I was browsing through the tenants and I landed on this one:
- A mindset that designed downtime should be part of a game, ensuring players have time to form important social bonds.
and it got me thinking, What would designed downtime look like? Naturally, the first place my mind went to was my own life. What do I do during my downtime? Well, I play games... And then it struck me:
Pantheon should have an in-game trading card game (TCG)!
I want you all to think of Gwent from The Witcher. Its inclusion had no effect on the core of the game and it allows the player to do something other than slay bad guys. However, in an MMO setting we would be able to play and trade with each other! Could you imagine the impact this could have on the social aspect of the game? I think there are very important aspects that a TCG could bring to this world and to VR as a company. For the sake of continuity and name drops, lets call this hypothetical Pantheon in-game TCG "Kilsinto". Numerous beneficial, emergent properties would appear, including:
I think its a neat idea that would really have some positive social effects on Pantheon if implemented correctly. It would however take the dev team a while to include it, which, if its not secretly in development now, would probably mean it would be an expansion feature. Either way, I recognize it is a step away from the EQ norm, but I'd love to hear what you all think. I'd love to walk into a random tavern with my Kilsinto deck in hand and strike up a random conversation with a player I've never met before over a game of wit. Who knows, we could become great friends.
P.S. - The tournament play would be an emergent characteristic not directly engineered into the game which is really interesting. All the devs would have to do is create the cards, the game rules, and a 1v1 playing platform and the people would take care of the rest. Trustworthy players would emerge as tournament organizers by collect buy-ins, designing brackets, and distributing awards.
Cardgame is so 2015 :P But i have to say no to cardgames. If Pantheon will be anything i think and hope for, You dont got time for cardgames ;)
Though i would love that VR will develop diplomacy as in Vanguard. This was so awsome and i know VR have the same feeling as me :)
Syntro said:I recognize it is a step away from the EQ norm, but I'd love to hear what you all think.
Never been one for these online card games... I have tried them, My very First EQ friend I made in 1999 keeps wanting me into Hearthstone... I tried, but I'm just not feeling it.
Some do however... I know Nulla loves it.
Hey Syntro, I am usually not a fan of card based games for the most part, but I like it your concept as i read it. Maybe after Gwent on Witcher I am more fond of them as you mentioned. Like you said devs could include permanent tables in taverns etc to play on and even a options for crafters to make portable tables for people who want to play out in the wide open world. I like your faith in players re: collection / distibution.. I can see a "Kilsinto" mafia forming full of rogues, fixing games and pick pocketing winners :p (kidding)
and on a side note re your avatar.. can they please hurry up on the next season of Rick & Morty lol! To the writers / animators i say... Show me what you got!!
X
I love this idea :D. I really liked the card games in FFXIV (and FF8) such a fun little thing to do on the side, though I'd like something more akin to MTG or something. It would be awesome to be able to go into a tavern and see the various people playing at tables, maybe there could be a way for onlookers to "spectate" a game aswell :P.
I'd more think "designed downtime" would be about what to do with the loot, various ways to use it, break it into components, sell it, trade it, and so on and crafting, with time taken where one can chat and socialise while waiting. Maybe even have some kind of endurance on the characters that mean they need rest between running around fighting or they perform sub-par, at a decreasing percentage of optimal until rested somewhere, maybe in a bar partaking of drinks.
Having minigames might be a way too but that generally leads to concentrating on the mini-games instead of not being engaged in some activity and thus having the opportunity to chat with others.
Having mini-games for the sake of havig hobbies or just a way to play the game without needing to go adventure all the time is cool too, but then don't limit it to just one or a couple, like most MMO's do these days (Fishing anyone?).
Having Fishing, a Card Game (trading cards game or normal card game) or 2 with gambling involved playable at bars and taverns, maybe a similar to mini-golf game in various cities, tug-of-war and/or armwrestling and potential to arrange competitions, possibly some magic class competitions too where magic control and/or brute magic force is needed, various archery disciplines with the potential to arrange competitions, rowing boats or canoes in areas with lakes or rivers, growing of crops for judging in "crop growing competitions", running races and horse races.
The possibilities are really endless and it would not be more interesting and fun if, like Rachael points out, others are able to spectate and even bet on outcomes.
Each of the various mini-games should possibly have 2 or more skills needed to train and practice to become good at it too, helping to increase the designed downtime.
Being able to help train, or find PC and NPC trainiers, for the games would be another way too, both to introduce them and get people with like interests together.
Hokanu said:I can see a "Kilsinto" mafia forming full of rogues, fixing games and pick pocketing winners :p (kidding)
Hokanu said:and on a side note re your avatar.. can they please hurry up on the next season of Rick & Morty lol! To the writers / animators i say... Show me what you got!!
Rachael said:I love this idea :D. I really liked the card games in FFXIV (and FF8) such a fun little thing to do on the side, though I'd like something more akin to MTG or something. It would be awesome to be able to go into a tavern and see the various people playing at tables, maybe there could be a way for onlookers to "spectate" a game aswell :P.
Jody said:Having Fishing, a Card Game (trading cards game or normal card game) or 2 with gambling involved playable at bars and taverns, maybe a similar to mini-golf game in various cities, tug-of-war and/or armwrestling and potential to arrange competitions, possibly some magic class competitions too where magic control and/or brute magic force is needed, various archery disciplines with the potential to arrange competitions, rowing boats or canoes in areas with lakes or rivers, growing of crops for judging in "crop growing competitions", running races and horse races.
Aggelos said:I personally LOVE these ingame distractions! I loved Dice and Gwent in The Witcher! I love Hearthstone (tho I wish you could play it WHILE being in World of Warcraft - MMO INCEPTION!)
I love a card game, more Triple Triad from FF8 than Hearthstone though...
It would need to be written into the lore and fit within the game world but it’s the type of thing that gives a mmo more life.
In game gambling is something I would love though I would probably end up as a destitute beggar with nothing but a loin cloth and wooden charity bowl...
Garper said:In game gambling is something I would love though I would probably end up as a destitute beggar with nothing but a loin cloth and wooden charity bowl...
Gambling is an interesting option for 'downtime entertainment' -- also with the bonus of fighting inflation.
"Gambling" is such a dirty word, though... Let's say "trying your luck"~
Honestly I believe that anything you add to a game is a good thing, even if I, personally, do not like it or want to use it.
The more a game has to offer the better, because the more there is to do the more people will be in the game to do them.
Now, that being said, obviously there are concerns that must be faced such as will this thing compete with the game itself or be another fun thing for people to do. Will this new thing be mandatory whereas your character will suffer if you do not do it etc etc etc.
All in all seeing what has transpired in previous games by these people, I have full and complete faith in them.
Kato
KatoKhan said:Honestly I believe that anything you add to a game is a good thing, even if I, personally, do not like it or want to use it.
The more a game has to offer the better, because the more there is to do the more people will be in the game to do them.
I agree with your sentiment, having other things to occupy your time (or downtime in this case) would just be that much more of a reason to play the game even if it is just a game within a game. To really get that 'how deep does this rabbit hole go' bit of a game within a game we should get a DnD'esque table top RPG that you play in Taverns or Inns. :) That way you, roleplaying an Ogre Warrior in a fantasy setting game can roleplay an Ogre Warrior roleplaying as an Ogre Warrior adventuring in a tabletop roleplaying game.....
I like the idea of the card game, but I wouldn't crow-bar it into the MMORPG.
I want our 'designed downtime' to be in-game stuff that's been thoughtfully designed and nicely crafted: decent chatroom capabilities, crafting, etc.
"Guys! I need a heal and the camp is beginning to re-spawn"
"Hold on - just wanna finish this hand..."
I would love to have not only a CCG but several other mini games, more things to make the world feel more like a world and less like a game...Not got alot of time to play? dont feel like crafting...Go to the local tavern and play some chess, or a CCG or any number of other games.
The only caveat I would have is that there is NO loot tied to any of these games...no special bonus apperance items or anything else, let the game be the game. You could have uncommon cards drop off boss mobs and the rare cards drop off raid mobs
Syntro said:I was browsing through the tenants and I landed on this one:
- A mindset that designed downtime should be part of a game, ensuring players have time to form important social bonds.and it got me thinking, What would designed downtime look like? Naturally, the first place my mind went to was my own life. What do I do during my downtime? Well, I play games... And then it struck me:
Pantheon should have an in-game trading card game (TCG)!
Not my cup of tea! and here is why..... My thoughts at least. After playing MMO's for the last 20 or so years (Started back in the days with MUDS) I have learned one thing about downtime, player to player meaningful interaction where you are not distracted by mini-games and such. As in real life we distract ourselves during down time to avoid one another. Or avoid wierd awkawrd silence. I believe this wierd awkawrd silence is what we need. During my MUD'ING days we had lots of downtime just hanging out in Preachers Square. (This is a town square where all characters could gather because there was no faction good or evil. It was welcome to all) I remember just hanging out there sorting thru my gear or getting gear sets ready to face the terrors of the land. I played a Cleric at the time and would cast benefcial spell buffs on all players that would come in and out of Preachers Square. People knew me very well and would always ask in chat if i was hanging out in Preachers Square so they could travel by and get some buffs or they would drag corpses to me in town and i could resurect them so they could aquire some of there lost exp back. These times for me made the game amazing and the player interactions i had truly cemented the game into my most beloved games of all time. I still see a world busy and bussling when i look back. I no longer saw the text of the game anymore. This downtime was crucial in order to build true lasting player friendship and character rapport. Because of my past experiences I believe in-game mini-games take away necassary player interaction or better said "meaningful player interaction during meaningful downtime."
To wrap up this post I just want to say. Thank you community for bringing these kinds of idea's to the table for each of us to ponder and consider and thanks for listening to the ramblings of a dad/old man/old gamer. How time has flown.
P.S. This debate can go either way.... Some may say that a TCG would create meaningful player interaction during meaningful downtime for those that truly love TCG's
I'm open for social oriented content that's available for quieter moments, but I think something along the lines of a card trading game is too resource intensive vs implementing more straightfoward options like chess, checkers, tic-tac-toe or whatever Terminus variation you could make with those.
I also liked the EQ2 Gigglegibber Goblin Gamblin' Game (lotto, essentially). Neat money-sink.
Not a big fan of TCGs. However, In The Witcher 3, Gwent was a lot of fun. If it was possible to duplicate that same games rules with Pantheon Lore instead, I would probably play it. But good luck getting permission to duplicate Gwent. Not sure if there are any copyright restrictions on it.
Call it something else and just change the cards. Might still be an infringement.
If Pantheon goes thru the effort to make a TCG you can probably assume it will come with a diplomacy system of some sort.
Personally I hope there are many little activities that you could do in town, in the tavern, while waiting for a group, or during downtime. Normal card games, chess, checkers, and so on and so forth.
Pyde said:Not my cup of tea! and here is why..... My thoughts at least. After playing MMO's for the last 20 or so years (Started back in the days with MUDS) I have learned one thing about downtime, player to player meaningful interaction where you are not distracted by mini-games and such. As in real life we distract ourselves during down time to avoid one another.
To wrap up this post I just want to say. Thank you community for bringing these kinds of idea's to the table for each of us to ponder and consider and thanks for listening to the ramblings of a dad/old man/old gamer. How time has flown.
P.S. This debate can go either way.... Some may say that a TCG would create meaningful player interaction during meaningful downtime for those that truly love TCG's