[CF-Devel] Future crossfire changes/projects

[helfesrieder at netscape.net]

Hi, 

I am Bjoern, aka Zack42. I am the creator of Yarid's house in 
Scorn, which some of you might know.

The following are my thoughts on the future directions of CF after 
V1.0. 
My thoughts are of rather general nature and need to be broken down 
to specific changes. However, I think the highlight the directions 
and the areas of work well.

Here we go....

To decide about the future directions of CF, there needs to be a 
consensus about the overall goal.

To my understanding, the overall goal is to significantly enlarge 
the player base of CF. In other words, to attract, to pull, many 
more new players on the CF platform.

Second, to attract many new players, one needs to know what most, if 
not almost all, players want.

Well, new players don't come because technology is nice. They don't 
come because the source code is open. They dont come because a new 
level 80 spell xyz has been implemented etc...you know what I
mean...

All players play to have fun and a good and exciting gaming 
experience. If you meet this demand, they will come. Otherwise
they will not come.

So, what is needed to meet these demands and expectations ? 

In my opinion, CF needs improvement in 3 top-level areas:

* Improve Presentation
    ** generally : support richer media types
    ** better sounds
    ** better graphics
    ** ambient sounds
    ** soundtracks
    (** video clips / cut scenes / stills?  -> who would be able 
               to produce them ?) 

* Improve Content
    ** CF background setting / story
    ** Consistent World design (world map)
    ** high quality Stories, Quests, "Epic Quests" (compare Everquest)
    ** New Player experience 

* Improve Game Mechanics / Logic
    ** Monster & NPC  AI


That is what I think needs to be adressed to significantly grow the 
player base of CF...

What do you think ?

Regards,

Bjoern (aka Zack)
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