RE: Classes and Races, was Re: CF: Alternate proposal: MARK the power crystals

[dragonm <>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Wedel
To: 
Sent: 9/7/99 9:21 PM
Subject: Re: Classes and Races, was Re: CF: Alternate proposal:  MARK the
power  crystals

<snip>

> The idea is that you would choose the race of your character when you
> create it, but the class would be something that is given to your
> character later.  Maybe the title of your character could be modified
> depending on which skill you learn first?  I also liked the idea of
> introducing guilds for training your character and removing skill
> scrolls completely (they do not make sense in real life anyway), so
> maybe joining a guild would set your class and change your title.

 That could work.  Certainly doing that actually adds some meaning to
the guild halls.  And the guild halls could also be sources of quests in
their own right (prove yourself worthy be bringing back and XXX, and I'll
teach you yyyy)

 One question, that would make things more complex, but maybe more
interesting, is add training for levels in the game?  Right now, you gain a
level, you get all the advantages right then, no matter where you are.

 It would certainly be more interesting to have to go to a guild hall to
train, but at the same time, you get some more choices/refinements in the
skills (right now there are not many skills, but more could perhaps be added
or add subdivisions?)  So you could train yourself in specific weapons or
areas of magic.  OTOH, this may just add a lot more complication in both
code and playing for the current gains.
----------------
Shades of EverQuest...  Not even shades.  This scheme is almost exactly
identical to what EverQuest has implemented.  EverQuest retains the ability
for a character in the field to improve a skill by using it it the field,
while simultaneously offering training in any of those same skills at
guilds.  Guild training is considerably faster than practice, but it also
costs, on a graduated scale whose top end is fairly impressively expensive.
I don't have a problem with re-implementing our own version of it.  It's a
fairly functional system, and even likable.  Just thought you all outta be
aware it's been done.
----------------
> 
> So IMHO, the only real races would be the following:
> - human
> - barbarian (maybe)
> - dwarf
> - elf
> - half-orc
> - fireborn
> - quetzalcoatl
> - wraith

 This could of course get added onto as more classes are added or other
changes.  If you have wraith (which is a very strange race), you could
almost open up all the races (ogre, skeleton, ...)  But probably trying to
have a short list that is fairly different is better than including
everything imaginable with a lot of things which are mostly the same.
----------------
I hate to continue harping on another game, but again, I'm reminded of
EverQuest.  One of EverQuest's greatest attractions to me was the ability to
play as an Ogre.  I've been wanting to do that for nearly a decade, and it
was a lot of fun.  I'm also reminded of Dungeon Keeper.  Am I the only one
who found entertaining the ability to walk around as one of the dungeon
creatures, gleefully bashing on heroes?  Role playing in Dungeon Keeper was
about zilch, but an RPG COULD be done that provided ramps for not just
humans playing as the traditional humanoid races, but the traditional
"monster" races as well.  Crossfire's wraith and quetzalcoatl lead me to
believe this idea has merit.  After all, we're already part way there.  :)
----------------
<snip>

DM
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