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

[Todd Mitchell]

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      On the other hand this does not encourage
     
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      cooperation between players. Most online multiplayer
     
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      RPGs have character classes set up in a way that
     
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      limits the development of a character. For example
     
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      you end up with some classes that are damage
     
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      dealers - they are able to quickly kill. Some others
     
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      are damage absorbers - they are able to absorb
     
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      a lot of damage without dying. Yet others are healers
     
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      - they repair the hurt players. These classes are
     
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      limited, and strongly encourage development along
     
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      the class line. A generalist on the other hand will
     
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      just end up being not very good at anything.
     
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      That way players are encouraged to play with each
     
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      other, not "as well as",as most of crossfire
     
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      seems to do.
     
     
I don't think I'd like to see such distinct lines of player
play/development as I hear about in other MMORPGs, I like the
flexability of crossfire. However I think that partly you are right and
the character development is too generic in CF.  The new skill system
does help this but it needs to be developed more with these goals in
mind now that it is in place.
This will happen somewhat with time I believe.
Simply making it harder to get certain skills (the 'class' type skills)
would be a start.

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

1. There need to be 'terrain' features that make the map space more
suitable for multiplayer action (e.g. spaces that block walking but not
flying objects, walls that only block flying or magic objects from
passing...).

2. There need to be monsters and quests that are too tough for single
players (or at least players who arent exceptionally developed) or that
a party of lower level players could take down.  This involves tweeks to
combat and maps designed a bit differently (see point 1).  Speaking to
players of games like EQ and WOW, this is a big draw - getting together
to take down a *MONSTER*.
We would not need to make drastic changes to catch a flavour of this
IMHO.  Melee combat is too simple to work this currently however.

3. There need to be 'party' spells like group healing, bless and various
protections.  Party play is more frustrating than single play (even with
friendly fire rules) but there needs to be more benefit to it.

-- 
Todd Mitchell <
     
     temitchell at sympatico.ca
     
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