DesignDocument
From EternalRealms
Contents |
Technical Notes:
Easily run your own server:
Eternal Realms is a game codebase. This means that it is designed such that people may download the server, customize it easily, and run their own game. They would then instruct players to download a client and connect to the server. A wide variety of themes and game styles are available with no or minimal code changes.
Supported Operating Systems:
Eternal Realms is written in Java 1.5. Both the client and server can be run in any operating system with a Java virtual machine. In fact, Eternal Realms is developed across Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows XP.
Expandability:
Eternal Realms features a plug-in like system where a game administrator can simply drop class files (that implement a certain interface) into a folder and the server will add these new commands. Furthermore, the code is designed to be modular so that administrators may easily make changes to make their game unique.
Open Source:
We are dedicated to providing Eternal Realms as an open source product. Without the support of other open source software, Eternal Realms would have never made it!
We encourage people to use Eternal Realms code in other open source projects and create forks or derivatives of the project. Please keep us informed so all can benefit from your improvements!
Eternal Realms borrows a lot of ideas, both gameplay and code related from other quality open source games.
Gameplay Goals
Player Guided Creation and Worldly Interaction:
One primary focus of the engine is to provide the means for players to create their own world. The first visitors might be dropped into a nearly uninhabited wilderness. They will learn the skills to construct their homes. At their option, they may form guilds, cities, or nations. By not imposing a specific structure on these player groups, they will have the option to handle themselves by whatever means they desire- to their benefit or detriment.
Gameplay:
Individuals may take roles doing just about anything. A player could become rich as a farmer and a trader. Other people may choose to run cities. Still others might desire to hunt small game or much bigger monsters for materials used by crafters. An open and classless system allows players to adjust to their own playing style without being stuck having to always play a specific role (for example, healing).
Combat will be strategy based and engaging. The idea is to allow players with some degree of skill and knowledge to succeed in an interactive combat system. The combat system has been planned and discussed in depth " on the forum. Please contribute ideas there.
Questing:
People can create their own quests. For example, I might offer 50 gold to anyone who brings me 100 logs. This will be great for me, since I'm building a fort. The people who accept this task might split the 50 gold with a warrior who would fend off the forest critters.
Advancement:
To allow for maximum flexibility, a wide variety of skills will be avaliable
in an skill tree. Skills high on the tree would require that certain
prerequisite skills be attained. For example, the backstab skill might require
sneak at 70% and dagger at 50%.
This encourages players to choose a focus as they develop their skills.
