Being a creator/craftsperson

The Beastmaster thread made me realize I have a very similar question to ask. any of you who are familiar with MMORPG games know that this type typically puts you in the role of a young warrior who has the potential to mature into the Greatest Warrior In Teh World!1! Since fighting is the main thing you do in that type of game it wouldn't really be logical to make you anything besides a warrior.

But, there are a few online games which either have no combat or have combat as an optional minigame/side activity. A lot of these unfortunately have little or no story at all. For example, A Tale In The Desert is an Egyptian-themed MMO which has no combat; the player is an Egyptian peasant/farmer who can build up to being a wealthy rancher with a palace and ornamental gardens, and there's a small suggestion of story that someone who masters all the creative aspects of the world basically becomes one of the world's gods. Apotheosis is a pretty nice substitute for becoming the ultimate warrior. In other games what the player is creating over time is glorified by describing it as Civilization (with the player as a king or revered patron), or Life (in this case the player is usually tinkering with DNA and possible crafting their own body into more complex forms).

I'm interested in designing the story for an MMO which centers around crafting instead of fighting. The player would be responsible for creating housing, clothing, breeding animals, growing plants, etc. So the player is not studying a particular trade, they can craft anything in the world with enough study and practice. I'm looking for ideas about what sort of world it would be exciting to be a craftsperson in, and what would be the motivation of a character to identify primarily as a craftsperson/creator and strive to get better and better at this role. Do I have any options besides apotheosis for an ultimate goal? (Market domination and wealth are not valid for this because it is not primarily a financial or economic game.)

lbender said:

Unfortunately, personal satisfaction at improvement won't work.

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I'm curious why you say that. I'd say it depends how that improvement manifests itself - if own some dogs, and I breed them to be larger and larger until I can ride one as a mount, that would be pretty awesome. Or if I master stonemasonry and it allows me to upgrade my house from log cabin to stone Greek architecture, that's also pretty cool. But it's true that nobody gives a crap about improvement that doesn't have useful and/or amusing results.

Rhubix said:

Bejeweled -nuff said.


My first thought is steam punk distopia- It's rising in popularity and is just super fun. Gadgets and gizmos are a geeks haven.

I do think there should be some manner of economy though, even if it's a bunker or a safe house set up for trade stalls.
Characters should need something, a reason to craft. Maybe clothes is necessary because they have a life span, and without them you freeze to death. Food keeps you from starving.
It would give a person a reason to farm- I grow wheat and sell it so I can by clothes and tools.
It would also give people a reason to town up/ guild up. I'm a blacksmith your a farmer etc...
I don't know how I feel about someone being able to do everything. Then why make an MMO? If you can only do 1/5 things you need 4 other people.

When I play mmo's I play healers. I like grouping. If I want to play a game by myself I pick up a platform game, or a RPG.

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Personally I like MMOs because I like the feeling of being in a lively world where other people are doing the same things I am, and chatting about them. But I detest mandatory multiplayer content.