Can an RPI minimize grind without being a MUSH?
Sept 12, 2016 14:30:31 GMT -5
BitterFlashback likes this
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2016 14:30:31 GMT -5
How feasible is this? Thoughts? It's something I think a lot about. It's not like this is a first person game and you can minimize grind by making elements like combat being directly interactive.
Honestly, I would probably have a character on Arm if the thought of grinding up my skills again didn't bore me to tears. Some character concepts don't require much in the way of skills and I've played those, but indies are funnest and they usually require them more.
It's what would prevent me from trying others too. If SOI did get its shit together, for instance, I wouldn't know because the thought of grinding up another character over there doesn't sound all that appealing either.
I'm sick of the grind folks. Everywhere. It's so artificial, both in terms of gameplay complexity and fulfilment (they're linked, I think).
My thoughts are to alter the way characters perceives the world based on their role vs skills. A warrior could see additional useful combat messages, or maybe be able to change his combat ratios more (dodge, to hit, damage, whatever - even a merchant would have the same totals, but being able to adapt to the circumstance/equipment would be a huge plus). A ranger could see/hear/smell further and see additional weather messages, etc. A merchant would be a bit different. For crafting, I'd have everything first composed of parts and modifiers (or properties). Hollowed pole, solid pole, hollowed pointed pole, pointed pole, whatever. A normal Joe could say potentially craft anything with two parts and 1 modifier. So he could potentially make a hollowed pole and flint into a spear. A merchant would get an additional limit to their modifier and part #. Perks could also change this (see below). Items are created dynamically through the parts used. This makes balancing much, much more simple. All players can vote on the balance of current parts and the possible addition of new parts/modifiers.
I'd make some drastic changes to how sneaking/hiding works because IT SUCKS IN ALL THE GOD DAMN GAMES, but I won't detail that proposition here. It is important for stealth roles though, which are important to an RPI.
Perks, in addition to a persons stats, would be the primary means of coded character development. There will be a max # of perks (not many, older people get a higher number to compensate for stat degredation maybe. Perks are primarily utility quality of life type things, so it fits), and your character may drop an existing perk upon becoming eligible for a new one. You go to Tuluk and immerse yourself in their culture for a time. You can pick up a perk that allows you have an additional modifier on a wood part. Years later, your character is in Allanak and drops that for something else. Fulfilling the woodworking perk requirement in Tuluk will be easier to achieve again. For that perk in particular, I would have more than one means of obtaining it. Other perks would likely have more than one path too. For example, the character above joins a crafting clan in Allanak but in a non-crafting capacity. After attempting a some-low-but-not-oh-I-want-this-perk-back-for-an-hour-or-so-convenient-number of crafts in a row, presumably very simple wood parts needed to create more advanced things from a merchant, the player is presented with the perk again - which he can opt into or not.
What are your thoughts? Do you think that the grind is a very important mechanic in an RPG, and will always be necessary for character development?
Honestly, I would probably have a character on Arm if the thought of grinding up my skills again didn't bore me to tears. Some character concepts don't require much in the way of skills and I've played those, but indies are funnest and they usually require them more.
It's what would prevent me from trying others too. If SOI did get its shit together, for instance, I wouldn't know because the thought of grinding up another character over there doesn't sound all that appealing either.
I'm sick of the grind folks. Everywhere. It's so artificial, both in terms of gameplay complexity and fulfilment (they're linked, I think).
My thoughts are to alter the way characters perceives the world based on their role vs skills. A warrior could see additional useful combat messages, or maybe be able to change his combat ratios more (dodge, to hit, damage, whatever - even a merchant would have the same totals, but being able to adapt to the circumstance/equipment would be a huge plus). A ranger could see/hear/smell further and see additional weather messages, etc. A merchant would be a bit different. For crafting, I'd have everything first composed of parts and modifiers (or properties). Hollowed pole, solid pole, hollowed pointed pole, pointed pole, whatever. A normal Joe could say potentially craft anything with two parts and 1 modifier. So he could potentially make a hollowed pole and flint into a spear. A merchant would get an additional limit to their modifier and part #. Perks could also change this (see below). Items are created dynamically through the parts used. This makes balancing much, much more simple. All players can vote on the balance of current parts and the possible addition of new parts/modifiers.
I'd make some drastic changes to how sneaking/hiding works because IT SUCKS IN ALL THE GOD DAMN GAMES, but I won't detail that proposition here. It is important for stealth roles though, which are important to an RPI.
Perks, in addition to a persons stats, would be the primary means of coded character development. There will be a max # of perks (not many, older people get a higher number to compensate for stat degredation maybe. Perks are primarily utility quality of life type things, so it fits), and your character may drop an existing perk upon becoming eligible for a new one. You go to Tuluk and immerse yourself in their culture for a time. You can pick up a perk that allows you have an additional modifier on a wood part. Years later, your character is in Allanak and drops that for something else. Fulfilling the woodworking perk requirement in Tuluk will be easier to achieve again. For that perk in particular, I would have more than one means of obtaining it. Other perks would likely have more than one path too. For example, the character above joins a crafting clan in Allanak but in a non-crafting capacity. After attempting a some-low-but-not-oh-I-want-this-perk-back-for-an-hour-or-so-convenient-number of crafts in a row, presumably very simple wood parts needed to create more advanced things from a merchant, the player is presented with the perk again - which he can opt into or not.
What are your thoughts? Do you think that the grind is a very important mechanic in an RPG, and will always be necessary for character development?