How do you implement a newspaper system in your world?

[Kupotepo]

I am sorry if I post the thread in the wrong section. It is about execution include events and mapping in the game.

I think that you are planning or having newspaper stands/posts/walls/boards around different cities in your world. I think it is a wired question. Please bear with me.

1. Are your system of newspaper just informational or connect to a quest/ mission system?
2. Are the system tied to a character's job/class [a guild system]?
3. When you map the buildings, do you separate the building to a bounty hunter guild and an information booth?
4. What is your newspaper system contains? [ tip about your game mechanics, guide direction, local news, world news, dangerous monsters warming, and wanted posters] You get an idea.

Do you have a new way that is not troupe? [Or do you think it fine? : the quest system, directional signs, or a player's guidance]

 

[Frostorm]

A newspaper system sounds weird unless it's a post-industrial society. A job/quest board, on the other hand, works much better. It could be placed in front of an inn, in the town square, or intersections of major roads.

What kind of setting does your game exist in?

 

[Kupotepo]

@staf00, thank you for sharing your process with me.

What kind of setting does your game exist in?

I choose Fantasy Times.

I just call it really in a general name. I called the news because it is just new information for a player.
The troupe would be an adventure guild where a player accepts the quest.
It is just a quest system like Yanfly plugin or a bounty system where a player kills the enemy and get a reward.
I just ask maybe people have a new idea to do it.

It could be placed in front of an inn, in the town square, or intersections of major roads.

I would place it on the faraway from the town entrance and under a house. A player would have to do a wild goose chase. I am kidding; I learned that it is a terrible design. And players will create a petition against me for sure. The old wisdom position of a newspaper room is next to or in the inn. I think a town center would be a great position for an information center because it is visible and I have a room place magic, inn, armor, and weapon stores near the entrance.

 

[FirestormNeos]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're either referring to a system that informs the player of their current story progress, or you're referring to a system that allows the player to find various side-quests. Am I correct?

 

[Kupotepo]

@FirestormNeos, sorry for causing confusion upon you. I refer to both of the systems, you are mentioned. Do you put those at a same location or you create a separate building for those functions?

 

[Lornsteyn]

Look at the game Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.
it had a newspaper in the game, I really liked that feature.

 

[QuietPenguin]

I wouldn't necessarily have any immersion issue with a newspaper or newsletter in a fantasy world, especially if your world has a sufficiently advanced civilization. I would recommend looking into the early history of newspapers and emulating that to some degree, to avoid whatever you come up with seeming "too modern" for your world: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_newspaper_publishing

There is little doubt that humans would start pumping out newspapers or pamphlets wherever they have the technology to print en masse. In a fantasy world, that can be believably accomplished using some sort of low-level magic or Final Fantasy VI-esque machinery.

As for the content of the newspaper, I like the idea of guild-related newsletters that you mentioned. More broadly, I think what players want out of any in-game newspaper is responsiveness to their actions (see, e.g., the news reports that play over loudspeakers around the Citadel in Mass Effect that reference your character's exploits).

 

[Finnuval]

I ddo use a newspaper in my game. Its set in victorian era so it fits but even in more fantasy games it'll work. Suikoden for instance had a newspaper too
Now for the questions :
1. Both in a sense. They inforrm the player of what is going on in the world. Both lore wise but Also pointing to possible sidequests etc.
2. Not sure what you mean by that. My newspaper is run by a character you can befriend.
3 X
4. All of those that are in the game xD

 

[Kupotepo]

@Finnuval, thank you for your response. We got you that you love Victoria era. The era of romance and changing of morality. xD

I didn't know the Suikoden has a newspaper. Thank you for letting me know.

2. Not sure what you mean by that. My newspaper is run by a character you can befriend.

Ok. I meant like if you have a magician character, you can unlock the magic store.
Or if character is a spy, that character has knowledge of hidden treasure or unlocked the ability to get information from the spy network.
But, I understand what you mean about the newspaper worker friend.

3 X

@Finnuval, what is x meaning? Sorry to bother you.

 

[Sanrie]

1. Making too much newspaper PNG or jpeg is a hastle so I would stick with quest or important missions to let the players that this is a must to go and finish one.
2. Can be class/job restricted if we put it in a "You can only access or get this papers after you register into a guild" and have event trigger after aquiring the certain job or title.
3. IDK if putting billboards change everyday is a good idea but it's doable if we make it in event format.
4. Would be bounty missions or wanted posters.

 

[Kupotepo]

@Sanrie, thank you for your helpful tips.

 

[Sanrie]

Glad to help, hope that it helps you with what you're doing and would love to see the product of it.

 

[Failivrin]

Crisis Core had a system in which the player gets text message alerts, and the messages can be read in the menu. The main problem was that although the messages were nothing but filler, you had to check them or the stupid mail icon would stay on your screen indefinitely.
Otherwise I haven't seen many news/information systems. I did enjoy a few games in which the player acquires collectible items that unlock bits of information which can be viewed in a menu or database. I also like having a good old fashioned library or bookshelf with pages you can actually read (with information that is actually useful).