Dark Legacy MUD Forum

I really think there needs to be some kind of RP channel, because as it is I don't think the RP mode is realistic.

I know that IRL I can yell and have a bunch of people hear me, and I can shout s'loud that half my city can hear me. Maybe make shouts no longer world-viewed, but area-viewd, and yells only affect like, a couple rooms in either direction.

also some kind of RP channel so people could be in character to look for an RP group, cause as much as it's said "go find a common room and all sit there" that doesn't happen very often. Perhaps RP can earn a player "customization points" to alter their character uniquely (with taste of course, no 30 foot "who who dilly's".


My concern is that there's just no rewards for RPing except for some RP list, and even then it's not like the IMM's can spot all the RP going on unless it's in the room.

Rewards would make RPing worth while, instead the only bene to RP mode is to gag all the channels.

For a while, I was considering making a smaller area specificly for use with roleplay.. essentially a "Mini-Alora" that you could reach by using config +roleplay and was devoid of mobiles, objects, etc. More resembling an RP MUSH area than a MUD area. The area would be devoted to smaller versions of some main areas, such as Tarsonis, with fuller more complete room descriptions to help build atmosphere, where players could then roleplay. No one quite understand roleplay in the terms I think of it though, having been a MUSHer.

I agree with the possible changes to yell and shout. But then again, other than being two commands for two different things, realisticly they're the same thing. Shout should probably just be removed outright, its just another global channel in the end.

An RP channel may be a good idea as well, so as you said, those would want to give it a go can be locate each other and get together.

As for rewards.. Well. I have to simply disagree here entirely. Roleplaying is something that should only be done if you enjoy it. If you don't really care about it, you shouldn't do it because you get some points. While recognition would be neat, I don't think this is an item that needs rewarding.

Its an activity that players can engage in at their discretion, and as you said, its not something Caretakers can constantly monitor.

I may make some major pushes in this area soon, after a few other projects I'm working on come to a close. I will begin work again on the theme soon, after I get updated a bit on how some older stock areas (and some newer areas) have been worked into the theme I originally set in place.

I see your point re: the points. I'm just a big supporter of being able to customize your character uniquely, and quests aren't run enough to give those chances, and as many quests as players might run (I've run several myself with assistance from other players in regards to rewards) we can't give anyone anything nearly as cool as a "death gargoyle" or a bad-arse tattoo.

But I agree on the point that it should just be done for fun, I retract my previous statement on that point.

The mini-alora might be interesting, but if I was in roleplay I wouldn't want to be in a different place than the rest of Alora.

And yeah, taking out shout probably would just be easier.

And I am no stranger to MUSH's myself, not all my RP has to be rping while killing. The problem is that there's no one else doing it. And sitting in a bar or establishment by yourself for a couple hours is a whee bit...boring?

So yes, my next question:

Is there some way that for those who'd like to make their characters more like their RP concept of their character, they could? I.e Character Customization? (besides quests, I think you'll agree that the caretakers don't really have enough time to make quests)

To be honest, I think of roleplay entirely in the terms of MUSH roleplay, which is an entirely foreign concept to most people on DL. Once, years ago, the "Amazons" made a push to roleplay. It practically made me gag but at least they were trying. It was like watching a bunch of stumbling day-one MUSH newbies, one line poses and a theme of "soap opera"

http://ferretbox.com/stuff/aaelin/old_h ... rplogs.htm

That is an example of what I consider roleplay to be, in a text based environment.

Here are three I specificly like:
http://ferretbox.com/stuff/aaelin/old_h ... log026.htm
http://ferretbox.com/stuff/aaelin/old_h ... log027.htm
http://ferretbox.com/stuff/aaelin/old_h ... log028.htm

The first two are the "pre-battle" roleplay of the two sides involved in the battle enacted in the third one. 026 is the human side of the roleplay, while 027 was the Sephnil (Lizardmen) side of the roleplay. 028 is the battle itself.

I'd love to see this level of roleplay on the MUD, but I'm not sure it'll ever be possible. It would require at least one caretaker entirely devoted to helping arbitrate, moderate, and direct the "IC" (In character) roleplay world.

And, we really don't currently have an IC RP world to be directed. That would have been another point of the "Mini-Alora", as it would remove you from the spam of the normal areas and allow you to focus on the roleplay. Ie, no mobiles walking in, random newbies chatting their heads off, note list note list note list as in TSQ (We've fixed that anyways ), etc.

PS: I played Davion in those particular log files. This was a game me and another friend custom designed from the ground up and ran fairly successfully for a year or so before we lost our server (The owner decided to shutdown his operation entirely)

Role-Playing means different things to different people. I am an old D&D player and DM, like since the early to mid 70’s, so my concept of RP is much different than someone who has played on MUSH sites. For me it means that my character acts like he lives in the world. I have my tells turned off most of the time, as I can not see a good RP reason for having it on. Instead of a RP channel, I would like to see a spell created that would fill the niche left by not having tells. Lets call it the “Message” spell that would allow me to talk to other players, and them talk to me. However there are few players like me, so I have not asked for such a thing. Concerning rewards for role-playing, it would also be hard to give out rewards for role-playing for the same reason. I am a very slow on a keyboard because of my hands, and would only slow down or ruin a MUSH type RP experience for others. I always adventure alone, yet will travel across the world to aid a friend in recovering his corpse, etc. If players hand out RP rewards, it will lead to abuse of the reward system. On the other hand the caretakers can not be expected to see all the RP activities of players and reward them for it. In the end, I RP because I like it and the extra degree of challenge it provides me, that is my reward. I would like to see more role-playing, but I see no way to encourage it or reward it in a fair manner.
Arureal, the absent-minded elf

certain socials if not all should be strictly for RPers.
Certain mobs/quests should only respond to RPers.
There should be an RP score if there isnt one already and it should reset when someone stops RPing. RP score would be based on time of RP while online(pauses when idled or AFK).

I could run around config +roleplay all day long and never actually roleplay. Using it as a measurement of "roleplay" is a bad idea.

Certain socials if not ALL should be disabled in config +roleplay to force the use of the emote command. Maybe leave some of the basics like wave and nod, but cut out the "comical" socials that serve no roleplay purpose.

While I like the concept of mobs or quests that respond only to RPers, once again, being an RPer as far as the game knows is just typing "config +roleplay" .. What I'd like to see and maybe begin to implement are "DM" ran Areas. Small temporary areas that are setup by a Caretaker or a special RP/DM representative, built exclusively for the fun of running through a storyline or quest. The DM would control the spawning of mobiles, perhaps even control them entirely by swapping into them (This would require a Caretaker in that case). These would essentially be mini-areas that exist temporarily for those involved. They would probably be rather difficult and require groups, or have level restrictions, etc. Perhaps after being used a few times for RP purposes, they could be handed off to a builder to be expanded into a full area and released to the general populace.

I would like to see this also, and I suggest that you let the DM, caretaker or not, swap into the mobile temporarily. Also, since I do not think the roleplay would get EXP (maybe have them get RP points for every mob, up to a maximum of about 5 per caretaker-regulated/approved RP session), on death, instead of putting all eq in a corpse and losing EXP, have the play switched to a ghost mode, which can be swapped off by a DM (logged to prevent abuse) or by use of the resurrection spell, without lose of EXP. This also prevents problems with lose of EXP due to linkdead (which seems to happen more to MUSHers than MUDders in my experience). That system also prevents abuse of the DMs ability to swap into a mobile.

I would also like the ability for temporary names (which DM would have to approve), in order to roleplay a supporting role.

Also, for use by DM, and possibly RPers, have an echo command other than emit, which allows the use of languages, and does not have a command like config +emitname (IE: "echo As your journey continues down the dark path which leads through the pixie forest, you come across a sign engraved with *DWARF*Danger comes to all who stand here*/DWARF*" would show "As your journey continues down the dark path which leads through the pixie forest, you come across a sign engraved with some dwarven writing" to those who do not speak the dwarven language).

Another possibility is the use of temporary RP races, which can be set by a DM, complete with their own temporary language for use in conjunction in the previous idea.

If you like the ideas, say so...if not, curse me off and call me an 1|)107 |\|008 or whatever you want.

What if you made like hmmm... "DM's" as seperate characters, or made it so that "DM's" had area's set aside for them, and they could use the construct command and were given a list of monsters and props etc. Maybe they could be granted a specific area and they could run the quest like thing inside it. I dunno, it'd be hard to do without access to certain powers and commands, especially w/ rewards etc. And instead of regular XP, the DM could give XP bonuses to the players? just a thought. But if you made these DM's entities that could enter mobiles and act them out, that would make an interactable kinda deal w/ mobs etc.

I only see the idea of getting EXP through RP as leading to abuse. I would suggest getting RPP instead which can be used to do things which don't give you an advantage, such as: giving yourself a permanent race illusion at some outrageous amount, change a pet's visible species, giving yourself an extra trait, MAYBE allow it to be traded in for glory, and be used to gain the ability to be a DM. This would assure that only those who do actually RP would be able to be a DM, and not just some random person. This obviously would need to start with some imm (I have a feeling it would be Zeraphin) to DM a few RP sessions to start the flow of RPP (and possibly revive the flow occasionally). This would also encourage people to try RPing, as they'd get some cool stuff like the race illusion, or unique pet. Obviously the DM can restrict those who recieve RPP to those who actually make an honest attempt at RP, and not just someone who wants to change their pet.