[MUD-Dev] Life

[ashen]

[Re: Death, Death options, Death permanence]
: From: Ling <K.L.Lo-94 at student.lut.ac.uk>

: What I have jotted down is this:  when characters die, the
: player is given more options on the lifepath system for having
: 'scored points' in a previous character.  So the new character
: would have more cash/stats/cars. 

upon death, I plan to give players the choice to reincarnate as
a member of another race/class, besides any resurrection they
might be due.  as the 'level' numbers are totally hidden (and not
much used internally, either), i think that players will feel less
attached to 'the character I spent 10 days to get to level 19 on'
and be more willing to try a new race's perspective.

: I would like to see examples on how to increase the life
: expectancy of characters.  That is, give me more examples of
: devices to eliminate death by netlag and such like.  Combat
: scripts/packages and bestowing some intelligence on the
: characters are a good start.

by a [hindu?] theme of the mud, they may reincarnate into a
different race/class as their "next turn on the Wheel"; or if they
have been particularly pious (in donations/prayers/etc), there
are several gods who will lend a hand and revive the character.
perhaps about 3 such freebies? that seems fair.  then these
'resurrections' will start to degrade the character variables until
many will mean that they might as well start over since their
(although not technically permanently dead) character is just as
good as walking dead.  of course, if the bastards don't maintain
an obscene level of donations to the temples... Permanent.

: I suppose another gain for the players would be an insight to
: the culture and universe of the mud.  Playing different characters
: would be akin to watching continuous episodes of a series and
: learning more and more about the universe created.  I do intend
: to spend a few years creating the world.  Seriously.

yes!  login locations vary widely depending on race, and then a
bit more narrowly depending on class.  this will put players on the
other side of the world from where they are used to from previous
races tried.  i hope to create a level of depth in each area such
that it will take several character lives of different races to grasp
the entire story.  it may take time, but i think solid history and a
lot of interconnected plotlines to cling to will be worth its weight 
in gold as far as player retention.

: > I do think it is fun.  With luck, should I ever get it up and 
: > running, others will think so too.

: smile

equally guilty grin

-John Greenawalt (ashen at pixi.com)
"You're out of your tree."
(kudos and nuggies to whomever id's that quote;)