[MUD-Dev] Re: Room descriptions, was Re: Roleplaying

[Richard Woolcock]

John Bertoglio wrote:
> 
> Had similar thoughts about player and player/npc adventuring parties. Our
> system creates a party object when the leader (a player with suitable
> leadership and other skills) announces the formation of group. This party
> is for all intents and purposes another player, (it is added to the
> character database). This "character" had certain default characteristics
> which make it interesting. It derives it stats and some skills from the
> characters who join the party. It inherits excess cargo capacity from the
> characters as well as other things. This party is moved through the world
> by the leader. The leader can issue a few party commands as well as have
> full control over his own character. Players in the party have full control
> over their character but a using a movement command will automatically
> remove them from the party (after a warning message is overridden).
> Messages which target the "Party" character are shown to all members of the
> group.

Very interesting!  One of my many 'things to do' in my WoD-based mud is
a level 5 Sanguinus power - Coagulate Enemy - which will allow a group
leader to literally absorb his group into his body, forming a huge meto-
character.  Of course, the individuals within this creature wouldn't be
able to act independantly, although they *could* strive for control.

> Because of the shared strength and pooling of skills this "meta character"
> is quite useful compared to the powers of its members. The party can
> portage a small boat, haul logs for building a stockade and other feats
> impossible for even the most capable individual. Of course, each player
> controls his on character in combat, takes damage, changs weapons, etc.

You could use this system to represent units in a large-scale war as well.

> I'm sure this has been done before, but here is the new (?) wrinkle: What
> if a given leader's party character was not deleted when the leader
> disbanded the party? What if the party "character" continued its existance.
> The party could gain experience, fame, auras and other characteristics.

Definitly!  This could be incorporated into player-recognition as well:

   Four tall, black-armoured figures ride in from the north.
   The leader of the four announces, "We are the Four Horsemen of the
   Apocolypse".
   The Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse ride south.

Thus a player might become better known as a member of the Four Horsemen
rather than as an individual.

> While the the meta character would not actually perform any actions, it
> would provide bonuses for anyone in it. The RP justification would be the
> leader's ability to coordinate the team around him (or her) to get the job
> done. When you fight along side Cyrano, you are a better swordman. When you
> slink with the grey mouser, you are a better slinker, and so on. It also
> represents the parties ability to improve the plans of even a skilled
> character.

Improved fighting, yes - you should get a moral bonus for fighting beside
the invincible Cyrano.  I'm not sure about increased other skills, although
it could be assumed that the Grey Mouser was pointing out the most stealty
route to follow.  I think this would add a very interesting element to the
mud, particularly if each player had very different skills (groups would 
then be formed to include all the skills necessary to do their job).

> The party character would be represented by a standard, sash, pendant or
> some other object. It would only have value to and could only be wielded by

Or a tattoo, ritual scar, particular face paint...

> the leader character. When you viewed the party you would see a description
> written by the leader (or generated by the server if the leader declines to
> enter the text). It might say: You see a party of hearty adventurers led by
> a powerful elf carrying a green standard with a red diagonal slash. Click
> on the party and you are presented with a short display of the members
> which can in turn be drilled down to detailed view of each member.

Definitely.

> Now, if your dealing with the green-red group in the past had led to
> problems, it might be time to run!
> 
> As the party (or members of the party) performed actions, the same
> mechanism which improves individual skills would work (at a reduced level)
> on the party stats. Take the ambush skill. Since the ambush is assumed to
> being organized by the person in the group with the highest ambush skill,

But it could only be organised by the person in the group with the highest
leadership skill ;)  You might well have a great group, but with no clear
leader you're not going to get anywhere.

> that skill is used to calculate the success. A successful ambush has the
> possibility of increasing the lead ambusher's skill as well as the parties
> skill. All party skills start at 0 and are used as adds to party-based
> attempts. So a party with an ambush skill of 7 would simply add 7 to the
> score of the character leading the ambush. Of course, it is also possible
> that characters in the party without the ambush skill could gain an initial
> value in this skill if they participate in enough of them. But that is a
> subject for another post.
> 
> I have roughed out some code I will add to my server in the second round of
> improvements unless some wiser head persuades me as to the goofiness of
> this idea.

Go for it!

KaVir.

--
MUD-Dev: Advancing an unrealised future.