[MUD-Dev] A Founding Father Forgotten

[Thomas Tomiczek]

From: John Robert Arras [mailto:johna at wam.umd.edu] 

> Levels are simplifications, but if characters have any numbers
> that say what the characters can or can't do and those numbers are
> changed through playing the game, then there's a level-based
> system.


I fully agree on your statements.

ACTUALLY - I dare to say that is more designers of online RPG's
would have learned the basics of P7P RPG's then we would not have
the crap systems that run Everquest, DAOC, Neocron (the ones I know
of and all of them I actually surely dislike on the base of them
being totally unbalanced - I would throw out such rules in my P7P
group immediatly).

Knowing the basics (D&D, Rolemaster (for computationally intensive),
GURPS and (here in germany) DSA4 (best according to me so far) gives
you a good foundation. Playing them gives you an understanding of
what works how - and helps you to avoid the ridiculous uppward
spiral some games have. It helps you make a better system. Surely a
computer can handle way more complex calculations - but most of the
more complex calculations in the modern RPG's seem to be just this:
more comlex. Not having a better foundation. Most systems SEEM to be
flawed in my eyes.  Making a simple formula (taking two dice) way
more complex (rewquiring a calculator) does NOT make a better system
in itself.

Regards


Thomas Tomiczek
THONA Consulting Ltd.
(Microsoft MVP C#/.NET)
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