[MUD-Dev] Re: Administrative notes

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In <199705120050.MAA14642 at tao.sans.vuw.ac.nz>, on 05/11/97 
   at 06:56 PM, Jamie Norrish <jamie at sans.vuw.ac.nz> said:


>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.

This isn't all that true in RL practice.  The ability of leaders to
lead is typically dependant on the support of their followers.  Remove
the follower support and they fall apart.  Put it back and they are
capable of great deeds.  Often this even extends to the obvious
physical sides, from actual health to being able to tolerate and
continue a incredible activity levels (cf presidential election
tours).

For no other reason than because I *love* breaking stereotypes like
this: Why not have absolute mechanical effects from becoming the
"leader"?

Examples:

  The power of the head witch of a coven is partially proportional to
her support from the rest of the coven.

  The PSI power of UggUgg the wizard is dependant on the relative
health and "alignment" of his home lands (ie the physical "preference"
of the physical land in a Gaiae-type concept for one wizard over
another).  Let another wiz subvert, propagandise, or otherwise weaken
that attachment and UggUgg is weakened.

  The physical strength of Thrud the barbarian is significantly
increased whenever in the sight of his woo-ing target.

  The physical strength of Vlad the insecure barbarian is
significantly increased whenever he knows he's being watched.

Then of course you can get to the really fun ones:

  Upon becoming the leader of the fungal society, all the other
funguses donate part of the body mass to the leader, enabling the
leader to become physically huge.

(which is of course just a permutation on the above)

--
J C Lawrence                           Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------------(*)               Internet: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
...Honorary Member Clan McFUD -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...