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<H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</H1>
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<LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI>
<LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: Richard Woolcock <<A HREF="mailto:KaVir#dial,pipex.com">KaVir#dial,pipex.com</A>></LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 18:23:10 -0800</LI>
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<PRE>
Adam Wiggins wrote:
>
> [Derrick Jones:]
> > One other detail. I really dislike those descriptions that give you too
> > much information. For example, 'He wields The Sword of Devistation in his
> > right hand.' gives you the proper name of the object (the sword) of which
> > the character has no knowledge. Perhaps simular recognition code could be
> > written for objects as well as for people.
>
> One would assume this would be handled by object inheritence? Characters,
> locations, and items (swords of devestation) are all objects in most
> systems, after all.
> Note that you'll also need code to implant memory about something you've
> read about if you want this. Ie:[example object-recognition snipped]
As a 'cheap' alternative, you could use skills for this. Thus Bob, who has
Survival 0, looks in the room and sees 'a tasty-looking mushroom',
while Fred - with Survival 5, sees 'a deadly skull-cap toadstool'. This
is not as 'nice' as learning about each object, but would be less cpu/memory
intensive. Skills such as 'Occult' could be used for strange artifacts,
whilst 'Melee' might show you 'A finely crafted steel katana' rather than
'a sword' - perhaps someone with a little Melee might see 'An oriental sword'.
> > Hrm...this has the potential of creating a possible problem. If player
> > appearances are automatically generated, there comes into possibility the
> > situation where a player receives a character that is a bit too much like
> > their RL description. The chance is slim, but given enough characters
> > created, it will happen on occasion. In the cases, the taunts directed
> > at a character with an abnormality (which happens to be shared by its
> > player) will create a potentially hostile environment for the _player_ as
> > well as the character. Normally, I'd say such a situation is up to the
> > player to deal with, but in today's Politically Correct society, you've
> > almost have to cater to those few who may take offense.(sigh)
> >
> > Is there some mechanism built in for overiding the automatic generation,
> > or the possibility to re-generate should an unplayable character be
> > generated?
>
> IMO very little should be left to chance. Otherwise you get people
> making characters over and over in order to get what they want. If
> you make it difficult to get characters (waiting period, difficult
> application process, one character per e-mail, etc) then you just piss
> people off, since they have to play a character they don't like. Why
> not just allow them to choose what they want to begin with?
The only random thing I have is name. You get to chose your primary,
secondary and tertiary 'attributes' out of physical/mental/social, then
spend a number of points in each of the three attributes within each
catagory (Physical has Strength/Dexterity/Stamina, for example).
Abilities are similar, with Talents, Skills and Knowledges. Players can
also select virtues, which determine their initial willpower/humanity.
Basically its the WoD char gen system, and it leaves nothing to chance.
As far as appearance goes, players can choose eye/hair colour (and
Appearance itself is an attribute).
> Note that the randomly generated name thing mentioned earlier in this
> thread doesn't bother me, since I can just tell people that I'm named
> something different if I want. Which is kind of cool - you get the
> guy who everyone knows as "Slash" getting all embarrassed when someone
> learns that his given name is Otis Squeedlebunk.
Unfortunately I have no coded 'nicknames'. The main trouble I see is
that players will chose the same nickname every time they die and come
back - so I may as well not bother even generating names. Of course,
you don't HAVE to introduce yourself - or Otis in the example above
might chose to only give his first name to people (and be suitably
embarrassed when people find out his surname).
> Our character creation is based on attributes, but the player selects
> them instead of randomly generating them. Now, there are so many attributes
> that we don't present them to the player all at once. Instead, we choose
> a representative selection - everyone can choose to be especially strong
> or especially tall, but the options to have a big nose or be the seventh
> son of a seventh son will pop up less often. Anyhow, we just use the
> Ars Magica (I believe) point system. Each attribute is assigned a number
> of points based on its nature. For instance, a big nose or nappy hair
> would be worth 1, while a natural talent for bird-watching would be -1.
> More 'imporant' attributes such as especially strong or stunningly
> beautiful would be worth -4, while especially weak or incredibly ugly
> would be worth 4. When all is said and done the player ends up with a
> score which they must 'pay' for with character creation points from their
> account. New accounts have no points, so they must end up with 0 or
> less points. There is also a cap on the number of attributes. Thus,
> you could make Cyrano at a cost of 4 points (talent for swordsmanship -3,
> charismatic -2, big nose +1), or your average troll for no cost (especially
> strong -4, incredibly ugly +4).
This sounds similar to the Merit/Flaw system used by the WhiteWolf games.
Thats something else I would love to add, if only I can find the time.
KaVir.
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<li><strong><A NAME="00671" HREF="msg00671.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>
<ul compact><li><em>From:</em> coder#ibm,net</li></ul>
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<LI><STRONG><A NAME="00331" HREF="msg00331.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></STRONG>
<UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> Adam Wiggins <nightfall#user1,inficad.com></LI></UL></LI>
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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM>
<ul compact>
<ul compact>
<ul compact>
<ul compact>
<ul compact>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00739" HREF="msg00739.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Fri 12 Dec 1997, 08:53 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00776" HREF="msg00776.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
Derrick Jones <a href="mailto:gunther#online1,magnus1.com">gunther#online1,magnus1.com</a>, Sat 13 Dec 1997, 08:12 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00322" HREF="msg00322.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
Derrick Jones <a href="mailto:gunther#online1,magnus1.com">gunther#online1,magnus1.com</a>, Thu 20 Nov 1997, 07:46 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00331" HREF="msg00331.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:nightfall#user1,inficad.com">nightfall#user1,inficad.com</a>, Fri 21 Nov 1997, 03:29 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00335" HREF="msg00335.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
Richard Woolcock <a href="mailto:KaVir#dial,pipex.com">KaVir#dial,pipex.com</a>, Fri 21 Nov 1997, 17:16 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00671" HREF="msg00671.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Thu 11 Dec 1997, 05:00 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00673" HREF="msg00673.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Thu 11 Dec 1997, 05:01 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00735" HREF="msg00735.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></strong>,
Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:nightfall#user1,inficad.com">nightfall#user1,inficad.com</a>, Fri 12 Dec 1997, 08:29 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</ul>
</ul>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00305" HREF="msg00305.html">Dynamic room descriptions</A></strong>,
Richard Woolcock <a href="mailto:KaVir#dial,pipex.comNOSPAM">KaVir#dial,pipex.comNOSPAM</a>, Sun 16 Nov 1997, 21:16 GMT
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>
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