Okay, we're making a multiplayer LBT game....great, what do you do in it?
Well.....
Here's the topic where we answer that question! B)
First of all, I'll post up what I'm picturing this game to be like:
First and foremost, this game is intended to be a social experience: a place for LBT fans to log in and chat while having fun with their characters.
The game takes place ENTIRELY online. When you run the program, you have the option to either host an online game or join an online game. If you want to play by yourself, just don't tell anybody you have a game hosted. We can possibly set up the option to password-protect games if we need to as well.
The game will NOT have a central server, meaning that anyone can host a game.
When you host or join a game for the first time, you will be given the option to create a new character: a dino of approximate the Gang's age. YOu will be able to choose one of a number of dino types: Swimmer, Flyer, Longneck, Threehorn, Spiketail, perhaps more as we decide on more content. You will be able to personalize your dino a bit by changing the colour, gender and size (somewhat). The amount of customization will depend on how well I can get the programming working and how good I get at 3D modelling.
(NOTE: You will be able to create and save multiple characters on one computer.)
Once you choose a dino, you'll be able to name him/her. Once you have chosen a name, you are placed into the world as that dino. You start off at your nest in the Great Valley (or perhaps in a sort of central meeting place in the Valley, as opposed to your nest).
Now...what can we do?
Like any good LBT dino kid, you can explore things! Your character will gain experience points by exploring the world. For each region of the map that you explore, you will gain so many points (based on a few factors, such as the difficulty of reaching that region as compared to your character's level). After you reach a threshold of points, your character gains a level. When you gain a level you are able to learn new skills and/or improve existing skills.
The actuall skills available to each dino have not yet been decided on.
Fighting will probably exist in the game but it will occur EXTREMELY rarely, only with the situation absolutely demands it. As a result, most of your character's experience points will come from exploring and completing "tasks".
Tasks come from non-player characters (NPCs), such as Grandpa Longneck (for example). Talking to an NPC will result in possibly getting a task from them for you to do. Some tasks are too complex or difficult for a single dino to manage on their own, so you must group up with other players to succeed.
The idea of the game is to let your character explore more of the world as he/she levels up. By the time you reach the maximum possible level, you will be able to explore nearly all of the world, depending on the skills you have chosen to upgrade. A max. level longneck will never be able to swim as deep/long as a max. level swimmer, of course, so there are limitations based on your dino.
Tasks could be as simple as "explore this area" or "bring me 10 pinecones" (though carrying 10 pinecones at once would be rather difficult for any dino
) to as complex as "These sharpteeth have made their home in a cave very close to my nest. Please, help rid the area of these monsters so I can raise my family in safety!" (for example). The latter task would require much more skill and technical ability, as well as teamwork and coordination to succeed.
As for what else we can have the players do besides just wander around collecting tasks from NPCs...
That's what we need to decide on.
Kor suggested earlier that perhaps sports/games would be a nice addition, such as the soccer-like game played in the TV series, where players can get together and play in the Valley. I'd love to do that but it won't be for much later, due to programming complexities.
Options that players can turn on at any time, such as "Invite group to play Hide and Seek". Members of the group then can start a game in whatever area of the world they're in, just randomly, for fun.
What other cool stuff could we throw into the game?
I'd love to have a day/night sky system, so we can show the scenery at different times of day. Perhaps some special events will only occur at certain times of day (like the Night Flowers in the Valley of Mists) that we can play with.
Bottom line:
I'm looking for a pleasant social game where LBT fans can get together and enjoy LBT like never before. How can we best do this?
