Simutronics in Game Developer article (Dec 07 issue)

Karetyr

Cadet
"Textual Healing" by Stephanie Shaver is for the most part a comparison between MMORPGs and their text-based ancestors. Not much about Hero's Journey, except for these bits:

- HJ will have frequent "invasion" events, directed by GMs. Expect to get pwned on a regular basis by monsters attacking "safe" areas. Sounds fun.

- Weddings will likely be in HJ as a paid option; that is, you pay real $$, you get a virtual wedding to remember.

- The HJ team will include a very well-equipped customer service department.

If that last doesn't sound that exciting or important to you, then you've never had to deal with SOE's customer service.

The article has more coolness in it, so pick up a copy of the Dec 07 Game Developer and read it.
 
Invasion events would be very exciting, though I remember when Everquest tried to occasionally sponsor such kinds of events, basically the entire server would head to whatever zone it was happening in and flood the zone so that the event was more or less ruined. I'm hoping this kind of thing doesn't happen in HJ...
 
I remember from an article way back that GMs would be able to control events on their server. They could create special events for players who really gave back to the community, orchestrate raids on towns, etc. That indicates to me that these events would add some spice to the game. A day at the market might not just be another day, something exciting could possibly come out of nowhere.
 
Sounds good - i just hope i'll never log in on the Townsquare and find myself surrounded by slavering Monstrosities... and beeing ripped to Pieces subsequently. That wouldn't be fair.
 
Ahh yes, invasions. Gotta love em. Chillin' at the NE gate outside the crossing climbing up and down the battlements, foraging, carving bows, just having a good old time when... omg! death spirits everywhere!

Always a good thing that Simu is keeping this tradition. Why go raid when the raid can come to you! Don't forget if you can't hold the front, the baddies take control of the town! Mmm... dynamic.

I do wonder though, if Simu will allow same-sex marriages. I like playing female chars, and I'd still like to marry my IRL wife in game. That'd just be hot.
 
In Soviet Russia, Raid comes to YOU!


Honestly, it really is going to be a real drag on the servers when 10,000 people come rushing to a town when there is an invasion... I guess if I were the GM in charge of the invasion, I'd just have another group go invade the least-defended city (because all their usual inhabitants are off fighting the good fight in the current city under seige). MUHAHAHA. But of course I'm mean like that.

Hardware may not be able to keep up with that kind of large-scale thing.
 
Well I tried speculating about this kind of stuff in a thread I made, guess I have my answer now at least with regards to the social features. Not sure how well I like the idea of paying cash, but I suppose it depends on the amount and if that includes protection from griefers crashing the party.
I do wonder though, if Simu will allow same-sex marriages. I like playing female chars, and I'd still like to marry my IRL wife in game. That'd just be hot.
They better allow same-sex marriage, or I'll be very miffed, not to mention they'll never get my wedding related cash. Of course, despite the fact that there are nowadays quite a few --- gamers who might be offended if it wasn't included and the fact that --- marriage is becoming more accepted across more territories in the world Simu might still opt to try not to offend the type of people who'd be offended at something like this.

I'd personally be very disappointed if they went that way with this though. Yanno, being both --- and dutch and all.

Town invasions sound freaking awesome. Nothing better to unite players and give them the feeling what they do actually matters worth a damn than flooding a city with hostiles who might kill less fortunate and lower level characters than you. Nothing quite like "defend the township" to bring a community together.
 
They're hot? Plus it's much more satisfying to see a girl bash the felgercarb out of a big hairy monster with long toenails than it is to see the same from a guy. It's just too played out.

I generally play as a male character, but whenever I get caught playing a female character, I just say I would rather play this toon than see a guy's ass all day.
 
Well I tried speculating about this kind of stuff in a thread I made, guess I have my answer now at least with regards to the social features. Not sure how well I like the idea of paying cash, but I suppose it depends on the amount and if that includes protection from griefers crashing the party.

They better allow same-sex marriage, or I'll be very miffed, not to mention they'll never get my wedding related cash. Of course, despite the fact that there are nowadays quite a few --- gamers who might be offended if it wasn't included and the fact that --- marriage is becoming more accepted across more territories in the world Simu might still opt to try not to offend the type of people who'd be offended at something like this.

I'd personally be very disappointed if they went that way with this though. Yanno, being both --- and dutch and all.

Town invasions sound freaking awesome. Nothing better to unite players and give them the feeling what they do actually matters worth a damn than flooding a city with hostiles who might kill less fortunate and lower level characters than you. Nothing quite like "defend the township" to bring a community together.

It worked well in Tabula Rasa. Often times, I'd see my friends forget how much time had past just defending bases.

As for the weddings.. I can't say whether or not I know if it'll contain same sex marriages, but I do know that a wedding would most likely include a lot of bells and whistles. You'd probably get a GM preacher and such.
 
It worked well in Tabula Rasa. Often times, I'd see my friends forget how much time had past just defending bases.

As for the weddings.. I can't say whether or not I know if it'll contain same sex marriages, but I do know that a wedding would most likely include a lot of bells and whistles. You'd probably get a GM preacher and such.

Well, if its anything like the DR weddings, you'll get a special venue, a GM officiant, and specially-made items like invitations, flowers, food, etc.

There were...four wedding packages, I think, for different prices:

1) Elope With Me - Rental of a wedding tent for 2 hours, food and drink, and 25 invitations.

2) Prince - 2 wedding rings, 2 pouches full of invitations, tossable bouquet, boutonnierre, 2 formal items of clothing, and a picnic basket full of food and drink.

3) Queen - The pick of one of the special wedding sites, invitations, special emotes for the couple, 20 GM-created items, "a pair of custom wedding bands, bespelled to return to their owners when other people try to pick them up as well as to allow the adoption of your spouse's last name", custom wedding cake, custom rosettes and ribbons for the guests, a basket of rose petals for the flower girl, throwable bouquet, and a "wedding coordinator" on hand during the wedding to add in special touches.

4) King - A GM specially assigned to help you with the wedding arrangements, a new area designed by you with the GM's help, a "Grand Procession" to the wedding site, "special effects" and "special items" made specifically for the couple (no uber weapons or anything, just nice stuff kept for sentimental reasons, of course), and special invitations and announcements.

I never actually got to go to a wedding in DR, but I've read logs of weddings and they're just amazingly done. Very special. :smiley:

And as for why, well...other than people who want to marry their RL other-halves in-game, there's also the RP aspect of it. Two characters get close, and after a long courtship...well...there you go. ;)
 
I had a real quiet wedding in DR, nothin special, just us, a cleric, and the rose for the ceremony.

Then again, I don't usually keep many friends in MMORPGs. I just play with my wife, and occassionally a guildy if we need additional help.
 
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