WoT as a computer game?

[StudentJoe]

About three months ago me and some friends of mine where talking about what computer games we could play. We where getting tired of the ones we where playing at the time, a few of us suggested the LOTR games that are coming out, someone else said to bad there isn’t a Wheel of Time game or MMO.

 

Now I am a college student going for my bachelors in Game Art and Design. I got to thinking and decided to first do some research to find out if one was planned and so far I have not. Well I recently started writing up a GDD, (Game Design Document) I had planned on sending it to MR. Jordan completely finished, but even reading the series several times as I have I still don’t see the whole picture myself so I felt I should talk to other fans on the series and this seems the best place. I understand Mr. Jordan visits the site and posts so I will probably find out if I should just stop or if we should see where this all goes.

 

There are a hundred things that need to be added and thought of, for the most part it will be two fold. A Story Mode that will take the player through the series book by book, allowing them to play each moment they read about. The other would be a MMO but I don’t know weather to put it at some time during the third age, there are plenty of wars to base a hundred stories off of, the Age of Legends and the War of Power, or create something in the fourth age. Using a clean slate and basing it off what happens in the pervious ages.

 

Perhaps it has been brought up before and shot down, or perhaps someone else was given the go ahead if either is the case ill stop this all now, but if not I want to continue, there are plenty of independent companies as well as a few larger ones that might take this on if it is brought to them.

 

I want to here your thoughts and idea, what you would like to see, both the large and small. In what would you like to see and in what way would you like to see something implemented. I will post the general mechanics in a few days.

 

Anyone who helps with concept art, Ideas, and anyone that helps will receive mention in both the document and credits should this ever come to fruition.

 

No platform has been single out though I perfer computer myself.

[Arath Faringal]

There actually was a FPS WoT game that came out several years ago. It was based long after the breaking, long before book time. It wasn't a terribly good game (you played an Aes Sedai who can't channel ... please ...), and wasn't very popular, but it was tried.

 

But I always thought the best way to do a WoT game would be MMO style. RJ says he won't wrap up all the storylines, so I see a lot of possiblities for fourth age gameplay. Its possible that a few forsaken will be around leading whats left of the shadowspawn armies around . . . lots of fun.

[Werthead]

As well as the existing FPS game (which was okay, not great) there was also a mod for Rome: Total War which would have allowed the player to take control of one of the fourteen nations of the west and battled to dominate the continent. It was looking promising, but it was put on hold because too many people who were working on it dropped out. There's still some minor activity whch can be followed at this location.

[HoppyQ]

I would buy it if something came out. I think it would be almost impossible to completely follow the story line. Even something based on a quest type program, like Diablo II, would be pretty cool. Maybe a search to find all seven seals and then break them and face the DO.

[O.o Jack K5 o.O]

an mmo where you are Aes Sedai that can channel would be cool. could have attributes that are the 5 types of weaves. if you're playing a male character, increasing your fire or earth would take one point, but air and water would require two. vise versa for females. spirit is equal btwn the two so either one or two, however balances it better. you can then learn particular weaves, but dependant on what your attributes look like.

 

The game could require that each character spend some time as a novice. It'd be the intro to the game. teach the player a few weaves, give them a few levels in xp, do some simple quests, and after completion, they get to choose their ajah, which could grant particular bonuses.

 

Could set up a few other attributes to help determine HP and "MP"(some point that if reached the channeler burns themself out. There could be a bar that shows how much longer you can channel before burnout, and at 90% or some such it turns red to indicate you should probably stop now. If you burn out your character, you have to start over, but if they die, then some "ter'angreal" or some such can rez them. Obviously angreal, and sa'angreal would be available, and could reduce the amount of "MP" used by each weave. Could even have the connecter angreal to the giant statues as a super rare item available on higher ups. I wouldnt go so far as to say it is completely unique, because that would be unfair, but ultra rare.

 

also, an attribute or stat or whatever for channeling detection. if its low, then you cannot detect people channeling as easily. if its high enough it'd make people glow through solid objects.

 

There could also be a point where the player can choose to turn to the dark. They'd have a completely different set of quests, and a TG scenario could be set up for mass pvp.

 

The biggest problem I see with making a good WoT game is that it'll probably need WoW's production budget.

 

On a final note: these ideas are mine, but are "open source" I suppose. If anyone has the ambition, and recources to create the game, and wishes to use them is more than welcome. I just want to play it.

 

Could start it out as a MUD and progress from there, if people like it.

[StudentJoe]

Several points in there i was already working but you expanded on them.

 

As for learning, I am thinking that a should someone wish to take up any line of work, soldier, Aes Sedai, or what ever would have to go to some place to train.

Should a women go to the white tower they may find them selves left there to complete quest, should the leave they would become a run away if they escape they can go where they will unless they are captured by a Aes Sedai NPC or player.

If a player completes the quest set for them they will move up in rank of what ever occupation they chose.

 

My current problem is how to decide if someone can channel, if I do a random roll for each character made that would keep the levels down. As most people that read the books will want to be able to channel, but it would disappoint many people. If everyone was aloud to train the world would be over populated with people channeling. Like I said so many things to think about to tweak.

[Arath Faringal]

If it was an MMO game I don't think you'd have a problem with too many channelers. With most MMO's you don't have an overload of one class. People like to be diverse. There would be just as many people running around as thieves or whitecloaks as channelers.

 

Or channeling classes could be much more complex and difficult to play, requiring a much finer hand in how you develop your character. Make large cost/benefit ratios in specialization. For example, if a channeler wants to be a healer, they will take a big hit in some talent trees, while maybe gaining a few bonuses in others. Others perhaps someone wants a researcher who gets bonuses with ter'angreal and other artifacts, but they will be less effective at healing and combat. Maybe someone could spec in two opposed trees and have virtually no skill in anything else.

 

In my experience, if you complicate something enough, you steer people away from it :)

 

From what I've seen of just people on these message boards, there is enough difference of opinion and taste to make it work. Many would make Aiel warriors, just for a chance to kill some foolish wetlanders. Some people would make a Whitecloak, just because they hate Aes Sedai and would want to kill them. Whitecloaks might even have some sort of bonus against channelers. Ogier tree singers, Borderland warder, Domani merchants . . .

 

And just think of possible expansions into Seanchan, Shara, Land of the Madmen . . . maybe even a portal stone world. Limitless possiblity. But like Jack said, you probably need a WoW style budget for something that big.

[StudentJoe]

to go truly in-depth you would need a WoW style budget. But it all starts here with the brain storms and the GDD's and other thing that you convince the big companies to market in.

And if nothing else it will be there and hopefully with a stamp of approval so one day myself, or another will have the money to make it come true. WOT will be ones for the ages much like LOTR is, even if its not for twenty years people will still play it.

And maybe Blizzard can be convinced to take it on as there next MMO after warcraft dies down again. (I shudder the thought but still)

[StudentJoe]

Sorry I didn't get back to this, finals are bogging me down. Though I found a article on the Blog written by RJ, saying that e has a company that was going to make a MMO style game out of the series, but the company was taken over and the new owner decided to go with something else.

[Guest Segurant]

Several groups have tried to create a WoTMMO but could never get the rights to do so.

 

Once RJ gives the rights I'm sure a Wot MMO will come out.