[MUD-Dev] In-game tailors, re-stringers, etc.

[Eli Stevens {KiZurich/GreySylk}]

An idea popped into my head a while back, when the thread about a
character's social status was active.  I mulled it over for a while, and I
hope that everyone will find it interesting.

To start, clothes make the (wo)man:  guards, innkeepers, shop owners,
etc. are nicer to those who dress well.  Thieves are attracted to rich
clothing.  Social events will require the proper clothing.  Etc.

A big problem is that the builders of the world will be hard pressed to
create a wide enough variety of styles and prices of clothing to satisfy
everyone.  If the game features a restringer, that could help, but many
would restring burlap rags into silks (or vice versa) in order to exploit
the game mechanics, while still keeping the "look" they wanted.

Instead, give the players tailors that can make an article of clothing
look like anything they wish (almost, more on that later).  Each word in
the description of the clothing has an associated cost or cost multiplier.

For example: "A coat of black and gold silk, trimmed with red velvet"

base cost per word: 5 gold
special word costs: (from a pre-constructed table)

coat: 8 gold, x1
gold: 30 gold, x4
silk: 10 gold, x2
trim: 7 gold, x1
velvet: 8 gold, x1.5

"A coat of black and gold silk, trimmed with red velvet"
 5+ 8+  5+ 5+    5+  30+  10+   7+      5+   5+  8      = 93
 4 x 2 x 1.5 = 12

total cost: 93 x 12 = 1116 gold.

Other words might have prices less than 5, or multipliers less than one
(burlap, for example).  To keep the descriptions somewhat sane, a key word
could be required to be present in the description.  An article of
clothing worn around the shoulders and torso would have to have one of he
following in its desc: shirt, coat, vest, blouse, mantle, jacket, sweater,
tunic...  Etc.  This would help prevent players from wearing pants on
their head.  :)

Also, if color words are present, the first could be used to help
describe the item.  From the example above, a short desc could be "a
coat," "a black coat," "a black silk coat," "a coat of black silk," etc.
All of those could be taken from a generic list of cloth types, colors,
and clothing pieces.  Those lists would be added to as players found words
that they wished to use but were not present ("I want to wear
pantaloons!"), or whatever.  Another list could have disallowed words,
like "nylon" (assuming a medival setting).

I also have been thinking about extending the system to armors.  Give each
word an AC modifier as well as cost, and have a blacksmith/tanner create
custom armor for the players.  "Chain" would increase the AC more than
"leather," "rusty" might drop it some, while "mithril" would pump it up
some.  :)

(As an aside, I am not fond of the "EQ scavenger hunts" that are necassary
to be competitive on many muds.  Can you tell? :)

Silence is on the "ideas to think about prototyping later" pile
Eli




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