[MUD-Dev] trade skill idea

[Mordengaard]

From: "Josh Olson" <jolson at micron.net>
> ...trade skills are ultimately formal processes with static components and
> predefined outcomes.  After the hundredth or thousandth time you've
smelted
> the ore, heated up the steel, and pounded it out just right, you're going
to
> start getting sick of it.  No matter how complex or flexible the trade
skill
> has been implemented, the hobby eventually turns into a job because it has
> no dynamism apart from random success factors.
>
> The way to make the trade skill continue to be interesting after that
point
> is to somehow involve social dynamics in the process, making use of the
"MM"
> aspect of the game.  The obvious example is commerce: be a merchant.
There
> are lots of other examples of course, including plugging trade skills into
> large-scale player efforts or even world events.

I've been following this thread pretty closely since it started, and
something just clicked that has probably already been considered by some of
you.
Taking the example of the blacksmith, lets look at the historical blacksmith
(or pseudo-historical at least; I failed history and much of my impressions
are gleaned from fantasy and historical fiction).
Your basic blacksmith (the one who fixes the village ploughs and makes
horseshoes), is usually going to have started out as a young apprentice to
the current blacksmith while they learn their trade.  Then, if they show
promise and can master the skills, they assist the blacksmith, making the
more "common" items that require less skills.  They stay in their
"assistant" role until either they get their own forge in another village,
or the current blacksmith dies or leaves.  He'll then probably get his own
apprentice, and the cycle will continue.  In times of war, the forge would
be given quotas of goods to turn out, normally simple stuff like arrow- or
spear-heads, shield and wheel banding, and so forth.
So who was making all the swords and armour?  Well, your average blacksmith
simply didn't have the skills to do this, so specialist weaponsmiths and
armourers had to be found.  These were more highly-skilled smiths, but even
they would have their "classes" - the guy who is capable of creating blades
of beauty, balance, and style, is hardly likely to be turning out plain old
longswords.
So, to my point (there is one!).
Players who want to fight, can go out and fight.  Initially they can only
take on "small" opposition, the orcs and goblins of your world.  Later, as
they become more skilled, they can leave the small fry behind and take on
the bigger opposition; hell, let them hire an army and lead a crusade.
Why not do the same with your craft players?  A blacksmith player could
start out on the "bottom rung" and as they develop their skills, are able to
produce more and better objects.  Let them get apprentices and hire
assistants to take care of the mundane stuff, while the player concentrates
on trying to get that two-handed greatsword with the kris blade and scrolled
hilt finished.  As the players skill improves, so the range of options and
products available to them widens.

Bread?  Pah, who needs bread.  Someone bake me a croissant.

Mordengaard (Yhared MUD)




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