I've come up with a few ideas on how to replace and improve certain features of RPGs. ---- Gaining Experience Since some people have criticized the murder based experience system, I've come up with a possible solution... Since in real life, soldiers do gain experience by killing, it shouldn't be abolished entirely, but what if the killing only affected certain traits. For instance, all that sword swinging might make you stronger, and you may have more dexterity. Or casting more spells allows you to gain more spell points since you get more experience there as well. However, skills, such as Magic and fighting with certain weapons must be learned. You may have to travel across the land to meet with a famous swordsman who can teach you. In fact it might be possible to improve your attributes at certain training places, but it would of course, cost you something. Killing Stuff Some of us sometimes just kill anybody or anything because they look like they may have something important. Some people will raid a peaceful farm community just for a little extra gold. For this, I propose the Reputation\Fame system. Everything you do contributes to your reputation. If you act like a jerk and start killing everybody, you'll be treated as a criminal. If you act nobly, helping people and defending the innocent, you'll become famous and popular. Also, killing creatures like goblins may earn you the emnity of the goblins and their allies. So everything you do has an effect on what people think of you. The Dark Side I'm sure many of us just love to raise undead, call up demons, and act like Sauron from Lord of the Rings . However, what if this had an effect on you. True, you can have destructive power and ally yourself with evil, but it will have an effect on your soul, and many people will be afraid of you, and others try to combat you. Just a thought... NPCs are people too! What would happen if certain NPCs had a bigger role in your game. Say you help someone, and then later you can ask a favor of them. For instance, say you suck up and boost the ego of the king, and in turn, he'll gladly give you stuff, but some of the other members of court may not like you for your popularity. Magic In RPGs, magic is a great ally. For instance, in the game Nethergate, a single Celt character with a decent knowledge of weaponry, and a decent knowledge of magic will eventually become more successful than a team of armed Romans (the game was set in the time when the Romans were conquering England). I say we should pay more attention to magic. I'll leave it up to you guys to think more on that... Besides Adventuring This is really more for MMORPGs. What if you could do things besides adventuring? For instance, you could run for mayor, or even become king. Or you could become a rich merchant. The possibilities are endless! ------ That's all I have to say for now. Keep on designing RPGs! P.S. If you actually downloaded Nethergate, I can give you my character if you want. Just eMail me! (eMail: "lazercool@mail.com") - DarkMage139 "Real game developers don't change the rules. Real game developers don't break the rules. Real game developers make the rules!" "Originality (in games) is the spice of life!" Edited by - DarkMage139 on 7/4/00 1:09:16 PM

Already answers to a similar question.

Using a skill based rule system.
Only used skills can be enhanced.
You get more points failing than succeeding.
(This have sense, think about it, @ worste I''ll explain why)

Magic is powerfull, but don''t forget that you''re not the only one using it.
You might found a better wizard than yourself...

NPC are people...
Yes but that kind of AI is hard to do.

Reputation system required to enhanced the game experience.
Reputation varies from one place to another and so is not directly attached to the character but rather to a region.
Informations travel from a region to another, so your reputation/fame will travel

Just things I''m thinking about.
(In fact decisions already taken for a RPG I''m working on)


-* So many things to do, so few time to spend *-

quote:Original post by DarkMage139


NPCs are people too!
What would happen if certain NPCs had a bigger role in your game. Say you help someone, and then later you can ask a favor of them. For instance, say you suck up and boost the ego of the king, and in turn, he''ll gladly give you stuff, but some of the other members of court may not like you for your popularity.

NPCs are people too!
My quote exactly, see!

Another good NPC forum is: NPC AI in RPGs (2)



-Chris Bennett ("Insanity" of Dwarfsoft)

Check our site:
http://www.crosswinds.net/~dwarfsoft/
and our eGroup:
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quote:Original post by Ingenu

NPC are people...
Yes but that kind of AI is hard to do.

Actually, we are discussing this over in NPC AI in RPGs (2) and I believe there are a number of suggestions that would make this more realistic, without any particularly difficult implementation tasks. . I believe that the future is within our grasp .



-Chris Bennett ("Insanity" of Dwarfsoft)

Check our site:
http://www.crosswinds.net/~dwarfsoft/
and our eGroup:
http://www.egroups.com/group/dwarfsoft

was thinking of that kind of NPC as an extension to the previous need system.
Something similar would give good results.

the example given isn''t very hard to implement, but the problem is to have an extensive pseudo needs system.

(Here we are more talking about human nature that needs, but the system is usable with that as well)

I think I''ll have to explain this better than I did ;(

-* So many things to do, so few time to spend *-

Just explain that a needs system (for human nature side of things) is for humans to destroy in order to feel power. Then, if they see a non-human that is weaker than they are, then they put it down (or hack it to bits ), is this what you meant?

Truely my vision is not functioning right, must have sleep....


-Chris Bennett ("Insanity" of Dwarfsoft)

Check our site:
http://www.crosswinds.net/~dwarfsoft/
and our eGroup:
http://www.egroups.com/group/dwarfsoft

quote:Original post by Anonymous Poster

I have yet to see a MMORPG where people actually roleplay! most of them just run around chasing monsters, since they think that''s the entire point of the game...

That is incorrect. I have been playing UO a very long time and our guild has been very successful at roleplaying. UO is open enough for the player to decide what he wants to do... and then go about doing it.

quote:
Do you think anyone would like to play a MMORPG where there was no monsters? Goblins were actually played by people? That would be interesting... A MMORPG that wasn''t just about killing NPC monsters!

Oh... Got to go...

//Ksero

I have been talking this up for about 6 months or so. I think that if you gave the player the ability to play as a monster, say a Troll or a Dragon, then you could elliminate the trend to have non PK areas in the game.
In the game where players can be killed by monsters, why not allow players to be them.

I think I will start a thread on this topic.



Dave "Dak Lozar" Loeser