Firecaster Game Design

[Labmonkey]

Ok, well firecaster java developement has been going well. I am pretty sure I made a post about firecaster going java, but if not here goes.

With the gamemaker prototypes done, Firecaster is being reprogrammed in java.

Ok, well with development going well, I got into a discussion with a few friends about how the game is actually gana play. Its very different from generic rpgs with big mobs of monsters that you plow through. The game is more focused on pvp and what would be boss fights in other games.

Well the problem I have run into is how do I stop pro's from attacking and killing noobs. The game is designed so that you don't get much of an advantage from playing a long time, other than you know what your doing. But obviously more experianced players are going to be better then noobs, so how do I stop noobs from simply being destroyed as they come into the game.

Here are a few options I have thought of, if you have any more you can think of, by all means post!

1. Do nothing

Pros: In order for there to be a problem, there first has to be experienced players. This means a game with atleast a small community of enthusastic players.

Cons: The playerbase cannot expand very well, and if the players leave, the game will probably die.

2. An area where players are safe from harm, and can practice their skillz.

Pros: Noobs get better, feel more welcomed?

Cons: There would be little to do in the noob area, though that could be fixed with a few quests... hmmm.

3. No pvp with players 10 levels above/below you

Pros: Fixes the problem
Cons: In big fights it would be very confusing. It would require a level system, which I am not sure I am going to make

After typing this, I think I am going to do option 2, but I am still going to post to see what you think, or if you have any other ideas.

[Matt]

You should have a basic level system, with a max level of 10. Not hard to reach, but can't do PVP at all until level 10.

[Egon]

Make it so players have to invite other players to fight them if you go with option two?

[Labmonkey]

A major point in the game is that you can hunt people. Like find someone playing solo, get in a group and surround them and kill them. I was also hope that things like guilds would act as protection for people. If i made a safe area with some quests/monsters, and once people get the hang of the game, I let them loose in the world.

I am considering not having gold, or levels at all. The equivalent of leveling up will be learning a new spell. Spells will try to be balanced, but have unique abilities designed for teamwork. Ie, if one person has a slow spell, it is pretty useless 1v1 because after you use it you have to wait for its cooldown to end before you can use any other spells. But in a 2v2, one person on your team can use slow, and the other person can then use a powerful but hard-to-aim move.

What if I made like pre-set teams? Then as you got out of the safe area you join a team, and they try to protect you etc while you are learning the game. You would be able to break away from your team later on/start your own. What do you think?