Mixture

[Jon A. Lambert]

> From: claw at null.net
> On 29/03/97 at 08:22 PM, "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com>
> >There are others who demand an 
> >intelligence stat in order to effectively roleplay their character to
> >the point  where they will intentionally overlook what may be obvious
> >courses of action from a player perspective.  
> 
> In which case I see nothing to prevent them from dreaming up their own
> intelligence stat and diddling with it as they chose.  Why the game
> has to be involved is beyond me.
> 
Part of the reason I am using this stat is exactly this point of view.
NPCs will be played by real players frequently, perhaps even multiplayed.
Bob will occasionally take the role of Bubba the Troll, Bambi the Evil Warlord 
and Fred the Jester when asked by a GM.  Besides storing a personality
profile, the character's intelligence will be available for the prospective RPer.

> >I have seen this stat
> >broken out into as many as 4 different stats in some games or not
> >used at all.
> 
> There are some break-outs which I do like.  The definition of
> intelligence I really dislike to binding in MUDs is "the ability to
> pose and resolve problems relating to survival."  Visual accuity,
> perception, will power, all that stuff, sure, it could be in the game
> as its very easy for the game to enforce it via the IOs it sends the
> player, the interactions it allows -- just not the above definition. 
> Having the game enforce choice of action is counter to the whole flow.

I use the following stats for intelligence: 
Memory - the ability to retain knowledge.  This is used in game terms for learning 
and skill progression.  It is also used to modify the various lore (demonology/
high technology/etc.) and language (reading/writing/speaking) skills.  
Reasoning - the ability to process new knowledge and classify it.  This is also
used with learning and skill progression.  It is also used to modify certain
scientific/magical skills (mathematics/magical research/etc.)    
Intuition - represents luck/genius/divine favor.  It is used primarily with
perception and awareness skills (sense ambush/power perception/etc.). 

A character may have lesser or greater Memory and Reasoning stats than
the player playing the character.  Players will rely on their own Memory and
Reasoning skills for the majority of tasks.  These stats simply determine the
characters rate of skill progression with mental based skills.  They also allow
the character to exhibit a higher knowledge than the player when used
successfully to search for various herbs, researching spells and repairing
high tech equipment.  
Sure, a case could be made that some of us already possess the knowledge to
operate a plasma warp drive or already know the means to cast Telmaran's
spell of Forlorn Encystment.  But for most of us, this knowledge is generally
beyond our grasp and we will have to rely on our characters knowledge.

JL