flaws and virtues

ArchivedUser

what about this possibility in a mmorpg ?
a nice list is for example in the roleplaying game ars magika :
http://www.atlas-games.com/pdf_storage/ArM5VFIndex.pdf

It will be a very good system to personalize your character.

ArchivedUser

That's quite a list, it might just make AoC a bit too complex.

What I am afraid of is that some people might be locked out of certain content depending on their flaws and virtues, and that shouldn't happen.

ArchivedUser

That's a very extensive list.  It seems with all the complex mechanics of Ashes from the multiple class developments to the growth and destruction of the world,  that there will be more then enough for common players to contend with.   It will be hard enough to plan your characters path in game without having to worry about personal character flaws such as those listed. 
Also as  FliP said:

That's quite a list, it might just make AoC a bit too complex.

What I am afraid of is that some people might be locked out of certain content depending on their flaws and virtues, and that shouldn't happen.

 

ArchivedUser

Reminds me of looking at the Path of Exile skill tree =P

ArchivedUser

This is old school, way old school I remember having this in some MMO's DAoC comes to mind.  It makes the game more complex and harder to get into.  MJ from DAoC is making Camelot Unchained that has this.  As to its relevance in AoC I don't think it would quite fit here, there is a lot of character customization already and a boons/banes system has to potential to gimp a character right from the start if the player doesn't know what they are doing.  Its a good idea, I just think it will be a little much for AoC.

ArchivedUser

Maybe there is a way to make it simple with bonus and malus on any characteristique ?
Example : Virtues : you are a very lucky person and find more gold than other, (1% gain) cost 3pt
                 Flaws : you are slow and cant move very quickly (-5% on mouvement)
gain 3pt
Easy to program, rp explications and can be really interesting, it can be an personal choice.

ArchivedUser

Time to get my Lore books out then 

ArchivedUser

As ya'll have already shared, the complexity of this list and having 0 contextual understanding of its base system leaves me with a lapse in understanding its intended application to the game. Perhaps if you edit your post to provide more context, a legend for the terminology, or even a suggestive application of the desired component we could better discuss?

ArchivedUser

I'd like this game to come out before I die.

Thats all I have to add.

ArchivedUser

Hmmm....

You're right it could add depth, and add hugely to the immersion so... WIN!

And as to character creation, I would be surprised if there was NO ability to influence \ drive anything about your personality....especially as you are going to be heading through the portal because you're one of the 'chosen' members of your race...we'll just have to wait to see what it is

From my understanding of it though, this to a limited extent WILL exist, but it'll be more that throughout the game, and the choices you will make, you will determine your characters virtues (not flaws)
So the god you worship will impact upon if certain content / npcs will talk to you. The type of node you choose to live in (even if it develops down routes you'd rather not go)
HOW you develop your freehold will open content. etc etc

So there may be plans already in place for something like this in character creation.
The choices you make in game WILL to some extent determine your character / game.

BUT, playing devils advocate, the examples you give of the malus / bonus are too extreme and would be grumbled at.
1% difference in gold drops from humanoid mobs builds up to a huge difference over time. 5% run speed? That's massive in a game with no fast travel

So the impact you get from them would likely have minimal impact upon you, hence why bother putting the devs team to work on it, when they could spend the time working on extra content?

Also, folks have it right, how would you change your bonuses in game if you had a top level char who was wrong for that certain special npc you really want to talk to?
You couldn't.
You'd be locked out.
No, leaving it to in game bonuses that you might be able to influence and bring about a change if that's what you really want might be a better option. 

What if you decided you needed to change them, would you need to pay real life cash for a bonus / malus respec?


Conclusion: On balance, I think its a good idea in principal, but I worry that there might be too many hurdles to cross.

if anything like this is implemented, I would expect it to be a 'positive bonuses only' list at character creation, only minor impact upon your game play and secondary to what road you choose to take via your in game decisions.

ArchivedUser

Karthos said:

I'd like this game to come out before I die.

Thats all I have to add.

There is no more to add then that!

ArchivedUser

Belewyn said:

Reminds me of looking at the Path of Exile skill tree =P

Wow - that's a skill tree? Thought it was a replica of my nan's dish cloth.

ArchivedUser

Kratz said:

Belewyn said:

Reminds me of looking at the Path of Exile skill tree =P

Wow - that's a skill tree? Thought it was a replica of my nan's dish cloth.

you have yet to see my D&D playthrough then ^^

ArchivedUser

Traits and flaws are in many tabletop RPGs and it's a system I love. It would be nice if we had the option of these, but for flavor more than for mechanics, because people will look at the list and try to find a way to work the system and optimize their character.

Things like mental quirks - say my character is scared of spiders. Well, this being a video game we can't have your character running off or anything whenever he sees a spider, but he could scream or whimper in fear! 

Or do put mechanics to it - yeah, my character is scared of spiders. But he keeps forcing his way through spiders and eventually he overcomes his fear and gets a small morale boost or something.

Or maybe he developed that fear of spiders because he awakened the ancient spider queen and she kicked his ass with her army of spiderlings. 

ArchivedUser

I actually love these types of complex systems with a whole lot of classes, skills, titles, races etc. but for an mmorpg it's almost impossible given how hard it would be to manage and balance it all out.

ArchivedUser

I do really like how intricate the system, sadly I agree with everyone else that it would just be too much work to balance everything properly.
(it will already be a challenge without the system)  

ArchivedUser

This has always been a thing I've favored in the 20 years of Pooka playing D&D.  Back in the days of AD&D 2nd edition Pooka had a consistent group with a DM that put this in a house rule before they introduced it into the core of D&D.  It always had a big impact in social interactions which added a bit of realism of how adventurers went through in gathering information or the actions they would take in certain situations.   I could see this in an RP aspect of the game but it would be a bit complicating implementing it to where NPCs react depending on each individual character they run into.

ArchivedUser

Sadly the RP aspect in MMO's is not a priority, these complex systems are too much to handle and balance out properly there would be loop holes in a lot of places to make classes OP one way or another