[MUD-Dev] Classless systems

[Ling Lo]

On Sat, 22 Jul 2000 20:47:02 -0700
"Christopher Allen" <ChristopherA at skotos.net> wrote:

> One of things that I think is important to consider in a classless
system is
> also to consider going level-less as well. Both www.dartmud.com (which
has
> been around quite a while) and www.accursed.org have classless/leveless
> systems, with quite a bit of maturity in design.

As Jon Lambert pointed out a while ago, any design can be perceived to
have levels if one is picky enough.  In a context of a level-less &
classless system, chances are, some sort of system is used to evaluate
characters on their various abilities.  This system does not necessarily
have to be exposed to the players.

Real life is level-less but we still try to fit levels around it.  Eg: I'm
a graduate with one yr of commercial experience.  In the equivalent mud,
I'll probably be a Young Professional class Level 1. (tap when MUD-Dev
enchantment is in play)

Going level-less makes things trickier.  How do players evaluate each
other?  It would be worthwhile putting in visual statements to give a hint
which muds don't generally do right now.  For instance, the mannerism and
general posture of ex-military guys are distinctive (over here anyway). 
This could then be tied into a perception stat but that's another topic.

> Am I the only person here that was ever involved with either of these
> muds? If not, we maybe we should actively recruit on of their active
> creators, because I repeatedly refer to both of these as having some
> notable features that are of interest to mud-dev members. 

Take a peek at: http://www.kanga.nu/archives/MUD-Dev-L/1997Q2/msg00524.php

This is Dustan Hough's, Lathander, first and only post before deciding
MUD-Dev trafficking was too much.  His words to me, before unsubscribing
was: "I'm still waiting for the pearls of wisdom."

It would be incredibly cool to get someone from over there here.
Especially considering a) they have dreamt up _and_ implemented a number
of good ideas b) they did this in parallel to MUD-Dev without being
consciously aware of MUD-Dev.

I've played DartMUD to a moderate extent and have toyed with being a
builder on Accursed Land but as always, it's a lack of time.

What I was going to do over there was implement something similar to the
population container mentioned in Sustainable Ecosystem but for
holding npc combat genes.  That is, use genetic algorithms for evolving
parameters to be used in combat, hopefully something that could adjust
itself to whatever difficulty was deemed suitable for the area.
Ambitious?  Yes, as always but then, AL has npcs with neural networks.

As a side note, population containers can also be used to control economy,
weather and anything else that's broad and sweeping.

  |   Ling Lo
_O_O_ kllo at iee.org




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