[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Perma-death

[Nick Koranda]

cruise wrote:
>
> Is there /any/ ways perma-death can be implemented without being hated 
> by players?
>
I played on a player-run UO shard (Angel Island) not too long ago and 
one character in the game decided to chose a game option of being 
"mortal", in which if he died it would be permanent.  He was a good 
PvPer and beat a lot of players in the game.  The entire shard got into 
it and the battles with this man were the best anyone had seen in a 
while.  I think the reason for that is what was at stake.

People who would enjoy perma-death in a current MMO setting are risk 
takers.  It has a gambling feeling to it, to risk it all.  That can be a 
real rush for some people.  You will find that most people do not want 
their items taken when they "die" much less have a a permanently killed 
character.  I would say a majority of players are risk averse and would 
not enjoy giving up their time that they spent building up their character.

So with that said, if you reduce that risk, you will find players more 
accepting of perma-death.  Reducing the risk would entail some of the 
following:

1)  Removing the time it takes to build up a character or get special 
loot.  However that this is implemented, if you remove the time invested 
in building up a character, you will remove the fear of loosing it.  
Now  removing the time required to build up a character is not good for 
the games which make it a near staple to grind up characters to 100% 
skill.  It would however introduce some interesting problems to solve in 
order to provide game play time for players...it would make the designer 
think of other "things" that a player could do in-game besides wait for 
the next percentage point while hacking a chicken with a club.

2)  Dont make perma-death so perma.  What about implementing a 
generational system whereby, if the father/mother dies, a son/daughter 
can enter the game, with a percentage of the traits/skills/wealth of his 
parent, even taking on a similar name.