What we call narrative MMO RPG is simply an online game which holds in its core the principles of narration characterizing classic tabletop role playing games (RPG) and maximizes interaction between players thanks to the mass effect (MMO).
Our vision of RPG:
A classic role playing game is a social simulation where a storyteller, using a scenario, a story, leads players within an adventure and confronts them to situations of interaction (dialogues, fights, actions on objects, etc.). This interactive narration, in which the player participates, breeds his immersion. The better and the more adapted to the environment the technique is (here a table around which are seated participants, sheets of paper, pens, dices and… speech), the deeper the player’s immersion. The deeper the player is immersed, the more pleasure he has to play and the more satisfaction he has to succeed in progressing; in other words, the narrative quality of a role playing game has a direct impact on the player’s experience.
So, how to turn a classic RPG into a MMO?
MMO means loads of people connected at the same time to the same gaming space over the internet.
Now, imagine "The Noise Under" as a huge sports field with thousands of tables on one side, and thousands of players on the other side.
At each table sits a storyteller (an internal software component), who masters the best suited interactive narrative technique and has access to a library of scenarios.
The storyteller also has access to libraries of objects, characters and virtual places.
When he wants to live an adventure, a player just has to move to a table, alone or with other players with whom he concerted. He indicates to the storyteller either a specific scenario or a taste, but he can also let the storyteller surprise him. And the game begins…
During the game session, the player can ask other players seated at other tables to help him progress. He can also be “hired” by other players seated at other tables. Indeed, players may need to cooperate to move on in their own game frame.
Moreover, players from different tables can interact when they meet in a virtual place while living their own story.
On top of that, there may be players who decide not to move to a table but explore the gangways between tables. In this particular case, they are supported unwittingly by a special storyteller, who has also access to the same libraries and uses the same narrative techniques as the other storytellers but whose only responsibility is limited to sprinkle these “explorer” players’ course with storyline events.
This analogy explains the (simple) principles of our "narrative MMORPG".
The huge sports field, the tables and gangways mentioned above represent the universe, the system of “The Noise Under”;
scenarios, virtual places, characters, objects are datastructure designed in a certain way and associated to static or animated images, sound effects, music and texts (descriptions or dialogues) ;
The interactive narrative technique is a story-telling algorithm; here resides the revolutionary breakthrough and major innovation.
The "storyteller" who applies the interactive narrative technique is a story-telling algorithm based software component.
So, what do you mean by turn-based?
Our "turn-based" time management is closed to the following explanation:
...Many other games that are not generally turn-based retain the notion of turn-based play during specific sequences. For example, the role-playing video games Fallout (1997) and Silent Storm (2003)[8] are turn-based during the combat phase, and real-time throughout the remainder of the game. This speeds up portions of the game (such as exploration) where the careful timing of actions is not crucial to player success.
wikipedia
The payment model has 2 options. The first one, based on membership, will be available at the release of the game. The second, one-shot based, will be available later.
Membership payment model:
This option will give the member 3 adventures (or scenarios) a month. For 6 months, it means 18 adventures. The not consumed adventures during a given month will be added to the quantity of the next month, and so on. The member will always keep the right to use the adventures (or scenario) he is entitled. This approach is fair, from our point of view.
One-shot payment model:
This model is best suited for casual gaming. The player purchases a scenario, in the adventure shop, when he wants to live an adventure. Of course, the unit price of scenario in this model will be more expensive than in the membership payment model.