[MUD-Dev] variable difficulty levels (was: ghost mode)

[Michael Tresca]

From: Corey Crawford [mailto:ccrawford at seventh.net]

> While I haven't seen this implemented in any current MMORPGs
> (other than picking a difficulty level for autogenerated
> missions), I have seen this implemented in MUDs.

> Avatar (http://www.outland.org/) uses races to determine how hard
> it is to level. Selecting a Gargoyle (for example) takes 2-3 times
> the normal amount of exp to level. The trade off comes in with
> racial bonuses; these include higher than average stats as well as
> racial spells and skills (stone skin and bonus barehand attacks,
> if I remember right).

RetroMUD has this.  We have racial exp percentages, 100% being
ideal.  We have a complex system of plusses and minuses for each
race -- it's why we have so many races, because it's very easy to
calculate the race's exp rate.  That said, we've discovered there's
certain things you simply don't do.  We had a deathknight race that
required a ridiculous number of quests that probably took two year's
worth of time to create.  Once someone finally completed it, they
were far too powerful to allow in the game.  They avoided all the
race's weaknesses through guile and wit and capitalized on the
advantages -- so much so that they were ultrapowerful beyond
compare.

In other words, no amount of exp rate could offset the race's power.

> There could be plenty of ways to reflect difficulty in an
> achievement MMORPG. Most of the ones that come to mind are based
> on "what you get when you level". If your difficulty level is set
> high you get more stat/skill/spell/whatever points when you
> actually do level. If you set it low, then you level faster but
> have a less powerful character in the end.

RetroMUD has a newbie level range, with the "normal" disadvantages
that come with playing slowly setting in across 20 levels.  As the
newbies advantage, they begin to suffer all the stuff that comes
with Retro -- hunger, movement costs, etc.  But when they start,
monsters treat them difficulty.  If a newbie attempts to attack
something much higher level, it's simply told, "That would be
suicidal!"  In short, our goal is to make the game minimally
frustrating for newbies when they start.

Over time, they become acclimated to the game.  Or at least, we hope
they do.

Mike "Talien" Tresca
RetroMUD Administrator
http://michael.tresca.net
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