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Character Sensory System?
Despite it’s sandboxy depth, I don’t necessarily anticipate AoC to have this kind of system, based on what we know so far at least. I’m just putting it out there because it’s always on my mind, and I don’t know of any games that have done it right. I feel it could add so much potential gameplay to a virtual world…
<strong><em>Will our characters taste? Will they smell? What makes them happy? How do any of these things change them or how they behave?</em></strong>
The easiest example to illustrate with, I think, is food.
As humans, we’re all foodies. Not only do we need it to survive, but it’s one of the top-3 sources from which we derive pleasure. ;)
What is it that drives me go to the restaurant across town for spaghetti when there’s a perfectly good Italian restaurant right around the corner from my house? Why do some of us like spicy sauce, while some of us prefer sweet sauce with our pasta? Wouldn’t it be cool to say “Oh, you’ve gotta go to this place when you’re in New Town, it has the best roast boar!”
In short, I’d love for that to be somehow represented in our characters. And for once, in a way that doesn’t connect directly with some kind of stat buff… or at least not a buff of “typical” stats we use for combat or other things.
This opens up for a truly experimental and creative cooking and/or brewing profession. With that, a reason for patrons to come to my tavern for dinner vs the one across the walk. Not because it gives them the “best available stamina buff” but rather because this meal makes them happy, or satisfied, and that in turn otherwise influences their behavior and actions.
I realize this represents cognitive dissonance (a “character” likes spicy foods but their “player” does not. A “character” is happy, their “player” is not.) So it’s got some kinks to work out.
And while I used food as the example, this could extend to other senses and emotions…. how would music we hear affect our characters? What about if they’re sad because they learned a friend died?
- How would we seed this?
- Would we attach new stats to our senses and emotions?
- Would our characters have randomly shutting affinities (things they like and didn’t like) that we as players would have to figure out? - Is this a dumb idea? :)
Would love to hear your thoughts!
<strong><em>Will our characters taste? Will they smell? What makes them happy? How do any of these things change them or how they behave?</em></strong>
The easiest example to illustrate with, I think, is food.
As humans, we’re all foodies. Not only do we need it to survive, but it’s one of the top-3 sources from which we derive pleasure. ;)
What is it that drives me go to the restaurant across town for spaghetti when there’s a perfectly good Italian restaurant right around the corner from my house? Why do some of us like spicy sauce, while some of us prefer sweet sauce with our pasta? Wouldn’t it be cool to say “Oh, you’ve gotta go to this place when you’re in New Town, it has the best roast boar!”
In short, I’d love for that to be somehow represented in our characters. And for once, in a way that doesn’t connect directly with some kind of stat buff… or at least not a buff of “typical” stats we use for combat or other things.
This opens up for a truly experimental and creative cooking and/or brewing profession. With that, a reason for patrons to come to my tavern for dinner vs the one across the walk. Not because it gives them the “best available stamina buff” but rather because this meal makes them happy, or satisfied, and that in turn otherwise influences their behavior and actions.
I realize this represents cognitive dissonance (a “character” likes spicy foods but their “player” does not. A “character” is happy, their “player” is not.) So it’s got some kinks to work out.
And while I used food as the example, this could extend to other senses and emotions…. how would music we hear affect our characters? What about if they’re sad because they learned a friend died?
- How would we seed this?
- Would we attach new stats to our senses and emotions?
- Would our characters have randomly shutting affinities (things they like and didn’t like) that we as players would have to figure out? - Is this a dumb idea? :)
Would love to hear your thoughts!
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Comments
Perhaps someone thats attacked all the time will get paranoid.
You're right out the ballpark on this one @Lethality. Interesting concepts though.
We could have animated fidgets that reflect our mood.
Our mood dependant on things that modify it.
Perhaps your character stands there arms folded rocking back and forwards tapping a foot.
Perhaps you can here them cursing under their breath and see them shaking the head.
Perhaps they start dancing and jumping around while supposedly idle.
its a good way to automate idle poses/actions.
I guess what I really wonder is, can there be a reason to prefer Syadnom's Apple Pie over someone else's Apple Pie... Maybe they were prepared with varied amounts of ingredients, or baked for different times... something about which, my character ends up preferring one or the other?
Or similar for music, even visual arts (now I'm stretching :)
I probably need to write a bit more on it. And I agree, AoC may not be the place of this....
I guess what I really wonder is, can there be a reason to prefer Syadnom’s Apple Pie over someone else’s Apple Pie… Maybe they were prepared with varied amounts of ingredients, or baked for different times… something about which, my character ends up preferring one or the other?
Or similar for music, even visual arts (now I’m stretching <img alt="?" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2/svg/1f642.svg" />
I probably need to write a bit more on it. And I agree, AoC may not be the place of this….
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Hey! Don't give up the idea just yet ;) Maybe people from Intrepid will see this post and have some idea to implement it ;) I was just giving my thoughts like I always try to do :D
I like the idea, and I like the way you portray it (poses, hidden "buffs" etc.), its just pilling more and more mechanic on eachother that might be hard to get to work currently. Also whoever mentioned sanity, this ain't "Don't Starve Together" :P
Implementing, heck, designing such a system would take ages. Developers would have to take so many variables into consideration to create/make a system that doesn't feel clunky.
I don't want to give my life up to play a game. I love playing games but I wouldn't want my life to be dictated by a game...
The system, even though being an idea / suggestion, would rely heavily on RNG. Today your character might be wanting spicy food, tomorrow something else. Sure, that sounds interesting but in reality:
We, the adventures, are fighting for survival in the wilderness. My least concern would be if this bloke's food tastes better than food across the streat.
But I really like the idea of certain debuffs..
...You've just been divorced. You can't marry for another 80 hours .<strong> STATUS</strong> [Saving Grace]
...Food you've just eaten wasn't fresh anymore. Your actions are risctriced for 30 mins. <strong>STATUS</strong> [Food Poisoning]
...You've been fishing for 2 hours without catching any fish. Chances of catching fish is enhanced by 10 % for 30 mins. <strong>STATUS</strong> [Skillful Fisherman]
...You haven't seen your spouse for 48 hours. <strong>STATUS</strong> [Lovers Quarrel]
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When creating your character, we are to chose certain destinctive traits. That would be something, I would highly appreaciate. So, in the beginning, once we've created our character, we get the option to chose one or two traits. There is no need for them to have a heaven shaking impact on the overall game but instead add some extra customization.
E.g
Chef (Skills in cooking are learned 10% faster), Nature's apprentice (Agriculture is 5% more successful), Green thumb (Your harvest is 10% richer), Equestrian (Horses are bred 10% faster, chance of succesfully taming a horse is increased by 20%), Animal Lover (Taming animals is 10% more succesful)
Something like that, I would like.
So, once you've reached Level 40 or completed the first 20 chapters of the story you get another chance to chose traits. Again one or two. Now, they are a lot more specific.
After completion of 30 chapers you get the option to chose the last trait, The 'Master Trait', as I call it. It's the only trait that can be changed within game.
That could be something lame like..
...The Gods' Servant (Dropped [insert game currency] is 10% higher], Walking between Worlds [Experience gained is 5% higher], Absolute [Merits gained in PvP are enhanced by 5%], Horder [Drop Chance of rare equipment is enhanced by 5%]
Those Master Traits can only be changed every 3 days.. Thoughts?
PS:Don't confuse traits with Titles.
~ Zention
I'd love to see something along these lines. Maybe you moused over an enemy PvP but didn't actually target them, you get a response like 'I think I saw something..'
Little quips like this can go a long way if done well and not being bombarded with it by everything.
I’d love to see something along these lines. Maybe you moused over an enemy PvP but didn’t actually target them, you get a response like ‘I think I saw something..’
Little quips like this can go a long way if done well and not being bombarded with it by everything.
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I only need voice in my head IRL, don't make it to realistic :|
Jk. It sounds nice :) Having small talk with yourself is fine , and quite normal so it makes sense.