[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] NPC-oriented gameplay and XP model:GURPS/EveOnline vs. D&D/Diku

[Mike Rozak]

Lachek Butalek wrote:
> Mike, in CircumReality, what are the XP spent on? And how does that
> expenditure affect a player's chance to succeed? How does the initial
> character creation work - are players able to differentiate their
> character's skills at that point?

XP is spent on skills. Skills make it easier to succeed, and/or act as 
gates. Skills can also enable new gameplay.

For example: Training up combat skills makes defeating monsters easier.

For example: A player may find a book written in an ancient langauge and 
can't decipher the book (to solve a puzzle) until they spend XP on the 
ancient-language skill. (Or, find another player with the skill.)

For example: A teleportation-spell skill enables new gameplay.


Initial character creation: Players select a race and gender. Skills default 
to the same for every player (of a race). I want to avoid asking players too 
many questions up front.

>
> I think *how* the currency is spent is really important for the
> discussion of how and when it should be awarded. What forms of
> gameplay do you want to reward?

Currency is another resource. It can be used to buy stuff, pay for equipment 
repairs, as well as presents/bribes to NPCs.

A feeling I'm getting from some of your other comments: CircumReality isn't 
exactly a MMORPG because the game is only supposed to last 5-15 hours. The 
concept of power over other players exists, but more since players aren't 
likely to meet one another again, it has different meaning.