The Multi-Mode Game

combined PBeM and Online/P&P Gaming

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Since the PBeM component of the program is nearing completion, is time to announce our future development plans for this game. Our goal is a unique one, namely to combine the e-mail and online (and other) gaming modes into a single game!

  1. Multi-MUD World
    We plan to offer parts of the game world as MUDs (textual first, graphical later). This means that the characters from the PBM game can actually switch from the PBM into a MUD and vice versa! Of course the game rules and character development speed must be identical in both systems. This will mean that the characters development speed in the MUD will be a lot slower than most MUDs. At first, the MUDs will only simulate special sites of the game world (like a city of thieves) where anarchy reigns and and only the adventuresome dare enter. As more and more "online-sites" are added to the game the game will slowly mutate into an online world (although this may take extremely long since the game world is huge). An interesting aspect of this gameplay will be the added "realism" of travel times. Whenever a character leaves one online-site to travel to another he/she will have to enter the PBM-game and spend the appropriate time traveling (which could take weeks). This should foster the building of communities with a common locality since large distances will not be so easily overcome (as in other games). Players can take advantage of the PBM gaming mode whenever they have less time available for online-gaming, because in the PBM game you can order your character to meaningful activities (e.g. training) while you are absent. Also, MUD characters will be more "valuable" since you will not be able to respawn after death or easily create new characters. Thus players will be more careful with their characters.
    In order to implement such a game we are calling for experienced MUD programmers to join our project! We plan to make use of existing MUD libraries and run the games on Linux servers.
    Contact me if you are interested.

  2. Online Battles
    Another exciting feature should appeal to strategy game players - online battles! Mysticora can also be played like a strategy game: raise armies, fight battles, conquer your enemies. Normally, the outcome of these battles would be determined by the computer. But now, two players could fight out their battles during an online session instead! Of course both players would have to agree to this and agree to a fixed date and time during a given time window (usually on a week-end, when the simulation of the PBM game is suspended). Given that, the players would log-on to the server and act as generals directing their armies in real-time. The most interesting aspect of this is that each player must keep in mind how the outcome of the battle will affect his position strategically. It would be of no use if you won the battle but had huge losses. This is sort of like a campaign game where not only winning or losing counts but how you win or lose.
    Contact me if you are interested in helping to develop a client/server program for this.

  3. Living Campaign
    Fudge logo A further idea is to play out adventures and quests in the game world via pen-and-paper gaming sessions. This similar to so-called Living Campaign games, except that the characters play unique adventures and can be affected more interactively with the rest of the game world. Also, the characters can come and go from the PBeM game. A trusted player of Mysticora functions as gamemaster and must download the current situation in the region being played and reserve special sites (e.g. dungeons) he wishes to use before each gaming session. Immediately afterwards he must upload the results of that gaming session. The success of this type of gaming depends a lot on the quality and integrity of the gamemasters so we consider this mode of gaming very experimental.
    The rules of choice to use for the pen-and-paper game is Fudge since it fits very well into the Mysticora system. To directly get a download of a concise version of the rules go here.
    The only adaptions for the Mysticora living campaign being the following:
    • Characters must be created via the setup rules or the online setup system (GM's choice of how many setup points to use per character but no more than available to create the character in the PBeM game). The set of available attributes and skills is given thus.
    • The translation of the termed Fudge levels into Mysticora values goes as follows:
      6 - Superb
      5 - Great
      4 - Good
      3 - Fair
      2 - Mediocre
      1 - Poor
      0 - Terrible
    • The Mysticora current health (a value from 0% to 100%) is translated as follows from a Fudge character:
      Mysticora Current Health = 1 - ( #current wound boxes checked / #maximum wound boxes )
      To convert back into Fudge do the following:
      #current wound boxes checked = (1 - Mysticora Current Health) * #maximum wound boxes
      (round any fractions to the nearest whole number; the #maximum wound boxes is the number of scratches after which a character falls into a "Near Death" state)
    • In combat, use the appropriate weapon skill for attacking and the the weapon skill or the skill 'personal combat' when defending (whichever is higher). To enjoy the benefits of a shield when defending the shield skill must be available. For unarmed attacks also use the 'personal combat' skill. An attacker may alternatively use half his 'personal combat' skill level if that is higher than his skill of the weapon he is using.
    • Magic is handled in the following fashion. Each spell has a level against which the caster must do a skill check in order to cast successfully. The target of a hostile spell may resist with a successful check using his willpower attribute against net skill test result of the caster (even if that number was higher than necessary to successfully cast the spell). Each spellcaster has a pool of up to 10 * skill level magic points and uses up a number of magic points equal to the level of a spell each time he attempts a spellcast. He may use up to 1 additional magic point per level of the spell to decrease the resist skill results of any targets (must declare before casting and must pay per target). A spellcaster regenerates 5 * skill level magic points at each full and new moon.
    • For character advancement and experience points the Mysticora system is used. Players keep a record of experience points for each skill their character has. The GM should grant about 1 experience point per challenging skill check or skill check in a dangerous situation (but not more than about 10 per session for a skill). The new experience point levels are uploaded by the GM into the PBeM game which calculates the new skill level.
      The rough formula for this is: skill level = square root of( experience points / 100 )
      Skill level fractions are rounded down for the pen-and-paper games (although "half" levels could be used with the "+"-skills rule variant of Fudge).
    The gamemaster must ensure that his game stays synchronized with the currently running PBeM game, i.e. he must not run too far ahead or too lag to far behind the PBeM game timetable. Also, the player characters gains and effects on the gameworld should not be too epical or drastic, or we might not accept the changes.
    All games must currently be situated on test continent of Perditia.
    If you are interested in mastering such a game please contact me.

    4. The Fudge System Logo is a trademark of Steffan O'Sullivan, used under license. Fudge System Logo design by Daniel M. Davis.

If you would like to comment on any of these unique game ideas please post to our discussion forum. Thank you.

 

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