Just Playing Around with "what if"

Couldn't concentrate on my work today, so I thought I'd play around with a 'what if' situation. In my real life profession, I'm a copywriter and marketing consultant, combining both the skills of fiction and non-fiction writing into the mix. My imagined scenario is based on this.

My what if situation is what I'd do if by some fluke I suddenly became fabulously rich and money was no object for me.

Seriously, I'd choose to start up a game publishing business. I've come to love the gaming world, through my limited means, and I feel that there's too much one-sideness in the industry. People buy violence and gore - so that's the bulk of the market out there. But the gentler art of online gaming has been edging into the field, and I believe it needs someone with guts to get in there and make it work.

Many, like me, have the guts, just not the money...so I'm pretending I have the money.

URU/MystOnline would be the first game in my line up. (Naturally)

Using my copywriting and marketing knowledge, I'd hire a kickin' marketing team to promote the game. I'd use vices available to us online marketers that the gaming industry hasn't utilized yet, and expand on those that they have.

I'd also hire Cyan team members as part of the deal to write storylines for the game.

Engineers and Programmers dedicated to keeping the Myst Universe true to its form while keeping up with advancements would be hired. Through Cyan and otherwise, as needed.

I would guide the game to hit a broader audience. To cater to those gamers who have intellectual, social, and competitive gaming needs alike.

For instance, I'd have two versions of each Age available. One as is - as we know them now. The second version would be a player-versus-player version to allow those people wishing to challenge one another a way to do so. This would vary from competition games to fighting. All still family oriented, as much as possible, of course. No blood or gore. Paint ball competitions instead of gun fights, for instance. Something in which the players can get up from and shake one another's hands.

I have an idea for an alternate instance of a few Ages where the player can meet up with danger and have to get through it. For example, Gahreesen. There's supposed to be dangerous creatures in the surrounding woods. What if we had to traverse that area and reach a certain location safely? This would mean having to protect ourselves against such creatures. Have to come up with a creative means of doing that without actually "killing" the creatures and promoting violence in that manner. Electrical devices, special cages, deterrants, etc.

Only item I'm not sure how to get a good idea for without becoming violent is allowing us to enter an Age with the bad Bahro and having to rescue inhabitants from them. Without going all Douglas Sharper on the situation, not sure how to do that one. That would take more thinking.

Not a perfect 'what if' situation. There's a lot of opportunities for conflicts among personalities of the players and that would mean a type of in-game police Bevin or a similar idea. But a start.

Now, too bad I just don't have the money to do this with...