[MUD-Dev] Maintaining fiction.

[Peter Tyson]

On the issue of Perma-Death, it would be fun to allow it as almost a
badge of honor in a game.

Imagine if you will, the ability to give your characters last
names. So you have 'Smith'. Only characters taking permadeath (perhaps
it's a 'negative' trait you can take to give you more points in
character creation, like 'Fallout') are able to have a last name.

Everyone would know you were a special kinda character (including
PeeKays..  hmm problem perhaps!) and I bet there would be groups of
like-minded permadeath choosing individuals who would join together
when they realize there's others who like this lifestyle.

Now here's the kicker. You can't die permanently until your character
reaches a certain level. Then you are supposed to find a NPC wife or
hubby of some kind (couple of quests and she'll rattle of "I Do"
faster than service in a drive through chapel). Couple of quests later
and you have a kid! ("you seek a pregnency test kit? I hear an Troll
outside of town has one")

Now if you die, and you have a kid to fall back on, and if you remain
alive a while, your 'kid' ages and becomes more powerful. So at 20 you
marry and get a kid. At level 40 you die. Your kid is almost as
capable as a level 20 character now (say it's level 15) and you can
customize the last 15 years/levels of development of your new
character all at once, or perhaps over just a few hours of game play
(leveling 15 times in a couple of hours would be a laugh!). Of course,
you also, as the child, gain control of most of the bank and
possessions of the parent.

There's lots of fun you could have with this concept. Could PC's,
"marry" and pass on one name to respective siblings, could you, as you
age your main character, guide the growth of your new character, or
even visit it and give it some helping hand!? Of course, your
wife/hubbie would complain about you being away all the time and not
around to help with the kid.. then there's rescuing your own child
from the orcs! Perhaps NPCs would remeber you and your kids and know
you were a grandson or daughter and do favours (cheap stuff in shops
or the odd item) for you. Hmm, I want to get married to the
blacksmith's daughter (o, but that's much more difficult than the
farmers daughter!) And so on.

This idea amuses me. Normal permadeath options provide nothing but
punishment for choosing it (loosing stuff and 'time'). This kind of
approach provides rewards too. And while I would never normally
consider perma-death, in this situation I might, just to create my own
cool family tree and history as well as fun back-stories too all my
character "well my granddaddy.."

thoughts :)

Peter Tyson

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