Nexus Worlds

by Estarra

Back to The Polling Place.

Unknown2006-08-12 20:03:11
Why are open-ended events so impossible and terrible? I've seen tons of muds pull them off extremely well, though those were mostly RPI's and MUSHes.

And even if it isn't 'totally' open-ended, you could still allow for two or three possible predetermined outcomes based on which choices players make as the event runs its course. Much better than fixing them into one unavoidable goal.
Estarra2006-08-12 20:09:32
QUOTE(Temporary_Guido @ Aug 12 2006, 01:03 PM) 318517

Why are open-ended events so impossible and terrible? I've seen tons of muds pull them off extremely well, though those were mostly RPI's and MUSHes.

And even if it isn't 'totally' open-ended, you could still allow for two or three possible predetermined outcomes based on which choices players make as the event runs its course. Much better than fixing them into one unavoidable goal.


Tons eh? My expereince has been that storylines get tangled, admin get bogged down trying to furious code/set up new development points, players get pissed off that nothing happens for stretches of time when admin are doing just that, admin get pissed off that what they just spent hours (or more) working on doesn't get used, plot meanders in directions that are dead-end, players lose interest and just want to go off and do something else, admin lose interest and begin resenting the event, and on and on and on.

(That said, i can see it working for a MUSH.)

Hey, I LOVE events with 2-3 possible outcomes. We've certainly done it before and we'll do it again!
Unknown2006-08-12 20:22:09
QUOTE(Estarra @ Aug 12 2006, 08:09 PM) 318518

Tons eh? My expereince has been that storylines get tangled, admin get bogged down trying to furious code/set up new development points, players get pissed off that nothing happens for stretches of time when admin are doing just that, admin get pissed off that what they just spent hours (or more) working on doesn't get used, plot meanders in directions that are dead-end, players lose interest and just want to go off and do something else, admin lose interest and begin resenting the event, and on and on and on.

(That said, i can see it working for a MUSH.)

Hey, I LOVE events with 2-3 possible outcomes. We've certainly done it before and we'll do it again!


That's good, at least. And it's very doable in events that don't have a large physical impact on the gameworld at stake - that is, changing areas, introducing new skills or skillsets, or other large gameplay additions. Mostly I'd like to see the more open-ended events to be smaller ones, or ones where its affect is more political (A few decree by Maeve or Luciphage, for example) - then it's easier for all involved and still interesting. The 'big' events (Like Kethuru) can go along pretermined routes - we all love to see things like that, and I don't think anyone can complain about anything that flashy and vital to the storyline.
Ashteru2006-08-12 20:22:27
Just to add my oppinion, I like events that get started by players (by talking through mobs, finding something unusual, etc) far cooler than, say, a mob speaking up for itself. I am sure it's needed, but I just get a real cool feeling if I talk with a mob, and then something develops out of this. (Which hasn't happened to me yet, but one can hope!)

And about divine...I know I find Fain IC and OOCly badass, and can see how his player tries and works a lot, so, all I can do is to continually express how badass he is. ninja.gif
Vadriel2006-08-12 20:30:58
QUOTE(Shamarah @ Aug 12 2006, 12:50 PM) 318516

I think some of what people are saying, though, is that it would be nice to see (in addition to things like nexus worlds) actual events that promote conflict. Take the sea quests as an example. Raising Marilynth and Ladantine would have been extremely fun if they were events that took place once... but they weren't. They were quests that had to be done continuously, were perceived by many people as a grind, and have now basically been removed from the game (or, their impact has been). I think it'd be nice to see conflict introduced through dynamic one-time events (ie. the tainting of the fae event as an example, though I know it was detested by many people) rather than continuous quests that become boring after a while.


I think it's worth pointing out that from an admin standpoint it takes months of work to design and implement something like the sea quests. We do design some events like this, and you already pointed out one in the tainted fae! However, due to the time involved in their creation and implementation, they are extremely irregular. Are you suggesting that we should only run events that are of such an infrequent nature? If you are, I would disagree with that idea.

Not all events are ground breaking or earth shattering in nature. If they were, I think they'd quickly become mundane and boring. The Basin can't be threatened all the time, after all, or it would lose its meaning!
Shamarah2006-08-12 21:02:07
QUOTE(Vadriel @ Aug 12 2006, 04:30 PM) 318521

Are you suggesting that we should only run events that are of such an infrequent nature? If you are, I would disagree with that idea.


Not at all; like I said, I do like regulated mechanical conflict, like the conflict quests. However, it'd be nice to also see irregular unique events, which seem to appear very rarely.
Unknown2006-08-12 22:00:48
Oh, what a pleasent surprise. I like this idea, and it could also solve the problem of power no longer being important. It would be intresting if the general level of power in the nexus reflected the health of the nexus world. Also, these areas could truly...for lack of a better word, reflect the orgs nature, better than elemental/ethereal.
Daganev2006-08-13 05:53:33
QUOTE(Shorlen @ Aug 12 2006, 11:44 AM) 318510

Fallen keeps making new alts, so he's hard to track. His most notable character is Jairdan.
EDIT: I think this poll is lacking. The choices should be "Yes." "No, I think the idea is a bad one," and "No, I think other things should be handled first."


Lies! His most notable char is Furloch. sad.gif
Shamarah2006-08-13 14:01:22
QUOTE(Estarra @ Aug 10 2006, 11:19 PM) 317985

Note that refills would only work on potions that have at least one sip, and would be VERY expensive. (Same would go for enchantment recharges, of course.)


Just wanted to point out that this would be quite impractical. You'd have to keep track of which vials had only one sip left in them and make sure not to drink that last sip... ick.
Estarra2006-08-13 19:10:44
QUOTE(Shamarah @ Aug 13 2006, 07:01 AM) 318698

Just wanted to point out that this would be quite impractical. You'd have to keep track of which vials had only one sip left in them and make sure not to drink that last sip... ick.


We could add a low skill in discernment that prevents you from taking the last sip of a potion or using the last charge of an enchantment.

This really is the only idea I've heard that I'd consider to allow potions produced in cities and enchantment charges in communes. But if no one likes this idea, we can let it drop.
SmileyHerb.gif
Daganev2006-08-13 20:07:45
QUOTE(Estarra @ Aug 13 2006, 12:10 PM) 318768

We could add a low skill in discernment that prevents you from taking the last sip of a potion or using the last charge of an enchantment.

This really is the only idea I've heard that I'd consider to allow potions produced in cities and enchantment charges in communes. But if no one likes this idea, we can let it drop.
SmileyHerb.gif



That discerment skill is sort of a good idea... as long as it drink the next available vial and doesn't prevent you from sipping.
Shamarah2006-08-13 20:52:51
QUOTE(Estarra @ Aug 13 2006, 03:10 PM) 318768

We could add a low skill in discernment that prevents you from taking the last sip of a potion or using the last charge of an enchantment.

This really is the only idea I've heard that I'd consider to allow potions produced in cities and enchantment charges in communes. But if no one likes this idea, we can let it drop.
SmileyHerb.gif


I guess that would work, though I don't see why they can't just refill/recharge empty vials/jewelry. Kegs do!

I certainly like any idea that removes the communes' monopoly on alchemy (and the cities' monopoly on enchantment, though that's far less important).
Unknown2006-08-13 21:29:09
Will this NPC make sigils for important rooms and enchant statues for villages, because that's really the most important thing about enchantment for commune protection.
Soll2006-08-13 21:37:52
From what I gathered, it was like a factory more than an NPC. You put the vial in the machine and it spews out an identical refill. Or it surges power through the jewellery and recharges it.
Sylphas2006-08-14 19:05:15
Give it cleanse, scry, levitation, statues, and sigils, at the very least. The rest of enchantments isn't really necessary, but parts of it are just as useful as alchemy.
Daganev2006-08-14 19:48:40
QUOTE(Sylphas @ Aug 14 2006, 12:05 PM) 319283

Give it cleanse, scry, levitation, statues, and sigils, at the very least. The rest of enchantments isn't really necessary, but parts of it are just as useful as alchemy.


interesting, besides cleanse and levitation I don't really have a need for any of those, and I use those two the least of all my others.
Sylphas2006-08-14 20:01:39
I use them the least as well, but try fighting a druid without them. No cleanse = dead, if they're at all decent. I beat Murphy (or someone of that tier) when he ran out of cleanse, and that's utterly impossible otherwise.

Statues and sigils are unique, there is no way to get that effect outside enchants.
Unknown2006-09-10 20:51:53
Sounds cool!

I'll post some building ideas as they come to me.
Narsrim2006-09-10 21:20:39
I would suggest some sort of passive upkeep for structures/upgrades such that cities/communes has to carefully decide what they would rather have. In terms of upkeep, I think a gold/commodity/power cost per month would be great. Each structure/upgrade could have a specific cost that would reflect how useful it is:

Examples:

Scrying Stone (3000 gold, 250p, and 15 gems per month).

While to the average person, that sounds expensive... you have to bear in mind cities/communes have vast resources. I think it is time those resources meant something.
Shorlen2006-09-10 22:28:12
QUOTE(Narsrim @ Sep 10 2006, 05:20 PM) 329852
Scrying Stone (3000 gold, 250p, and 15 gems per month).

Charging comms per month is weird, but I guess it can come from the city/commune's stockpile. It has to be a cost that can be passively taken, without having to go somewhere to spend it, I'd think.