<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions --> <!--X-From-R13: Dvpuneq Ibbypbpx <YnHveNqvny.cvcrk.pbz> --> <!--X-Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 17:16:17 +0000 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 3476420E.31B0#dial,pipex.com --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: 199711210328.UAA14954#user1,inficad.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:KaVir#dial,pipex.com"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00334.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00336.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00331.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00671.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00335">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00335">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00335">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <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> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <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. </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <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> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <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> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00334.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00336.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00331.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00671.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00335"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00335"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <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> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>