Fantasy PVP HL2mod Concept

[Maj]

Im thinking about spearheading a project that combines RPG concepts of combat (aka spellcasting/stealthing/melee/bows) and FPS style skill to create a mod for Half-Life2.

To start I think Ill keep it simple with maybe 2 races and the 4 basic classes.

Ideally I will be able to find someone with the skill to create a database that saves your chars. This would allow me to add an item database and perhaps a skill database so players can create and save templates.

Im thinking of gear much as Gunbound has, items that people use to look cool and some additional stat bonuses that can be disabled depending on the server type.

The goal would be to create a game that is fast, fun, and extremely competitive.

Thoughts?
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[Drekor]

I assume you mean similar to the old warcraft 3 mod of CS? Where you could chain lightning or stealth and stun people and such?

[Diraker]

I can't program and I don't have HL2 but I can toss ideas at you.

I'd be interested in playing a fantasy fps as long as it was customizable enough so I can make the character I wanted.

[Maj]

The WC3 Mod for CS was childs play compared to what I want to create.

Im thinking much more medieval map settings, a fully developed class/race system a keybound list of powers, Armor classes with mitigation.

Things that should be possible are shooting someone in the leg to slow them down, knocking someone back using a shield bash ect.

I figure spellcasting will be much like a rocket launcher works in other games. Just a magic projectile fired from the caster which can be dodged or blocked and possibly even deflected by other caster types.

Ive never found melee combat to be to exciting in FPS's so thats something Im trying to work out.

The one thing Im really trying to figure out is if its possible to have a master database of peoples chars tied to their SteamID in which "official" servers pull their data from to allow players to have a custom and continued char. This would allow me to award kills with money used to buy new unique equipment.
edit: Im sure its possible but more importantly can it be secure and reliable ^_^.

I think Im just going to make Char creation menu outside of server which allows you to build your chars. You would select first the class, then its race and sex. From there you customize its abilities and attributes. You can do this for each class.

Once you get ingame you would be get a prompt to create your char. Selecting a load prebuilt button would load your already built classes from which you would select the class you want to play for this round.

My biggest priority is just to get a playable version and make the game fun to play before I work extensively on customization and content.

[Maj]

I think Im going to start with 2 races

Human
Elf

and 4 classes
Fighter
Rogue
Healer
Mage

Perhaps Ill have prefab'd subclasses like Rangers which would simply be a rogue built with a bow spec along with optimizations with that.

The reason Im sticking with two races for now is its just easier. Later on down the road when everythings ironed out Ill surely consider adding other races.

[Diraker]

Would this be a team death match, solo DM, or CTF, or something like domination? I personally like a domination type game where you'd want your team to control strategic spots. I'd like it if these spots had real purpose like increasing a skill or damage mod or something, or maybe just give you extra gold per kill.

When you level up or get gold, do you buy skills which grant access to gear? Or does your base class determine the gear? Personally I'd like skills but I don't know if HL can do that. For example do you buy 'sword' skill which grants access to special sword only items or do you have access to swords just because you are a fighter or rogue, and you just buy the sword if you have the gold.

[Infuriare]

Sounds like a mix of Team Fortress and Warcraft 3 Mod for CS. It'd probably be better to use Team Fortress as the base model though, because all the armor/class differentions are already there.

[Gnioss]

I've never seen any mod of any game that has a persistent character database, sounds pretty complex to me.

[Infuriare]

I've never seen any mod of any game that has a persistent character database, sounds pretty complex to me.

The warcraft mod did. The only issue with it is that it was server specific, which makes sense. I'm sure they just saved all the user information in flat files. Honestly, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility to do something like this, but it's out of my realm of coding. I have a friend who might be interested in this project though, as he's a coding genius with too much time on his hands in general. He'd love the idea, i'm sure, so i'll see if he's interested.

[Maj]

Yeah Id be interested in talking to a few talented people who would be interested in the concept. Im still in the processes of writing it all out, then Ill get to work on some concept art and get a website going.

Still working on a name, if anyone has suggestions. I want it kinda Fantasy but not so Fantasy that John Doe would think its ghay.

[Mutt]

"The love wars of albalone"

[Diraker]

For a four class system there's four different types of skills or gear.

The first are the skills or gear that are only accessible by one class. Here are some examples.

Warrior
2h weapons
heavy armor
Rogue
bow
stealth
Healer
life magic
sceptor
Mage
elemental magic
wands

Some skills or gear would be accessible from two classes, again these are just examples. Note how I don't account for warrior/mage crossovers and rogue/healer crossovers, but you can do it however you like.

axe: war rog
sword: war rog
dagger: rog mag
debuff: rog mag
staff: mag hea
spellcraft: mag hea
mace: hea war
shield: hea war

Some skills or gear would be accessible from three classes.

light armor: war rog hea
xxxxxxxxxx: rog war mag
xxxxxxxxxx: mag rog hea
xxxxxxxxxx: hea war mag

and

skills or gear that are open to all: war rog mag hea

It's all about keeping the skills or gear evenly distributed among the classes. If warriors get 2 warrior only skills then rogues need 2, mages need 2 and healers need 2. If there are 3 warrior/rogue crossover skills then there need to be 3 warrior/healer crossover skills, 3 mage/healer crossover skills, etc.

This is just a guildeline so you don't end up with 50 warrior and rogue skills but 5 healer and mage skills. After you figure out the basic setup, then you add specifics w/o worrying too much.

[Kyra]

that sounds very cool

[sema]

this would be a dream come true

[Diraker]

As far as making melee work, you'd need snares, stuns, and roots (very short duration) built in to the melee attacks to prevent a target from just running away. If there was a running skill where warriors and rogues could run and jump better then the casters, that would help too. Also most spells and some ranged attacks should be stand and fire. Also the range of the melee attack should depend on the weapon.

[Maj]

As for game time it would varry between maps. Much like CS works with Hostage Rescue maps and Demolition maps in my game there would be a couple as well.

One type would be a simple king of the hill much like BF1942 the longer you hold the point the the more points you gain. The winner would be the team who held it the longest.

Another would simply be a team deathmatch with possibly some CTF added.

Future development would include a siege style map but Ill have to do some testing to see if its possible to create a good exciting siege.

I want this game to have tournys and ladders. Totally based around team aspects and stratigy.

[Maj]

When you create your char I was thinking of having many attributes such as Runspeed and Jump Height alongside Str, Agi, Con, Int.

Lets say all attributes start at 10 it'd be possible to lower your str by up to 5 and increase your runspeed up to 15.

Thoughts?

[Maj]

Im thinking of adding alot of action, reaction type skills. For example if you are a warrior and get snared you can do a skill like "Free Action" which will break the snare at the cost of some stamina.

Another example would be if a mage sees a warrior coming at them and expects a shield bash (a power that knocks you back and stuns you) the mage reacting to the starting animation of "shield bash" could use a power called "Brace Yourself" in which it totally absorbs the shield bash.

Also Im considering having all classes have some sort of range damage. Except maybe Healers who will be able to mitigate alot of ranged damage.

Warriors would get throwing Axes/Knives
Mages obviously would have spells
Rogues would have bows

If a warrior hits you in the Chest with his 2handed weapon lets say you take 100 damage. If he throws an axe and hits you in the chest he does about 50 damage.

If the warrior specced more for throwing perhaps he would do 75dmg with throwing and 75dmg with melee.

Same for a Rogue but a rogue may be able to get up to 100dmg with bow and 50dmg with melee.

Just some ideas.

[Mutt]

As well, warrior shields should be a big part of protecting the caster from ranged missle damage.