Digital World design #1

I will start this post by throwing in a mix of various topics within the creation of a digital world, and in the next ones, I will focus on one subject only. Enjoy the read!

Building a digital world for games requires careful consideration. Firstly, it's important to question whether this world truly needs to exist. Creating a world solely to insert a character may not be a valid reason, but creating a character for a world makes sense. The digital world is like a mechanism, a network of mechanics that come together to form a whole. The character is one of the gears in this mechanism, but it is not the mechanism itself.

A digital world is sustained by various pillars, such as basic mechanics that serve as its foundation. It is necessary to answer some fundamental questions: How was the world generated? Does it have physical laws? Can parallel stories be created in the world, or only the main character's story? What is the required size for the digital world? Does it need to be so vast?

By answering these questions, it becomes apparent that perhaps the world doesn't need to be that big. The extent of a digital world is related to the complexity of the game being created. In the case of MMORPGs, creating a digital world is even more complex.

When creating a digital world for an MMORPG, several aspects need to be considered. Firstly, the digital world should be a representation of the real world, with similarities in social interactions, economy, physics laws, and even politics. The world needs to be alive, with multiple things happening in different places simultaneously.

In my opinion, a digital world in an MMORPG should be rich in stories. It is possible to create everything from the world's formation, such as a story about the gods who created it, to explaining the existence of evil creatures. Introducing heroes and explorers into the game world and creating representations of gods or legends also enriches the player's experience, making them feel part of a world with various stories, a world that existed long before they started playing.

An interesting aspect that is rarely explored is the change in stories over time. Stories are not always told in the same way because there is a theory that they alter. When a person tells a story, they may modify it according to their own perception. This means that stories age and fragments can be lost, as well as being altered depending on who tells them. This dynamic can be applied to the digital world, allowing the player to have an immersive perspective on how the story can change as they interact with NPCs in different regions. This would deepen the player's historical exploration within the world.

The digital world also allows for the creation of distinct regions, such as deserts or snow-covered areas. This type of level design enables the emergence of new stories related to each region, with typical creatures and different experiences compared to other parts of the world. It is essential to incorporate varied mechanics into the world, but each one must be carefully thought out to positively contribute to the game.

To keep it brief, I will divide this subject into several chapters where I will discuss the creation of a digital world for games, MMORPGs, and interactions within the world. See you in the next chapter, goodbye!