[MUD-Dev] A Founding Father Forgotten

[Threshold RPG]

On 8 Apr 2003, at 8:40, Thomas Tomiczek wrote:

> 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).

Why are they crap? Of the three you listed, the only one I
experienced was DAoC's system, but it was pretty good. The only
problem was that Mythic is so stingy with the "respecs" it is really
easy to gimp your character if you make even just 1 or 2 skill point
expenditure errors.

The system itself is fine and even interesting. There are just a few
flaws in implementation. DAoC would do well to take a memo from
AC2. One of the few things AC2 did right is make it so you can undo
your decisions. As a result, there is more variety of character
types and less "stress" over how to train up your character.

> 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.

Playing pen and paper RPGs is *one way* to get a good foundation in
understanding RPGs. It is not the only way and it is probably not
the best way. I say that because I do not think there is a best
way. There are many routes to the same destination that are all
equally good.

Further, pen and paper RPGs are just as suceptible to "ridiculous
upward spiral." The concept of the "Monty Haul" campaign existed
long before the CRPG.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Hartman, J.D. (http://www.threshold-rpg.com)
President & CEO, Threshold Virtual Environments, Inc.

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