This is November. As such, there's this little thing called NaNoWriMo. Well National Novel Writing Month is cool and all - but I'm no writer. I do, however, have lots of stuff I could and should be doing in terms of building my game. Coding and designing are taxing activities.
I'm actually a little late coming into this for it to be a true 'November' thing - but let's be honest, with end of November holiday events, doing just about anything during those days will be difficult enough as is. So, instead, this is more a self-imposed 30 day challenge. (Which I won't be doing in 30 days consecutively, ahaha.)
Let's start by introducing my world - Novul.
Progression through areas, if there is such a thing, would go in the following counter-clockwise order:
I'm actually a little late coming into this for it to be a true 'November' thing - but let's be honest, with end of November holiday events, doing just about anything during those days will be difficult enough as is. So, instead, this is more a self-imposed 30 day challenge. (Which I won't be doing in 30 days consecutively, ahaha.)
Let's start by introducing my world - Novul.
Progression through areas, if there is such a thing, would go in the following counter-clockwise order:
- Woods
- Harbor
- Maple Thicket
- Bay
- Hills
- Jungle
- Marsh
- Mangroves
- Kelp Forest
- Plateau
- Mountains
- Farmland
- Beach
- Plains
- Desert
- Volcano
- Brambles
- How will weather and seasons impact the game?
- How does climate effect the mood of the inhabitants living in each area?
- What is the history (geologically) behind some of the really large land features? (Alternatively, a local legend describing it's origin.)
- How do the creatures living in x area feel about the creatures who visit from y area?
- Make a list or timeline of at least 15 events that happened in the last 100 years. Smooth or abrupt. Power shifts, natural events, unnatural events.
- Trade: What resources does each area have a bountiful amount of? What resources are scarce in each area? What is each areas most valuable trade item?
- Language: Check out this language construction kit. Maybe hunt down some name generators to play with. Jot down some nonsense words that give a good feel for how each area constructs words so you can reference them when naming things from there in the future.
- Mood by weather was already discussed, but now let's discuss mood while considering events that have happened there and events you may want to happen there. Take a deep breath and think "When my players are exploring here, I want them to feel....." what? Amused? Thrilled? Important? Angry? Frightened? Dark? Confident? Saddened?
- Write a list of at least 10 plot-driving events that will happen in the future.
- Name and describe 'political' bodies that have or will influence and impact events (churches, governments, kingdoms, factions, economic forces, guilds, etc.). Take the time to write one sentence on how each group feels about each of the other groups.
- Create a "speculative element" or two - rules or assumptions that are not true in present day Earth. These element will be relatively common knowledge in this world.
- Write down 10 things your speculative elements can do to your plot.
- And back to the speculative elements. What are the limits of your speculative element? What's the trade-off for using it? Magic usually comes at a cost-- what is that cost? If there's no cost, then what's the trade-off? What keeps it from being used all the time, for everything, or is it used that much after all? Write down your rules, specifically focusing on what's impossible, and what should be established as unstable early. Establish the limits and boundaries of your spec element today.
- Think about each area you've created. Rename and rework your speculative elements and their rules if you need to, to fit the mood of each location.
- I have human characters I'm dealing with, so how about doing this and answer them for a small handful of characters.
- So what questions are the overall plot leaving everyone asking? Who will win? How can I make the world feel constant to the player?
- What are considered delicacies (to each creature or in each area)? Just as strawberries are a real treat to some regions, and oranges were once a traditional and very coveted Christmas gift, sweet fruits and hard-to-grow things can be very valuable.
- Quest items to collect. If you gather 10 of this and 5 of that, what can be made?
- Create things used to restore stamina, cure specific ailments, or even get high.
- Most dangerous flora and fauna of each area.
- Collect pictures and music that remind you of each area.
- How long is a month? What are they named? Are moon phases going to be used in any way?
- World holidays. Their origins. Who does/doesn't celebrate them? Describe or sketch items for each. How will users be encouraged to participate? How can they participate?
- For each area that will be actively visited... Where's the water?
- Who is the big bad? What is the ultimate goal of the big bad?
- Potential games for each area. Look up types of games and see where might be a good fit for them, thematically.
- What features do you really want that Mysidia doesn't come with out of the box? Whether entirely unique or inspired by other sites, get a list going. An auction house? Refer a friend benefits?
- What things do you want a player to be able to do consistently and be encouraged, with rewards, to do daily or weekly? Just logging in? Daily free random item page?
- Extra gameification ideas. Appointment Dynamics are game dynamics in which at a predetermined times/place a user must log-in or participate in game, for positive effect. Behavioral Momentum is the tendency of players to keep doing what they have been doing. Detail how these can be used to rally the entire community to work together to appear to solve a riddle, a problem or a challenge. Bonuses are a reward after having completed a series of challenges or core functions. How about a dynamic in which a player feels that they are getting something for free due to someone else having done work? A dynamic in which the winner is determined solely by chance? A dynamic in which players are only given a certain amount of time to do something?
- Are there are challenges, achievements, or badges to be earned? Are they worth certain points? Will the amount of points be displayed somewhere for bragging rights?
- Easter eggs!
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