[crossfire] RFC: Wild idea to make experience more interesting

[Anton Oussik]

On 7/7/05, Robert Brockway <
     
     rbrockway at opentrend.net
     
     > wrote:
>
     
      In real life some people are highly specialised (eg their work and play
     
     >
     
      both largely revolve around computers) while some of their co-workers may
     
     >
     
      have boarder skills (they paraglide or play a musical instrument as well)
     
     >
     
      while others are true generalists.  I think the game is modelling this
     
     >
     
      very well at the moment - you get good at the skills you exercise.
     
     
Actually I was thinking the opposite... All high
level players end up becoming very good at almost
everything. In a way this is benificial if there is only
one person playing, since it allows the player
to do far more than he would otherwise be able to.

Also this approach is very powerful and flexible. It
doesn't matter what class you are, you can always
pick up a new skill (from a scroll or similar) and
start developing a new skill.

On the other hand this does not encourage
cooperation between players. Most online multiplayer
RPGs have character classes set up in a way that
limits the development of a character. For example
you end up with some classes that are damage
dealers - they are able to quickly kill. Some others
are damage absorbers - they are able to absorb
a lot of damage without dying. Yet others are healers
- they repair the hurt players. These classes are
limited, and strongly encourage development along
the class line. A generalist on the other hand will
just end up being not very good at anything.
That way players are encouraged to play with each
other, not "as well as",as most of crossfire
seems to do.

I don't know of a good way of doing this without
ruining single-player mode, or even if it is something
that would be liked, but I feel a change like this would
improve player interaction and would result in player
communities emerging. If such a change is
implemented it should definately be there as an option.