SmallWorlds Blog
Game On!
May 29th, 2009 - SmallWorlds Chronicle
Hello, SmallWorlds citizens, I’m Johnny Wilde. I’ve just joined the team here at SmallWorlds, and when they showed me around the Game Development area, here’s the first thing I overheard:
Developer 1: “Run… run…. RUUUNNN!!! he’s after you!”
Artist 5: “I’m going as quick as my suit will let me… man, I wish I had more speed!”
Developer 4: “Woohoo! Come on you guys, we’re nearly at the flag!! I think we’re gonna do it!”
What was going on? Not a mission, that’s for sure. I discovered that the development team have been going hard the last few weeks, testing out some new team games. That’s right, Player Versus Player Gaming is coming very soon to SmallWorlds!
Game ArenasThe art team told me they haven’t just been helping test the new games. They’ve also been busy creating some awesome new Game Arenas. Check out this one below - it’s a mining outpost on Planet Zehara. That looks like one mean planet; see the molten lava?
Wanna Bet?When the new games are launched, you’ll be able to have a wager on who wins. Believe me, it’ll make you run extra fast and play extra hard if you’ve got gold or tokens riding on the game! The spoils will be divided up between the winning team members. Yep, it’s Game On - and may the best team win!
When you arrive at a Game Arena, you’ll first join a team, the bet will be decided and then you’ll be teleported to the Game Arena. You’ll have a team color so you can easily see who’s on your side.
How Fast and Healthy are You?Before now, avatar attributes haven’t been that important to SmallWorlds gameplay. Sure, it’s been cool to be able to zap around faster than some of your friends, but when you’re racing to capture that flag, suddenly your Speed and Health attributes become really useful!
Avatar attributes are going to be your new best friends when you’re in a Game Arena. As well as extra speed, certain wearables will give you protection against spells which could be cast on you during gameplay, depending on the game you’re playing.
Speed and Health will be key when playing Capture the Flag, or some of the other games that are coming out soon. Before joining the game, you’ll want to take a look through your wearables, to make sure you’re wearing something that will increase your speed attributes - your team will love you for it!
What Kinds of Games are Coming?There will be several basic game rulesets, which will produce a wide variety of fun and challenging games. From v2.0 onwards, new arenas with different scenarios will be introduced every week or so, so you’ll always have something cool to play!
The basic game rulesets are:
Capture The Flag - Teams score points by retrieving a flag (or item) and returning it to another place on the map.
Tag - The game is to tag other players if you are “it”.
Elimination - Teams must try to eliminate all the players on the other team.
Domination - Teams must try to control certain points on a map.
Search and Destroy - One team must attempt to perform a task at a certain point on the map, and the other team must try to stop them.
Ball Games - Similar to tag, but the point is to try and be “it” and to score for your team.
Some examples of actual Game Arenas are:Run Zombie Run!
This is a game based on the Capture The Flag ruleset. Each team starts in a graveyard, and must go and retrieve the souls of their ancestors back from an angry god. Each team has a different destination, but their paths cross in the middle, making for mischief and mayhem. When a team member collects a soul from their god, they are transformed into a zombie.
As you know, zombies aren’t the fastest guys in town, and so their team must protect them while they shuffle back to the graveyard. If the zombie is hit by the other team, then the soul is returned to the god, and the player is teleported back to the graveyard to start again. All sorts of other twists make this game both hilariously funny, but also requiring great team tactics to win.
Paintball
Paintball is based on the Elimination ruleset. Team tactics play a big part in this game, along with good weaponry (a variety of paintball weapons will be available). Physical puzzles will make the game more intense, forcing teams to work together to trap and eliminate the other team.
Of course, Paintball can also be used in other styles of gameplay, like Capture The Flag, Domination and Search and Destroy.
Gridiron Stadium
Fancy a game of American Football? Pass the ball, block, tackle, and score that touchdown! Team positions and tactics will play a big part in winning, as well as speed, so you’d better start working towards that Level 50 Jetpack you always wanted.
When Will They Be Here?
The new Arena Games will be part of the V2.0 release. Yes, you heard it here first! The V2.0 release is a real beauty, and it’s due in late June. Over the next couple of weeks Kent and Honesty will be dishing up on what other cool stuff will be in the next release. Trust me, you’re going to love it![/color]
Earn XP While You PlayThe new Arena Games will earn you XP points while you play. And of course, the more XP you have, the faster and better the wearables you can buy. So - just like in real life - lots of practice really will help you play better.
I Can’t Wait!I’m totally amped! If you’re anything like me, now you know what’s coming up, you just can’t wait to get into it. Well, I’m spending the time getting prepped so when the Arena Games arrive, I’m ready!
Here’s what I’m doing right now:Carbo loading (Pizza at Al’s Diner does the trick)
Levelling up and saving up for a super-fast jet-pack
Looking out for some team mates who are doing exactly the same thing!
Catch you all in a Game Arena in June.
- Johnny Wilde
PS. I know you’re wondering who I am and why it’s not Kent or Honesty bringing you this report. To find out more about me, check out the SmallWorlds Facebook page. And don’t forget to become a Fan of SmallWorlds while you’re there.
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Topic: 5/28/2009 Game On! (Read 6691 times)