RE: [GD-Design] Off-line vs. on-line play and cheating

[Freeman, J. <jfr...@so...>]

(Apologies if this is a double post.)


From: Brian Hook

> We're working on a game design that, at its core, is just a vast space
> exploration RPG, but which happens to have the ability to connect with
> other players at a central server so they can interact, trade, adventure
> together, etc.

I think I'd start by trying to divide the game into online and offline
functions - and seperate those into "multiplayer activities" versus "single
player activities".  Standard approach has been sort of "Different
world/characters, same gamesystem", but you could do "Same world/characters,
different gamesystem".

Socializing with other players is multiplayer only, by definition.  So
that's easy.  You don't include it in the list of single-player activities
at all (exception being maybe to compose email or the like, which will be
delivered the next time you connect), and don't worry about its "impact" on
the single-player game, since it doesn't have one.

Trade is trickier, in that you're presumably trading things that will be
useful in the offline game - so then, hrm... don't do that.  You can limit
what sorts of things can be traded to what sorts of things are useful to the
multiplayer (only) aspect of the game.

And "adventure" is the trickiest yet, unless there are two distinct types of
adventuring to be done.  If you do that, then it makes it easier to divide
what sorts of tools are beneficial to which type of adventuring, and there's
your guideline for trade as well.

> The only problems will be when two players compete for the same resource, 
> and one "claims" the resource off-line.
> This is easy enough to solve by simply stating that the first player
> on-line gets to take their claim, e.g. you discover and name a mineral
> rich planet, now you want to log-in to "lock in" your claim.  Other
> issues like this can also be solved the same way.

Yah, or there again, can be different types of resources depending on
whether you're online or off'.  In the case of single-player type resources
(which help you to craft single-player type tools which help you to complete
single-player type adventures), say, fictionally justify them as resources
the player doesn't so much discover as 'invent'.  I go to planet-X and
discover a resource which I call resource-X and I turn it into the X-gun
which I use to fight crime, when I'm playing offline.  I can't trade any of
this stuff with anyone else.  'Doesn't impact other people's play experience
even if I do cheat, because we'll never Fight Crime together, and my ability
to Fight Crime doesn't help me to do whatever it is we do together in the
online environment.

> I'm not sure how Battle.net handles it, but I presume that on-line 
> players can't bring off-line characters with them.

Yep, that's it.  Separate characters playing the same game.

So, a different approach is to have a single character playing two different
games, in the same world-space.

Coming up with adventure types that feel different (e.g. "The offline game
is a game of exploration.  The online game is a game of killing.") would be
important though, I think.

Over simplification:

I play the Offline and Online games with the same avatar, in the "same
space".
	* Offline:
		* I explore.
		* I acquire exploration-related skills.
		* I acquire exploration-related tools.
		* I acquire resources which enable me to craft
exploration-related tools.
		* I cheat. :P

	* Online:
		* I kill stuff.
		* I acquire killing-related skills.
		* I acquire killing-related tools.
		* I acquire resources which enable mem to craft
killing-related to tools.
		* I socialize.
		* I trade killing-related resources and tools with other
players.

Additionally, the offline and online games can be webbed-together in other
ways (other than the shared-character aspect, that is):  Such as

	* Offline:
		* Exploration unlocks new areas of the Online Space
		  (in which I kill things).
	* Online:
		* Killing things unlocks new areas of Offline Space
		  (for me to explore).

So with that, you'd play and explore online for a bit, 'til there was no
where else to go.  Then hop online and kills some things to unlock "Sector
7".  Then go back offline and explore sector 7.

Or vice versa.  Or divide it so that whatever people spend the most time
doing is what's done offline, just for the sake of bandwidth.