[MUD-Dev] Noncombat(and combat) skills WAS: (no subject)

[Arnau Rossell=?US-ASCII?Q?=F3?= Castell=?US-ASCII?Q?=F3?=]

Ok, here it is again, sorry for forgetting to attribute it.

Jack Britt wrote:

> I was wondering what skills I could implement in my mud. So far I
> have these non-combat skills. Is there anything not on the list
> (aside from magic) that players seem to enjoy?

I think that rather than designing skills one-by-one, thinking "will
players like to do this?", you should try to tie them together in
the gameplay/economy of the game, for example, we begin with
"alchemist"(I'm thinking more of a set of abilities than an ability
alone):

  -Alchemist
   Needs:
    Minerals                         -->Miner
    Herbs                            -->Herbalist
    Parts of monsters(eg. Ogre bone) -->Fighter,Medic(if you need a
                                        kidney...)
   Provides:
    Healing potions                  -->Fighter
    Poison                           -->Assasin
    Identifies potions               -->Fighter(well, whoever finds it)
    
  Then you have to define miners,herbalists,fighters,medics,assasins.
  
  -Fighter
   Needs:
    Healing potions                  -->Alchemist
    Weapons                          -->Blacksmith
    Armor                            -->Blacksmith
   Provides:
    Parts of monsters                -->Alchemist
    Unique items from spoils         -->Everybody(that is interested in the 
                                        particular item, of course)
    Escort                           -->Miners,Herbalists
   
Now you have Blacksmiths, too. Eventually you'll settle for a set of
closely interconnected sets of abilities, its size should be adapted
to the work you want to do.

If an ability is closely interrelated with all the others, it will
be used by the players, because there will be demand for it, efen if
it's gathering fertilizer(the smell is only virtual, you see?). A
lone ability may be tried by curiosity, but when people learn how it
works it won't have any other lure and will be abandoned.

Well, that's what I think, at least. Discussion is welcome,
especially from Ron, whose mails lately i find very insightful :)

--

Arnau




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