Erm, right.
I'm seeing a lot of ideas about how multiplayer will be run, and some very promising threads made by people who ACTUALLY CAN DO WHAT THEY PROPOSE. Im not one of those people, but I want to give a couple of ideas, and would be happy to run such a project.
Feel free to ask questions.
A lot of people have problems with making things "Fair". Well, heres my most rock solid ideas.
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How to protect noobs? Their unique IP adress. When you start out, noone will know you even exist, let alone your key. This makes it so that the more you hack, the more danger awaits you every time you log on. If you are stupid enough to mess with someone that's been playing forever, you're screwed, the way it should be. If you take on some weaker companies (Ill talk about those later) and work your way up and be smart about it, you stand a chance. The mark of a good game is risk and reward. This system allows that.
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How do we make money? Hacking bank accounts, or doing missions.
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Who makes the companies? We do. Companies would, essentially, be clans. Once you can afford a company server, you're good to go. On this company server, you would store your Company ID, which would basically be the indicator that this is an actual company and not just a dump for hacker files. Also, a company could have multiple servers if they buy different ones, and put their company ID in. The company ID would be a big file, but it can be copied onto gateways. This makes stealing other servers possible, but hard. A company ID allows you to set up missions, which can be whatever you want. Missions allow you to hire people with more skills than you to do a difficult task, or do a monotonous one that you can't be bothered to do, since you're doing your important company things. You would be able to set up your security system as you see fit and can afford. I apologize for the sketchyness here.
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PvP? Hell yeah. Once you have yourself a target, you would connect to their gateway. You would then be faced with a password screen. If you try to hack them and they have a moniter, they will see that you're hacking them and attempt to trace you. (I dunno how, gimme some time to think) Once they trace you, they can disconnect you and then will have your IP adress, which will be stored in their membanks along with your Account Name.
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Software? Uplink multiplayer is going to require some seriously revamped software. I have a couple of ideas:
Certain program strengths and weaknesses. This would go along with making a ton of new programs which each would be unique in their own respects.
Modular programs. Each program you get would be like a little gateway, which you could equip with "Strings", which would be bought.
An interesting thought: The game makers could have their own little company server, which would be neigh impossible to hack and would have new security systems weekly. Within this server would be unique strings and powerful programs, which would be our way of introducing new things into the game. These new programs would then be fought over by the companies. Kewl, eh?
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Wait, more about the companies? Why do they even need that server? We wouldn't be dumping those DATA-123123123 Files in there, would we?
Well, I just had a kewl idea. Companies would be able to make "Sets" of files, which would represent their company projects. If they manage to aquire/make a complete set, they would get cash. How to make a set? Programs and strings. The programs would look like DATA-123123123 to hackers, and "Monkey-1" (Setname-Number) to the owners of the company. The hacker's dont know what they're stealing, they're in it for the cash. Unless, of course, they get a decent "Decoder" program..
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Does modular apply to all software?
Yeah.
Erm.. thats all I can think of now. Anything I missed? Probably tons. Remind me, and feel free to ask questions.
