Neon Marble is a simulation-heavy, largely text-based, cyberpunk MMO currently in the earliest stages of development.

I.

I have two goals with Neon Marble. The first is the game itself. An expansive simulation of the Earth (including in orbit around it) and Moon, facilitating a complex cyberpunk RPG. With enough depth to facilitate a vast array of gameplay and behavior.

II.

The second goal is to end up with a robust whole-Earth simulation framework that will allow anyone to develop similar games. Not necessarily cyberpunk, but any type of game taking place on a global scale.

  • Climate/weather systems

  • Model stock market

  • Simple in-game internet

  • Model power grids

  • Satellite network

  • Cyber warfare

  • Scripting language to write functioning programs on simple in-game computers

  • Player-affected in-world tech development

  • Model noosphere

  • 3-5 player classes/playbooks

  • Realtime vs. turnbased/AP system?

  • Degree of granularity in player position?

  • Abstract mapping vs. real-world mapping? (e.g. using actual street names and other features of existing cities, or not)

Minecraft
A benchmark for emergent gameplay and space for player ingenuity (redstone being the prime example). As well as the flexibility of SMP servers.
0x10c
The idea of emulated, programmable in-game computers has stuck with me. I don't know how feasible this is, even if it was cut back from Notch's initial concept, but it's still on the list.
Dwarf Fortress
A benchmark for depth of simulation and emergent behavior.
Netrunner
I haven't played much, but the base structure of the game stays in mind as a potential model for tension between corp and hacker players.
Sword Art Online
The World Seed serves as a fairly good example of what I have in mind for the second goal of this project.
EVE Online
While I haven't played, the plotting and politics of the game are something I find fascinating. And with Dust 514, the idea of having different games take place in the same space.
Urban Dead
A formative experience for me in terms of MMOs, and a rough idea of what an interface for Neon Marble might look like, just more polished.
Snow Crash
Most notably the Raft as an example of the kind of unique things I want players to be able to create without needing to implement a dedicated subsystem.

If you find any of this intriguing enough that you want to help expedite its fruition:
-first and foremost, if you know how to code, please get in touch. I'm trying to teach myself, but the bottom line is that I have very little experience.