[Suggestion] The Sanctuary

[Konnstruct]

I came up with this idea while comparing Warframe with other MMOs. I thought about quality, playability, all that jazz, but when I thought about the social aspect, I realized it was very lacking (especially for those who aren't forum-goers).

The Sanctuary is the "everything" hub for the game. Here you can meet other players (possibly making separate channels so that it doesn't get too crowded), create parties, launch missions, and even visit physical representations of the Market, Foundry, Inventory, etc. I've always imagined The Sanctuary as a Dojo or Asian-themed Temple.

The Town Square

This isn't an "official" location, but it the the place everyone spawns in, and is certain to be the main social hub of the sanctuary.

The House of Commerce

This large building is the place where players can trade. I am not here to actually discuss trading/Auction Houses themselves, those are in other threads, this is just the place where all that would happen (and where an auction house would be located).

The Dojo

The white tutorial and rank-up expanse we are all familiar with, or an actual dojo. Here players can test new abilities and equipment or practice tactics with others on dummies or on actual enemies. Players here cannot drop below one (1) health and have infinite energy, but are otherwise affected normally by enemy attacks. Players will obviously not recieve any items or affinity.

The Bazaar

This is the NPC area of The Sanctuary. Here you can interact with buildings that represent the functions on the top of the main screen. There is an Armory (Arsenal), Shop (Market), and a futuristic Blacksmith (Foundry). This should only be implemented if these options are removed from the top of the screen (or just have both for aesthetics).

The Situation Room

This is where The Lotus is located (or not, if the devs prefer to keep her anonymous). This circular room is initially mainly empty with the four blue circles seen in the main menu arranged as they normally are. This room allows you to access your Arsenal, Contacts, Market, and Foundry (whether by buttons on the top or physical 'booths'). Players 'Ready Up' by moving onto one of the empty blue circles and squatting as seen currently. When all players are 'Readied Up', the room will transform (via holograms) into the main solar system display that we currently know and love.

Another thing that would make the situation room (and the entire game, for that matter) very interesting is that it could have all the 'storyline' aspects of the game in terms of interactions with The Lotus and potentially other characters upon the starting and ending of missions. But the game obviously needs a well-told plotline first. Simply having a basic backstory and a couple of "Oh, good job for killing this guy"s obviously won't allow that sort of involved storyline.

Edited February 9, 2013 by FrydHamstr

[Wiawyr]

This isn't an MMO, it's a cooperative online action game. Also, "Sanctuary" has got to be the most over-used cliched city name in video game history, right next to "Sanctum", "Bastion", and "Refuge".

[Konnstruct]

This isn't an MMO, it's a cooperative online action game. Also, "Sanctuary" has got to be the most over-used cliched city name in video game history, right next to "Sanctum", "Bastion", and "Refuge".

Really? I've played quite a bit of MMOs, and almsot all of them use "Haven" or "Nexus"

Well, anyway, if not a city, things like the dojo and situation room can still be used.

Edited January 16, 2013 by FrydHamstr

[Wiawyr]

Really? I've played quite a bit of MMOs, and almsot all of them use "Haven" or "Nexus"

Well, anyway, if not a city, things like the dojo and situation room can still be used.

But I didn't limit it to MMOs, I was referring to all video games in all genres.

[Konnstruct]

But I didn't limit it to MMOs, I was referring to all video games in all genres.

Guess I'll read more carefully next time.

Besides, who says it HAS to be called 'Sanctuary'. I just figured it fit in with the Asian Temple theme.

[RyanGo]

The problem I see with the town square is that there would be too many players in one place. I'm not sure warframe was the performance capacity for even more than a dozen players in one place, they only limit us to four.

Apart from that, a training place is something I'd love to have. Cliched names aside, there are a lot of good ideas here.

[Konnstruct]

The problem I see with the town square is that there would be too many players in one place. I'm not sure warframe was the performance capacity for even more than a dozen players in one place, they only limit us to four.

Apart from that, a training place is something I'd love to have. Cliched names aside, there are a lot of good ideas here.

Yeah, I can see where you are coming from, but most high-end MMOs I've seen, take Vindictus for example, have about a hundered channels so that everyone isnt up each other's scrotum.

[XAN3MK]

Orokin Tower anyone?

[Zakalwe]

The problem is the p2p network. We'd need deidcated servers to have populated hub areas, unless we have a starting area like in Dungeon Defenders.

I also think we have to be careful to not ruin the tone of the game. As much as I like social options in video games, I'm not for the idea of hub areas full of dancing Tenno...

Edited January 16, 2013 by Zakalwe

[CapricaSix]

Nice trivial addition. Made me think of Phantasy Star Online :P ..maybe they could even merge these lobbies with the mission selection screen. You could talk and invite people to your party, and pick missions together, instead of jumping into a random public game.

I don't think having 40-50 people in one place would affect the performance too much though since the customisation consists of warframe types and different colours.

[XAN3MK]

Hell, now that I think about it, this could all be done within some sort of lobby where we will have people gather in different chat channels and if there is ever to be a trading system, it could be done through such interface. It would still require a server to maintain it, but it would have a lot smaller requirements than a full flaged areas that should be supporting the presence of thousand of people at any given time.

[Zakalwe]

I don't think having 40-50 people in one place would affect the performance too much though since the customisation consists of warframe types and different colours.

The problem, as mentined, is the p2p netwroking. Currently, one person hosts the game. Imagine if one person were hosting a room of 40-50 players, and then left. Host migration? It would be pretty constant host migration as people would be leaving and joining the are fairly often.

The only way would be dedicated servers. I'm not sure of the costs of such a system, but looking at other games that do it I'm sure it'll be a possiblity at some point.

[CapricaSix]

The problem, as mentined, is the p2p netwroking. Currently, one person hosts the game. Imagine if one person were hosting a room of 40-50 players, and then left. Host migration? It would be pretty constant host migration as people would be leaving and joining the are fairly often.

The only way would be dedicated servers. I'm not sure of the costs of such a system, but looking at other games that do it I'm sure it'll be a possiblity at some point.

Well, obviously we'd need a server for it as you said. I don't really see a point in hosting a lobby myself. The real question is, is it worth the effort?

On another note, I don't want to see a room full of dancing tenno either. :|

[Zakalwe]

Well, obviously we'd need a server for it as you said. I don't really see a point in hosting a lobby myself. The real question is, is it worth the effort?

On another note, I don't want to see a room full of dancing tenno either. :|

I definitely think it's worth the effort.

One of the easiest ways to ensure an ongoing player base it to provide an area for them to use the game as a 3D chat client. Playing GW1, a massive amount of my time was spent in hub areas simply shooting the breeze with fellow players. It'd be a good place to discuss aspects of the game in real time, and to find players to squad up, etc..

I think it would be a mistake to not implement it.

[Delirious]

I love the idea of OP, lol what would an orokin tower do?

[STARSBarry]

tbh phantasy star online series did this (more refined lobby system in 2 with all of these features and more) and it works really really well. They even have TV screens that stream adverts which might seem a bit lame but is a bit of extra cash flow for sega, and they do the occational news show about ingame events and of course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1IxX2R6Mkk

since sega also own the right to Hatsune Miku was pretty lulz the first time I saw it

[SHARKHEAD]

I also think we have to be careful to not ruin the tone of the game. As much as I like social options in video games, I'm not for the idea of hub areas full of dancing Tenno...

I would be fascinated by that actually.

[Konnstruct]

Wow, this thread exploded in the last 7 hours while I was gone O.o

Anyway, the whole purpose of the controversial aspect, the "Town Square", is to allow more communication between players. It will be easier to form parties, and to trade as well (if it is implemented, of course).

I figured The Sanctuary would be a quiet, serene setting, a large area with many different channels so that nothing (hopefully) gets overcrowded, and some beautiful and somewhat futuristic Asian-themed ambience as well.

[Wiawyr]

Just having a regional/global chat system would solve most of that. Staring at the asses of 30 Tenno standing around AFK isn't going to help people make parties or trade.

[STARSBarry]

Just having a regional/global chat system would solve most of that. Staring at the asses of 30 Tenno standing around AFK isn't going to help people make parties or trade.

but the 30 AFK wont matter since there will be far more none AFK..... except next to the auction house..... AFK population of every server in the game is next to the auction house.... its a undeniable truth of the universe

[Konnstruct]

but the 30 AFK wont matter since there will be far more none AFK..... except next to the auction house..... AFK population of every server in the game is next to the auction house.... its a undeniable truth of the universe

True dat! :3

Just having a regional/global chat system would solve most of that. Staring at the asses of 30 Tenno standing around AFK isn't going to help people make parties or trade.

They could just impose a system that kicks people after X minutes of not doing anything.

You could argue that people would macro their way past this, but I honestly can't think of any reason why anyone would (unless there is an auction house, of course).

[STARSBarry]

but yeah id like to let people know how much I agree with this idea

I mean comon half of an MMO is standing in the main city dicussing about how the last patch ruined your builds viability or how Halo invented the FPS!

now this aint an MMO, its a F2P (although iv already paid more than the standard AAA games CE for it) online shooter, but imagine you add in the community structure and ingame chat system of an MMO before going on a mission, thats definatly one way to keep crowds coming in... it also gives people a chance to see what sort of weapons and items are waiting for them at the end of the journey.... and possibly make em poney up some cash for a frame they like the look of.

Now the negative for DE on this, it will take ALOT of coding work I would assume, it also might not be within the current engine constraints, if this is the case it might just be a no go full stop, if not then theres the "lobby" server cost to consider, right now and the way matches are P2P this means DE can save alot on cost when it comes to bandwidth, now if this game takes off (and I hope it does I really do, the foundations are great) then this might be cost effective cause they have a nice stable cash inflow... but once these are in there here to stay with there associated cost.

Whats good for gamers is not always good for the bottem line all im saying, I would also suspect that since there closest rival game (in terms of set up and style of play) Phantasy Star Online 2 uses this system they would of already considered it and at least for now dismissed it. Hense the no comment on this thread from our overlords.

Edited January 17, 2013 by STARSBarry

[Wiawyr]

I really feel it would change the entire tone of the game, we'd stop being mysterious forgotten space ninjas and turn into "lol my shoulder armor is so kawaii ~uguu does this mod make my butt look fat" standing around in our "super sekrit base city that has 20,000 guys flying in and out of it but the grineer and corpus never find it." It fits the lore much better not to have large gathering places like that; the shadow may strike anywhere, and is impossible to strike against.

[Wiawyr]

I mean comon half of an MMO is standing in the main city dicussing about how the last patch ruined your builds viability or how Halo invented the FPS!

But Halo was the first FPS, and WoW was the first MMO, Warhammer 40k is ripping off Starcraft, and Call of Duty is the hardest FPS.

There. I just saved everyone hours of standing in a city.

[STARSBarry]

I really feel it would change the entire tone of the game, we'd stop being mysterious forgotten space ninjas and turn into "lol my shoulder armor is so kawaii ~uguu does this mod make my butt look fat" standing around in our "super sekrit base city that has 20,000 guys flying in and out of it but the grineer and corpus never find it." It fits the lore much better not to have large gathering places like that; the shadow may strike anywhere, and is impossible to strike against.

but dude they know where I am.... im that huge giant thing floating right next to the sol system in a cool &#! yoga pose, the only reason they havent vaporised me yet I assume is cause im like 7 times the size of the sun and have 10 times as much bloom.

But Halo was the first FPS, and WoW was the first MMO, Warhammer 40k is ripping off Starcraft, and Call of Duty is the hardest FPS.

There. I just saved everyone hours of standing in a city.

do I know you from somewhere?

Edited January 17, 2013 by STARSBarry