Online multiplayer rpg game question

Gena_Skyler

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Hey,

In my WIP I have a scene coming up where I want my MC to bond with her employer. She is basically employed with him because she had no other option, but there is tension between them and I need a way from them to bond. Enter RPG game.

The problem is I really don't play games anymore, and I don't know anything about the new multiplayer games on Xbox.

The employer is an introvert and only has friends online, so I want to have him playing a game (don't really care which one) that involves several people working toward a common goal. I want my MC to walk in (she's his housekeeper) and catch him throwing a fit because he is stuck at one part. And I want her to be able to tell him what he should be doing, but it can't be something obvious because the employer is a skilled gamer as well.

I was thinking it could be something like the MC saying, "Well, you are using the wrong weapon. I used the blah at this point and it did blah, which allowed me to get past this point." Or something along those lines.

Anyone have any suggestions?
 

Kerosene

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First, I think they should be playing a MMORPG on a PC--much more open world, more players, and people can play from anywhere like a laptop. You can use these elements as you wish.

Just throwing some thoughts out:
Most RPGs have guides to them, so for someone to have a hard time and not look up a guide is kinda odd. Unless they're hardcore like that. Perhaps there's a new expansion for the game and the MC wants him and his guild/group to finish it before everyone else? The other MC was a beta tester? That way no one would know how to defeat a certain boss (there's very particular ways of doing it sometimes, like using a certain item or technique, or even strategy) and she would know as she had to beta-test it--hell, they could of changed the programming and she could be wrong.
 

Gena_Skyler

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Thanks Will :) Could you please tell me what MMORPG stands for, though?

I like those ideas. The FMC wouldn't have been a beta tester, but would it have been possible for her ex boyfriend to have downloaded a leaked version of an expansion pack?

And would you have any game suggestions? Or would it be easier for me to make one up?
 

Kerosene

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Could you please tell me what MMORPG stands for, though?
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game.

The FMC wouldn't have been a beta tester, but would it have been possible for her ex boyfriend to have downloaded a leaked version of an expansion pack?
The gaming industry is larger that the film industry, so if a title leaked people would know. Farcry 3: Blood Dragon leaked a while back and millions of people knew of it within the hour; some were playing it within the hour.

And then MMORPGs typically run off host servers--so the game makers would know you pirated the game, as you're connecting to their server to play it. Kinda impossible.

If she couldn't have the game before everyone does, I think the MMORPG would be a bit hard to work with. Maybe an RPG (like you suggested first), a really hard one like Dark Souls, that would attract hardcore gamers might be better. Dark/demons souls is known to be very hard games, and many times there's particular ways to beat certain enemies. I know a few people who'd beat you blood for telling them a way to get past a boss, because they wanted to figure it out on their own.

Then again, MMORPGs would allow a lot of people to play together. Maybe that "she helps him with a tip" aspect is the wrong angle... hmm... or you can just make it bloody simple and have him be stubborn about not needing to look something up on a guide, and she tips him off.

You pick.

And would you have any game suggestions? Or would it be easier for me to make one up?

Don't use real game titles.
You can copy certain aspects, but not their names or any terms that are exclusive to that game. Look into Dark Souls for a hard RPG. Look into Guild Wars for a MMORPG.
 

CrastersBabies

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Yeah, I agree. An MMORPG online (pc/laptop). People hook up their PCs to huge monitors and multiple monitors all the time so they can play more comfy-like.

Depends on the type of game. Do you have a preference?

Medieval/fantasy flavor: World of Warcraft, Everquest, Rift, Skyrm
These game are pretty focused on quests. He could struggle with finding the right mob to kill, not having the right weapon equipped, not triggering the right "spawn" (mob to kill).

The thing is, if he's stuck, he can usually go online to figure things out: a walk-through, a cheat, etc. There are sites galore that help people when they are stuck. Unless it's a brand new game, or a new expansion (add-on to the game) that someone hasn't figured out yet (and posted online).

So, consider that he's fighting a new mob that isn't so well-known. He's trying his go-to combination over and over. It's not working. She could suggest he try X_spell first, THEN Y_spell, then Z_spell (or ability).

Or, he doesn't realize he needs to "debuff" a mob first (e.g. cast a "dispell magic" because the mob has a protection spell).

If you are getting stuck, try going to places like allakhazam (just google it) and shoot through random high level quests. Look for strategies that people use. Then see what he could be "forgetting."

Even as an expert player, I made silly mistakes at times:

1. Didn't equip the right weapon (sometimes the NPC gives you a special sword or whatnot).
2. Didn't debuff a mob first.
3. Didn't talk to the right NPC beforehand.
4. Got overrun by groups that were too big.
5. Didn't realize I had a spell that could do a lot better than a particular go-to spell.

Some things that include strategies...
1. I remember fighting a slime thing in Everquest. Groups would completely wipe out unless they had a bard to play a very specific anti-poison song.
2. Had to kill mobs in a certain order.
3. Had to have a thief unlock a door.
4. Had to have two groups in two different places (to kill mobs in order as they spawned).

Hopefully this helps!

If it's not a medieval/fantasy game, then just swap out spells and swords for technology and blaster pistols. :)
 

wendymarlowe

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Definitely make up a game - even aside from copyright issues, using a real game will date your book *fast.*

As for suggestions - if he's stuck and hasn't looked up the answer yet, it would have to be because he doesn't realize he's stuck, i.e. he thinks the reason he can't beat that section of the game is because he's not good enough at [whatever]. I'd go for something like "You can't reach it from there - you have to go to the crate on the other side of the room and get onto the ledge and come back around." Alternately, "Oh, don't use your fire attack - that heals him! You have to get him to this specific spot on the ground first, then he'll flash purple and you can hit him with the lightning spell." (Or something similar.)
 

MythMonger

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I like CB's suggestion about a cheat. It could be something your FMC has memorized (hitting ctrl shift q at the same time makes the player invincible for 30 seconds), and might not be known to the employer off the top of his head.

She suggests it just as he's about to die (you know what I mean), he uses it to complete the quest and his online friends are impressed.

As a follow-up, maybe in this particular game the cheat was discovered and the employer is shunned by his online friends, kicked off the game, etc. Now he has to interact with people in the real world, including the FMC. Although he's angry at her at first, he gets over it, they talk, one thing leads to another...

(ahem) What genre is your WIP again? :D
 

shaldna

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Hey,

In my WIP I have a scene coming up where I want my MC to bond with her employer. She is basically employed with him because she had no other option, but there is tension between them and I need a way from them to bond. Enter RPG game.

The problem is I really don't play games anymore, and I don't know anything about the new multiplayer games on Xbox.

Firstly, unless you are looking for something like Call of Duty (War orientated) or Fifa (football game) then consoses generally suck ass when it comes to multiplayer games. Most of which are online. That said, if it doesn't have to be an online game, just a roleplay game, then there are lots of options such as Final Fantasy, Fable etc.

I would however suggest a PC based online game, but that's personal preference.

The employer is an introvert and only has friends online, so I want to have him playing a game (don't really care which one) that involves several people working toward a common goal. I want my MC to walk in (she's his housekeeper) and catch him throwing a fit because he is stuck at one part. And I want her to be able to tell him what he should be doing, but it can't be something obvious because the employer is a skilled gamer as well.

If he's skilled and if he's working with other people who are, I assume, equally skilled, then your FMC is going to have to be really good. Especially if it's something non-commonplace and at a higher level.

Also, as a side note, as a female gamer I can tell you that instead of helping to 'bond' my experience is that most male gamers don't appreciate being told what to do. :(

Course, that could be because I'm terribly smug. :)


Most RPGs have guides to them, so for someone to have a hard time and not look up a guide is kinda odd. Unless they're hardcore like that. Perhaps there's a new expansion for the game and the MC wants him and his guild/group to finish it before everyone else? The other MC was a beta tester? That way no one would know how to defeat a certain boss (there's very particular ways of doing it sometimes, like using a certain item or technique, or even strategy) and she would know as she had to beta-test it--hell, they could of changed the programming and she could be wrong.

I play A LOT of World of Warcraft and I always have WowHead open in the background and all of my guild on chat - ESPECIALLY when something new comes out, or a new world event launches or an expansion etc. Most serious gamers play the same way.

He would have to be a bit pants at it if he couldn't figure it out himself really quickly, or find someone who does. Players have new guides written and online within hours, sometimes less, for any new thing. Fansites and gamers take their shit seriously.


I like those ideas. The FMC wouldn't have been a beta tester, but would it have been possible for her ex boyfriend to have downloaded a leaked version of an expansion pack?

And would you have any game suggestions? Or would it be easier for me to make one up?

Several things, new games/expansions are kept pretty secret. Beta testers are our gateway to the unknown, and they are all tied up in all sorts of non-disclosure etc.

Also, bear in mind that beta testing is to work out the final bugs and I know that in WoW there are constant updates and changes to quest chains, items, spells etc, so the info she is giving, especially if at a highter level, could well have changed.

In terms of downloading the game illegally - people who make these games are smart and you aren't getting a playable copy of that game unless they want you to. They know who is online and from where you are accessing and will nip that in the bud pretty quickly.

In terms of what I think she should do to bond - rather than go deeply into the technical player aspect, why not just have her suggest something off the cuff - 'Why don't you hit that green thingy with your hammer?'
 

Maythe

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It could be

'I can't progress! This door just won't open! Damnation!'
'Did you press the blue button in the circular chamber?'
'What blue button?'
'On the ledge above the door - it's easy to miss.'

I've had those conversations soooooo many times. Missing the Important Button or the Important Item is so easy when you're in the thick of the game.
 

Gena_Skyler

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OK, to make things a bit more specific, the employer is a demon in human form, he was banished from his realm. The FMC doesn't realize this. The employer is extremely arrogant and really holds all of the cards in the employer-employee relationship. The FMC screwed up badly and is financially indebted to him and that is why she is working for him.
My idea for the scene comprised of the employer playing the game, the FMC cleaning in there and laughing at his fit, or something. He gets mad at her and says something along the lines of "If you have something to say spit it out." So FMC gives him her tip.

Like Shaldna was saying he won't take this advice nicely. He basically laughs in her face and rudely sends her on her way. Later though, he tries her tip (because he is still stuck). When he gets stuck at another point he comes back to apologize to her for being rude and asks her if she could help him at another point.

Through this interaction the FMC then gains some power in the employer-employee relationship, which she will later use. For example, hold the next tip over his head when he asks her to do something ridiculous.

I am considering, at this point, having him start out in a new genre of game. Maybe he is an avid non-fantasy gamer, but then one of his buddies says he should try out an older game of the fantasy genre. Because it's an older game, and because he is arrogant, he feels he should be able to beat it without looking online.
 

Aerial

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OK, to make things a bit more specific, the employer is a demon in human form, he was banished from his realm. The FMC doesn't realize this. The employer is extremely arrogant and really holds all of the cards in the employer-employee relationship. The FMC screwed up badly and is financially indebted to him and that is why she is working for him.
My idea for the scene comprised of the employer playing the game, the FMC cleaning in there and laughing at his fit, or something. He gets mad at her and says something along the lines of "If you have something to say spit it out." So FMC gives him her tip.

Like Shaldna was saying he won't take this advice nicely. He basically laughs in her face and rudely sends her on her way. Later though, he tries her tip (because he is still stuck). When he gets stuck at another point he comes back to apologize to her for being rude and asks her if she could help him at another point.

Through this interaction the FMC then gains some power in the employer-employee relationship, which she will later use. For example, hold the next tip over his head when he asks her to do something ridiculous.

I am considering, at this point, having him start out in a new genre of game. Maybe he is an avid non-fantasy gamer, but then one of his buddies says he should try out an older game of the fantasy genre. Because it's an older game, and because he is arrogant, he feels he should be able to beat it without looking online.

Because so much of this kind of information is available (and available quickly) online, this doesn't ring true as a mechanism for adjusting the balance of power between these two.

I can think of a number of scenarios in which the FMC could demonstrate she has significant gaming prowess that might impress the MMC (but wouldn't really give her any power over him) - like taking over the controller and beating a hard boss fight or being able to log her own character in and show off her World First title (or other title). But unless she controls one of the top end guilds in a particular game and therefore the MMC might need to get her approval to go with their guild to actually have a chance at beating a certain dungeon/champion/etc, I can't see any significant way she can gain power in the relationship.

Aerial
 

shaldna

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Because so much of this kind of information is available (and available quickly) online, this doesn't ring true as a mechanism for adjusting the balance of power between these two.

If he's not from this realm then maybe you could get away with some other angle. So suggest he Google what to do. That'll bruise his ego enough, and highlight that he might not know as much as he thinks he does about how human minds work.
 

Goldbirch

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This may sound really stupid, because while I enjoy dabbling in gaming, I am faaaaar from expert.

But what if she mods an RPG and he's just venturing out into modding his game? (With game modification mods, not the moderator mods that we have around here.) I know some pretty hardcore gamers who always played vanilla, and were really impressed when they tried playing an Elder Scrolls game on our one friend's PC. She pretty much only plays a couple of games, but gravitates towards the really mod-friendly ones, and had changed her game a lot.

So your FMC could maybe tip her boss off as to how mods exist and show him how to download something that will fix a gameplay issue that has always driven him crazy? And then later he could get mad that these newfangled mods broke his game, and she could sort out a load order problem for him?

Or if she's a modder herself and has just released a pretty big mod (like one with a whole new sidequest with a new dungeon and boss, or one that significantly changes gameplay), she might still know more about how it works than the internet at large does (particularly if the game and/or what the mod does is a little obscure), and that might fit your original scenario better. Or if she created his favorite mod, maybe she could hold updating/patching/improving it over his head?

The other thing that sprang to my mind is something like Dwarf Fortress's Boatmurdered. (If you google that, you'll see what I'm talking about.) I don't know how one gets involved with a succession style game, but if they both were, maybe she knows which lever closes the gate and which lever floods everything with lava? Again, because she's the one who set up the levers in that particular fortress in hte first place.

Now hopefully someone who knows something will weigh in and let us know if anything I've said makes any actual sense. :)

Edit: I've been assuming that you'll be making up the game, so you'll be able to decree by fiat that it's a game with an active modding community - not all games are modded much.
 
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For me the most frustrating part of playing a lot of the games I've played is the collecting various bits in order to make a cool new thing. Like, get five jewels and put them in your sword and you get a magic sword, or whatever.

Maybe he could be bitching about needing a magic sword to kill a certain monster but he just can't find the fifth gem? And she says, oh, she's got an extra one of those. If trading is allowed in the game universe, she could offer to trade it to him, he could scornfully refuse, and then come crawling to her later and say, okay, yes, he wants to make the trade.

?
 

Gena_Skyler

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It's time for an update, I think.

I went ahead with the scene but I played it out a bit differently. Instead of giving her something to hold over his head, I decided she could instead earn a bit of his respect, something she did not previously have.

All I had her do was disagree with the choices of characters his group had made. She suggested that perhaps a human rogue would have been better than a halfling because of strength. Then she scoffed at the fact that his group chose to bring several mages on a mission she clearly felt needed strength.

He disagreed with her, saying humans were very average and therefore weak and useless. He went on about what a waste he felt humans were in any rpg game (a small bit of foreshadowing, I guess). They agreed to disagree. Later he came by to rub it in that he and his group had indeed managed to pass that point without using humans, though he had taken her advice and brought another barbarian instead of a mage.

It got me through, for now, I'm just not sure if I'll stick with it. The mod things sounds interesting. Complicated, but interesting.