[crossfire] classes & guilds

[Mark Wedel]

Lalo Martins wrote:
> Also spracht Lalo Martins (Thu, 05 Jul 2007 06:41:47 +0000):
>>>   <Much about character creation removed>
> 
> Sorry to reply to myself, but...
> 
> I thought I should say, part of the motivation for this idea was code, 
> too.  It cuts the work of the new character creation UI by about 20 to 
> 30% in my estimate.  It basically keeps the class picking mechanics 
> exactly like they are in CF 1.x: using player changers in-game.  Then it 
> would only require writing maps, and I'm much better at that than code.

  Yeah - I can see that.  One problem I have with the current in game method is 
some disconnected between choosing your stats, choosing your race, and then 
choosing your class (through whatever method).  Because for lack of better term, 
there is no going back, I can certainly see situations where player makes the 
first two choices, and then realize that those were not good for the class they 
want to play.

  while doing a UI is a bit more complicated, it also lets the player see the 
effect of all options at once - pick the stats, pull the class from a list, see 
how that effects things, pull race from a list, be able to see spell points - 
re-arrange stats some, see how that changes mana, etc.  In a sense, less gaming, 
especially for new players, on choosing correct stat/race/class combos.

  That said, combining the race & stat into nice selection would work fine - 
after all, the skills (and class) doesn't really affect things like hp, mana, 
grace, so one could still see what those values would be, even if they don't 
have the skills to use them yet.

  But if this was done, I'd also suggest, at least for a first pass, maybe 
concentrate and just one starting city - that is a lot easier, and while perhaps 
a little odd for all the guilds to be there, if it is the capital/biggest city, 
that would make sense.

  Also, if multiplayer play/partying is a goal, then I think starting characters 
in the same place is a good thing.  It'd be pretty annoying for a couple friends 
to start playing, and then learn that because of selections, their two 
characters are in different cities, and who knows how to get to each other.

  And until there is such time that there are so many new players showing up on 
the servers, the other risk is spreading the new players apart in these 
different cities.  You'd have better odds for partying if the 10 new characters 
are in the same town, vs 2 characters in one town, 3 in another, etc.

  There is the problem then that if/when things do get busy enough, you maybe 
have too many characters in one town.  But I think we'd also need to have better 
idea on level gain rate, as well as players joining.  As of right now, a level 5 
person probably wouldn't want to adventure with a level 2 (or vice versa), and 
it doesn't take that long to get to level 5.  Even if it is slowed down so that 
it takes several days of playing, for things to be useful, you'd probably need 
to have 5-10 new/active characters a day joining per each starting city on the 
map (and even that number may be load - I'm basing those numbers on that most 
servers have some time zone affinity, so you have busy times and less busy times 
on the server).