[MUD-Dev2] [Design] Non-cliche content creation

[cruise]

Thus spake Damion Schubert...
> On Jan 4, 2008 9:23 AM, cruise <cruise at casual-tempest.net> wrote:
>> My current r&d effort (outside of metaplace) is creating a system to
>> produce npcs that can interact and spontaneously produce quests and
>> missions - from the simple "I need 10 loaves" to "kill my rival for the
>> throne".
>>
> 
> My contrarian thoughts:
> 
> 1) The number one problem with interesting quest/NPC generation is the cost
> in development and QA of content generation.

"The number one problem with 3d graphic engines is the cost in 
development and QA of content generation."

I'm not disagreeing, merely pointing out that it's somewhat irrelevant. 
Yes, it's difficult and time consuming. So are a lot fo things if you 
want them done well. Once they're done, however, they stay done. Once I 
have a quest generation system, all my quests from ever on are free. 
Sounds like a good trade off to me :P

> 2) Algorithmic content is never as compelling as hand-crafted content.
> If you're not moved by handcrafted content, it's badly written hand-crafted
> content.  But almost no one is moved by randomly generated quests.

Because they're not done well. Currently, my NPCs can love, hate (each 
other and things), grow and change as individuals depending on 
experiences, become addicted/obsessed, etc. Soon, they'll lie and cheat 
too. Whether it'll be enough, remains to be seen, but I hope they'll be 
a lot better than what has gone before...

> 3) Shared content gets a bad rap.  Shared experiences are powerful -
> BECAUSE they are shared.  People can compare experiences and share
> hints, and people don't get jealous that they never had an opportunity to
> kill the king.

These won't be "quests" in the formal manner that currently exists in 
most RPG style games - the very nature of the generation system will 
mean that they're closer to informal requests, and there's no set way to 
complete them. If you get asked by someone to kill the king, you're free 
to ignore them, turn them in to the guards, pass the request on to 
another character (NPC or player), etc. All of these will have 
ramifications, obviously.

Turning the would-be regicidal NPC in might cause the guards to ask 
other players to investigate this individual, in turn uncovering a whole 
secret group dedicated to overthrowing the current government, who then 
start attacking publicly, bringing more players in on either side.

My current sticking point is getting NPCs to be able to believably value 
  abstract things, like the reliability of an assassin :P