[MUD-Dev] Life

[Alex Oren]

It's a bit overdue, I know, but I do have some thoughts I'd like to share on the
matter.

[Caliban:]
} Something I've discussed with some people is the idea that when a
} player dies in a game with permanent death, it's terribly
} demoralising to start over at ground zero.  One thing I have
} considered doing is allowing them to take some credit for previous
} accomplishments in the form of benefits and artificial advancement
} for the next character. For example, in an AD&D game, I'd give them
} some form of starting experience and equipment that allows them to
} hold their own in the party; in a White Wolf game, I'd give them some
} portion of the experience their previous character had earned to buy
} skills and whatnot; in a Cyberpunk game, I'd probably let them start
} with a greater budget for cybernetic enhancements. 

How about making new characters related to the deceased one?
They can have (implicit) recommendations that will affect reactions, prices,
etc.  They may have "inherited" certain knowledge (skills, languages) social
status (guild membership) or property (equipment, money).
Of course, the extent will be determined by the "level" (for lack of a better
term) of the has-been.

[Ling:]
} Take a statesman for example, The New Statesman would have few contacts
} within the political structure and he would not be a household name.

Hillary enters the room.
Hillary squints at you.
> smile at Hillary
Hillary smiles.
Hillary says "Why, aren't you Boffo, the good friend of the late Bubba?"
Hillary says "He was a good friend.  Would you like to toast his memory with
Bill and me?"

After countless articles, I saw:

[Adam:]
} Also outside of the game, although we have briefly considered allowing
} you to start a family name as a possible way to generate characters.
} This would allow things like having two characters which are similar but
} not the same (brothers, say) as well as having a basis for creating
} new characters.  Plus we could even pass on heriditary traits...so
} if you 'play' a single family for long enough, the physical strength
} or great intellect of the Stonebow family becomes known, and new characters
} created will carry this on.  Also a nice tie-in for roleplaying, ie, "I'm
} here to avenge my brother's death" or "You knew my father" or "My mother
} owed you a debt that she was unable to repay before her death, so I am
} here to repay it now."  You would, of course, be able to give other
} player accounts 'access' to your family name, in order that they could
} create characters within the family.

Sort of what I mean.


Have fun,
Alex.