multiplayer game based on The Thing
Hello, everyone. Is there any multiplayer game based on The Thing? If there isn't one already, it is possible to make one using the fantasy game Neverwinter Nights (based on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons). NWN utlises very flexible Aurora game engine, which allows to make great modifications to the game. Basically, it is possible to recreate a lot of content from The Thing movie and the video game in NWN. A somewhat skilled programmer and a graphic artist could even create and import their own graphics as well as loading screens, music, sounds, scripts, scripted events and animations. It could be either a persistent world running 24/7 or a module which is run by Dungeon Master(s) at a specific time. I can describe you some features which would be possible in the game: * play as a human - become a cook, medic, animal handler, locksmith, engineer or chief * play as a thing - walk around in the usual human form or use the special ability to transform into a thing - ability to transfrom from a thing back to human - different types of \"things\": be a tiny thing which can hide or blend among NPC rats and is hard to spot, or a huge flesh golem type of thing which can summon little things and which causes fear and paralysation in humans - different stats while in \"thing\" shape, e.g., regeneration and resistance to physical types of damage, aura of fear, improved hiding skills - different special abilities in \"thing\" shape, e.g., ability to create darkness, release poisonous or paralysing gas, shoot spikes, knock down, disarm or infect victims or entangle them in tentacles or webs. * experience points for survival - killing \"things\" or killing/infecting humans - cooking food for oneself and other members of the outpost - healing oneself and other members or creating medikits - creating or scavenging for weapons and gear - hunting/infecting NPCs, such as rats, wolves and NPC humans at the outpost (NPCs = non-player characters, controlled by computer or a Dungeon Master) - gaining levels to get more hit points, to become tougher, to obtain special abilities, such as higher chance to resist fear or paralysation, improved hiding or detection skills, or to be able to use certain types of weapons and gear - some possible goals: destroy/protect generator, invent/find/destroy blood -*test*-('"), survive for X days, gain enough levels to become tough enough and to be able to use good gear to escape the outpost etc. * scary stuff - paralysation, fear, darkness, disease, fatigue effects - when character goes to sleep, the screen becomes black for a minute or two and you cannot see what is happening - creatures take cold damage outside if running without protective clothes, in snow storms even winter clothes cannot prevent from slowly freezing to death - shapeshifting from human to thing (nearby humans saving throw vs fear, but the shapeshifting character is paralysed too for a round or two while transforming into a thing) - ability to hide (hidden creatures can be uncovered with succesful Spot and Listen skill checks)

Well that sounds like a great idea. :) The problem now is to find a programmer and a graphic artist who are motivated by this project.

The good thing about NWN is that it already has a nice arctic tileset (which came with the second expansion titled Shadows of Undrentide) and there are at least 3-4 monsters that could be used for \"things\". Nowadays there is also a huge amount of content for NWN that has been created by fans, though modern or science fictional objects or character models are hard to find. In practice, there is no need for a professional graphic artist to make a medieval version of \"The Thing\". However, all those scripts require some understanding of programming. I came up with a somewhat more detailed concept for an NWN persistent world module based on \"The Thing\". In the beginning after a server restart you can choose if you want to start as a human or a thing. If you start as a thing, you begin the game at the UFO crash site. The first goal is to find an NPC wolf, NPC human (Norwegian) or a wandering human player character, beat him and assume a wolf or human shape. Since player characters wouldn't have names above them, nobody would be able to tell for sure if you are a human or a thing once you are in human form. However, players playing as \"things\" could be able to use a special object to see what other players on the server are currently playing as things, so that all people playing as \"things\" would know who is on their side. Players playing as humans wouldn't be able to use that option. The second goal for a \"thing\" character would be to infiltrate the American outpost and infect, disable or kill as many player characters who are still humans as possible. The ultimate goal for \"thing\" characters is to gather enough body mass to become tough enough to escape the outpost to the outer world, or to become smart enough and build some kind of UFO to achieve the same goal. When you gain more exp and level up, you gain access to some new thing shapes and abilities (e.g., can turn into bigger, more scary things). If you succeed in all of these goals, you get some item/special ability or just fame and return to the starting location to start all over again. Whenever you get killed, you need to start from the beginning (i.e., start at the UFO crash site if playing as a thing). If you chose to play as a human, you would start at the American outpost. The ultimate goal for a human character would be to survive and become smart or tough enough to escape the outpost, but other goals would be open-ended just like the goals for \"thing\" characters. As an example, first you could try to hamster on some food, protective clothes and weapons for yourself, and then leave the outpost alone or with a group of other players to hunt NPC things and the \"newbie\" player things between the American outpost, the Norwegian camp, and the UFO crash site. However, once in a while you would need to return to the American outpost in order to sleep, to get warm or to replenish supplies, especially when it gets dark or during a snow storm. One of the other goals for human characters could be to gain enough exp to invent the blood -*test*-('") (though you could use the blood -*test*-('") only once or twice during a day and would need to sleep to replenish the ability). If a human character becomes infected, he/she becomes a thing and his/her goals change accordingly. There could also be a certain time frame for the beginning and the end of one game match. Any human character who survives uninfected for 30 days of game time could be considered to be rescued and gets points.

I've made a screenshot in the toolset with all the models that come with standard NWN that could be used for the characters. http://img130.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thingeo9.jpg

Of course it's possible to use NWN 2, which will be released this month. :P

So you are going to have it in third person? Why NWN? Is it the best crowd? (why not one with more people?) Man, I was thinking about makeing a mod,too. I might join in and help you. My msn is veryhungryhobo@hotmail.com.

You know someone made a mod for StarCraft called The Thing. It is just like your ideas. About.

I dont know if it is possible to make mods for AvP2, but theres a game mode called survivor in it and it would be the best mode for a \\"the thing\\" multiplayer game, because: When an alien kills a human, the human becomes and alien - and thats really good for a \\"the thing\\" mod. (thats at least what i think :P)

I've found a resource for modern NWN mods: http://mods.moddb.com/3487/d20-modern/ :shock:

Could you make a Board game out of those rules?