[crossfire] races

[Mark Wedel]

On 05/16/10 12:58 AM, Nicolas Weeger wrote:
>>    But one thing I was thinking about is what are appropriate races, from a
>> game view standpoint, to make available.
>>
>>    For example, dwarves, elves, humans, half orcs, dragons, trolls, gnomes,
>> northmen, and wraiths are all fairly common creatures in the world that the
>> player will meet/fighter (not half orcs directly, but orcs).
>>
>>    However, some, like fenx, fireborn, halfling, quetzalcoatl and serpentmen
>> are uncommon or non existent in the world/maps.  The only fireborn in the
>> world are those that are characters.
>>
>>    Now in some cases, this may just be the fact that maps have not been
>> created - there is no reason there couldn't be a lot of halflings about in
>> various places - I think that is more a case of the race being added later
>> (same for most of the other ones).
>>
>>    But from a world perspective, it is also a bit odd.  If the only
>> fireborns in the world are floating about town, I think as a towns person
>> I'd be a bit concerned/freaked out about that.
>
> Or there could be some bonuses for that.
> A Fenx would draw attention, and get more hints of quests than a human.
> Or things like that.

  Maybe - certainly the quest giver may vary information based on how he likes 
other races.


>>    But there are also some fairly common monsters that are not represented:
>>
>> beholders - way back when these were a custom addition for one server.  But
>> these are also different in various ways.
>>
>> devils/demon: Fairly common, but townspeople probably wouldn't like them
>> much either.  But maybe angels (something like god touched) creatures
>> instead?
>
> Considering the Crossfire pantheon, angels aren't better than devils here :)
> So both would be ok.

  True, but probably the two would be a bit too similar to have both (just like 
northman + human, while there are some differences, are probably too similar to 
really warrant them).


>> pixies: fairly common, and probably a race that could exist more commonly
>> in towns without as much concern.
>>
>> one could add more humanoid races (goblins, ogre, kobold), but I think as
>> it stands now, half orc and troll pretty much cover everything (but as a
>> townperson, I'd be concerned with trolls wandering about)
>
> It really depends on the world history. If for centuries goblins lived in
> Scorn, then no issue.
>
> Side proposal: race could change your starting town. Also, some towns could be
> more used to various races.

  Yes - it would be nice to have towns for the different races (a dwarven town 
in the underworld, elf town in the forest, etc).  It adds a bit more 
believability to the world.

  The only hard part here is that this is now a lot more towns that need some 
set of starting quests/maps.  I also think that there at least needs to be an 
option for different races to start in the same town, even if it is not their 
native town.  For example, if a friend and I decide to play and make new 
characters, and he plays a dwarf and I play an elf, it would still be nice for 
us to be in the same starting place so we can play together.

>
>
>
>> Maybe add some plant/tree type creature?  There are deathrees and ents in
>> the world, so one could imagine having a tree creature.
>
> Could be fun, and add specific attacks.
> As a plant-like being, you can use tentacles to slow down your opponent. On
> the other hand, you are really vulnerable to fire.

  And probably denied fire spells.  Figuring out what items a tree could use 
would also be interesting.

>
>
>>    My general thought here is that it is hard to have a believable world if
>> some of the starting races themselves don't really fit in/are not all that
>> believable.  Now I suppose in many cases it would take new players a while
>> to realize this, but I sometimes think that many new player races/classes
>> are added more on the idea 'this is a neat idea' vs it actually fitting
>> into the world that much.
>
>
> That could be said of so many things it isn't fun :)
> Most artifacts, map rewards or map themselves are put just because, not
> integrating in a grand schema of things.
> But that can be fixed, of course ;)

  There are lots of things done in the past which we would not consider good now 
(lots of old maps are not good maps).

  My general thoughts/rules for player races:
- The race should be fairly different from other races (so race X isn't just 
like race Y)
- Race needs to be balanced.  A lot of this depends on other efforts to balance 
things, but in many cases it is too easy to just take a look at stat adjustments 
and resistances and say 'they balance out', ignoring fact some stats/resistances 
are more important than others.
- The race should be on that already exists in crossfire but as a non player 
race (or something close, like half orc is a combo of orc & human).  The first 
instance of the race showing up should not be race for players.

  Now for that last point, it may just mean that some map updates are needed. 
For example, for fireborns, maybe it means adding a small town/collection of 
fireborns at the bottom of a volcano.  Put a small/hard to find village of fenx 
in the great forest, etc.  Just add a little more background/believability to them.