Creation of an Administrator or Game Master Mode

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Apr 23, 2017 19:25

Subject: Creation of an Administrator or Game Master Mode

Eikonoklastes

Messages: 46,
Joined: Jan 24, 2016,
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With all the various projects that Xavi is furiously working on implementing (e.g., the advertisement system), it feels a tad selfish to keep putting new ideas onto the forums. Even if they are good ideas, they ultimately create a giant mountain of work that may never be fully surmounted. That being said, new ideas and concepts are what allow all projects to continue flourishing, so I thought I’d post one of my more ambitious notions.

While some may consider my declaration to be premature, Uniwar has, in fact, entered a sort of golden age of productivity. New and exciting maps are coming out on a fairly regular basis (setting aside for the time being the numerous challenges surrounding the issues of balance and map ranking), and several players have taken the concept of multiplayer games in new directions. Most noticeable are UW-Sandman’s The Grand War and Angkor’s UNIWAR Role-Play Campaign (EVR1022 Pro-Tournament also shows promise, but it is an entirely different beast). Both UW-Sandman and Angkor are using the forum and in-game chat system to create new gaming dynamics, and those taking part in their projects appear to enjoy and appreciate their efforts. Unfortunately, the current structure and restrictions of the gaming system limit what they and others can ultimately pull off. They are, after all, ultimately confined to the passive role of the observer in many of these games/campaigns, and must depend entirely on the good will of the participants to ensure that things run smoothly.

Admittedly, it may very well be that the abovementioned limitations are what allow UW-Sandman, Angkor, and various others to be so creative; that is, by endeavoring to work around said restrictions, they are able to come up with new and innovative approaches. However, even the most creative of individuals have their limitations and if additional progress is to be made in the arena of custom games and events, then it might be time to consider adding to the number of options available when creating a game. Specifically, I would like to argue for the development of an “administrator” mode.

The basic idea is fairly simple. Rather than having to insert themselves into the game as a non-active third party (e.g., by surrendering at the start of the game), the person who creates the game would be able to watch over it as a sort of moderator. This would, among other things, allow the administrator to keep tabs on all aspects of the game from beginning to end. Taking this a step further, the administrator would be allowed to control/manipulate aspects of the game that are currently outside of any player’s control. For example, he/she could double the amount of credits a player receives for a turn, or could temporarily lock out certain units (e.g., player two could suddenly find him/herself unable to create blaster units for the next two turns). The administrator could be given other powers/abilities as well. That being said, the administrator should not have complete control over all aspects of the game. For example, he/she should probably not be allowed to manipulate the random number generator.

Please keep in mind that this mode would have to be deliberately selected by the person creating the game, and that all games played in this mode would have to be unrated. After all, the goal here is not to create unnecessary pain or hardship for any member of the Uniwar community. Instead, the idea is to add increased flexibility so that players can create more detailed and contextualized gaming events. Looking at it another way, what I am ultimately advocating for is mode of game play in which one player can take on the role of GM or DM (Game Master or Dungeon Master for those unfamiliar with RPGs like Dungeon and Dragons). This would allow for “random events” to be inserted into a game without having to rely on the good will of the players involved.

I cannot imagine how much actual work would be required to implement such a system, and it is entirely possible that this notion may ultimately prove to be unfeasible; however, I nonetheless believe that this idea has a lot of potential and is worthy of serious consideration. And as always, the thoughts and opinions of others are warmly welcomed.

Apr 25, 2017 03:45

Subject: Re:Creation of an Administrator or Game Master Mode

uw-sandman

Messages: 99,
Joined: Mar 07, 2014,
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Idk why Noone has responded to this yet but it is an option I am certainly hoping for. While I wouldn't ask that it be as complex as my war I am sure that with a simple system in place I can work within the constraints to make a war happen easier. Something along the lines of being able to have matches automatically arranged by certain criteria would be cool. I know that it was in discussion and slated for addition but exactly how remains a mystery.. and yes, we know sims, other additons have priority

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Apr 25, 2017 03:46

May 01, 2017 15:01

Subject: Re:Creation of an Administrator or Game Master Mode

Angkor

Messages: 146,
Joined: Mar 27, 2016,
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It's a great idea and would be very useful in further creation of private players tournaments and happenings

But I have a very little hope it will happen even if xavi has finally more time, it seems very distant from the mainstream direction the game is going, and 90% users won't have any benefit from it probably...

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