper hand in enforcement.  The games you've played in the past do not give the community the power to properly control the game world.  That's why you have many of the problems that you do.  And I feel you completely, I would be taking your side as well based on my experience with games in the past.  However, as a developer that has been in your shoes, I feel comfortable in saying that I can give you what you need to stop this type of behavior if you can get the community to band with you.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2012, 03:05:09 pm by joshrmt »
Logged

Darvi

  • Bay Watcher
  • <Cript> Darvi is my wifi.
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #51 on: December 12, 2012, 03:49:18 pm »

I'm going to pledge $100 just so I can have the monopoly on Headbands of +6 Charisma! Bwahahahahaha!

Uh, yeah. The concept is interesting enough to give it a shot.
Logged

Kruniac

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #52 on: December 12, 2012, 04:00:27 pm »

I'm going to pledge $100 just so I can have the monopoly on Headbands of +6 Charisma! Bwahahahahaha!

Uh, yeah. The concept is interesting enough to give it a shot.

Charisma is a dump stat. XD

Actually, to go off-topic, I remember massing charisma in D&D 3rd edition for -some- reason. I'm almost positive that it had something to do with me playing an undead character, or a Beeatzu, or a paladin of slaughter or something. Anyway. Charisma rocks.
Logged

Darvi

  • Bay Watcher
  • <Cript> Darvi is my wifi.
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #53 on: December 12, 2012, 04:02:08 pm »

Charisma is a dump stat. XD
Hey eff you D:<

Also those stretch goals look good, but they will probably never be reached :/
Logged

joshrmt

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #54 on: December 12, 2012, 04:13:53 pm »

Darvi, we have plans to implement the stretch goals on the website indefinitely.
Logged

Darvi

  • Bay Watcher
  • <Cript> Darvi is my wifi.
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #55 on: December 12, 2012, 04:15:24 pm »

Oh hey tha's cool. I guess they'll be just delayed then?
Logged

Kruniac

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #56 on: December 12, 2012, 04:28:20 pm »

Oh hey tha's cool. I guess they'll be just delayed then?

They'll be delayed until the goal is met, sure. So after the game launches, every account purchase will go towards the stretch goals. Every microtransaction for custom art assets will go towards them as well. The game will continue to grow. :)
Logged

Neonivek

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #57 on: December 12, 2012, 05:27:49 pm »

So the only way Bandits can exist in Topia Online is if they get enough people to become bandits to afford them protection from the communities magical powers.
Logged

Darvi

  • Bay Watcher
  • <Cript> Darvi is my wifi.
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #58 on: December 12, 2012, 05:33:34 pm »

Then they wouldn't be bandits but tax collectors.
Logged

Neonivek

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Topia Online Kickstarter is live!!!
« Reply #59 on: December 12, 2012, 05:34:54 pm »

Then they wouldn't be bandits but tax collectors.

You have to create a bandit community because the regular community has arbitrary 'remove people we don't like' powers.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 26