One thing I've always wondered why MMOs don't do is have a lot of the quest system controlled by other players.
They will have a player controlled economy, players can create content, like the Architect system, etc. but not a player created questing system.
What I am talking about is a Player Created Quest system that is totally integrated into the game.
Let me explain...
Uber lvl 50 Master Villain wants to build large ray gun to write his name on the Moon or something. (sure, why not)
So, he needs a lot of materials to build this thing. And, much of this stuff isn't sold at the nearest villains store.
And, he doesn't want to spend hours grinding in some neebie zone to "farm" for all the materials.
So, instead, he creates a "player quest". He puts in what he wants, "16 bars of uranium" (or whaterver) and what the reward is "2,000 influence/money". This quest goes into a area where some neebie villain can pick up the quest and go fulfill it. Maybe it has a timer on it, so if he doesn't fulfill it in the specified time, then it goes back to the quest giver who can then give the quest to another neebie villain.
This would help to make the world feel more alive. One BIG problem I always have with MMOs is that the quests are so meaningless. A guy asks, "go collect 6 of these". Why? I already collected 6 of those for you with 5 other characters, AND there are 4 other guys standing around you who have already collected 6 of those for you too.
It just makes the world seem artificial.
With this, a neebie villain picking up a quest to "collect 6 of this" will know that someone actually NEEDS 6 of that. Villains could also remain anonymous, or have their infamous names attached to quests. Neebie players could start developing relations with these higher villains, maybe even leading them to joining their Super Groups, etc.
It promotes working together, playing together, and creating a world that is more alive.
I like this idea. The master villain puts the reward into an escrow account (it disappears from his inventory/wallet/bank account) when he makes the mission, it goes straight to the character that completes it. And if he needs lots of macguffinite, he could break the mission and the reward into smaller chunks, so more newbie characters can complete it.
Not sure how experience for these missions would be handled, though. Or if they would give any beyond that earned getting the macguffinite.
BTW, when writing your name on the moon, make sure you use a small enough font size. ^_^
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Foradain, Mage of Phoenix Rising.
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Its a pretty interesting idea. I am not sure how much overall it adds to the game just by your description though.
To me it sounds like the level 50 villain offers a job and the level 10 does it. That's well and good....but what is it that makes a level 50s job that different than an npcs job.
What I mean is...will there be a gain for the level 50 (and can it be exploited). Will the level 10 care if the job is for an NPC or another player (besides the limited novelty of it).
I do like the idea and would love the game to include a sort of end game mentoring or masterminding component for player heroes and villains but think it needs to be much more than simply offering a jobs.
It adds to the game by connecting players together. Is it a fetch quest type deal that can be gotten from any NPC? Sure. But it's different because you can't actually communicate with a NPC, but you can with the player quest creator. I say 'hey, i need 10 giant metal bolts. Get them and I'll give you X money' or whatever prize. While you are fetching, We can talk, I can give you hints to where it is if you don't know, I can warn you of any surprises that might be in the area, or I can just BS with you to pass the time. Honestly, I think you would get a lot of people making these quests just to make connections with newbies and have fun. The small player gets a connection with someone that might help them with a mission or other objective, or an invite to a SG... the social aspect of it is the draw. From my short trips through CoX, it was by far the most social MMO ever. I'd RP the hell out of being a villian giving out quests.
Ok....I can see how this can happen....but why cant you just do this without a mechanic for it
You have chat windows, search functions, ect. You can do all of this without needing the devs to design it for you.
As I said, I do like the idea behind this...I just think it needs to be something a bit more than simple fetch quests.
As I understand it (and have not heard that it has changed) as players we will have a kind of reputation system with the npc groups in the game....why not a system where the level 50 mentors a low level and the low level benefits and suffers from the reputation the level 50 earned until the low level starts earning his own reputation.
Why not a system where the level 50 villain sets up a scheme that pits two npc groups against one another....the outcome of which influences the lower level character he hires to do this and the level 50 both suffer and benefit from reputation. The mission could also have an alternate path where the low level betrays the high level.
What about a (volunteer) PvP like situation where a high level character hires or recruits a low level to help find the foe and the foe hires who has to defend...the set up would go like an attacker hires low levels and takes them through a mission or two to find the others hideout.....the defender builds a base while the attackers do the missions....the longer it takes the attackers to complete the missions the more time the defender has to create a base....One side succeeds when the other is defeated. This one could even be turned into a npc defender where it has a timer placing object for defence in a base until the attacker finds it. Its a new take on the timed mission concept. There could even be a follow up the revenge reverse mission.
What about a way for a high level to just lend some kind of power to the low level weakening the high level in some way, of course both would have to be online and active (not needed to be on a team just both online) to limit the abuse of something like this. Story wise it could be the high level sees something in the low level and decides to help the low level for whatever reason so he uses random power transfer machine to give a temp version of one of his own powers. This of course would have to be regulated in some way to limit abuse.
Even taking the original idea and expanding on it. What if the high level needs to actually co ordinate the finding of the whatever item he needs... in essence both have to be doing something to progress the goal. The high level may have a minigame wherein he hacks a computer or directs pets for an attack. Something where the two have to actually provide something more than just some money and the gain can be something else than just money (temp power or whatever).
These would require a bit more communication between the high level and low level than a simple click to gain quest that was originally proposed. Even if the two never talk there is information passed between them just in the gameplay, a low level with the high levels npc reputation will see how it changes his interactions with the groups...actual teaming ...possible betrayal...power sharing...
The possible RP element is there but it also provides a new system to explore.....which can be part of CoTs end game....instead of just more TFs you actually interact with other players (have the TFs too just have this as an alternative).
That's all I meant, its a good idea...just too simple to have a huge impact (this is of course just my opinion....)
The fetch quest is just a simple suggestion, to give you an example behind the idea. I would think they could allow people to create all kinds of quests for one another.
The reason to have it integrated into the game would be for easy use, and so that a neebie would use it. Just because a high level can do all this outside the regular game channels, doesn't mean a neebie is going to know to do it, or not think it's some sort of trick. Having a built in system would guarantee both parties getting what they want. It's sort of a auction house for quests. Yes, technically you don't NEED an auction house, everyone could talk in chat or whatever and then meet somewhere to trade, it's just the auction house makes it much easier.
Also, another big plus for this is that the Devs don't have to spend a bunch of time creating new quests all the time, you would have a system (like the architect system) for player created questing.
I get what you are saying...I was trying to impart that the idea is good it just needs more to it to justify dev time (IMO). You are basically asking for your player created quests with the AE like system in CoT to have a real world validity....as I understand it this is already being looked at...I was trying to go to the heart of what you were asking for....a system wherein it offers a way for high level characters to interact with low level characters beyond the sidekick system.
I am not saying that a system where quests are created for other players is bad...I am saying its not enough to get me and I suspect others that interested in it. A much more diverse mentoring and masterminding system interests me much more. I would like to see it tied to the end game content. Or to put it another way, unlocked at max level or very close to it.
I think CoH was very limited in diversity of activities. A level one mission was pretty much the same as a level 50 mission...there is nothing wrong with the core of the game doing this...but to add an innovation to the game I think things like mini games, alternative PvP, unique player to player interactions is something to be explored and I think one of the better places to do some of this is in a mentoring and masterminding system. It gives something new to the end game ensuring the high levels will play around with it which will in turn have the low levels involved...it becomes a kind of two prong concept. On one hand it gives the high levels a solid reason to interact with newer players and usher them in because both have something tangible to gain.
Again I do like your idea I would just like to see it expanded on beyond what a new way to present old material. The nice thing about something like this is you can tie it into browser minigames that can be played on phones or tablets when you are not at your computer.
Well, my friend just told me his idea today which also binds into Player Created Quests so I'll just add it in here instead of making a new thread.
Build-A-Nemesis mod to hero creator
When you build your hero you can also build your own nemesis for your hero.
Simply put you can build and customize what your nemesis looks like, you can choose powers that fit, and henchmen of that type (magic, tech are placed into that adventure as back-up) You can also spend time writing hero text for your nemesis to say at each level. Then when your ready you can share your nemesis with other players, if the GM's like your nemesis concept it can later be coded into the game as cannon.
A paid expansion for your nemesis quest might be the ability to add additional levels instead of the starter pack of 5, a new custom area, and up to 2 custom treasure items for completing the quest. I was thinking of making this a bit like how simutronics does their wedding packages. You could choose the basic, the premium, and the grand version each with different price tags on them. The basic would be simple such as add 10 more levels of nemesis battles and 1 rest zone. The premium would be 25 levels, customized GM effects programmed into the quest, and customized traps, doors, and puzzles. The grand would be the entire quest is custom designed as a new game area, you can dress up your nemesis and henchmen the way you want. Your quest grants an achievement for completing, and those that do complete it get a choice of 1 of 2 special power-ups.
Your character can then charge an in-game fee to other people to run around and enjoy the quest as an open event.
I'm thinking of this more the way simutronics did it as a limited time event with invitations to get into it. But I envision it more as something that a character could simply escort people into the quest, and either leave them their or fight as a team. I do like the invitation idea because it means you can hand them out and you don't HAVE to be online when they run through it.
I was also thinking as a kind of control mechanism, that you can only open your quest a few times a week, so other players could run their quests without having one person run the same quest constantly and hog system resources. Maybe a movie theatre sort of thing where you put your quest into a time slot and people can sign up or pay a small fee to participate, that might be better. Just throwing ideas around at the moment. Because you know nobody has a use for a movie theare in a game :)
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Thanks Island, glad we're on the same page.
And Sweet Miss Skaldi, that's another great idea.
I am really trying to think of ways to help the Devs out, because I really want this game to come out, and I really want it to be great. Most MMOs don't really take advantage of the greatest asset any MMO has - the thousands of players.
Imagine if every player had the ability to create npc villains and heroes, and even npc groups. Maybe they don't go into everyones game, but could allow Devs to be able to pick and choose ones they liked to add into the main game. The variety would be astounding.