Character evolution

[Richard Woolcock]

Okay we've talked about the world evolving, but what about players?
I have often thought about coding it so that players hair/nails slowly
grow, causing them social/combat problems unless they do something
about it.  Players would therefore have to trim their nails every so
often, and get their hair cut (unless they wanted it long, in which
case they would need to tie it back).  Shaving would be another option.

In addition, what about eating and drinking?  I think I have heard
before the suggestion about players who eat pies all day should get
fat...but has anyone actually coded anything like this?  You could
in theory even code some sort of 'energy' system for players, so that
players who don't eat enough - or just eat junk food - would get
exhausted faster.  Chocolate would be great for a quick energy boost,
but if you did it all the time your teeth would rot and you would
start getting very fat.  Thus different food types could have different
advantages and disadvantages.  Note also that chocolate is mildly
addictive.

Age is another factor that could be taken into consideration.  As your
character got older, your hair would go grey - maybe fall out - and
your skin would wrinkle.  You would start losing attributes and maybe
pick up some mental conditions.  Eventually you would die of old age.  
This is one of the reasons I am thinking of using my mudsex/pregnancy/
birth code for - so that players can 'prepare' their child (thus passing 
on their skills and knowledge) for when they themselves die.  This would 
effectively allow you to 'live forever' in theory, even though you
would be living through several different people.  It would, however,
require some planning by the player.

There are other things that could be added also, although I wouldn't
go so far as to code toiletries....as amusing as it would be to watch
players 'nip off behind the bushes' before a fight, or wet themselves
in combat if they didn't (and had recently drank a lot).

Comments?

KaVir.