playcentric

This game idea is one that I’ve been rolling around for a while – a Dreamworld MMO.  This is a very simple good versus evil scenario, but can be totally overdone because the only limits are the extent of the imagination.  I imagine the graphics to be somewhat cartoony (think Animal Crossing.. if it’s possible to do an MMO on the DS that would be perfect here).  The basic premise is that the two sides are fighting to take control over the dreamworld.

There are a few ways that this game would part from the stereotypical MMO.  Users do not choose a class at the beginning of the game, but are instead designated a class based on their actions across a variety of spectra (righteous vs. wicked, benevolent vs. cold-hearted, just vs. unjust etc.)  A user initially could level up on any of these spectra but would only be able to reach higher than an average level in one or two of the spectra.  An of course a user’s attributes would be reflected by their rankings across these spectra.

In addition, a user’s appearance changes based in a predictable manner based on these spectra.  I’m not sure exactly how that would apply for the good side, but there are lots of awesome ways it could apply for the bad guys – if the character rates high on ‘cold-hearted’ their appearance could change to look more like zombies, or if they rank high on ‘wicked’, they could start sprouting tentacles (wicked.. slimy.. get it?).

Another interesting way that users appearances could change is simply scale.  As users level up, their maximum size increases.  Users have control over changing their size, but when they are smaller than their maximum size their powers decrease.  This could also be an interesting way to route players through the world – bigger players simply couldn’t fit into the smaller villages that the new-comers are started in unless they decrease their size.  I would love to see a horde of players at all different scales running towards each other on a battlefield