Torque MUD
by F. Scott Banks · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 05/18/2005 (7:51 am) · 8 replies
I've been working on and with MUDs for ten years now. They're a fun hobby, but the community has always irked me with their unilateral dislike of graphical online multiplayer games. The arguments are the same old chestnuts that all hobbyists throw out as what they thought would be a career becomes a hobby. Bland gameplay, repetition (as if there aren't a thousand text adventures featuring hobbits) and players who just don't appreciate the game as much if they don't have to read as much.
Well, the purpose of going indie is to piss people off (unless I'm missing something...I'm sure I'm missing something...it probably involves numbers) and to that end I'm considering using Torque as a MUD client. Basically something that moves 3D models around in accordance with what would normally be line after line of text. Underneath Torques sexy exterior, there's nothing but a simple MUD, but I think it'll be a fun game to make and hopefully to play.
I'll add monkeys...their senseless simian violence makes everything better...like cheese.
I've seen attempts at a full-fledged MMORPG using Torque and I'm not going quite that far ("turn based and lovin' it" would be the game's motto). Just something that uses models where descriptions would go and uses scripts (the same one the MUD uses) to control them.
Is it a logical possibility or am I shooting for the moon here?
Well, the purpose of going indie is to piss people off (unless I'm missing something...I'm sure I'm missing something...it probably involves numbers) and to that end I'm considering using Torque as a MUD client. Basically something that moves 3D models around in accordance with what would normally be line after line of text. Underneath Torques sexy exterior, there's nothing but a simple MUD, but I think it'll be a fun game to make and hopefully to play.
I'll add monkeys...their senseless simian violence makes everything better...like cheese.
I've seen attempts at a full-fledged MMORPG using Torque and I'm not going quite that far ("turn based and lovin' it" would be the game's motto). Just something that uses models where descriptions would go and uses scripts (the same one the MUD uses) to control them.
Is it a logical possibility or am I shooting for the moon here?
#2
Oh...and the battlefield would not represent whatever else was going on in the "room" at the time. Just the combatants fighting in the usual rank-and-file formations we've seen in RPG's since the early eighties. I probably could make it real time with innocent bystanders getting in the way of fireballs and arrows, but I'd like to keep it kinda old-school.
I'm just going for fun this time around...I'll be revolutionary on the next one.
05/18/2005 (8:24 am)
Hmmm, I was considering using first person for most mundade tasks (everything but combat) and switching to third-person for battles (combat). That could be done using this new RTS feature (once I get the hang of it) to provide a third person view of the battlefield. Instead of controlling dozens of units, the player would control only one. Perhaps a gross misuse of an RTS engine's power, but it opens up the possibility of some very large-scale battles.Oh...and the battlefield would not represent whatever else was going on in the "room" at the time. Just the combatants fighting in the usual rank-and-file formations we've seen in RPG's since the early eighties. I probably could make it real time with innocent bystanders getting in the way of fireballs and arrows, but I'd like to keep it kinda old-school.
I'm just going for fun this time around...I'll be revolutionary on the next one.
#3
You are welcome to join the alpha test and check it out. If you are interested in having a closer look, send lara@prairiegames.com an email requesting access to the alpha.
-Josh Ritter
Prairie Games
05/18/2005 (8:36 am)
Hi, our game is a 3D MUD and uses Torque. It's also is fully playable in single player mode. I think single player is extremely important for a successful indie title. There is more info available here, here, and hereYou are welcome to join the alpha test and check it out. If you are interested in having a closer look, send lara@prairiegames.com an email requesting access to the alpha.
-Josh Ritter
Prairie Games
#4
Thanks.
05/18/2005 (8:43 am)
Sounds cool. I'll give it a look-see and I definately want to get in on the alpha. I was wondering if this was possible and lo and behold, it is.Thanks.
#5
05/19/2005 (3:51 am)
I considered something similar a while back where instead of sending textual descriptions of rooms to clients, you send something similar to VRML which the client then builds into a graphical representation of the "room". Dont know how feasible this idea is as i didnt look into it any further.
#6
It may require a codebase that doesn't exist yet, but it can be done I'm sure.
05/21/2005 (4:52 am)
It should work...I just haven't tried it. After all, what is a MMORPG but a MUD that does just that?It may require a codebase that doesn't exist yet, but it can be done I'm sure.
#7
I do like the idea to keep it turn based though... turn based games can be really fun!
05/23/2005 (3:55 am)
One thing I think would be cool is a graphical MUD using an isometric 2D engine :-) I've always liked the isometric perspective, and 2D sprites can ususally be made a bit more detailed than 3D models...I do like the idea to keep it turn based though... turn based games can be really fun!
#8
05/23/2005 (4:54 am)
MUD's arent turn based but i've heard of soemthing called DOORs which is similar and i'm led to believe they ARE turn based. I've never played any doors but it was reported to me that each player gets a certain number of action points to use up within a certain time period. There are other features as well but like i said, i havent played these types of games so i dont feel knowledgable enough to speak about them too much, only that they may be worth looking at if u plan making a turn based game based on MUDs. 
Torque Owner David Tiernan