Cantr in Space
Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:07 pm
It seems to me that Cantr idea could be easily tranferred to a space / scifi setting, while retaining all the basic structure etc. In fact, a space setting could conveniently explain many anomalies.
In a space-based Cantr-like game (let's call it Space for now), a character would spawn on a planet or spacestation. They could travel back and forth within that environment, and, when they obtain a spacecraft, they can travel between the planets. In this case, planets would be equivalent to Cantr's towns, and would be a number of different locations connected together in an enclosed area. In Cantr, these 'locations' are buildings and rooms. Planets would be connected to each other in much the same way as towns are. This would make more sense in Space, since it makes sense that paths from one place to another through space would be a straight line. Spaceships would be equivalent to Cantr's 'vehicles', and could perhaps dock with each other.
'Interplanetary' travel would only be possible by using spaceships, but they needn't be expensive or difficult to obtain. While travelling, the character could wander their ship, doing various tasks. When arriving at a planetary location or spacestation, the turn-based interface could change to an 'instant chat' style interface, where the player can see which characters are Awake and which are Asleep. This allows for instant interaction between characters, while staying within the realms of roleplay. Characters Sleeping where they stand would be a natural thing is this world, easily explainable by the scifi nature of the world (perhaps it is a new kind of disease which is not usually life-threatening; perhaps it is a result of human evolution affecting the sleep cycle; perhaps it is simply a trait of whatever species the characters are). Whatever, Sleep happens. Those that are Awake can communicate instantly, though always in character. Notes or messages can be left for those Asleep. Perhaps Sleepers can see what happens around them, as in Cantr; perhaps not. Messages can be transmitted in much the same way as Cantr's radios, except Space would have vid-screens in the spaceships where the recipient can 'see' who is speaking ('You see Man say "Message" ', rather than Cantr radio's 'You hear a message "Message" '). There could also be portable (perhaps audio only) devices that the character wears.
A character could purchase or possibly make 'drones', which would be something like lower-class human automatons. These could be commanded to perform tasks, Cantr-like 'projects', to allow the character to achieve more. They might be particularly useful to protect the character while he's Sleeping, or carry him to his home or a safe place. Also, these drones might randomly develop into a real character. This would be achieved very simply. When a player creates a new character, it is 'spawned' within the body of a random drone. This is the drone developing it's personality and 'waking up' as a person. In-game laws would most likely forbid the use of 'real people' as slaves, whereas drone slaves would be okay. Every drone therefore has the potential to become a true character, though many would remain as drones their entire 'lives'. This is kind of similar to how Roman slaves could sometimes earn their freedom. Drones could also be given names that the new character would take when the drone 'wakes up', thereby creating a form of ancestry. If characters 'make' drones using their own DNA, this would also be a form of heredity, with genetic makeup and all that that entails.
Of course, while having the same basic structure, Space would be a radically different game, and wouldn't be able to 'link up' with Cantr in any way (either by becoming a new version or by including current locations or characters). In other words, it wouldn't replace Cantr in any way, nor would it have any bearing on the Cantr world. It would have to be a completely seperate game. I know I'd personally play both of them.
It'd be interesting to see if this could actually be done...
In a space-based Cantr-like game (let's call it Space for now), a character would spawn on a planet or spacestation. They could travel back and forth within that environment, and, when they obtain a spacecraft, they can travel between the planets. In this case, planets would be equivalent to Cantr's towns, and would be a number of different locations connected together in an enclosed area. In Cantr, these 'locations' are buildings and rooms. Planets would be connected to each other in much the same way as towns are. This would make more sense in Space, since it makes sense that paths from one place to another through space would be a straight line. Spaceships would be equivalent to Cantr's 'vehicles', and could perhaps dock with each other.
'Interplanetary' travel would only be possible by using spaceships, but they needn't be expensive or difficult to obtain. While travelling, the character could wander their ship, doing various tasks. When arriving at a planetary location or spacestation, the turn-based interface could change to an 'instant chat' style interface, where the player can see which characters are Awake and which are Asleep. This allows for instant interaction between characters, while staying within the realms of roleplay. Characters Sleeping where they stand would be a natural thing is this world, easily explainable by the scifi nature of the world (perhaps it is a new kind of disease which is not usually life-threatening; perhaps it is a result of human evolution affecting the sleep cycle; perhaps it is simply a trait of whatever species the characters are). Whatever, Sleep happens. Those that are Awake can communicate instantly, though always in character. Notes or messages can be left for those Asleep. Perhaps Sleepers can see what happens around them, as in Cantr; perhaps not. Messages can be transmitted in much the same way as Cantr's radios, except Space would have vid-screens in the spaceships where the recipient can 'see' who is speaking ('You see Man say "Message" ', rather than Cantr radio's 'You hear a message "Message" '). There could also be portable (perhaps audio only) devices that the character wears.
A character could purchase or possibly make 'drones', which would be something like lower-class human automatons. These could be commanded to perform tasks, Cantr-like 'projects', to allow the character to achieve more. They might be particularly useful to protect the character while he's Sleeping, or carry him to his home or a safe place. Also, these drones might randomly develop into a real character. This would be achieved very simply. When a player creates a new character, it is 'spawned' within the body of a random drone. This is the drone developing it's personality and 'waking up' as a person. In-game laws would most likely forbid the use of 'real people' as slaves, whereas drone slaves would be okay. Every drone therefore has the potential to become a true character, though many would remain as drones their entire 'lives'. This is kind of similar to how Roman slaves could sometimes earn their freedom. Drones could also be given names that the new character would take when the drone 'wakes up', thereby creating a form of ancestry. If characters 'make' drones using their own DNA, this would also be a form of heredity, with genetic makeup and all that that entails.
Of course, while having the same basic structure, Space would be a radically different game, and wouldn't be able to 'link up' with Cantr in any way (either by becoming a new version or by including current locations or characters). In other words, it wouldn't replace Cantr in any way, nor would it have any bearing on the Cantr world. It would have to be a completely seperate game. I know I'd personally play both of them.
It'd be interesting to see if this could actually be done...
. Never seem to be able to get further than the first few hours of programming, though 
.
