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[SavantKnowsAll at cs.com]

In a message dated 2/18/01 8:42:48 PM Pacific Standard Time, claw at kanga.nu 
writes:

>   -- You state that you are implementing an RTS system along with a
>    typical MUD-like schem.  How so?

Besides your typical MUD-like RPG game, there's the additional colonization 
phase.  Which is simulation of resource management, as well as RTS.  It's 
done in "god view" 3D, and is a bit separate from the game while remaining an 
integral part of it.  You gain access to your plot of land at 30 which begins 
turn based, and you begin to manage your resources, build property... expand 
your land.  Eventually, it moves away from Turn Based Simulation into Real 
Time Strategy when you begin to move forward into actual territory 
aquisition, etc.


>    -- Which model of consensual PvP?

The initial designs intended for open PvP after level 30, but soon after 
being hired, I shot that down.  Instead, you have "Deathmatches." which 
instead of your usual 1on1 duels can go up to 6 vs. 6, and give you points 
for an in-game Ranking and Ladder system.  Beyond that you have Guild Wars, 
where also instead of just one guild going to war against another, they can 
place a booty prize inside safety boxes for the winners.  Also, in the 
colonization phase, and this is somewhat unconsensual, is when you get real 
strategic human skill PvP.  We will also have full PK servers where we stick 
the original plot, which include all of the above, plus open PvP beyond level 
30.

>    -- What sorts of political and legal systems?  How enforced?  Hot
>    player defined and manipulable?

On the PK servers, you can place a bounty on grief PKers - that is the extent 
of the legal system.  Politics is all player done, in they need to play their 
politics well with friends and allies in order to expand their kingdom -- 
become the Emporer of the server, if they so wish.

>    -- You are defining only the single goal of XP?  What's your
>    deflative force?  What about the the Stamp Collector?

I don't think I quite understand the question.   The game's about killing 
monsters, gaining levels, collecting and making equipment, and accumulating 
more turns to advance your empire.

>    -- You have item decay.  What about player aging?  

Players will age, but there is currently nothing that aging does but tell you 
what age you are.

>    -- You infer various economic systems.  Faucet/drain?

Gaining equipment will not be your typical "monster drops item."  You will 
find the equipment from kills, yes, but you'll then need to find additional 
resources to "upgrade" that equipment.  Each item has 3 variations for the 
first level of upgrade, and 6 for the second.  Also, the economic structure 
comes from how well you manage your resources in colonization.  You don't 
have "trade skills" per se, but manage your factories and such well, and you 
can actually /produce/ equipment.  A healthy trade economy with different 
avenues.

>    -- Loosely, death has little to no effect.  What prevents run away
>    inflation via hording and monty haul?

Item decay?

>    - So, I can run a character up to level 30 via a series of 'bot
>    scripts, and then spend the rest of my time building my colony up
>    until the point that:

You really can't script when spawns aren't static.

>      a) I can buy, for cash, any level character I want.

I suppose.

>      b) I can squeeze out or control every other land-owner in the
>      game

Not really, again this boils down to political warfare between players.  It 
won't be as simple as you think, as it takes a lot of thinking to ally with 
the right people before jumping down the thoats of others.

>      c) I force new land-owners to surrender their new lands to me.

There are mechanics in place to avoid newbie land-owner abuse.
  
>    -- What prevents the creation and maintenance of monopolies?

Nothing.  To defeat a monopoly you have to play you cards right and build 
your own.

>    -- As I don't play Windows platform games (I don't/won't run
>    Windows on any of my systems), its not clear I'll have much more
>    to say.

That's unfortunate.  Windows isn't all bad --- especially if you're a gamer. 
:)

>  The main observation is that you don't actually comment about the
>  game design beyond the arm waving and glorious adjective stage,
>  which is fair, but is also difficult to comment on.  The devil is in
>  the details -- we all know where the mountains are.

I think we've stated enough for an initial website -- There's only so much 
you can tell people before they'll get bored by being bombarded with 
information.

Daniel
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