Plans and ideas for an online version of Might and Magic!

The role-playing games (I-X) that started it all and the various spin-offs (including Dark Messiah).

Is this something that you would consider playing?

Yes
3
25%
As long as it is free
2
17%
No
7
58%
 
Total votes: 12

killah
Leprechaun
Leprechaun
Posts: 4
Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Location: Norway

Plans and ideas for an online version of Might and Magic!

Unread postby killah » 02 Apr 2010, 22:52

For a long time I have been dabbling over the idea of creating something like Might and Magic, but set in a web browser using whatever technology is needed. The plan would be to replicate or clone something similar to Might and Magic 2, 3, 4 and 5 in terms of gameplay and graphics, but keeping it online and of course free.

It would be a massive world, constantly changing, adding new weapons, items, spells, levels, maps, locations, cities and so on periodically, while retaining the scope and replayability of old-school Might and Magic.

Myself I've been coding websites and scripts for over 10 years now, so I have plenty of experience and knowledge, while at the same time being a long-time fan of Might and Magic. I can code in all sorts of languages, specializing in PHP and mySQL, but I would probably need some help with the graphics.

I already know there's a web-based version of Heroes of Might and Magic, so, naturally, that is not something that I want to replicate or remake, but I've never seen anything about Might and Magic.

What I want are ideas, feedback, and if anyone would ever want to play something like this.

User avatar
Macros the Black
Druid
Druid
Posts: 897
Joined: 21 May 2008
Location: Elemental Plane of Air

Unread postby Macros the Black » 02 Apr 2010, 23:12

I don't think I could help in this project, but for the vote I think I'd need more information to know whether this would be something I'd consider worth playing.
Since it's online I would assume that it is supposed to be multiplayer? If so, will there be PvP?
If you play it multiplayer, would you be one character in a party of different players, or would each player play a few different characters? How would you decided where you would walk and such?
If it isn't multiplayer, then why make it a browser game?
As you mention basing it off MM 5 and earlier, will item management and such be the same as in those games, or will it be made easier, more streamlined?
Also since you mentioned earlier MM games as influence, I assume it will be 100% turn based?
You'd think Darkmoor was a ghost town, but instead there's plenty of life among the dead.

killah
Leprechaun
Leprechaun
Posts: 4
Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Location: Norway

Unread postby killah » 02 Apr 2010, 23:25

Macros the Black wrote:I don't think I could help in this project, but for the vote I think I'd need more information to know whether this would be something I'd consider worth playing.
Since it's online I would assume that it is supposed to be multiplayer? If so, will there be PvP?
If you play it multiplayer, would you be one character in a party of different players, or would each player play a few different characters? How would you decided where you would walk and such?
If it isn't multiplayer, then why make it a browser game?
As you mention basing it off MM 5 and earlier, will item management and such be the same as in those games, or will it be made easier, more streamlined?
Also since you mentioned earlier MM games as influence, I assume it will be 100% turn based?

Yes, this would naturally be multiplayer. Regarding PVP, I am not 100% sure of how that would be implemented, but mostly it boils down to if people want PVP or not. I'd have to run a poll regarding this, and if people do want this, then the question is if people want permanent PVP on, or PVP only in the arena.

I assume the most logical solution would be something in-between, PVP in the arena, and in certain higher level territories that could be considered lawless and where anyone can be attacked.

Since I want to keep the M&M feeling, it would naturally be a party-based, where you control 4-5 characters, and where it's turn-based.

Deciding where you could walk is done using the same X, Y system that M&M uses. Naturally you can't walk everywhere, and elements like walls and mountains limits the movement options of the player. Mountainwalk will be a requirement to climb mountains, as well as swimming for travelling in shallow water. I also see a use for the spell Waterwalk here.

I am thinking of a balance between keeping M&M as it was, while adding a few mechanics that makes the game less hassle-free, like, say, a global chest in the tavern where you can store spare items and so on.

Let me know what you think about this. This is merely in the planning stages, and I'm open to any ideas that anyone may have.

User avatar
Talin_Trollbane
Swordsman
Swordsman
Posts: 597
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Location: Up North

Unread postby Talin_Trollbane » 02 Apr 2010, 23:43

so, how will the other players look when you meet them? a group of people? a multi-headed man? and will the armor and weaponry they equipped their party with be visible to you?

M&M party based game online is kinda hard to do, trust me ive heard the idea before.
Ultima, Elder Scrolls and Might and Magic Veteran.

killah
Leprechaun
Leprechaun
Posts: 4
Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Location: Norway

Unread postby killah » 03 Apr 2010, 00:31

Talin_Trollbane wrote:so, how will the other players look when you meet them? a group of people? a multi-headed man? and will the armor and weaponry they equipped their party with be visible to you?

M&M party based game online is kinda hard to do, trust me ive heard the idea before.
All of the technical details regarding all of this isn't something that I've thought too much about.
Right now I'm merely in the process of finding out if it's something that M&M players would play, and what sort of ideas, feedback etc I could get before starting to consider planning all of the technical details.
If enough people want this, I'll create some basic layout sketches, concept art, a list of what features to code in and so on.

User avatar
Mn
Scout
Scout
Posts: 179
Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Location: Moscow, Russia

Unread postby Mn » 03 Apr 2010, 05:29

It seems very interesting. But I'm not completed MM2... On-line battles will be or you'l separate players for fighting together? It will be a game by rules of MM4-5? Sorry my English and sorry I'l can't help you, but grafic - I can do only routine work, at non-profi level.

User avatar
koval321
War Dancer
War Dancer
Posts: 368
Joined: 20 Jan 2008

Unread postby koval321 » 03 Apr 2010, 06:35

Am looking for game resources from m&m 3-5 (wallset, sprites, iface) give me link if you find some during this project. Anyway idea is good, worth try.

User avatar
vladimir-maestro
Genie
Genie
Posts: 1033
Joined: 19 Jun 2008

Unread postby vladimir-maestro » 03 Apr 2010, 08:11

I do not like MM-based game as a browser game!!
In russia we got browser Might and Magic game and it called "Magic"...
it is a browser flash game and is really a crap!!! This colors are so toxic and bright and make eyes to ache (pain).

And my personal opinion - it is impossible to reproduce atmosphere with browser game! You will need alot of graphics there and this will affetc the traffic...so what the difference - browser or client?!
You can contact me here:
maestro_mod@yahoo.com
vladud @ yandex.ru - preferred one
---
Site about MODs: http://www.mmgames.ru
---
if you wish to upload some materials for this site - let me know.

User avatar
GreatEmerald
CH Staff
CH Staff
Posts: 3330
Joined: 24 Jul 2009
Location: Netherlands

Unread postby GreatEmerald » 03 Apr 2010, 09:27

I like the general idea, but I don't like the amount of effort that must be added to complete a project like that... I fear that it would die unfinished like MMT and other projects. And Maestro is right in a sense, if you can create a multiplayer game, why not recreate an SP game with an option to play online? That would also give hotseat opportunity which is always good.

Rebirth of XEEN comes to mind:
http://www.rebirthofxeen.com/files/
Too bad I can't test it, it won't run on this PC.

EDIT: Nevermind, it does work. Pretty impressive, too, basically an almost working recreation of WoX.

User avatar
Talin_Trollbane
Swordsman
Swordsman
Posts: 597
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Location: Up North

Unread postby Talin_Trollbane » 03 Apr 2010, 13:17

did they die too, btw? their webpage dont work anymore.
Ultima, Elder Scrolls and Might and Magic Veteran.

killah
Leprechaun
Leprechaun
Posts: 4
Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Location: Norway

Unread postby killah » 03 Apr 2010, 13:19

vladimir-maestro wrote:I do not like MM-based game as a browser game!!
In russia we got browser Might and Magic game and it called "Magic"...
it is a browser flash game and is really a crap!!! This colors are so toxic and bright and make eyes to ache (pain).

And my personal opinion - it is impossible to reproduce atmosphere with browser game! You will need alot of graphics there and this will affetc the traffic...so what the difference - browser or client?!
Do you have a link to that game?
Also, it doesn't have to be graphics heavy, if it's easier, I could make a top-down RPG like Wizard's eye type of map instead of first person.

User avatar
jeff
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3741
Joined: 06 Jan 2006

Unread postby jeff » 03 Apr 2010, 16:29

You know there may be enough players out there, but I may not one of them. I need to play at times of my choosing and not when enough are available. Though I have a reliable internet connection, I frequently play on my laptop when a connection is not available. I sincerely wish you good luck if you decide to go that path.
Mala Ipsa Nova :bugsquash:

User avatar
vladimir-maestro
Genie
Genie
Posts: 1033
Joined: 19 Jun 2008

Unread postby vladimir-maestro » 03 Apr 2010, 16:45

killah wrote:
vladimir-maestro wrote:I do not like MM-based game as a browser game!!
In russia we got browser Might and Magic game and it called "Magic"...
it is a browser flash game and is really a crap!!! This colors are so toxic and bright and make eyes to ache (pain).

And my personal opinion - it is impossible to reproduce atmosphere with browser game! You will need alot of graphics there and this will affetc the traffic...so what the difference - browser or client?!
Do you have a link to that game?
Also, it doesn't have to be graphics heavy, if it's easier, I could make a top-down RPG like Wizard's eye type of map instead of first person.
Will dissapoint you!!! This game was created about 30+ year ago...about 1978+ in some amerian university...

Theory of this game was called "MUD" (multi user dungeon). It is, as you said, map-oriented fantasy game with online gaming and instantly-generated dungeons with random stuff in them. So i do not feel difference in that old game and idea of recreate it...why if this old one exists till now and popular in sertaing communities?!

Here is some information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD2
You can contact me here:
maestro_mod@yahoo.com
vladud @ yandex.ru - preferred one
---
Site about MODs: http://www.mmgames.ru
---
if you wish to upload some materials for this site - let me know.

User avatar
Macros the Black
Druid
Druid
Posts: 897
Joined: 21 May 2008
Location: Elemental Plane of Air

Unread postby Macros the Black » 03 Apr 2010, 17:22

Yes, this would naturally be multiplayer. Regarding PVP, I am not 100% sure of how that would be implemented, but mostly it boils down to if people want PVP or not. I'd have to run a poll regarding this, and if people do want this, then the question is if people want permanent PVP on, or PVP only in the arena.

I assume the most logical solution would be something in-between, PVP in the arena, and in certain higher level territories that could be considered lawless and where anyone can be attacked.
I would say considering the amount of people that would play this will likely (at least at first) not be very much, and also the type of game MM has always been was where you decide your own pace.. Open PvP could restrict this, and I feel it would be better if it was a choice the player could make (e.g. only in a certain place/game mode). This is just my opinion, however.
Since I want to keep the M&M feeling, it would naturally be a party-based, where you control 4-5 characters, and where it's turn-based.

Deciding where you could walk is done using the same X, Y system that M&M uses. Naturally you can't walk everywhere, and elements like walls and mountains limits the movement options of the player. Mountainwalk will be a requirement to climb mountains, as well as swimming for travelling in shallow water. I also see a use for the spell Waterwalk here.
My question about where you'd decide to go was more meant for if you wanted everyone to play one character in a party of multiple players. Since each player plays his/her own party this is obviously not a problem.

However, this does raise the question of what players can do together, aside from PvP or trading? Would there be challenges that could only be overcome by multiple parties fighting together? In this regard I must agree with someone else in this thread who mentioned it might be better as a single player game with the option of online. However, since projects like these already exist obviously yours would be no different then. So I guess if you find a way to make the whole multiplayer thing interesting it's a good idea... If you want to make it multiplayer there should be benefits or a reason to want to play multiplayer. Otherwise it would still feel like you are playing alone...
You'd think Darkmoor was a ghost town, but instead there's plenty of life among the dead.

User avatar
GreatEmerald
CH Staff
CH Staff
Posts: 3330
Joined: 24 Jul 2009
Location: Netherlands

Unread postby GreatEmerald » 03 Apr 2010, 21:03

Talin_Trollbane wrote:did they die too, btw? their webpage dont work anymore.
Possibly. The last update is January last year.

User avatar
Queen Hera
Pixie
Pixie
Posts: 104
Joined: 29 Jun 2006
Location: Australia

Unread postby Queen Hera » 04 Apr 2010, 01:49

[quote="jeff"]You know there may be enough players out there, but I may not one of them. I need to play at times of my choosing and not when enough are available. I sincerely wish you good luck if you decide to go that path.[/quote]

Your taking on a hugh task killah but as Dr. Robert Anthony says (whoever he is):

"Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will."
~ Dr. Robert Anthony

Good luck :)

User avatar
GrayFace
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 1660
Joined: 29 Nov 2005

Unread postby GrayFace » 04 Apr 2010, 19:02

I don't like to play in browser. I voted No, but maybe I will play it if it's good enough and free. I haven't played MM1-5. The thing that comes to my mind is The Legend of Erthia. Its MM style fights would fit well for PvP.
My patches: MM6 MM7 MM8. MMExtension. Tools. Also, I love Knytt Stories and Knytt Underground. I'm also known as sergroj.

Jymbob
Peasant
Peasant
Posts: 71
Joined: 25 Jan 2010

Unread postby Jymbob » 05 Apr 2010, 16:40

I resonly returned to the Might and Magic series after a 10 year break.
In 7 of those 10 years I played NeverwinterNight (Nwn) online.
No matter how you make a MM-online set-up it will have many elements equal to Nwn.
In Nwn I was involved in: Playing, DMing, Scribting and spending hundreds of hours at the forums.
I think you know but if you dont let me tell you:
If this idear is going to have a chance of being a great online game you need a team of dedicated helpers and you and that team need to spend months and months of scribting and creating all that is needed.
When your finally finished you need to maintain and develop the game even further cause the players will come to you with demands for various improvements.
And the players will come to you with complains for illegal PKP'ing, stealing, cheating and the like.
There is some rewards and satisfactions in creating something that others appreciate but most days all the constant complaning will sadly overshadow this.
Well, this is of course just my opinion and I wish you all the best luck. I have often thought of creating the MM6 in a Nwn world, it would be much easier but of course not the same, and for the next months work takes up most my time...But as I said: Good luck with the project :)


Return to “Might and Magic”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 43 guests