Creating an MMORPG VERY similar to EQ Classic
by Andrew Ziemba · in Jobs · 12/06/2007 (7:30 pm) · 11 replies
Hey guys, I just wanted to make a post here and see if I could find some like minded people who want to work on making an MMORPG which is very similar to the way Classic Everquest was. Back when the game was about killing giants, and orcs, and goblins and dragons... instead of killing these ridiculous models that look like something from a sci fi movie like it is nowadays...
Anyhow, if you like the way Everquest was BEFORE the luclin expansion came out, please send me an email at Tantalar@comcast.net or just reply to this message. I have put in hundreds of hours so far into coming up with creative concept art and zones as well as names, armor, weapons, tradeskill tables...
This isn't some "tiddly winks" game I am talking about... This game is serious and it is going to give the MMORPG Genre what players are looking for - An Alternative to WOW. Currently there is not one single MMORPG out there which allows players to play in a dungeon crawling, PH camping, dragon raiding, endless exploration game which is actually hard to level up in.
Vanguard is mess and even if I had a super computer required to play it I could never get over back breaking problems with that game such as the fact that exploring the world is like an ant trying to go from Connecticut to California! As for Everquest2, that is a Mockery of Everquest and once you get past the "oooo ahhhh" graphics, you soon realize that there is no soul to the game (just like Vanguard) At least in WoW there's tons of cool stuff to do and the game is interesting (for about a month) Too bad you reach level 60 right when you start getting into the game. I respect Blizzard and love them truly, but its like... after you beat a video game and do everything there is to do then you are done! Everquest is Hardcore and while I don't know if I want to have 20 hour + or - 5 hour spawn time NPCs which can skip their spawn up to 3 times... I do think that there is a SEVERE hole missing in the MMORPG Genre which I would like to fill. This project will certainly be a commercial project eventually, so just keep that in mind.
Many people will reply to this message with some wise guy comment like "You don't understand how hard it is to make an MMORPG" I tell you, I don't care how long it takes, I am going to do everything in my power to make this game awesome and recruit some really cool people who BELIEVE that as a team we can accomplish something great. So to all you Nay Sayers... don't even try
If my message appeals to you then please contact me. I would love to discuss the future of the project and talk about what you think. Thanks for your time!
- Andrew
Anyhow, if you like the way Everquest was BEFORE the luclin expansion came out, please send me an email at Tantalar@comcast.net or just reply to this message. I have put in hundreds of hours so far into coming up with creative concept art and zones as well as names, armor, weapons, tradeskill tables...
This isn't some "tiddly winks" game I am talking about... This game is serious and it is going to give the MMORPG Genre what players are looking for - An Alternative to WOW. Currently there is not one single MMORPG out there which allows players to play in a dungeon crawling, PH camping, dragon raiding, endless exploration game which is actually hard to level up in.
Vanguard is mess and even if I had a super computer required to play it I could never get over back breaking problems with that game such as the fact that exploring the world is like an ant trying to go from Connecticut to California! As for Everquest2, that is a Mockery of Everquest and once you get past the "oooo ahhhh" graphics, you soon realize that there is no soul to the game (just like Vanguard) At least in WoW there's tons of cool stuff to do and the game is interesting (for about a month) Too bad you reach level 60 right when you start getting into the game. I respect Blizzard and love them truly, but its like... after you beat a video game and do everything there is to do then you are done! Everquest is Hardcore and while I don't know if I want to have 20 hour + or - 5 hour spawn time NPCs which can skip their spawn up to 3 times... I do think that there is a SEVERE hole missing in the MMORPG Genre which I would like to fill. This project will certainly be a commercial project eventually, so just keep that in mind.
Many people will reply to this message with some wise guy comment like "You don't understand how hard it is to make an MMORPG" I tell you, I don't care how long it takes, I am going to do everything in my power to make this game awesome and recruit some really cool people who BELIEVE that as a team we can accomplish something great. So to all you Nay Sayers... don't even try
If my message appeals to you then please contact me. I would love to discuss the future of the project and talk about what you think. Thanks for your time!
- Andrew
#2
And before you think, who is this guy? I am also making a mulitplayer game, I have a great team, not huge mind you, my budget is also starting to bulge out a bit, just passing 3k or so, i keep a tight riegn on our costs as i pay for any costs. And i can name a good one for you called Ultima Online, that allows for everything, other then the hard to level up part, which btw is a product of taking the simple way out of programming.
Who are you? you have been a member for 3 days, with a license. Tell us about yourself.
as for myself.
www.mydreamrpg.com/community/showthread.php?t=1594 Im the lead of FantasciHiddenwar, sorry the websites down, its being rebuilt, but the blog should give you a idea, btw i have been going on this for wow, almost a year on Fantasci. Trust me, if this is your first game, game engine or first strut into game develepment. Good luck. If your a experienced coder and have a good business plan and some good budget available. Then Welcome aboard, the community always loves to see new blood.
Edward Moyer
Lead of Fantasci: Hidden War
12/06/2007 (7:56 pm)
Welcome Andrew to the Real World, I understand how you feel in your 5th paragraph. I just had to respond and tell you, your goals are noble, but do you really know what your getting into? Do you have a Design document, or is creating a Everclone your end goal? What skills do you have? are you truly prepared to undertake the task for what your calling for?And before you think, who is this guy? I am also making a mulitplayer game, I have a great team, not huge mind you, my budget is also starting to bulge out a bit, just passing 3k or so, i keep a tight riegn on our costs as i pay for any costs. And i can name a good one for you called Ultima Online, that allows for everything, other then the hard to level up part, which btw is a product of taking the simple way out of programming.
Who are you? you have been a member for 3 days, with a license. Tell us about yourself.
as for myself.
www.mydreamrpg.com/community/showthread.php?t=1594 Im the lead of FantasciHiddenwar, sorry the websites down, its being rebuilt, but the blog should give you a idea, btw i have been going on this for wow, almost a year on Fantasci. Trust me, if this is your first game, game engine or first strut into game develepment. Good luck. If your a experienced coder and have a good business plan and some good budget available. Then Welcome aboard, the community always loves to see new blood.
Edward Moyer
Lead of Fantasci: Hidden War
#3
12/06/2007 (7:59 pm)
Honestly, not too sure why you'd want to do this. I get nostalgia for EQ1 sometimes, since I played it when it was first released and 3D MMOs were relatively novel, but in reality, EQ1 was possibly one of the most boring games on the planet. Why not create a game that has some new gameplay (instead of a clone of EQ, like WoW and practically every other MMO in existence today) but preserves the spirit of the world?
#4
12/06/2007 (9:27 pm)
I am extremely passionate because I think that the system works. I am a firm believer that if you find something that works, keep doing it! Everything in EQ just worked. I'm not saying I want the blocky characters, the blurry scenery, or the extremely outdated sound. I am saying that I can see a very clear path to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jBNwFu_--s
#5
Er, if that's the bar you're shooting for I guess. I mean, sure the gameplay (combat) *worked* but it was horrendously *unfun* in the most extreme way.
12/06/2007 (9:47 pm)
Directions for reading the below post: Step 1) Carefully remove rose tinted glasses. Step 2) Read. Er, if that's the bar you're shooting for I guess. I mean, sure the gameplay (combat) *worked* but it was horrendously *unfun* in the most extreme way.
#6
12/07/2007 (6:50 am)
I would recommend looking at MMOWorkshop as a starting base. It requires TGE and AFX.
#7
And having feeling for a game is awesome, but lets rewind a bit. Lets hear a bit about yourself. Do you intend to recreate EQ with TGE(a). If you do, yah maybe go check out that MMOworkshop kit, but do you know python? I am getting the impression that you are a diehard fan. You need to learn the tools. Looking at some of your questions on other posts, do you know how to compile a exe? Im not trying to discauge. Do you have any artists, part of the magic of games is having the graphics to match the vision. though granted i have know some games that had crappy graphics but the game play was rock solid.
And for the record Ultima IMO is the better game and is truly the grandfather of all MMOs, its one of the first graphical MMOs ever and after some 11 years its the longest running series and online service. Name a longer one, the only one that comes close in scope of story, expansions and quality of work is Final Fantasy. with 10 Singleplayer versions and some 6 hugely successful expansions to the online world. But this is my opinion, they need to redo Bards Tales as well. If you have never played this game, its becuase it was a milestone maker for alot of the games you play currently. Before the days of minimaps and when a player had to use graph paper to do their dungeon crawling (trust me some maps were so complicated to explore it fully you had to). But what do i know about RPGs and MMOs.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me on my msn racs333@hotmail.com and i would be happy to answer some of your questions.
12/07/2007 (7:14 am)
The important question to ask yourself Andrew, do you know why EQ1 worked, was it becuase as a player you enjoyed playing it, or was it because, the programmers were able to get alot of the obvious bugs out of it and have a solid engine before it was shipped. And having feeling for a game is awesome, but lets rewind a bit. Lets hear a bit about yourself. Do you intend to recreate EQ with TGE(a). If you do, yah maybe go check out that MMOworkshop kit, but do you know python? I am getting the impression that you are a diehard fan. You need to learn the tools. Looking at some of your questions on other posts, do you know how to compile a exe? Im not trying to discauge. Do you have any artists, part of the magic of games is having the graphics to match the vision. though granted i have know some games that had crappy graphics but the game play was rock solid.
And for the record Ultima IMO is the better game and is truly the grandfather of all MMOs, its one of the first graphical MMOs ever and after some 11 years its the longest running series and online service. Name a longer one, the only one that comes close in scope of story, expansions and quality of work is Final Fantasy. with 10 Singleplayer versions and some 6 hugely successful expansions to the online world. But this is my opinion, they need to redo Bards Tales as well. If you have never played this game, its becuase it was a milestone maker for alot of the games you play currently. Before the days of minimaps and when a player had to use graph paper to do their dungeon crawling (trust me some maps were so complicated to explore it fully you had to). But what do i know about RPGs and MMOs.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me on my msn racs333@hotmail.com and i would be happy to answer some of your questions.
#8
12/07/2007 (10:46 am)
Thanks for the information!
#9
Just letting you know that you should make your own games instead of using other peoples ideas and wasting your time on a game that no one will really want to play because its unoriginal and there are way better.
12/07/2007 (10:54 am)
Wait, so you are making an MMO like EQ? Why. Why should people want to play yours when they can go play the better, real thing. Or, if they don't want to play the original, why would they want to play yours? Its nothing new. Just letting you know that you should make your own games instead of using other peoples ideas and wasting your time on a game that no one will really want to play because its unoriginal and there are way better.
#10
WoW is EXTREMELY different than EQ, just as EQ and WoW are extremely different than Guildwars! Guildwars, EQ, AND WoW are ALL different than DAOC.
When I say "like EQ" I dont mean "Well after you pop up in Qeynos, you should go check out the gnoll cave called blackburrow, and then you can go to the karanas, but they arent the karanas I changed the name to the plain lands but its the same thing.
I think your misinterpreting what I am saying. Everything I am including will be content which is just as original as EQ was. You know, its going to be HARD to level up, its going to be HARD to get good gear, its going to be HARD to kill raid bosses, its going to be REWARDING when you are done with a big quest.
When I say like EQ I mean like EQ, not WoW. I Don't mean copying and I dont mean stealing ideas. I mean Similar
12/07/2007 (11:24 am)
When I say a game like EQ I mean the same mechanics behind how hard it should be to obtain "X" item. How hard it should be to kill "X" mob. How hard it should be to level up. How the combat works. How many equipment slots you get, what sort of monsters you fight.WoW is EXTREMELY different than EQ, just as EQ and WoW are extremely different than Guildwars! Guildwars, EQ, AND WoW are ALL different than DAOC.
When I say "like EQ" I dont mean "Well after you pop up in Qeynos, you should go check out the gnoll cave called blackburrow, and then you can go to the karanas, but they arent the karanas I changed the name to the plain lands but its the same thing.
I think your misinterpreting what I am saying. Everything I am including will be content which is just as original as EQ was. You know, its going to be HARD to level up, its going to be HARD to get good gear, its going to be HARD to kill raid bosses, its going to be REWARDING when you are done with a big quest.
When I say like EQ I mean like EQ, not WoW. I Don't mean copying and I dont mean stealing ideas. I mean Similar
#11
12/07/2007 (11:31 am)
@Andrew, keep everything but "how the combat works" and you'll be golden!
Torque Owner Vashner
I have maybe 50 posts in that thread myself. :)
There will never be another eq 1.. Unless SOE pulls a tape out and puts it on a server. Which they could do WITHOUT hurting "Blue" normal servers.
Some artworks are simply perfect at creation. Changing dynamics and content fixing al the quirks devalues SOME rare art. EQ, Duke, Tribes 2 all good examples of just simply "done" well and should not be BEEP with. Or at least allowed to preserve and branch off. But not forced dynamics. 2c