[CF-Devel] RE: Suggested fun project for someone....

[Peter Mardahl]

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      Shouldn't races (/classes) differ more from each other?
     
     
Well, different races have different built-in immunities
and protections, and some can't use armor, and some can't use weapons,
and they'll all have stat tendencies.

Some might be able to see in the dark better than others.
(Not yet done, but doable, I think.)
Some may be able to see in pitch darkness?  (Wraith)

Some might have path_attuned and path_repelled and path_denied.
(Easily doable.)

And we should really add skill_levitation to quetzalcoatls, wraiths,
and fireborn.

I think these already-available diff's allow for enough differences
in races already.  Sure, certain deficiencies can be repaired through
the use of magic:  that is what magic is for.

I don't see why we could't have a faster base hp/spellpoint regen
as a race property either.

I think these provide enough difference between races.

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      The starting equipment won´t last longer than for an hour or two.
     
     
That's true, but long ago we decided that whatever a player did
in practice (fighting, thieving, wizarding...), he would become good at, 
subject to his native proclivities (stats.)  We made that decision
because all-around characters are needed in this game:  the
VAST majority of crossfire-playing is done alone by 1 person.

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      Stats modifications... well, they all end up at 30 thanks to
     
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      weapon enchantment and artifacts. Pretty much the same with skills:
     
     
Actually, I don't know how to do that anymore.  It used to be possible
with the weapon improvements:  is it still possible?  I thought the
current weapon-improve system made it very tough/impossible. 

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      Reading all the skill-scrolls will take away the last significant
     
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      difference between character classes.
     
     
The whole idea is that class just starts you off, but that you could
do what you wanted later.  We did this deliberately, for the reason
I stated above.  If you REALLY want to play a "class" character,
all you have to do is NOT take advantage of the flexibility given 
you.  The fact that you DO take advantage of it, means that it is
useful and improves playability!

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      If the race/class-system becomes more complex, perhaps it should
     
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      also become more important?
     
     
My proposal is not to make it more complex:  it is to keep it
basically the same, but make it more rational, and not have class
choices mixed in with race choices.  This point has been an irritant
to many for a long time.

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      Just a thought: A new item-attribute could be created like "is_race"
     
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      or sth, allowing items (e.g. artifacts) to be "dedicated" to a certain
     
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      player-race. That means only a certain race can wear (or use) that item.
     
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      A detector identifying different player-races could also be useful,
     
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      so that whole race-specific quests could be created.
     
     
Players already have races, don't they?  Human/elf/dwarf....
The "class" players simply all end up as being race human.
This new attribute isn't needed:  what is needed is code to
restrict some items to some races.

PeterM