Character Dynasty systems in MMOs

DrDread74

This post is in the context of the game we're working on ( http://baronsofthegalaxy.com/  ) but concept applies to other MMOs as well.

Someone on Reddit saw the game we're working and mentioned that it was similar to an old dying game called "Imperium Nova". That game was more like a space opera or the "Dune" movie. Your "Player" was actually a house or dynasty of descendants that all had varying stats, could get married, find religion etc. These descendants would be placed around your empire and assigned to different task such as Factories, politics or combat duties kind of like commanders of other games. They all grow old and die and there is a system of hierarchy and ascension.

This is also similar to a board game I have called "Blood Royale" which was a simple war-game with resources in Europe. But you played that countries "Dynasty" which was King/queen which had children and simple stats which played out in a similar way.

We're considering implementing something like this in our Barons of the Galaxy. Currently the player, has an "Avatar" that represents you. Instead we can make it so you start off with a "Character" which you can of course still name and upload an image for but your character has a few simple stats or bonuses that affect your entire game. Perhaps its combat bonuses, political advantages or bonuses to certain kinds of industry or situations. Greater combat bonus when DEFENDING, does better with industry when less competition is nearby etc.

I'm thinking we key the number of descendants you have to your corporation level 1-10. That means when you level up your corporation you will get another descendant showing up very soon after. I don't think its a good idea to implement a "marriage" system as that involves the other players and such and can lead to exhausting your dynasty and other problem. Instead though I think that these descendants are chosen randomly and are related in some way to one of  your current characters in the dynasty. "Marriages" would be abstract and spouses are not necessarily characters in the dynasty, perhaps they are bastard children or newly discovered relatives.

For example your first descendant at level two could be a brother, sister, wife, son, daughter maybe even cousin of your first character. Then at level 3 the system will randomly make another brother sister spouse, daughter, son etc. for either character with more chances of currently married descendants having children as opposed to another sibling showing up. A system like that makes for unique looking family trees that are ever changing and cannot be exhausted since there is no strict and necessary "Marriages". The system would replenish descendants when they die due to old age or assassination and would insure that if you are, say, level 6 then there 6 characters in your dynasty. There is always one leader of the dynasty and that characters stats affect your entire game in addition to the location he is at. Ascension would be done like a medieval hierarchy.

When creating your corporation Perhaps you can set a few option which dictate the general type of characters you want to see in your dynasty (Combat oriented, political etc.) doesn't mean you will get descendants exactly like that but the system can enforce a pretty narrow randomizer which can guarantee that, say, at least two thirds of your dynasty would be those kinds of characters. You would also be able to "Level Up" your characters like any other unit in the game for bigger bonuses, make them a bigger military unit or cybernize them to extend their lives etc.

Your dynasty characters would probably be represented by military units like everything else. a medium sized ship that can be given order to move around and maybe apply themselves to an area or structure, maybe even dock with another ship the way fighter and bombe units attach to carriers. which means he or she is on that ship and his bonuses apply to whatever combat that ship gets into. It would also mean that ship can be destroyed and that character killed.

This sounds like a fun and workable mechanic and we're seriously considering implementing something along these lines, just not now as we want to remain on schedule. Perhaps as an expansion to the game if it goes well.

Is there a system like this in any other MMO or strategy games out there?

waynejr2

Sure. why not?  Game clubs have don't stuff like this in Military Miniatures games so why not mmoRPGs? 

Axehilt

Wouldn't be a great fit for an RPG where the point is to focus on progression of a single character, but would be fine for a MMO strategy title.

Basically it sounds like a simpler version of Crusader Kings 2's dynasty system, where manipulating your dynasty becomes a significant part of the strategy of playing well.  You don't get free randomly-spawned characters, but instead have to have children and educate them, and deal with their varied traits and stats.  There are a ton of interesting strategies that emerge from the system:

• Genetics will determine certain traits like being a Genius or Slow, which have significant influence over character stats.
• Education strongly influences certain other traits (learned traits), which often have even more influence.
• Your final stats are augmented by your spouse and advisors. 
• Because it was a game set in medieval times these were nearly always patriarchies, where males inherit land and females are married off to form alliances.  This gave each sex a specific importance (your female children wouldn't directly rule your kingdom, but their stats still mattered because they influenced how likely someone was to agree to a marriage, which formed an important alliance.)
• When a new heir inherited your kingdom, your other male heirs would typically split the rest of the kingdom and were controlled via AI players. Heirs with the Content trait would typically play along and follow orders, but those which were Ambitious would nearly always attempt to usurp the throne and could end up splitting your kingdom or wresting control from you.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.  Overall the system was fantastic because it had the right amount of randomness, balanced by enough player control over the system to keep it strategic and rewarding of skill.

DrDread74

Axehilt said:

Wouldn't be a great fit for an RPG where the point is to focus on progression of a single character, but would be fine for a MMO strategy title.

Basically it sounds like a simpler version of Crusader Kings 2's dynasty system, where manipulating your dynasty becomes a significant part of the strategy of playing well.  You don't get free randomly-spawned characters, but instead have to have children and educate them, and deal with their varied traits and stats.  There are a ton of interesting strategies that emerge from the system:

• Genetics will determine certain traits like being a Genius or Slow, which have significant influence over character stats.
• Education strongly influences certain other traits (learned traits), which often have even more influence.
• Your final stats are augmented by your spouse and advisors. 
• Because it was a game set in medieval times these were nearly always patriarchies, where males inherit land and females are married off to form alliances.  This gave each sex a specific importance (your female children wouldn't directly rule your kingdom, but their stats still mattered because they influenced how likely someone was to agree to a marriage, which formed an important alliance.)
• When a new heir inherited your kingdom, your other male heirs would typically split the rest of the kingdom and were controlled via AI players. Heirs with the Content trait would typically play along and follow orders, but those which were Ambitious would nearly always attempt to usurp the throne and could end up splitting your kingdom or wresting control from you.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.  Overall the system was fantastic because it had the right amount of randomness, balanced by enough player control over the system to keep it strategic and rewarding of skill.

Those sound like great elements. I might download the demo from steam after looking at it

I like how there are politics WITHIN the dynasty as opposed to between your and others as is typical in strategy games. Good stuff!

Axehilt

DrDread74 said:

Those sound like great elements. I might download the demo from steam after looking at it

I like how there are politics WITHIN the dynasty as opposed to between your and others as is typical in strategy games. Good stuff!

Yeah it's a great wild ride even after you learn a lot of the tricks to managing things.

This video moves quick but is a solid overview. 

Overall I highly recommend the game. Up there with Civ4 and Alpha Centauri as my Top 3 strategy games of all time.

The vassal system is fantastic too. Not only do you have to worry about your kids revolting, but your vassals can revolt, and even if they aren't revolting the amount that they like you directly contributes to how many troops they'll send you in time of war, so making them happy can dramatically change how many troops you have available.  The video does a great job of (rather tyrannically) manipulating vassals by revoking titles from unhappy ones and gifting them to moderately happy ones to create an extremely loyal core of internal allies.