Game idea

[xxxLesy]

Hi everyone.

I've been checking out browser based games currently out there and saw that they're pretty good in the city building genre, but when it comes to frp they're quite poor. So I've been thinking a lot and I believe I came up with an amazing game concept, but I lack the php and mysql skills to pull it off. I am good with images and html, I can make all of those and put in all the content, but I need people who can make the core. If the project ever reaches completion, I'd turn it into a business and give nice % of the profit to anyone involved in making it based on how much they contributed. Big dreams on my part? Well let me say a bit about the game so you can decide on your own.

The game would be an mmorpg based loosely on world of warcraft, but with its own universe and characters (for copyright purposes of course). It would have both pve and pvp features. It would be turn based, with the option of not being able to make the next turn faster then 20 sec (but can last as long as the player wants), to prevent fast turn skipping.

Here are the game features:

• 1. Account creation and login system
  
  
• 2. Character creation system
  Pretty simple. Basic html with images and checkboxes. Needs php to store the data to a mysql table.
  
  
• 3. Character profile and inventory system
  My idea was to make an actual inventory based character profile picture (shows what you have equipped). I can do this fairly simply with the use of overlayed transparent png images with some simple php code that calls the db for equipped items on the current character and generates the image codes. Beside the profile with active equipment would be the inventory which would group items based on their type for easier viewing (weapons, armor, quest items, junk...). This would eliminate the need for players to be able to rearrange the items in their inventory.
  
  
• 4. Map and movement system
  The world would be made up of zones (like in wow) and each zone would have a picture for a map and a grid movement system. Player would only be able to move 1 grid slot per turn, so the php code for that would also be quite simple (can move to x+1 y+1, x+1 y-1, x-1 y+1, x-1 y-1 or x+0 y+0). Each grid slot would have some mob encounter chance values (for example: grid slot 1234 has 40% chance of having a brown bear, 30% chance of a fores spider and 30% chance of a bandit). 1 of these would get randomly chosen when a player steps on the grid slot, at which point the game would shift into combat mode.
  
  
• 5. Combat mode
  Combat mode would be very simple. We'd need some php code to check the characters spell/skill book and display known spells and skills (as simple text with a small picture). The combat would be turn based. The way I see the core of the combat working is to have each fight generate a temporary entry in the mysql combat table, which would have the character and creatures current hp and mana values. Then each skill would increase/decrease those. Upon combat finish, each creature would have drop chances for items. I don't think this one needs to be explained in more detail.
  
  
• 6. PvP combat
  When 2 enemy players would enter the same grid slot, they would engage in pvp combat. This would go the same way as pve combat with a slight difference. Each player would have only up to 10 or 15 seconds to pick a move, or the game will automatically use the basic attack (to prevent players trying to delay the combat or even neutralize a player by simply going afk).
  
  
• 7. Instance system
  An instance would be displayed as a normal grid slot on the map without any special markings, so a player would first need to find it. Once a player steps on it, he will get a screen asking him if he wants to enter. Once he does, he will have to go through a series of pve battles. So the instance system is basically the same as taking a few pve fights, without the option to regenerate in between.
  
  
• 8. Quest system
  Isn't needed at this point.
  

If such a game could be made, it would allow the option to add endless amount of new content on a regular basis (new zones, instances, quests, items...). As far as I know it would be the first quality game of this type (as I've said I did some checking and the only browser rpgs out there were solely text based (no pics at all) and didn't have any kind of map system, which made them pretty lame).

I realize I'm asking for much and that it's very possible that all of this isn't doable without a huge group of professionals. But a man is allowed to dream isn't he? So just let me know if what I'd like is even doable, how many people and time it would take and if anyone is even interested in joining such a project.

Thank you.

[Sinzygy]

Hi, I don't have much time and I need to sleep soon so I'll keep my answer short.

Doable: Everything
Problematic: Your encounter system
Very Problematic: Point 6 PvP Combat

The encounter system is as such problematic as it needs to be hardcoded in the game or stored in a db for each grid. And for a 100x100 map that would make either 10'000 entries or 40'000 entries, depending on your map layout. And doing something like this really takes a lot of time and can be very consuming on the developer itself. You'd be much better of by declaring regions (x1-x2, y1-y2 square) and just store the instance-fields (where the player meets a new instance)

The PvP Combat is very problematic because a) both players are required to be online at the same time and b) some or a lot of players might not have the required hardware/connection speed to constantly reload the page and still have time to plan their actions. Plus just stepping into the same field is a bit overkill for PvP. I suggest the players need to confirm attacks, or some other protection.

[Zeggy]

I have a similar system on my RPG, which also has a map and 'zones', but each zone is only 10x10, and also has turn-based battles with monsters.
How I did this was to have each zone contain different monsters and encounter chances, so I only need one row for each zone about monster info.
The monster battle is fairly easy, but I don't know how the pvp would work, it sounds complicated, as sinzygy mentioned.

[xxxLesy]

Thanks for the replies guys.

You'd be much better of by declaring regions (x1-x2, y1-y2 square) and just store the instance-fields (where the player meets a new instance)

Hm I never imagine such large grid system, but ya a grid range system would help out a lot.

For the pvp I considered a duel invite option, but that would take a lot of pvp out of the game. The way I imagined it, when you'd step on a grid slot, you'd see all active players and could pick one to fight (the game equivalent of 2 enemies just happening to meet in the same place). As for combat itself, it would obviously require some player testing, but I think 20 seconds to pick an attack should be enough for everyone. Also to give more time to people with slow connection, that 20 seconds timer could be a countdown on the page (and not the server), so it would only start once the page loads for the player.

Also if the grid pvp system turns out too problematic, there's always the option to just add pvp arenas.

Also can I get some estimate on how long it would take to make such a game and how many people would be needed. Would a 2, 3 man team and a few months be enough or would I need a 20 man team and a year or 2?

[Sinzygy]

Also can I get some estimate on how long it would take to make such a game and how many people would be needed. Would a 2, 3 man team and a few months be enough or would I need a 20 man team and a year or 2?

Hmm... this is very hard to define. For a game such as yours I would expect to see about 8 man-hour-months (1 man working for 8 months, or 8 men working for 1 month). This is under the assumption that you will do it not full time. For a full time dev I'd say about 2 man-hour-months. Maybe less. Depending on how many items you want to create, this estimate can vary heavily on the artist-side. The code for the game itself will be done quite fast.

[xxxLesy]

Thanks a lot for all the help. I was only wondering about the code part. I can add all the content myself pretty fast.

So this is a message to anyone interested. I need someone good with php. PM me if interested. Your efforts will be rewarded with money.

[Chris]

I would do more research, I'm sure I saw  many games similar to this (except for combat system). Map and character image that changes when you equip stuff were in a few games.