Frontier 1859 Interview

Part 1

Logan, 2002-10-08

Frontier 1859 is an MMORPG bringing you to the wild wild west. To learn more about the game we had a lengthy chat with Daniel McMillan who told us all we wanted to know.

RPGDot: What is your name and job title please?

Allow me to introduce Jolene Brumbaugh. She is a design consultant, and also a community support specialist. My name is Daniel McMillan, and I am the founder of a start-up development studio called "Cosmic Origins, LLC",

RPGDot: Is first person point of view fully supported?

"Frontier 1859" is planned to be a first-person game, with scenic and action exemplary camera views.

RPGDot: How customizable is the GUI? Are all of the keys remappable or are there 'fixed keys' (ala AO)?

The GUI will be the most un-obtrusive we can come up with without being useless. I think most people like to be able to remap. Why should a lefty deal with righty key-mapping? Our commitment to the player is "Fresh experiences with simplistic control." You can bet that the GUI will be an ongoing priority, because no game is fun if the GUI gets in the way.

RPGDot: What things are being done to help the newbie? A tutorial like Everquest use to have, etc?

There will be a help system that suggests possible choices for new activity where the choice that needs to be made could directly effects the PC. The whole premise is built around survival in a harsh environment, and that: "there lies treasure in them there hills." That is the way it was.
People risked life and limb for adventure, enterprise, land, and a new life. In a world with limited, but dynamically changing content, we hope to maintain that "newbie feeling," but yet acquire enough skills to survive. That would seem likely to suggest that anytime someone tries something new - they are a newbie. Unlike other games, we really want to encourage everyone to go out, explore the land, and inhabit it. It's risky, but that is the nature of adventure.

RPGDot: How many face models are there for each race (not counting the hair)?

The action-figures will have a variety of characteristics. They will be given top priority. We want to offer just enough variation to lose each other in a crowd, but also stand out when we need to. They can get-wounded, heal, scar, age and eventually expire.

RPGDot: Are there NPCs to interact with? If so, how varied are they? How many character models will there be for release?

When a boom-town reaches a certain size, the NPCs come. They could be anyone from a bum on the street - to a high-roller, to a little old lady with a reward for helping her with a task. Sometimes strangers appear, and "mosey on through." No-one knows what they are looking for. Only they do.

RPGDot: What will be done to keep 'd00dz' from banding together into 'clans' of roaming PK'ers? What will be done for those who don't enjoy PvP (or being stuck in the cities if they don't want to get gacked)? What would you say to people to rid them of the fear that the game will not become a 'gank fest' that drove so many customers away from UO?

First of all, it will be nearly impossible for anyone to get away with murder. The penalties will be too high. Measures will be taken to ensure that no players are engaged in grief-play, or harassment of other players. There will be a time period where new players are able to stay safe from killers/robbers while learning the nuances of the game. A bounty system, and a penalty system will be instituted to encourage the death of killers, and to penalize them severely. For instance, they will not be able to go in certain towns to buy supplies, they will not be able to access former bank accounts, they will be hunted by player posses, as well as NPC lawmen. They might even have their best friend turn on them for the bounty!

RPGDot: Any sort of reputation system built into the game for NPC's? PC's? Is it possible for PC's to get bounties from a game mechanism to go hunt down other PC's who have been naughty?

Reputation is one of the most important flags in "Frontier 1859." The game will keep track of the consequential actions of each player. A sort of in-game conscience (if you will). { It's a very simple equation. If action A = N, then A = Repercussion X, and + Y to Conscience Inventory}.

PC and NPC Reputation has equal access, but some things are flagged only by witnesses present at the scene. Whether or not they were NPCs or PCs determines what they do with that information. Most NPCs are instituted by the town collective. Therefore, most of their reputation is pre-disposed. However, they may make a mistake. They are only human NPCs. ;) An example of an NPC posted bounty would be if a bank was robbed. An example of a PC posted bounty would be someone who were "done wrong" by another PC. That player will most likely post rewards, and/or "work for hire." Opportunities if they can afford it. Not all public bounties will stick without some witnesses or other evidence, but a private bounty is the players own business. Private bounties can lead to privatized power, or "gangs" but word gets' out about "privatized and unlawful activity." Eventually it will turn back upon the perpetrators.

RPGDot: What elements are in place to stop me from buying 2 accounts, 1 Mr. Respectable, and 2 Mr. Reprehensible, and keep my "woods guy" out slaughtering everyone, and use my good guy to resupply?

I'm looking into the opportunities to use this to the advantage of both the player and the game. If it breaks the balance more than supports the fun, then it will not be allowed.

RPGDot: Are there classes? If so, are they the standard fare (warrior, rogue, healer, nuker)?

There will be ethnic races, rather than classes. "Titles" and "dispositions" will attach to your action-figure. PCs will decide on their own, who they will sell too, and who they won't. For instance, as a loose example, not selling certain goods to a "Chinaman" could flag "prejudice" in your "dispositions" inventory if the last 5 Chinamen who wanted to trade with you were rejected.

RPGDot: Conversely, is the game a skill based game, and if so, is there a ceiling in place, so I cannot become the "best at everything" and have very real trade offs to choose?

Yes the game is skill based. PCs build a skill portfolio that gets better (or worse) with use. Every skill has a ceiling in itself. But an ill-equipped skill can be rendered less efficient, just as a best-equipped skill can be more effective. If there are only ten people in a town, and they all have at least "Gunslinger" dispositions, who do you think would draw first? It is part of the balance of power.

For the sake of an example, lets' say that 10 is Master level attained in any skill, but 12 (being Grandmaster) is possible if several conditions are met. Those conditions can be as simple as "no handicaps" to any limbs pertaining to the skillful use case of a particular instrument. In short, there are several modifiers that affect skillful use. This will have an affect on the PC decision making process.

RPGDot: Is combat open ended, like I.C.E.'s system use to be? [I like a PvP system where the uber PK stumbles on someone obviously their inferior, and of course attacks. However due to extraordinary luck (on the order of 1 in 10000) the newbie pierces the PKs eye, killing the foul beast. THIS would make being a PK fun, since you NEVER know if you have a sure win.]

Yes. I think this is the way it should be. It makes for un-predictable results, ushers in a sense of "destiny" and leaves the door open for a more-natural game balance.

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