Web-Browser AO Spinoff?

Windguaerd · Post by **Windguaerd** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:24 am

What if....

The unlikely but slim possibility to create a web-browser AO spinoff based on either the Corporate Wars or the Rise of the Clans era of the timeline. I will try to write a concept for both games and get official permission from FC to attempt this as a play-for-free non-profit game (no advertising in it, except maybe for Funcom).

So, if let's say a group of players come up with a good concept and gameplay for a web-browser AO based game, would you consider playing it?

Post by **Snakebite** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:31 am

Nah, hate browser games...

Ukblizzard · Post by **Ukblizzard** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:03 am

I barely have time to actually play the "real" AO!

Post by **Scoopx** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:45 pm

Sorry Wind... but as Kate said, I barely have enough time for real AO....

Post by **Scene** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:35 pm

me neither now, with all the projects I have on the go *whhhhhpiiiiiishhhhh*

Windguaerd · Post by **Windguaerd** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 3:44 am

I have been denied, moving on.

Miztr · Post by **Miztr** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:29 am

I think its a awesome idea, go for it!

Would do it myself if i had any javaskills or whatever is necessary.
Theres a big crowd playing web browsed mmorpg's and AO is unique and has a nice story to it so im sure it be great.

Feel free to send me a PM or a /tell to 'Miztr' on Rk-1 if i can help in any way.
Good luck.

Cephus · Post by **Cephus** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:28 am

It's not a bad idea, but as most other people have said, it's hard enough finding time to play the real AO, adding a browser version is going to take players away from a game that's already hurting for players. If it was a browser version of the real AO... then sure, why not?

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:58 am

I would play this for sure, would be great to get my AO fix in at work

Windguaerd · Post by **Windguaerd** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:20 am

Cephus wrote:It's not a bad idea, but as most other people have said, it's hard enough finding time to play the real AO, adding a browser version is going to take players away from a game that's already hurting for players. If it was a browser version of the real AO... then sure, why not?

No, it would be based on AO's storyline, but wouldn't be anything like what we play in AO.

Ok, let me start with the concept of CW.

The scenario is in space in the year 29204, with "quadrants" of space where there are 20 open "positions" for corporate employees to lead their respective faction.

A sector of space has a number of quadrants. Sectors are controlled usually in full or partially by a corporation, in this case either Sol Banking Corporation or Omni-Tek Corporation.

A corporate employee is randomly assigned a quadrant to take care of. He has to manage resources in the planet he is the CEO of.

These are the "buildings" I have in mind for each quadrant (you start with all basic buildings).

Market - It allows you to see what resources are available to buy with other quadrants (you can place buy orders with what and how much you need with fixed price offer, 5 maximum). You can place resources for sale, 5 maximum. Basic market allows you to see markets which are 1 quadrant around yours. Upgrading it allows you to see markets in quadrants further away from you. Does not require laborers. It costs 10% to place resources on the market for sale.

Space Station - To allow the trade of resources with other planets aligned with your faction. Basic station allows you to trade with 1 quadrant around yours. Trades are limited to the number of ships you have. 1 ship can carry up to 1000 units of resources. Upgrading it allows you to build more ships at one time. Building ships requires certain resources to build them. Having more than 10 ships in space at once has a certain risk (random, I'm thinking 5% chance) of either enemy ships destroying or hijacking the cargo. Enemy ships can be the opposite faction or mercenaries. Requires laborers to build ships and manage space station (the latter being a fixed number, while those needed to build ships is a separate number which vary by level of building).

Military Academy - To train local law enforcement and armed forces in the defense of the planet. Basic academy will train police that will guard the planet which decreases the chances of an invasion and armed forces to navigate and protect the space station. Upgrading the building allows the training of better police and troops. Once an upgrade is made ALL already trained personnel is automatically upgraded. Beware that better units require more credits since they have a higher salary. To train personnel you need to assign citizens to the building.

Weapons & Armor Depot - Required for the equipment of police and armed forces. Building upgrades makes the police/armed forces harder to kill if they are attacked and cause more damage to attackers. Upgrading this building doesn't automatically upgrade units, that requires a fee. However all units created AFTER the upgrade will automatically have better weapons/armor. Requires laborers and Guards to protect it, based on level of building.

Planetary Resource - This could be a type of mineral/gas, or food source. The upgrades only allow more laborers to be assigned to work there. I think up to 3 difference resources per planet would be a nice way to balance and encourage the trading of resources between players.

Corporate HQ - The place from where you control the planet. Also the source of citizens (3 per hour until the limit is reached). Basic HQ allows you to have up to 30 of them. Assigning them to the Space Station, Resources, Silos and Depot turned them into laborers. Assigning them to the Academy turns them either into Police or Guards. Laborers CAN still be sent to the Academy. Once a unit becomes a Police/Guard they can't become a Laborer. Guards is assigned to the HQ to protect it. Upgrading the building allows you to have more citizens working for you.

Storage Silos - This is a gigantic warehouse to store raw materials (resources), building materials and food. Upgrades allow for more storage room. Basic building allows you to store 2000 of each. Police are in charge of protecting it, based on level of the building.

Your goal is to maintain order, strengthen your planet and be ready for the enemy to come to your doorstep at any time. To achieve this, the player needs to upgrade buildings to have more resources, better troops, more ships to trade with, more room to store resources, more available citizens and laborers.

At random your corporation will ask you for troops, in exchange you will get compensated with resources as a reward, but beware that if your silos are full then your reward will be wasted.

Each building upgrade will cost more than the previous one, and also will take longer to finish, level 2 will take 15 minutes, while level 20 (so far the top level I can think of) 48 hours to finish.

There is a percentage always in place that a few events may be triggered:

1% per day, your planet comes under siege by the enemy and you are asked to switch sides or be bombed.
1% per day, your planet comes under siege by the enemy and you are asked for a ransom, pay and your planet will not be bombed.
1% per day, mercenaries stole and smuggled resources out of your planet (up to 10% of what you had stored).

Getting bombed means all your buildings lose a level, each building loses 25% of citizens/laborers and 25-50% of your stored goods are lost.

So far I have not thought of PvP options, but there is possibilities for it.

The game "ends" in the year 29212, going at normal time, we're talking 8 years of gaming and revenue, maybe with the chance to "reboot" the game at the end.

Ok, next concept, RoTC.

The game starts in the year 29202 on Rubi-Ka.

Players can choose to be either a Clan Fighter, or an Omni-Tek Soldier.

This one is PvP all the way.

Based on faction, players have the option to control either squads of fighters or a mechanized armored vehicles.
Clans use squads, Omnis use tanks.

Sounds unfair? well... squads carry 2 rocket launchers, unlimited energy ammo for weapons. They can move in any direction fast.

Tanks carry limited heavy ammo, unlimited energy ammo for their turret. They are limited to the terrain and cannot cross certain areas neither go through narrow passages like squads. Also they are slow to turn, but fast of moving in a straight line. They can run over clanners as well.

OT has control of the south while Clans have control of the north. Both sides are SAFE in their own territories, no PvP. But once they get into the MIDDLE GROUND, PvP is allowed.

This is where players know that entering means fighting. It's kill or be killed.

Dying means waking up at reclaim (I know this is against canon, but until a better explanation is made up, accept this one) in their own territory. Players can't PvP for 30 minutes after dying.

Now why would people PvP with such a simple system? RANKINGS.

Weekly high scores, based on highest number of kills overall, most kills per faction, most killed (meaning the people who got killed over and over, heh), most kills per day, etc.

Also titles achieved after a certain amount of kills.

In other words, bragging rights. PvP'ers love that, I think.

I still have to develop the concepts further, specially RoTC.

Now the bottom line money wise, is that instead of subscription based, the game would have microtransactions. It would be free to play, but the cooler stuff will cost $5-$15 depending on what it is. For example in CW players could upgrade buildings to a certain level (lets say 15), to get to the top level (20) they need to purchase an "upgrade form" which costs $1, so right there you need $5 to get your entire planet upgraded to the top buildings. Also you can increase the number of slots in your market to put more stuff for sale at once through an "upgrade form", or more market buy order slots.

Because it's browser based, you can bet that at least one advertising banner will be displayed (this is standard with browser games), to eliminate the ad... yes, "upgrade form".

Also optional visual "candy" like... let's say statues, animated dancing leets, animated population, animated birds, animated police/guards, upgrade all buildings exterior to look more sofisticated, etc.

In RoTC... let's see, ad removal. shortening PvP death penalty to 5 mins, increase of defense/offense stats, different models of armor/weapon/tank (eye candy), faster transport system available to reach PvP areas faster.

The money would help FC and also would support the AO franchise expand a bit, I always dreamed of a first-person shooter in the RoTC scenario someday, ah... I remember my LAN days with Quake back in NYC..oh well, back to the topic.

Feedback please.

Cephus · Post by **Cephus** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:58 pm

Nah, in that case you can count me out, I absolutely detest PvP.

Windguaerd · Post by **Windguaerd** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:42 am

Cephus wrote:Nah, in that case you can count me out, I absolutely detest PvP.

Keeo in mind the idea is a concept, and as with any game, gameplay concepts change.

Cephus · Post by **Cephus** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:21 am

Oh sure, I understand that, I pointed out that if that was the case, I wouldn't be interested. If something else happened to come about, I'd have to re-evaluate my position. I really have no interest in hacking and slashing other players, I have my PvP turned off on AO for a reason. I'm not saying other people can't do it or enjoy it, just that I don't.

If you come up with something different, we'd have to see.

Windguaerd · Post by **Windguaerd** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:50 am

Cephus wrote:Oh sure, I understand that, I pointed out that if that was the case, I wouldn't be interested. If something else happened to come about, I'd have to re-evaluate my position. I really have no interest in hacking and slashing other players, I have my PvP turned off on AO for a reason. I'm not saying other people can't do it or enjoy it, just that I don't.

If you come up with something different, we'd have to see.

I don't like PvP either, however almost every game has that feature as part of games because a good percentage of gamers like that aspect of gaming, so not including it would make it less appealing.

PvP should be optional and not forced upon (ehem, battlestations), so that would have to be worked on.

Cephus · Post by **Cephus** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:42 pm

Windguaerd wrote:I don't like PvP either, however almost every game has that feature as part of games because a good percentage of gamers like that aspect of gaming, so not including it would make it less appealing.

It's also very easy on developers, you just set up the basic system and let the players beat the hell out of each other. With a PvE system, there's constant development, tweaking and involvement required, especially in games which are one-dimensional like many MMOs are. A lot of people play PvP simply because it breaks the monotony of dungeon crawls over and over and over and over. Seriously, how many times can you play through the same OMNI architecture, killing the exact same monsters, trying to open locked vine doors (still not sure how that works), fighting absurd monsters (you're in a 10x10 room and in the middle is a massive ancient red dragon... what?!?!?!?) before it makes you want to claw out your own eyes?

PvP should be optional and not forced upon (ehem, battlestations), so that would have to be worked on.

Absolutely, I have no problem with an optional PvP system for people who want to do it, I just don't happen to be one of them and any game focused on PvP, or where it's not optional, is not something I'd want to play with.

Web-Browser AO Spinoff?

Would you play an AO web-browser spinoff game?

Web-Browser AO Spinoff?