[MUD-Dev] Re: Administrative notes

[Jon A. Lambert]

> From: Todd Lair <tlair at mailzone.com>
> [On 05/11/97 Jamie Norrish <jamie at sans.vuw.ac.nz> said]
> 
> >> Risk is crucial for a good game because you can't really have
> >> players getting reward for typing in ten commands correctly.
> 
> >This is something that has always boggled me when people start trying to
> >convert their combat oriented games to a more "role-playing" focused one.
> >Why is there still this concern about levels, and advancement, and so
> >forth? If there are any rewards for
> >role-playing/not killing things, they should only indirectly be related
> >to any system mechanics. Becoming the recognised leader of a group
> >shouldn't have any mechanics effects *whatsoever* - it's just that other
> >characters recognise her as a leader and do what she says.
> 
> >It is folly, in my view, to try and keep the idea of advancement based on
> >mechanical risk when introducing non-mechanical tasks. Let those who
> >fight get better at fighting, and those who heal better at healing, and
> >leave it at that.
> 
> The only thing I'm using level for is a measure of time between skill
> betterment.  That is it.  I need some means to measure the amount of time
> a player uses his skills out in the field which indicates when he is ready
> for further training.  Out of personal preference, I really don't want to
> simply increase skills from their use.   I think it's a bit unrealistic.
> 
I agree whole heartedly with the concept of levels as a measurement tool
even in a fully role-playing environment.  I use levels in the same way you
seem to indicate.  I also use experience points as the measuring tool between 
levels.  Levels may indicate little or nothing about combat effectiveness.  
A 1st level character has the ability to kill a 100th level character in one blow.  
Levels are simply the point in at which further character development takes 
place.  It is also certainly possible that a character skills and statistics can 
decrease when a level is reached due to old age or other deterioration of
abilities.

JL