nu.kanga.list.mud-dev

29645: Re: [MUD-Dev] Playing catch-up with levels

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 jfreeman@soe.sony.com wrote:

> I think it's not even close to being done, and possibly here to
> stay.  Players migrate to it, even when given a pure free-form
> skill system.  They make "fighters", "mages", "clerics" and
> "thieves" out of whatver system you give them.  Regardless of the
> genre.

> You try to give them more and different... and they work-around
> your "obnoxious designs" to get back to what they really want:
> classes.

They don't necessarily want classes.  They want jobs, perhaps.  They
want clearly defined roles, so they don't have to spend time on the
eternal and mind-racking question "why am I here".  I'm a warrior;
I'm here to fight.  I'm a mage; I'm here to cast spells.  I'm a
healer; I'm here to tend injuries.

I'd say give them archetypes, and then let them modify their
characters from that point.  Give them job titles, and let them
choose appropriate skills.  Give them weapon and spell choices,
grouped by type, and let them choose a few types they want to use.

And I love the idea of unlearning skills to level new ones I haven't
tried yet.

--
Zach Collins
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