Age System

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kovol
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:17 am

Age System

Post by kovol »

I recently started playing MUME again after a several year hiatus. Having ageresetted because I wasnt thinking and hadnt played in years I quickly found that I would have to wait RL months to play the way I want to play (a shaman with decent mana regen). 66 RL days to go from a 42 year old torc to just 3rd age. I was instantly turned off to discover my favorite character with 103 max mana (not exactly a powerhouse, I can barely keep arm/shield fresh with bob up let alone PK) in 1rst age was fairly unplayable for months.

I mean this is a game in the end having to wait RL months for anything as integral to characters (particularly casters) as age is bad for the game to the point that I was/am ready to walk away when I probably would have spent 20-30 hours a week playing if I could play my favorite char. Heres what I propose:

-Characters can choose their starting age bracket and are never able to mobrip/FOY below that choice. Furthermore its more RP to have people choose their age because age is a huge part of a character. If I have an old bent wizard that I created that way and then he gets too old and all of a sudden he is a sprite young 21 year old? Thats far from RP and definitely not in tune with the RP of a character
-Significantly increase aging speed, ppl would have to FOY more and that would be fun and risky. Something around one age bracket per week
-Add some sort of aging mechanism to the game similar to FOY

If you are trying to increase the population of a game you should not have RL life time intensive features particularly ones that are integral to the game. Does anyone actually enjoy the current age system? Everyone Ive ever talked to about it in the game has complained about it. Furthermore its more RP to have people choose their age because age is a huge part of a character. If I have an old bent wizard that I created that way and then he gets too old and I FOY/agereset him all of a sudden he is a sprite young 21 year old? Thats far from RP.
Elestir
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:47 pm
Location: Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Re: Age System

Post by Elestir »

Maybe it could be a solution if every successful spell casted would increase the age of a caster somewhat. The higher level spells more than the lower level ones. Only negative effect I can see on this rather simple and elegant solution would be that the birthday message would become kind of misleading. :-)
Jahara
Posts: 228
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:55 pm
Location: Indiana, USA
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Re: Age System

Post by Jahara »

What I would really LOVE to see is a lowbie-only FOY somewhere out west (perhaps in Valinor?). I have a ton of level 6-18 characters who I would really rather not mob or be forced to find a group of legends who take pity on me to FOY them. Even reducing the age-reset time for retired lowbies from a full year to a month would be great.

I don't understand why this system hasn't been implemented yet. I know it would make me more willing to play lowbies who have been retired for a couple months :-)
Phloxy
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:44 am

Re: Age System

Post by Phloxy »

I agree with Jahara whole-heartedly. We have to take into account that there are many players (or were) that don't ever get to legend levels with any of their chars... and they are completely fine with it! For them, its not really an option to use the current foy system (for rp purposes, their chars fagility, lack of knowlege of the more dangerous areas east of RD, etc). It would make sense to make something that is catered toward them. I think it was implied a little in the post above, but to keep the current foy system useable and needed, just create a level cap for the lowbie foy.

Stuff like this might help encourage some people that have lower level chars (in which they have invested good amounts of time) to log on and start playing again. I know I would be discouraged to log on if none of my chars were playable and I couldnt do anything about it based on my levels/game knowledge. :(
Timodeus
Arata
Posts: 301
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Germany

Re: Age System

Post by Timodeus »

So, you'd like to see a FoY-like mechanic for players (whities? or darkies as well?) up to level... 15? or 21? (21 seems a bit high, a hero is strong enough to be actual help when someone helps them foying).
Elestir
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:47 pm
Location: Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Re: Age System

Post by Elestir »

Mostly for whities, darkies are supposed to be experienced players and the foy is not so far from their home.

Quick and simple solution could be lower retirement time requirement for age-reset for non-legends (it is 1 rl year for everyone now).
Regarding other solutions, some copy of the foy in the west would be kinda boring, so something like special quest accessible for non-legends or herblore (elixir of youth) to which legends would be immune would be better I think.
Jahara
Posts: 228
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:55 pm
Location: Indiana, USA
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Re: Age System

Post by Jahara »

Yes, this system would make more sense for pukes (although I would still welcome anything for darkie lowbies). Ultimately this boils down to a problem of how much work do the coders want to do :-)
science
Posts: 70
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:00 pm

Re: Age System

Post by science »

I think doing something like doubling aging time while retired would help a lot. I re-joined mume after 10 years, FOY'd to a perfect 5th age, got talking into doing moria with people, then mobdied on like my 4th day playing again. That char is basically still not very playable 3 months later, so I've levled a new one (a man this time, so it will age faster!) instead. But I was pretty close to leaving again for awhile instead.

For the newbie-age-reset: perhaps just let newbies pray to the gods for a second chance at life :) And it'd be like newbie kits, any god can give an age-reset to someone under level 16. Easier to code and easier for them to get...
science
Posts: 70
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:00 pm

Re: Age System

Post by science »

Or perhaps: train improve age

And your char will take up smoking or otherwise increase their aging rate? :)
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