The MMORPG within the MMORPG: Part 1
by Alphaville Herald on 05/09/04 at 9:28 pm
While TSO remains all atitter over the fact that EA has introduced a new server/city (Dianastan, or Tigger Town, or Dragons Hangnail or whatever it is), Second Life had the idea that people should be able to buy their own servers in the SL grid (avatars can actually move between servers freely in SL) and be given the tools to terraform the land as they please. I recently bought my own simulator since I?ve joined the simcast project as a business partner and game dev. We now have two servers/simulators (with more projected) on which we are building a medieval themed, PvP game with D&D quest elements in them. In other words, we are building a scalable MMORPG *inside* of Second Life. My server was lit up a couple days ago and initially the land was as flat as a billiard table. I thought you all might like to see what a couple days of terraforming can do. We will keep you posted on this project as it develops. Question is, what happens to Uri when *he* becomes a game god??? (First rule of my TOS: No EA employees!)
My first visitors. And they are Vikings! Not good.
Current plan is for the simulators off of SimCast to be campaign specific. My simulator — Bedford — is rougly based on the plot and time period of the Old English epic Beowulf (yes, complete with Grendel and his mom). In the distance you can see the Mead Hall, where several thanes bite it.
A look inside the Mead Hall. So far it’s a half-assed attempt at historical accuracy (7th century Saxony). Time constraints prevent me from unleashing my anal retentiveness in all its glory.
There are a couple of paths through the Bedford mountain range into SimCast territory. In the fullness of time, brave thanes will uses these passes to cross into SimCast and kick the asses of those historically indifferent pimply moma’s boys (and grrrrls). They do have a nice dragon infested volcano though.
Linden trees are always a nice touch.
Version 1.5 of SL allows selecting textures of the land itself in addition to terraforming. I went with a nice geographic granite texture in the mountains.
The mountains offer nice vantage points for observing the enemy. Here Uri looks down at the SimCast castle built by Grim Hathor. This castle is where the SimCast pussies will cower in fear and swap their proto-post-pubescent phantasies about Britney Spears’ little sister.
Uff Da! The viking invaders from mountain view.
The SimCast volcano again. That is where SimCast geeks teleport in and buy their lame-ass weapons, and where they go to lick their wounds when they get their pimply butts kicked.
Up high in the Bedford mountains you just might find the altar. Dagnabit! I hate it when they don’t clean up after a human sacrifice! Some manners please?
But the best thing about Second Life is that after a hard day of terraforming (or kicking the butts of SimCast pussies) you can always chill in the Mead Hall with an Elite Dancer like Miravoir Psaltry…
miravoir
Sep 6th, 2004
my new skin photographs so well. *laughs*
Liz
Sep 6th, 2004
I’ve had a few peeks at this and Uri has got something really great here, can’t wait to see it all
urizenus
Sep 6th, 2004
Liz u just like it cuz of the dungeon (not shown here because, well, this is a family newspaper!)
toy
Sep 6th, 2004
I had a nice visit there yesterday, thanks for the short tour of it Uri
toy
Sep 6th, 2004
I had a nice visit there yesterday, thanks for the short tour of it Uri
Father Callahan
Sep 6th, 2004
Family Newspaper….yes this has wholesome family moral, and values….*runs off and laughs*
Dyerbrook
Sep 6th, 2004
Looks like you just copied A Tale in the Desert, which just opened a beta for ATITD II BTW. And can you hotkiss or cuddle with Miravoir yet, Uri?
urizenus
Sep 6th, 2004
Yes its just like ATITD except that I forgot the desert! Actually, like I said, I copied Beowulf. Can I cuddle with Miravoir??? Heck no, that foreplay aint for us. We go straight to the virtual baby making.
unhygienix
Sep 8th, 2004
Please, to keep babies in box, when they come.
Miroku Neville
Sep 8th, 2004
Just goes to show how lame old men are to seek sexual refuge in games,pfft
Urizenus
Sep 8th, 2004
Yah, terraforming mountains is virtual viagra…
Oh sweet sexual refuge in those undulating pixilated mounds of virtual granite…
ian
Sep 8th, 2004
i think she is talking about the last picture, and if that your wording, than arent the avatars “undulating pixilated” ?
Urizenus
Sep 8th, 2004
pixels is pixels I guess.