Planning Uru

aloys · **Posted:** Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:05 pm

I haven't fully read the last two pages; (so much discussions going on lately..) so I apologize in advance if I'm rehashing an old point; but: we always come back to the lack of content and gameplay in Uru. External ways to connect and interact with Uru are a fun idea; but to do what? To connect to what? Mary's example above are telling, and I can't find much similarities in Uru. Baring any technical or organisationnal hurdles, what could such an app do? Tell us the latest Heek high scores? List the newest marker games? Maybe even alow realtime talking through the Ki with other explorers? I don't find any of that really exciting, or even useful.
Other than solving Ages, I can list on one hand the type of recurring activities we can have in Uru. Socializing, Heek, markers, pelets, basejumping. Ok; maybe I'm carricaturing and there's another couple; but my point is there is not much to do in Uru; hence an app wouldn't have not much to connect to...
An app might be an interesting idea; but right now Uru is still lacking a bit unfortunately; and I fear any external way to connect to it would only underline that even more.

Nye_Sigismund · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2011 3:53 am

Well that's one thing I'm working on at the moment. A social area in D'ni that has a small collection of surface games that explorers brought down into the cavern to pass the time. Once I finish the level design document (it's really just a shell at the moment, go check the Team OSCAR subforum at OpenUru if you want to see it) I'll put it up here.

We do need actual content. As it stands, and I just want to make this absolutely clear, there's nothing to be gained from moving away from simply extending what we already have. No fancy gameplay mechanics or apps. Just more areas to explore with more stuff to do.

mszv · **Joined:** Wed May 10, 2006 5:28 am **Posts:** 2266

Aloys, I don't think that a smartphone app is a replacement for Uru, just a nice little addition.

As for what it would do -- well, stats and am auction house are not part of Uru, and our characters all look pretty much the same. There is customization, yes, but we can't get new stuff, so all the avatars have the same sort of look. So, I'd say -- maybe KI screenshots, and an IM application (using KI numbers), and a way to read your KI messages while not in Uru. There might be other stuff, but that's all I can think of.

Rudolfson · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:28 am

Still just reading the thread I wanted to comment on
what dj wrote about changing where the bulk of KI content is stored. I tried to find the old threads but could not find them by search. It boiled down to, during MOUL, that when the URU-KI opens up to show content from your PC in the game, that content can easily be modified to come from outside the game. I don't think there is a need to explore, or discuss the problems and uses this has in this thread. Just bear it in mind. When there was a commercial distributor of the game it made sense to block such properties though.

Oh! heck I'd like to make a comment too.
I think community apps or network for URUites is nice. I won't say id does anything for 'retention', or numbers in the cavern. Facebook for URUites is something I think would be nice.
Anyway, on the main topic. These things are not important in comparison to actually building on the open source server and the tools to do ages in Blender etc. That is where individuals in the community really has moved URU forward. I agree with those earlier in the thread that argues in this direction. Encourage and applaud voluntary work in voluntary directions. I think the ethics of Kant sucks.

Nalates · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:35 pm

Suggestions Review
This is a collection of the suggestions made so far in this thread.

OP: Inspiration - Video Game Business Strategy: New Secrets to Survival The question asked was, What would get people logging in each day?

Answers so far:

WARNING: I’m going to paraphrase the ideas presented herein. I am attempting to frame them in positive statements. The point is to make the ideas more usable. If I missed your idea/point, don’t take it personally, just correct me and expand your idea/point. If I omitted your idea, it is an oversight. Point it out. Also, I’m leaving out the negatives, why something may not work. My assumption is hashing out which ideas will and won’t work while worth the time and I think appropriate here will ultimately be decided by the one deciding to implement an idea. Also, there are some very good points made that I couldn’t figure out how to condense into a pithy list sentence. In those cases suggestions are welcome. Lastly, you may have an idea attributed to you which you feel is not your idea or a misrepresentation. In that case it is the idea I took from something you wrote. If you have a problem with that, let me know.

dragossh: monthly release of new ages or just more often.
1. aloys: More places to explore
2. Stucuk: More repeatable content
3. JWP: Develop CWE and pull more developers to developing for CWE/URU.
4. darkgriffin: Random content updates – unscheduled.
5. mszv: More things to do with reasons and/or rewards for doing them.
6. Szark: Well made fans story driven ages with well thoughtout puzzles
7. Nye_Sigismund: Stronghold Kingdoms type buildings which players contribute in construction of
8. Regnad Kcin01: Extending content beyond the D’ni worlds
9. Dot: Using multi-platform/engine content and story
10. Dot/Nalates: Direct linking from Uru to OpenSim or story linking to other platforms/engines.
11. Stucuk: Staying true to the Uru universe
12. (unclear): Concerts – Karaoke
13. ChloeRhodes: (Post) Good points on possible content delivery pipeline
14. ChloeRhodes: Live event stories and permission for SDL file changes to Cyan ages
15. Nalates: Age pages similar to Relto pages but affecting an age
16. nonlinear: Stand alone puzzles and games-within-game Myst oriented and also playable via iPhone
17. nonlinear: Puzzles designed for iPhone solving as well as in-game solving
Charura: Cyan character RP/story is missing, needs to be provided in some way. Backstory needs to be provided to new players and extended for long time players.
Charura: Better in-game player helping player.
VoiZod: More avatar and Cavern objects animations (rock falls, bridge fall/break-repair, changing environment) and ways to affect the environment. (Pellet/Lake example as good try and poor implementation).
VoiZod: Realize Cyan’s original dream for Uru.
Stucuk: Adding team oriented ages with a competitive aspect.
Stucuk: Adding single player Myst oriented games (game-within-game, example Heek, Jalak)
Stucuk: Game RP Diary/logs readable by all players to provide a game and story history. Devokan Trust is using a related idea of having player written journals in various ages.
Narameh: Allow player choices (on/off – use/not use) with player journals.
TOOO: Extend or revive Sharper’s Journal
Nalates: Adding HTTP access from in-game to allow use of web page, Flash based games, blogs for journals, and whatever else people can imagine.
1. Dragossh: Do something with this like the Prologue Videos with a Previously on Uru twist.
2. Narameh: Make an egg like gaming room.
Nalates: In-Cavern access to a GoMe newspaper or video like news caste of Cavern events.
Nalates: Direct links to often visited places in-Cavern in our Relto books.
Stucuk: Adding tasks/games/features that offer a sense of accomplishment.
Stucuk: Add ability to pick up and move things.
aloys: Better social tools
aloys: Better visuals
aloys: Custom Content
aloys: Content creation tools
1. Stucuk: In-game creation tools
2. Stucuk: Custom content mall with items for sale (RL $)
3. ChloeRhodes: Example of existing actual in-Uru game working construction program.
aloys: Keep free to play
Stucuk: In game drawing tool like MS Paint to allow players to draw maps and share them in game.
aloys: IC (role play) Mini-games
Marten: More Cyan-driven story
Marten: Better ways to direct players to out-of-game content
Stucuk: Add a LINKS page to the MOUL web site for linking to fan sites
Regnad Kcin01: Content accumulation system (more than just the closet-inventory).
Regnad Kcin01: Currency based economy
1. Regnad Kcin01: RL economic incentives for age and content creation
2. Stucuk: Simple content creation and sharing system, clothes, hair…
3. Lyrositor: Non-RL-economic game tokens currency system
4. Dot: Out-of-game economic/rewards system
5. Lyrositor: Player commendation points – participation acknowledgement
6. Stucuk: Equal opportunity to earn in a currency/token/rewards system
7. Regnad Kcin01: Balance ideas on player and developer retention
8. JWPlatt: Avoid currency and points systems to reduce incentive to hack and abuse game save shard owners headaches
9. nonlinear: Add an external currency (or experience, or reward) system to Uru
darkgriffin: Organized storytelling
darkgriffin: provide better and easier means of telling IC story
dragossh: Extend current ages – Ages were never planned to be ‘finished’ concept.
Stucuk: Have a combined Cyan supervision and fan builder team work to extend Cyan ages
Nalates: More role play props
Nalates: Age builder cooperative play with player IC story items
Nye_Sigismund: Building/story collaboration – OSCAR project @ OpenUru.org (not an email address)
Dot: Experimenting with puzzles in quick prototyping environments like OSGrid
Lyrositor: IC player commendation from DRC conflict for increased role play
TOOO: Better promotion of Uru
Whilyam: Add a game modification system
B'ni Rabbit: A number of ideas:
1. explorer activities
2. explorer projects
3. obtainable (individual/group/Cavern) achievements
4. program stability and bugfixes
5. policing to deal with the idiots
6. resources and tutorials for the budding Writer\
jadawin12: I would like the feeling I'm actively contributing to the Cavern and the Cavern Community cares that I am.
TOOO: Earned access to game areas
nonlinear: Keeping players in game is not necessarily keeping layers in Cavern
Anaerin: Ki to Smartphone Interface
dj_: Better in game hints – hints level to spoiler level
dj_: New KI – revised/improved – add more Offline KI to in game KI
dj_: Jumping puzzles
dj_: Increase limits for larger and more marker games
Nalates: Shorten travel paths for experienced players – by-pass Nexus
Rudolfson: Encourage and applaud voluntary work in voluntary directions.

Stucuk · **Joined:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:41 am **Posts:** 216

Number 25 and 32 are blank Nalates.

Dot · **Joined:** Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:52 am **Posts:** 1015

Perhaps it's a puzzle... 5^2 = 25. 2^5 = 32.

cpt-jericho · **Joined:** Sun Apr 24, 2011 12:36 am **Posts:** 319

Nalates wrote:

[*]mszv: More things to do with reasons and/or rewards for doing them.

I would be satisfied with any new stuff I won't get rewards (ages/clothes/etc.) for. I'm not doing stuff because I want do do unique(tm) stuff but because I want to explore and help.

Nalates wrote:

[*]Charura: Better in-game player helping player.

That's up to all explorers. My experience is that new explorers are too shy to ask for help. Uru is not easy, anyone saying different is telling lies. Maybe a short notice that asking for help is not a shame would suffice.

Nalates wrote:

[*]Stucuk: Adding team oriented ages with a competitive aspect.

All for it. Most current ages are single player mostly (help can speed up things but hardly any more). At least new ages should be easier to solve with a party.

Nalates wrote:

[*]Narameh: Make an egg like gaming room.

But make it multi player, please

Nalates wrote:

[*]Nalates: Direct links to often visited places in-Cavern in our Relto books.

Not strictly against it. Might take out some of the atmosphere, though.

Nalates wrote:

[*]aloys: Better social tools

Good idea, I might be able to supress Buddy messages - getting lots of those recently and those really can interrupt a discussion.

Nalates wrote:

[*]Stucuk: Custom content mall with items for sale (RL $)

That would never see a penny of me.

Nalates wrote:

[*]JWPlatt: Avoid currency and points systems to reduce incentive to hack and abuse game save shard owners headaches

All in for that. I think a currency based system would ruin the game.

Nalates wrote:

[*]Nalates: More role play props

What for? I hardly see any sense in a Dagger of Bahro Misery +1 or a Backpack of Cold Beverages (Jump-1 Fun+2)

Nalates wrote:

[*]program stability and bugfixes
[*]policing to deal with the idiots

Who would I be to object against that? Encountered enough crashes and not very nice explorers...

Nalates wrote:

[*]TOOO: Earned access to game areas

Without KI you can't access some game areas - but I would like to see that concept extended.

Nalates wrote:

[*]Rudolfson: Encourage and applaud voluntary work in voluntary directions.

Everyone voluntarily contributing to Uru earns more than only me applauding. Whatever this contribution looks like (unless it's born of pure malice) I, Captain Jericho, salute you! All you people who ever helped me: I don't forget you! And in the same way people helped me, I try to help others (and I don't do that for applause or any goodies anyone could grant me).

TOOO · **Posted:** Mon Jun 06, 2011 5:02 am

cpt-jericho wrote:

Nalates wrote:

[*]TOOO: Earned access to game areas

Without KI you can't access some game areas - but I would like to see that concept extended.

Actually, I was thinking more in line with The Path of the Shell story. We all know where that leads, so I won't spoil it. It would be interesting to have a series of Ages that - upon solving them - lead to others that lead to Myst Island (and I mean all of it) or even Tomahna (although I doubt that Cyan has rights to it). (I'd like to see where Catherine is buried.)

dj_ · **Joined:** Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:28 pm **Posts:** 146

For fun, and I will guess it won't be so hard to do, add in an ability to dive. When I get stuck on a cliff and have to relto out, I would just as soon dive....... :roll:

Planning Uru

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