Jump to content

Non-Linear Gameplay


Dev

Recommended Posts

I believe I found a way to make a true Pokemon MMO, utilizing this suggestion would create a world in which trainers are free to do what they want, when they want. 
 
No bullshit, just games.
 
WHY IS THIS CURRENT SYSTEM A PROBLEM?
 
This system of gameplay causes a huge headache for the fan base, this is due to the players performing actions they deem to be repetitive, and although repetitiveness n MMOs is expected, it is only expected to a certain extent. Players will find themselves fighting the same pokemon over and over again after beating the storyline in less than two hours. This is an incredibly short time to play before you essentially reach the endgame, with nothing left to do in the story, you have very few options left to enjoy yourself in the game. 
 
Another problem I found with the gameplay is the storyline itself. It is one that most of us can say that we enjoy, but when your main goal in PokeMMO is to compete against other players, this is just an obstacle in your way before you get to the actual content. Now, as I previously stated, it may only take only a few hours to beat the game (Maybe even less time that), but that is enough time for someone who is interested in the game to drop it. The goal of the game is grab the player and introduce them into the world they want to be in, whether this be breeding, battling competitively, enjoying the storyline, or even just hanging out with friends. With this new system in gameplay mechanics that I am suggesting, this would truly turn the world of PokeMMO into that of an MMORPG, and not just a single-player game with a bunch of players running around.
 
1. Storyline:
 
The first problem I want to tackle is the storyline. This was a challenging problem to try and solve. With my idea of doing what you want, whenever you want, this would mean that the core mechanics of the story would have to be changed entirely, but in reality they don't have to be.
The storyline, and all plot elements that are included in the game should be considered a main piece of the puzzle, but as of right now, with people spending thousands of hours on the game and only 2-10 on just the storyline, it shows that what is essentially considered the main purpose of the handhelds is turned into a mere fraction of a percentage. 
 
1. SOLUTION:
 
When you start off at any of the starter towns, you are given the opportunity to be literally anything you want in the pokemon games, whether it be a breeder, contest participant, being the Pokemon League Champ, or hunting for shinies, there are endless things you can do, but you have to progress through the storyline to have access to any of these things. Why not have all the routes/towns be open from the very beginning?
 
When you start the game, you would be required to take a starter pokemon, and you would be given a small amount of cash. After that you could go to any city, route or any landmark. The storyline of beating the Gym Leaders and defeating (Insert Evil Team Here) would take a backseat to your pokemon experience. All the HM's would be available from their respective places and would not require Gym Badges to use, thus enabling you to enjoy the world fully. 
 
Another benefit to using the above system is that you can battle the Gym Leaders in any order you want! "How would that work?" you ask? Like this.
 
2. Non-Linear Gym Battles:
 
Gym Battles from the very beginning of Pokemon have been used as a way to trigger events, enable the use of HMs and further develop the trainer and their respective pokemon. Changing the storyline to a non-linear mode would ruin the Gym Leader system if it retained the same characteristics, people would be battling Brock for example with a Lvl. 56 Blastoise while he tried to beat you with his measly Lvl. 14 Onix. To combat this, I created and developed an entirely new system for Gym Leaders and their pokemon.
 
2. SOLUTION:
 
In Pokemon Origins and Black/White 2 the system of using certain pokemon depending on the trainer was shown to the viewer/player as being canon. This is essentially that system, but on steroids. 
 
The level of the Gym Leader's pokemon, even which kind of pokemon they use would depend on the highest levelled pokemon on your team. For each tier of levels your pokemon would fall under, that Gym Leader would use the pokemon specifically for that level tier. This brings about a problem for those trainers that train only a single pokemon more than the rest in their party as it would cause the Gym Leaders to use overly-powerful pokemon compared to the rest of your party. Utilizing and implementing this Levelling system would turn the Pokemon League Challenge into a legitimate challenge that players would have to spend time to train for, thus increasing the timesink that is put into the game.
 
I have included an example of Bugsy from the Johto Region:
[spoiler]
 
BUGSY-AZALEA TOWN
 
Lvls 1-15
[spoiler]
Beedrill: Lvl. 10 (No Item)
Poison Sting
String Shot
Fury Attack
Focus Energy
 
Butterfree: Lvl. 10 (No Item)
Tackle
String Shot
Confusion
PoisonPowder
[/spoiler]
Lvls 16-30
[spoiler]
Scyther: Lvl. 25 (No Item)
Fury Cutter
Quick Attack
Agility
Pursuit
 
Heracross: Lvl. 25 (No Item)
Bulk Up
Horn Attack
Brick Break
Endure
[/spoiler]
Lvls 31-44
[spoiler]
Scyther: Lvl. 40 (No Item)
Double Team
Fury Cutter
Slash
Agility
 
Heracross: Lvl. 40 (No Item)
Close Combat
Horn Attack
Counter
Endure
 
Ninjask: Lvl 40 (No Item)
Agility
Fury Cutter
Slash
Bug Bite
[/spoiler]
Lvls 45-60
[spoiler]
Scizor: Lvl. 57  (Sitrus Berry)
Bullet Punch
Agility
Metal Claw
X-Scissor
 
Heracross: Lvl. 55  (Sitrus Berry)
Megahorn
Endure
Counter
Close Combat
[/spoiler]
Lvls 61-80
[spoiler]
Scizor: Lvl. 75  (Sitrus Berry)
X-Scissor
Agility
Metal Claw
Iron Head
 
Forretress: Lvl. 70  (Sitrus Berry)
Spikes
Double-Edge
Rapid Spin
Iron Defense
[/spoiler]
Lvls 81-99
[spoiler]
Armaldo: Lvl. 90  (Sitrus Berry)
X-Scissor
Crush Claw
AncientPower
Metal Claw
 
Scizor: Lvl. 90  (Sitrus Berry)
X-Scissor
Agility
Slash
Iron Head
 
Heracross: Lvl. 90  (Sitrus Berry)
Megahorn
Endure
Close Combat
Bulk Up
 
Forretress: Lvl. 90  (Sitrus Berry)
Spikes
Double Edge
Rapid Spin
Iron Defense
[/spoiler]
Lvl 100
[spoiler]
Scizor: Lvl. 100  (Sitrus Berry)
X-Scissor
Agility
Slash
Iron Head
 
Heracross: Lvl. 100  (Sitrus Berry)
Megahorn
Endure
Close combat
Bulk Up
 
Armaldo: Lvl. 100  (Sitrus Berry)
Crush Claw
Metal claw
Ancient Claw
X-Scissor
 
Ninjask: Lvl. 100  (Sitrus Berry)
X-Scissor
Baton Pass
Agility
Slash
 
Masquerin: Lvl. 100  (Sitrus Berry)
Bug Buzz
Air slash
Ominous Wind
Stun Spore
 
Slowbro: Lvl. 100  (Sitrus Berry)
Psychic
Amnesia
Yawn
Headbutt
[/spoiler]

[/spoiler]

 
(DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT IN ANY WAY A DISCUSSION ABOUT JOHTO OR ANOTHER REGION)
 
3. Strong Pokemon and Gym Badges:
 
Another issues with the non-linear gameplay is the fact that what if you have a strong pokemon? As of right now, if you train or are given a pokemon too high of a level it will refuse to obey.
 
3. SOLUTION: 
 
Given the fact that you are able to battle gym leaders in any order, the concept of you using over-powered pokemon to further yourself in the story is null. The Gym Leaders would just be tiered comparable to your strongest Pokemon you use, and they should be incredibly powerful at higher levels given their status within that region.
 
4. What about regular NPCs that you would find on routes? What about their Pokemon?
 
As people levelled up their pokemon in the wild and gyms, they would eventually battle trainers. Now trainer battles would not be forced as they have been in previous games, utilizing these mechanics, you would go up to the trainers themselves to initiate a battle. Once again, there would be a level tier much like the Gym Leaders, but it would be less substantial.
 
4. SOLUTION:
 
NPCs would still follow a level tier that would go by the highest leveled pokemon, but their max level would be nerfed. Along with their max levels being capped, they would only retain their respective pokemon and their evolutions. So, for example, your infamous battle with Joey and his Rattata would be slightly different if you battled him with a level 40 Charizard. He would use his evolved Raticate (They can evolve their current pokemon but CANNOT acquire entirely new ones), but it would be at a significantly higher level than his usual Rattata, but still be low enough that it shouldn't pose too much of a challenge to the trainer and their pokemon.
 
5. Why should I play through the storyline?
 
Not surprising, some people given their freedom would not partake in playing through the storyline of their respective region. There would have to be a reason for people to WANT to complete the storyline/Gym Battles. 
 
5. SOLUTION: 
 
There is the idea of separating the story all together from the Gym Battles all together, but a better idea would be to have the story happen outside of the Gyms. Meaning they could play through and beat all the Gyms, but have yet to even start the actual storyline. This could easily be done through a half-decent writer. But there should be reasons to do both of these activities!
 
Story: The further you get into the story, the more unique items you would be given, along with that, you have the opportunity to acquire unique pokemon as well.
 
Gyms: Gym Battles should be rewarding. Rewards can range from something as simple as money to things such as unique pokemon eggs the Gym Leaders discovered on their journeys. 
--------------END OF SUGGESTION--------------
 
As you can see, I have thought about this quite a bit, and I believe this could be implemented and utilized if understood properly.
 
I would go into details into how it could affect different regions, but I will only answer that if it's necessary (And doesn't get my thread locked)

 

I will also happily answer any comments, concerns, or just general questions about this idea, I would love to hear anything.

Link to comment

I like this Dev, well laid out, thought out and written. The underlying concept is great and some of it are things I have thought would be useful in the past. Mainly the ability to pick what you want to be (sort of vocation wise), from the beginning. It would be neat if this choice gave you a small bonus for the said character as well.

 

Maybe eggs hatch 3% quicker (Breeder), EXP is gained at 5% more (Trainer), Shinys are found at 0.05% more (Shiny Hunter), Payday Rates at 10% more (Miner), etc as well as other benefits. This moves a bit way from Fire Red Online and more towards a Pokemon MMO but would need a ton of other concepts to go along with it. I think it would be neat if you picked your IGN and then selected your vocation (so you could have an IGN Emlee (Breeder) and IGN (Trainer) etc (these could most likely be shortened.

 

I am unsure how feasible this character rework would be as the current system has been in place for a long while, but maybe it could have its uses down the road. 

 

Anywho, I do like the ideas and concept you have created, Dev, and I think it could be expanded upon a lot and maybe applied to in game someday in the future. 

Link to comment

 

 
 
Gyms: Gym Battles should be rewarding. Rewards can range from something as simple as money to things such as unique pokemon eggs the Gym Leaders discovered on their journeys. 
 

 

 

This. 100% this. We need gym leader rematches, make them have decent AI and sort of a challenge, most people like challenges, with the Full Restore's and all the jazz, and an appropriate reward, such as the ability to get Calm Mind/Earthquake after you beat them again, an especially big cash reward, or an egg.

Link to comment

This. 100% this. We need gym leader rematches, make them have decent AI and sort of a challenge, most people like challenges, with the Full Restore's and all the jazz, and an appropriate reward, such as the ability to get Calm Mind/Earthquake after you beat them again, an especially big cash reward, or an egg.

PP Max and other storyline exclusive items and TMs for sure. 

Link to comment

Maybe with the 1st part you get rewards for beating Gyms aside from the badge letting you vs the E4 like money of course and maybe an upgrade to the Breeder, Trainer, Shiny Hunter and Miner boasts that Emlee added.

That aside love it +9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

Link to comment

basically what i got out of this is something along the lines of the Elder Scrolls series more or less on how they have you progress through the game. I actually like a bit more of freedom but what bout players who already went through the story line that dont really have a vocation? maybe have them go to the player's mom and you pick from there? o.O and maybe we can have 1 character for each vocation as well as our character limit? ^-^

Link to comment

basically what i got out of this is something along the lines of the Elder Scrolls series more or less on how they have you progress through the game. I actually like a bit more of freedom but what bout players who already went through the story line that dont really have a vocation? maybe have them go to the player's mom and you pick from there? o.O and maybe we can have 1 character for each vocation as well as our character limit? ^-^

 

It could be implemented easily enough, just require players to choose a class or vocation when they turn the game on for the first time since the update.

Link to comment

A non linear game is my favorite type of game. More freedom is more rewarding in any RPG and would be interesting to have in this game.

 

 

Exactly, and giving you that freedom from the beginning is one of the best things you can do in an open ended world such as Pokemon.

Link to comment

Soo, doing a city on central part of the map, and making posible to go north, south, east and west. but is maybe not a "fire red" pokemon type.

 

That would involve discussing about other regions, and the last time I even brought up one to use as an example the thread was locked, but yes, that is how I would like it done. But, Instead of starting in a central city such as Saffron, you would instead start off in a large port city (Ex: Olivine City, Vermilion, Lilycove, Canalave City, Castelia City, Shalour City). Fresh off the boat, your journey starts as soon as you run on land.

Link to comment

A non-linear themepark MMO is still a themepark MMO.
It would take much more work to attempt to turn the existing region/storyline into a sandbox than just making it non-linear.

A sandbox also requires a good amount of player controlled/influenced content, and a game would have to be made with this in-mind, and is not something one could simply shoehorn in later.

Link to comment

A non-linear themepark MMO is still a themepark MMO.
It would take much more work to attempt to turn the existing region/storyline into a sandbox than just making it non-linear.

A sandbox also requires a good amount of player controlled/influenced content, and a game would have to be made with this in-mind, and is not something one could simply shoehorn in later.

Wouldn't that be the perfect time to test a non-linear concept on the new mapping tools? 

Link to comment

Wouldn't that be the perfect time to test a non-linear concept on the new mapping tools? 

 

That would make the new region incredibly gimmicky in comparison to the others.

 

If the storyline/area access can be designed with that in mind, maybe, otherwise it might not be a good idea at all - at least in my opinion.

Link to comment

I already had a story in mind when I first came up with this idea. When I tried talking about it, it got locked with the response to put it into the new region thread.

I'm 100% certain that with a great story that enables and makes use of the non-linear aspect of the gameplay, something like this could be done succesfully in a new region.

Link to comment

Are you saying the new region is linear in terms of travelling? Why? 

 

No I'm not saying that, I'm saying I would like parts of it to be, some of it may be restricted, these are things we will discuss internally.

 

Why?

 

Sandbox games rely on that particular gimmick, sadly the introduction of a Sandbox environment usually means you have to push out many of the usual concepts that are taken into consideration when designing a game.

 

For example, storyline - You have to be very careful with storyline creation, and can't really have one that causes you to travel place-place and have events unfold in a linear fashion.

There is no particular 'end goal', and you have to rely on parts of the story to be split off from one another and singled-off content to keep the region interesting - I suppose in PokeMMO currently, this would be considered the 'End game'.

 

There is little you'll be aiming towards overall if everybody can access everything at all times, it's convenient in some ways, but you have to sacrifice other important gameplay points to make room for it.

 

What about if I wanted to design an area where strong Pokemon reside?

 

Let's take Cerulean Cave as an example -  Allowing players to access this particular part of the game without achieving anything first or leveling up would either require the area to scale with me (Defeating the point of it's existance), or have it use set levels, in which case - if I wanted to place a particular part of the story there that relied on the player having strong Pokemon, I couldn't, at risk of players starting it without having coming that far in the game, sure, the AI would probably destroy them, but what if part of the story there was meant to take place due to an event that had happened previously?

 

Why should the player even have access to a place if the AI there is designed to destroy them? Especially them being there is somewhat dangerous to the potential progression of the storyline.

 

The example brought up in this thread was Skyrim, and how it was open world and yet still had a storyline.

 

By the time I actually bothered with the storyline in Skyrim, I was grossly 'over-leveled' and blitzed through it, which defeated the point of the intended progression involved.

 

It wasn't exciting, and I had already visited almost every place I was lead to.

 

"But you could have the AI scale with you"

 

Yes you could, but that isn't exactly progression either, that's just you being matched at every corner, you're not aiming towards anything.

 

A Sandbox game - for the most part is like being given everything on a plate, and choosing what part to eat first.

 

A linear game is being given dinner, then getting dessert when you are done. You enjoy the experience of dinner and work towards getting that dessert.

 

Both of those rely heavily on the Drink refills after you are done with them to keep you interested, but one gives you a set and (hopefully) exciting experience in which after you feel you have achieved something.

 

People like different things, and some will prefer a linear experience to a sandbox one, I personally wouldn't want to push away a good potential storyline, progression and a goal for a sandbox environment.

 

Opinions are mixed however, this is just my perspective.

 

If we could find a mix of the two - the example that quickly comes to mind here would The Legend of Zelda series, which has non-linear sidequests and events, with an overlying storyline.

Then I would like to go down that route.

 

Alongside areas that you could optionally travel to, places you could unlock when backtracking, alongside dynamic events within the already established areas.

 

Example:

 

Let's say we had a map that we split in four, with various areas in each section.

 

The top left area could be the 'new area' and players could visit anything in that section in any order. Once they'd accomplished certain tasks, they could move onto the slightly more difficult top right area.

 

And so on.

 

You can go anywhere!
You can do anything!
You can be anyone!


It's just that... it'll mean nothing at all.

 

tl;dr; Sandbox doesn't fit RPG games very well - which are primarily designed around a storyline and progressing towards a goal, without removing focus on a lot of (arguably) important features.

Edited by Darkshade
Link to comment

When I had this idea in mind, I had thought of a storyline similar to what you suggested Dark. The storyline would have to be one that is filled with side-quests, but each one gives you information and would progress an overarching plot.

Im on a bus right now, so I really can't really expound on what I'm trying to say fully. Give me an hour/hour and a half and I'll happily oblige any thoughts/issues with the plot and how it could benefit the core mechanics.


By the way Dark, I just read your split map idea, I like the core of what that would have to offer players.

Link to comment

stuff about rpg vs. sandbox environment

 

you could minimize some of the storyline problems with a sandbox environment by installing checkpoints that players cannot progress past without first accomplishing a major storyline event. for example, you could make the first 3 gyms part of a pre-packaged storyline, followed by a good amount of sandboxing before you face the elite four.

 

Then, after getting through this, you could go on to another sort of open world (maybe you have some "quests" to do before you can access legendary dungeon, pokemon trainer tower, etc.) You could have filler like breeding missions (NPC gives you a reward for getting a unique egg move on a pokemon?) or even another gym-based storyline before another e4 challenge. Really, you could repeat this kind of checkpoint grinding indefinitely and players would still be interested.

 

A lot of MMORPGs are quasi-sandbox without sacrificing a story. You could still have areas that were too hard or impossible for new players to enter- in fact these kinds of areas are totally necessary in sandbox games. But giving players the freedom to choose where to go next would make this game head and shoulders above the planned monotony of all pokemon games preceding it. I think incorporation of things like "quests" should be first on the list of storyline needs, because playing through a pre-packaged storyline with graphics as good as a calculator's is a hard sell vs. most modern video games. 

Link to comment
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.