Question as to how the server architecture will be handled

[Sangius]

Hey primetide (and everyone else reading this thread). I have been wondering how you are going to handle the servers: Will there be different servers for players to choose from? Will there be regional servers? Since JA:O is very close to betastage now, I guess you already thought about it in detail at least for JA:O. The difference is that in JA:O you have mostly premade chars that players can choose between and you already stated that it would be possible for two Ivans to meet on the battlefield. Now, I think it might get more complicated for a RPG: The number of charnames might not be the problems, since you already (I think) announced we would be able to pick a first- as well as a family name plus a char name. That makes it pretty flexible. However, of course if there is just one global server (which I would greatly prefer) there could be, in the end, 20 Sangiuses, which might be a bit inconvenient. On the other hand there is nothing in the P&P game keeping you from picking the same name on several chars / the one of other famous runners. That might be weird for your street-cred but it would be possible (and it creates funny RPG aspects at times too).
The delay, that usually is a pro for regional servers, doesn't matter so much in a turn-based game I suppose. And, of course, maintaining servers in different regions of the world demands much more organizational effort, than having several at a central spot.

[primetide]

our servers will run globally - and names need to be unique, so first sangius to the mark wins. of course sangi_us, san giius and sngs all may have something to say about that

[Decivre]

You should really make it possible for us to reserve our character names before the game comes out. Or at least account names.

You know, now that I think about it, unique character names aren't really a necessity, are they? Shadowrun is all about playing characters with... shall we say "malleable" identities. Character names should be fairly fluid.

Hey, here's an idea. The original Ultima Online allowed there to be an infinite number of characters with the same name. Characters were identified through unique ID numbers that the players never saw (created by the server during character creation). This made it possible that Charlie Keen could create a guild, and not be worried that the other 500 Charlie Keen's could steal it just by logging in. I say use that sort of system.

[Sangius]

Just wanted to say: Calling *shotgun* on Sangius. Hey primetide, I think in general letting people reserve names is not quite fair, buuuut ... what if you include it into the crowd-funding package? Donate a few euro/dollar and you are guaranteed the char/accountname you want ...


I think an identifier, a name, for chars will still be necessary, if only for the social aspect of the game. But maybe it could be indeed changed and not be just the account name used on creation etc.

[Decivre]

I think an identifier, a name, for chars will still be necessary, if only for the social aspect of the game. But maybe it could be indeed changed and not be just the account name used on creation etc.

That's the beauty of the hidden ID value. Adding someone onto your "buddies list" or whatever would last beyond any name changes they might have, and even allow you to differentiate you "Sangius" from some other "Sangius". Sending a message to you via the buddy list ensures it gets to you instead of anyone else. If they decided to have some Habbo Hotel-esque social location where people could meet, your name could show up differently to people who have you on their buddy list. This makes it so that impersonation is largely impossible, but still makes it so that people can have whatever names they like. Besides, it could make for very funny effects. I remember in Ultima that there was a guy who had the name Shadow, and made a career as a PKer that hunted down other characters named Shadow. That kind of fun won't be possible with unique character names.

[primetide]

Just wanted to say: Calling *shotgun* on Sangius. Hey primetide, I think in general letting people reserve names is not quite fair, buuuut ... what if you include it into the crowd-funding package? Donate a few euro/dollar and you are guaranteed the char/accountname you want ...


I think an identifier, a name, for chars will still be necessary, if only for the social aspect of the game. But maybe it could be indeed changed and not be just the account name used on creation etc.

great idea!

[Stahlseele]

Well, at least make sure the official canon names are not available to people, yes?

[Sangius]

But ... but ... my Decker would be named Dexter!

/serious edit: Technically, nothing prevents you from using famous peoples name for your runners. But in the P&P game, the GM can give you a hard time for it through implementing extra reactions from the game surroundings. Might be hard to simulate in a game tho.

[Decivre]

Well, at least make sure the official canon names are not available to people, yes?

This is one of the things that makes me sad about forcing characters to have unique names. I remember in a story I read (might have been non-canon) that stated that Fastjack as a handle tends to fluctuate in popularity. Newbie deckers would take up the handle after hearing about his exploits, and most of them meet a violent end at the hands of deckers trying to prove that they can kill "Fastjack". This things aren't possible when we are forced to have unique names.

Plus, most games that have unique names tend to force players to pick idiotic names. "Oh, hi 'dr4gon'. Lemme guess, 'Dragon' and 'dragon' were already taken, and you were desparate to have your name as 'Dragon', huh? Well, you, 'Dr4gon', 'Dr4g0n' and 'dr4g0n' all look like dumbasses. So does 'Dragon1985' through 'Dragon1996'"

[Sangius]

I agree with Decivre on that.

I just came up with a new question tho:

We already learned that there will be different scenario-hubs. Let's take, as an example, Berlin and Seattle:
If I usually run the Shadows in Berlin, will I be able to switch to Seattle just like that? Obviously, in P&P Shadowrun, most of your connections would become useless (not the matrix-based ones tho ... and your old connections might be able to point you towards new ones if the GM is nice), there would be some costs (travel, etc.) and you might even not be able to take all your equipment with you. I am sure you could simulate that somehow in a MMO, I just wanted to ask where CP stands on this point. I think it would greatly add to the long-term motivation of the players if they could, technically, play missions in all five hubs. Limiting them to just one hub would cut the number of scenarios per char to 20% and might really be a bummer.

[Decivre]

I agree with Decivre on that.

I just came up with a new question tho:

We already learned that there will be different scenario-hubs. Let's take, as an example, Berlin and Seattle:
If I usually run the Shadows in Berlin, will I be able to switch to Seattle just like that? Obviously, in P&P Shadowrun, most of your connections would become useless (not the matrix-based ones tho ... and your old connections might be able to point you towards new ones if the GM is nice), there would be some costs (travel, etc.) and you might even not be able to take all your equipment with you. I am sure you could simulate that somehow in a MMO, I just wanted to ask where CP stands on this point. I think it would greatly add to the long-term motivation of the players if they could, technically, play missions in all five hubs. Limiting them to just one hub would cut the number of scenarios per char to 20% and might really be a bummer.

That would be so awesome to have in the game. Maybe you have to pay for a suborbital flight back to Seattle so you can take missions there. Or to go from Berlin to Tir Na Nog, you have to snag a boat ride (or own a boat). Certain contacts you have back in your old place might carry over (I'm so glad I became buddies with the Mafiya before I came to Moscow!). Others might be a hindrance (don't build up a reputation of working with Aztlan before heading to Amazonia). This sort of thing would be great!

[primetide]

We are thinking about ways to integrate travel and cost without making it too much of a simple "pay to get there" scheme. We will cdertainly have plots that span different cities/regions, but how we will handle travel remains to be seen.

[Stahlseele]

As for the Names thing:
MWO and WOt makes it so that if you register a name on the boards, it's also your in game name.

[Sangius]

I think there are plans for some sort of ingame-forums-integration

[Stahlseele]

I think there are plans for some sort of ingame-forums-integration

Ah, very good.
I'd have been cross if i could not use my handle in game ^^