[MUD-Dev] more classes (Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo)

[Marian Griffith]

On Thu 25 Sep, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ola_Fosheim_Gr=F8stad?= wrote:

> I don't know if this has been used in muds, but how about providing a
> very limited wellknown set of classes (I'd go for just one class) when
> you first log on.  After some time playing you'll probably discover
> that this wasn't the right thing after all, then you get the option of
> rerolling class/skills but keeping the skillpoints/xp (within reason).

I know of at least one mud that does something very similar to this.
They provide new characters with a limited set of basic mud classes.
At some point players can advantage to a second and third tier  with
more and different classes available. At that point the players will
know what to expect,  and how to deal with the specific requirements
for those classes.

> In my opinion, if everybody starts with weak characters (as seems to
> be the common case in muds), then everybody should start out alike, no
> differences whatsoever (except for looks), and your actions would be
> your destiny. If you do what vampires do, you'll eventually become a
> vampire, and gradually start looking like one as well. (your teeth
> grow etc)

Vampirism is perhaps a poor example, but for other classes (I like to
think of them as professions) this should be fine. My favorite system
would be not to choose a class at the beginning but to establish apt-
itudes. E.g. a player can say she is interested in healing skills and
the system  would generate a character  that has abilities biased  in
that direction. There is however no garantuee the character is a very
good healer,  nor is there any garantuee  the character will have the
gift of True Healing. They may equally well end up being more than a-
veragely skilled  in understanding herblore  as well as being able to
see blood without fainting.  The character could also have a gift for
magic without her ever knowing.

Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey