[MUD-Dev] Non-traditional monsters?

[Damion Schubert]

From: Jack Britt

>> Or are you just looking for pre-baked monster ideas that don't
>> require any further design work?  Best source for that would be a
>> library or a bookstore.  I think I've even seen pan-cultural
>> mythological indexes on the Barnes & Noble bargain rack.  Big
>> picture book stuff, should be perfect.  Might not have much
>> depth, but if you want more depth you look for a book on a
>> specific culture I suppose.

> That's what I was thinking, but I'd hoped to find something online
> and save a little cash. Time to check out the bargain bins!

My only advice is that inventing monsters from whole cloth is pretty
difficult to pull off, while still maintaining some sort of
resonance with the player base.  I actually attribute a large part
of AC's difficulties with their non-traditional monster choices.  It
was just easier to imagine yourself a hero in EverQuest's world.

Ironically, it's even harder to come up with whole-cloth monsters in
text muds.  Not only do you have to come up with a compelling
concept, which is already tricky, you then have to be able to
describe that concept in a very compelling fashion, and even then
you are depending on the player reading the description having an
imagination of turning that description into something that is
exciting to fight.  Imagination is, in fact, a hindrance for a lot
of people attempting to play your game.

--d

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