About plans for the future (blog post)

[Sandtiger]

Recently Radu posted his plans for the future of EL on his blog: http://eternal-lands.blogspot.com/2006/11/...for-future.html

 

I would like to make a few comments on his plans:

 

It sounds very interesting. But I must admit, that I have indeed a problem with the SciFi setting. Well, not with the with the SciFi setting per se. But from my experience whenever Fantasy and SciFi settings are mixed the result looks silly. OK, you are planning to separate the SciFi part rather strictly from the Fantasy part (mostly for technical reasons, I guess?). So the effect shouldn't be too bad.

 

Just an idea. Why not have a technical evolution, that is not based on physics, but on magic? You could still have all the stuff you mentioned. Obviously it would be a lot more work since you can't reuse any RL knowledge about how the stuff works, so you would need to develop a whole new “magic science”. But at least it would fit into the original setting and it would be unique.

 

A few ideas, that come to my mind:

 

building/construction material:

- start with simple iron

- let mages develop a technique to project their mental power into the iron to reinforce the molecular structure (make it harder, more resistant against high-tec weapons or something)

- let mages develop a machine, that is doing the reinforcement, so they can start with mass production (maybe the machine has a trapped ghost in it, who provides the mental substance for the reinforcement)

- next let the mages find a way to create a synthetic ghost, so there is no more need to capture them

- at a much later stage, let them find a way to transform magic energy into matter, either of temporary nature (holodeck?) or permanently (probably with some very exotic properties)

 

weapons:

- start with a laser: a light source (maybe a trapped fairy) and a magical forcefield that acts as a lens, which is aligning the light

- next a desintegrator: develop a source of destructive rays, that break up the molecular structure (unless the target consists of the magically reinforced iron)

- a weapon, that works telepathically maybe?

 

space ships:

- start with a magic instrument (helmet?), that lets mages transform their ethernal points into gravitation fields (spelljammer, anyone?)

 

At the moment I am running out of ideas how to continue, but I am sure, that a lot more would be possible.

[Acelon]

Stuff dealing with blogs should STAY in blogs. You leave a message on that post if you wanted to comment on it, not bring it here. There is a reason why he didn't post it on these forums, so you should follow the same suit.

[Lyanna]

But from my experience whenever Fantasy and SciFi settings are mixed the result looks silly. OK, you are planning to separate the SciFi part rather strictly from the Fantasy part (mostly for technical reasons, I guess?). So the effect shouldn't be too bad.

 

Well, I would disagree that mixing sci-fi and fantasy means a silly story. Anne McCaffrey's Chronicles of Pern novels and Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept novels have both done it extremely well. Likewise, in games, there was an implementation of some sort of magic-technology balance in the single-player CRPG "Arcanum". Even the Civilization series spanned the ages. So the idea itself isn't impossible... but it all comes down to how well it's told and implemented.

 

One big question from the "progressive evolution" model from Iron Age to Sci-Fi tech, though, is what happens after the players hit sci-fi? Since an MMORPG is persistent, does that mean you'll constantly have to add more and more advanced technology to research all the time? Or perhaps a restart of the tech tree would be better, making the alternate-planet an iterative game played in "rounds". That has been done before in other multiplayer games. (A Tale in the Desert is an example of an MMORPG of that nature.)

 

Another issue which might come up, is the perceptions of game balance by the different types of players. For example, if a player using a portable rocket launcher fights against a player using a magical thermal serp, who's supposed to win? Technology (in an RL earth context, at least) has always meant a large increase in power. (Consider how gunpowder revolutionised warfare...) Therefore, I would suggest complete separation between planets, not allowing items to be brought over at all, instead of just being very difficult and not worth it.

 

Just my two cents worth.

-Lyn-

 

EDIT: (Referring to Acelon's post above) Oh dear. Delete this post as necessary.

Edited November 15, 2006 by Lyanna

[Entropy]

It's OK, I would have eventually posted it here too.

Anyway, this is a very preliminary announcement, and not all the details have been set. I will post more once more work is done. Now I am in the design stage, making UMLs with the buildings, new tech tree, etc.

[kat]

I like the sound of it. this way everyone gets what they want.

I know radu wanted to add like bombs and other type of present day stuff, but Roja was completely against the idea including some players, but some people really wanted it.

So, this way we can have a medieval world and a Futuristic one.

It's like time traveling!

Pretty sweet.

Nice thinking Devs

[sirdan]

sounds like a cool concept.

[JohnTheWarder]

One quick question, to play this game do you have start out with the EL client and build your character? or is there going to be a seperate client, and therefore you can make a new char only using that game? (Ex. Can i create "JohnTheWarder" to play this new game.)

[Entropy]

That will not be a new game.

[LadyReni]

I think EL needs this kind of fresh ideas, I will be looking forward to it.

[SCIPIOGOD2]

I think EL needs this kind of fresh ideas, I will be looking forward to it.

Same here

[conavar]

The idea sounds interesting and be looking forward to see how it develops way to soon for anyone to pass judgement though

 

[Tico]

Seriously i dont see how this 2 completely different areas would fir...

Scy-Fi and EL (the way it is) are like water and oil!!!

 

The idea is a diferent concept of game that its on EL....

i hope im wrong but i fear that im not!

[Entropy]

Seriously i dont see how this 2 completely different areas would fir...

Scy-Fi and EL (the way it is) are like water and oil!!!

 

The idea is a diferent concept of game that its on EL....

i hope im wrong but i fear that im not!

You can always go and play some other game if you don't like it.

[conavar]

Seriously i dont see how this 2 completely different areas would fir...

Scy-Fi and EL (the way it is) are like water and oil!!!

 

The idea is a diferent concept of game that its on EL....

i hope im wrong but i fear that im not!

 

 

They proberly are like water and oil but as far as i understand it they are to be kept seperate and you can move between the two at your leisure and no one will force you to mix the two.

 

The game is being taken in the direction the devs want and cant really argue with that.But instead of forcing a sci-fi/fantasy setting on ppl ,they are doing the decent thing in my book and keeping them seperate and giving you a choice.(they dont have to ).

 

But like i said Before WAY to soon for anyone to pass a judgment either good or bad lets just wait and see

Edited November 16, 2006 by conavar

[Entropy]

They proberly are like water and oil but as fare as i understand it they are to be kept seperate and you can move between the two at your leisure and no one will force you to mix the two.

 

The game is being taken in the direction the devs want and cant really argue with that.But instead of forcing a sci-fi/fantasy setting on ppl ,they are doing the decent thing in my book and keeping them seperate and giving you a choice.(they dont have to ).

 

But like i said Before WAY to soon for anyone to pass a judgment either good or bad lets just wait and see

 

Amen to that

[Requiem]

if its pulled off right, it could be really amazingly cool!

 

~1st

[Fourier]

The thing I like best about EL, aside from HIM friends, is the fact it is always changing. Some changes I like, some I don't. But both kinds make the game continually exciting. I encourage you to try new things Ent. However, please don't get upset when a few loud folks express opinions contrary to yours on new implementation. Put your ideas in, but be willing to pull them if the community feels they are bad for the game.

 

4

[Happy_G]

the comunity is usually way to quick to judge an idea or a new addition (or subtraction) to the game in a negative way, just look at vials, eveyone hated that change but if u ask me, it was a much needed change and did make the game better.

[eelriver]

It works for me. The story is an old one.

 

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Arthur C. Clarke, "Profiles of The Future", 1961 (Clarke's third law)

English physicist & science fiction author (1917 - )

[Ikaris]

Entropy... let me know if you need any modeling/rigging/animation done in maya... I'll help out if my schedule fits your needs....

 

cordially yours,

 

Ikaris

 

PS... I can down-convert to some Blender compatible format if you deem necessary....(for the models anyway)

Edited November 16, 2006 by Ikaris

[Jarld]

Before starting on such new stuff, shouldn't there be some new manuable potions? (potion of potion and potion of alchemy, iirc)

By the way, that could be the occasion the make tree mushrooms useful for something (not that I don't like the idea of having 120k - or so - of them in my storage, since they give a lot of harvesting experience... but I had expected they could be used for something, or at least we could sell them to mushroom flower shops...)

 

Edit: Woot! 10th post in about 1 year of membership, lol... I'm a rabbit now

Edited November 16, 2006 by Jarld

[Entropy]

Before starting on such new stuff, shouldn't there be some new manuable potions? (potion of potion and potion of alchemy, iirc)

By the way, that could be the occasion the make tree mushrooms useful for something (not that I don't like the idea of having 120k - or so - of them in my storage, since they give a lot of harvesting experience... but I had expected they could be used for something, or at least we could sell them to mushroom flower shops...)

 

Edit: Woot! 10th post in about 1 year of membership, lol... I'm a rabbit now

There will be some other updates while working at that thing.

[Jarld]

Great!

[nea_caisa]

Entropy:

"Once you are there, you will be able to join an existing city, or help create a new city.

Each city will be totally player built, and there will be a mayor (elected by democratic vote), research advisor, military advisor, commerce advisor, and so on, each elected by democratic vote.

Players will be able to construct buildings, research new technology, etc. The technology will start at an iron age level, then evolve to plasma cannons, space ships and other SciFi stuff"

 

It sounds great to me. Good ideea !

[maximos]

Star Wars in EL... i just dont know..

imo we should keep things less technical

 

not that i dont like the city building ideas, because thats nice

Edited November 16, 2006 by maximos