Geneforge 5 - April Update
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 05:03
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This may be a bit premature, but: intense e-mail discussions between Jeff and a group of early pre-beta testers has made it probable that G5 will include a certain simple multiplayer option. Discussion began from the fact that Jeff was going to include both the traditional Shaper classes and the rebel classes from G4, with separate starting points for Shaper and Rebel PCs and parallel plots strongly reminiscent of Nethergate. It became clear that two essentially separate plot threads would be relating to each other, and stored in parallel in every save file. At which point several of us simultaneously pointed out that there was no real need for the same player to complete both halves of the tale. At first Jeff balked, but at some point late last night, he suddenly took the ball and ran with it. Many details are naturally still to be hammered out in testing, but this is the basic concept. Two players can take opposite sides of each chapter, then merge their save files before starting the next one. (Arranging a centralized server to handle this might be one side-benefit of the coming board overhaul.) Then each player can continue, with the other player's previous actions affecting the events they experience in the next chapter. It's not clear how far this will eventually go. With more than two factions, perhaps several players will be able to combine. It may also be possible, at least on higher difficulty levels, for one or more players to die, permanently — in a sense. They will always be able to save-load and continue their own games, with the default plotlines, but their actions will have no further influence on the games experienced by the other players. The last idea raised was that the final climactic battle would be a chapter all to itself, with preparations and basic tactical directions submitted in the final merged save file. So you would still only be fighting the AI, but it would be running the parties built up by your fellow player adversaries, including some of their basic strategic choices. That last save file merge would be pretty complicated, especially with five factions competing. But Jeff's great brainstorm last night was that, once UBB is retired from running these boards, it will be available for repurposing as the multiplayer engine of Geneforge 5. -------------------- Listen carefully because some of your options may have changed. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 08:08
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Jeff's still going to have to have a separate server for the players that go with the expert option areas as opposed to the basic game. Since those sections of the game allow you to gain the information and parts to build a GF1 type Geneforge you will have a much different game than the ending where you play with only traditional Shaper and canister enhanced Rebels. Still this will quiet down the players that are demanding a MMORPG. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 08:17
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If it wasn't for Randomizer, I might have fell for that. Still, it's nice to dream, right? -------------------- Hz'ii'zt a'iiencf coxnen a'bn'z'p pahuen yzpa'zuhb be'tt'phukh'kn az'ii'ova mxn't bhcizvi'fl? Nioca's Citadel - A resource for BoA graphics and scripts, as well as my scenarios. Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 5360
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 10:21
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:eek: Jeff, thank you. Thank you for making the last Geneforge special. -------------------- Fear us, mortals, but never envy, for though we burn with power, our fuel is our sorrows. Posts: 1636 | Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 7298
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 11:36
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This would be great if it isn't an April Fool's joke(though I strongly suspect it is). -------------------- A rock has weight whether you admit it or not Posts: 479 | Registered: Wednesday, July 12 2006 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3513
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 12:08
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Not believing it. For one, it's not Jeff. For two, it's 4/1. -------------------- Nobody appreciates me. It's all "Igor! Fetch some wine!" "Igor! Clean up this experiment!" or "Igor! Bury this in the garden, we're leaving town in 10 minutes!" —Alorael, who tried to become a deivore once. The priest gave him a funny look after the third wafer. Posts: 301 | Registered: Thursday, October 2 2003 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 27
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 14:51
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All I could think while reading this was that Jeff was getting way over his head way too early in the project. Then, I realized what a fool I was. Booo! -------------------- Enraged Slith's Blades of Avernum Website Kill Them Dead - Rate it now at CSR! Posts: 1233 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 5814
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 16:21
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I started at the bottom of the thread and read upwards... -------------------- "What can you do with an anthropology degree other than study people?" "...Hunt people?" Posts: 1115 | Registered: Sunday, May 15 2005 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 14311
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written Tuesday, April 1 2008 21:04
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*stares madly, then pinches self* OMG I am not dreaming! SWEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -------------------- turn to the dark side of the force.Take this message to your heart-Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through Passion i gain strength. Through strength i gain power. Through power gain victory. Through victory my chains are broken. the force shall free me. Posts: 32 | Registered: Tuesday, February 19 2008 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Wednesday, April 2 2008 07:32
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Brock, Nalyd: This was posted on April 1st. -------------------- Hz'ii'zt a'iiencf coxnen a'bn'z'p pahuen yzpa'zuhb be'tt'phukh'kn az'ii'ova mxn't bhcizvi'fl? Nioca's Citadel - A resource for BoA graphics and scripts, as well as my scenarios. Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 5360
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written Wednesday, April 2 2008 08:50
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Nalyd prefers to be disappointed. So this is believed. -------------------- Fear us, mortals, but never envy, for though we burn with power, our fuel is our sorrows. Posts: 1636 | Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 9887
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written Wednesday, April 2 2008 17:29
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I first believed this, but the common sense stuffed somewhere in the back of my head started saying that all the new work Jeff would be doing is rather unlike him, as well as taking a ton of programming. -------------------- Nobody bought any of my food, do people not like to eat ornks and guacamole? =:T:= Posts: 454 | Registered: Monday, August 20 2007 07:00 |
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The Establishment
Member # 6
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written Wednesday, April 2 2008 17:34
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April Fools is now over... -------------------- Your flower power is no match for my glower power! Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |