This article collects information regarding the conceptualisation of the gameplay of The Mana World

This article is currently only a proposal

The features or design guidelines described in this article are only a proposal made by one or some persons. It has not been evaluated or accepted by the core development team yet. Feel free to add your personal opinion about them or make counter proposals.

People who approve this proposal	People who oppose this proposal

The general idea is to allow the players to create persistent objects in the game world. You can think of it like player owned objects, ala Eve, ultima online, and several other games.

Overview

The overarching idea behind this proposal is to add another dynamic to the game. If Dynamic Map Creation is implemented, there will be trivial to add lot of extra land. As corollary to this, Players will be able to obtain this land, and customize it to their liking.

We can also use the assembly architecture to implement game ideas, such as modifiable terrain. Raw materials can be implemented as an assembly, and propagated by the server, such as trees, rock piles containing ore, etc.

Implementation

As I see it, another object needs to be added, in addition to Being and Item. This would be the assembly layer. I am not familiar enough with the current server architecture, so this section is bound to change.

Interaction

When you right-click an object in tmw, a context menu comes up, showing the actions you can perform on the given object. Upon adding the assembly, you should be able to right click the object, and it will give you the function of the object. Some functions of the object may be dependent on user skill, and/or require a reagent, as well as lend its own attributes. (ex: An anvil will require iron, and test against the users blacksmithing skill, while an exceptional anvil will grant a bonus to the produced item.)

An important feature would be mapping control to do the default action on an object, rather than simply attacking. (talk to a merchant, attack a monster, or push a machine)

Placement

To assemble and object, you simply use it. If the terrain in front of you is suitable, it will place the assembly on the surface. Certain object may draw on a user skill to assemble the object(Such as a construction skill to assemble walls.) and obtain characteristics from the land they are set on. In addition, most all items will require your character or factional ownership of the plot of land, else it will be removable by other players/the server. Any assemblies built on someones land will default to theirs, except in special circumstances.

Destruction

Each construct will be possible to take down by the owner, either adding itself or a derivative to their inventory, or destroying it based on skills, luck, and condition. (ex: A chair will go into the inventory, a wall will turn into planks, but a nearly broken chair may fall to splinters) Other players may eventually be able to attack the item, but it will set them at war with the player, give them a bounty, etc. Items that are destroyed give back less than those that are disassembled by the user, etc.

“Natural objects”

As mentioned before, certain objects would benefit from being assemblies. Trees and rock piles, for example, would be a good way to deliver raw materials. The server would automatically generate these assemblies wherever was suitable. A forest type map would generate trees on any raw patch of grass, according to an algorithm. (see Dynamic Map Creation)

Also, certain crafting assemblies would be available to the general public. These would be poor quality public anvils made available to apprentice blacksmiths, and out of the way sawmills, etc.

Property ownership

In order to place an object at least semi-permanently, the user would have to have at least factional ownership of the land. (So guilds can construct facilities) These maps would be dynamically created (or received by conquest and exploration, as possible)

Junk objects

While more permanent objects require you to 'own' the map you place them, some items would be useful to use anywhere, like tents, small machines, etc. It may become the case that users decide to fill important maps with cheap items, getting in the way of other people. This could be fought several ways, from only allowing a set number of items to be placed on the map and/or destroying items that have been there for more than an hour.

Sample elements and their function

Some sample elements and their function. Remember, these are all suggestions.. Some may be pipe dreams, but why the hell not?

Raw materials

Rock pile: Produces rocks, coal, and ore.

Sand: Produces sand for glassblowing

Trees: Produces raw wood for crafting.

Crops: Produces food and seeds.

Seedlings: Produced by seeds, slowly turns into crops. Must be placed in plowed land.

Housing

Walls: Simply a wall. Must be placed on a foundation assembly.

Door: A lockable door. Must be placed on a wall.

Chest: Lockable box with high HP that can be used for storing valuables. (High weight capacity)

Functional items

Anvil: Allows you to create various objects made from hot metal.

Forge: Allows you to smelt ore into metal, and heat that metal into hot metal. Must have a full coal bin near it to smelt some metals, or wood for other metals.

Fuel Bin: Fill with wood or coal to fuel a forge.

Channel: Used for carrying water to pumps, molten metal to molds, etc. Can be produced by a shovel, or a machine.

Machines

Mill: Cuts logs into lumber. Must be placed adjacent to some form of rotational power (water wheel, steam engine, etc. Quality of which dictates mill quality.)

Rail cart: Must be placed on a section of track. It can be filled to a weight much larger than can be carried, and pushed by the user along the track. A pack animal can be connected to it, and trained by an animal trainer to walk back and forth along the length of the track. (Super useful!)

Plow: when assembled (set down), the user can push it around and produce plowed land behind it. (if the land is grass.)

Game impacts

Crafting

I really like this idea, because it feel more like you are actually producing something of value when you craft. Also, because there are more steps to produce something useful, it is more realistic, and we can get rid of the traditional grind that is in most games. (If all you have to do to create a sword is stand near an anvil, then you have to make it a lot harder to get better at the skill. If you have to build a trade network to efficiently produce a lot of swords, then you don't have to make as many. The skill becomes less based on how many skill points you have, and more on actual player skill.) Also, this creates an interlinked economy, opening up for massive company/clans.

Finally As a note: I advocate having multi use items, to act as more building blocks to create larger assemblies. For example, a water wheel might provide 'rotational power' to the square near it. This can then be passed along bars, through gearboxes, etc, to provide the power to the thing in question. A ditch/rail will provide 'channel'/'rail' to the two spots on either side of it, and can carry anything that requires that status. Also, if you make a steam engine on the ground, it will provide rotational power, but using a steam engine on a rail car will provide a powered car. (and remember, these are just far fetched examples to explain the possibilities... I am NOT proposing to add steam power. But it would be cool. :-D)

Player owned housing

Players/clans would able to create player owned housing. Started by either finding land in wilderness maps devoid of trees, or as a result of clear cutting/excavating an open patch of ground (as a note, that would require many geographical objects to be assembly type objects. Some would be part of the map, as a matter of course. (Like rivers, mountains, etc)

While I am not pushing one form of system over another, the property idea has some real appeal. Players will be able to create 'home bases' outside of the major cities to use for crafting production, item storage, etc. This will add a good roleplay, and a unique dynamic..

Fighting

Some assemblies can be used for fighting. If your guild owned map is being assulted by a rival guild, you may have ballistae on top of stone walls to kill off attackers.

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