Tharsis . Guilds . PyrosGuildSuggestion

A proposal for a new guild system by PyrO, Mid June 2002.

The goal of this system is to create a boundless guild system where completely unique characters can be made. This is based on the ideas I had on my previous guild design proposal, as well as the comments from Puma, Elffy, Incanus as well as a few other players in the mud. This system will allow for unlimited growth on top of creating completely unique characters. This system will also allow for much easier implementation than the last system, since it lacks much definition.

1.2 Goals

The first goal of this system would be to the ability to make completely individual characters. This is something I have not seen in any mud I have played. Th ere have always been some form of bounds, usually having a primary and sub guild, where you can only learn skills from those two guilds. I want this system not to have any restrictions, a player can learn whatever skills they wish from whichever guild they wish. But of course there will be regulations in place in order to maintain balance. The next goal of this system is to be non static. Meaning that new guilds could be added at any time, or previous guilds can be modified without much problem. Without having a structure thats set in stone, this will allow for lots of future development and overall a faster implementation. The final goal is to achieve realism. So the characters you create are unique, but of course there are some regulations in the form of difficulties which are explained later. The system overall will allow for a completely new and more fun way to mud I think.

Section 2: Guild Command Set Up

2.1 Structure

This will be just the jist of how I intend how this new guild system to work. More explanation of each section is found later on. So first try to envision a large circle. All around this circle will be different guilds. This is the 'guild spectrum'. The placement of guilds on this spectrum are based on the relationship between the guilds. The less relation between two guilds the further apart they will be. What the spectrum determines is how difficult will it be for someone who started from a specific background to learn skills from another guild. So a player would first start by choosing their initial guild and learning their first guild command. Then as they increase in level they can learn more guild commands. After achieving a specific level, they can move onto another guild and learn other guild commands. But considering how far apart the other guild is from the persons base guild on the spectrum will determine how difficult it will be for the player to learn the command. More on the spectrum is explained later, but this is the general structure of the system.

2.2 Skill Points

I would like this new system to adopt something called skill points. These are points rewarded to a player after advancing a level. A new character to the mud would start with 5 skill points to create their character with. These skill points are what allow a player to learn gcommands. When a player would first join a guild they would start with no gcommands (guild line would be separate from gcommands, as well as well as some other utility things). So for a player to learn a gcommand they would need to invest a skill points into the command. Each guild command will be given a difficulty with a max of 5 for the most difficult skill. So to learn a command with a difficulty of 5, the player would have to invest 5 skill points into it. But to learn something with a difficulty of 1, only 1 skill point would be needed.

2.3 Practice and Decay

When a new guild command is learnt, its 'effectiveness' will be 0%. Meaning it would require practice for it to reach its full potential which is based on whatever skills are required for it. Every use of the command will increase the efficiency by a % which would be calculated by the difficulty of the guild command (more difficult requires more practice to master) and also it would be based on which guild the command is from and how far off in the specturm it is from your base guild. When a skill reaches a 100% effectiveness, to keep it that effective it would require to be used 5% of the time, meaning if you use 100 guild commands in an hour, 5 of those guild commands would have to be of that skill, or it will drop 1%. These specific details/numbers will of course require testing before something is decided, but i just provided specifics now so a better idea of the system can be understood. Your skills will not decay if you are offline.

2.4 StaMina

This was another idea bouncing around the Tg forum which I think would add to a lot of realism and create another unique aspect of playing for the mud. player will have StaMina points. -- See the StaMina topic instead for details, don't need the same text twice. -- PumaN

2.5 Guild Spectrum

The spectrum like mentioned before is pretty much a system which determines how far apart two guilds are from each other to calculate the difficulty in learning gcommands from other guilds. There will be primarily 3 base guilds where a person would start their guild training in. But then there will be a multitude of sub guilds where the player can start learning new gcommands after achieving a certain level. Once a player decides on a gcommand they wish to learn from the sub guild, they would have to invest the appropriate number of skill points to learn that command. If the player's base guild was say the mage guild, then they decide to learn the kick command from the warrior guild, it would cost them say 2 skill points to learn kick but then an extra 4 since it is completely on the other side of the spectrum. But if that same player wishes to learn lightning from say the elementalist sub guild, it would cost 5 to learn lightning, but only an extra 1 since it is very close to the base guild on the spectrum. The purpose for this spectrum would is mainly for balance and realism. Since the maximum gcommands learnt could be 10, so a player would need to be a very high level to be able to have all elite gcommands from every guild and sub guild, so this would help deter the player since they would be handicapped by only having a few gcommands throughout the majority of their playing time.

Section 3: Guild Set Up

3.1 Base Guilds

Although this system seems to show a lack of definition, I would still like to incorporate base guilds into it. So there would be 3 main guilds of the mud, being mage, warrior and priest. When a player chooses to join a guild they must decide on a base guild which will be like a home guild. This base guild will have a large guildhall located somewhere in town and will contain things like a training room, stores and guild boxes. Here a player would learn the first few guild commands offered. Each base guild would offer about 5 guild commands each to start with. So a player would need to invest in at least one to be officially part of the guild. I have always been very strong on guild unity, so I would definitely wish to incorporate the guild ranking system I discussed in my last proposal into the base guilds, more of this will be explained in section 4. Also the gcommands available in the base guilds can not be learned by people from another base guild. So whichever base guild a player chooses will provide some basis for the kind of character a player wishes to make.

3.2 Sub Guilds

The sub guilds will be guilds which specialize in some form of combat, magic etc. Like an elementalist guild would be a sub guild focussing on elemental magic. There will be many sub guilds, each having their on spot on the guild spectrum in relation to which base guild they are most related to. Each sub guild will have its own mini guild hall consisting of a few rooms and will be located scattered across the mud so a player would need to search out the sub guild he/she wants to learn a skill in. Each sub guild will offer 5 gcommands or so and the player must spend experience, coins and time to advance the skill in the sub guild. For each skill point required, the player may have to train with the sub guild master (npc) for some amount of time, and each training session may have to be spaced apart, like training a strength stat, but much cheaper. A player would have a max of learning 10 gcommands, so after maxing the number of gcommands, the player can invest more skill points into a gcommand they already know improving the strength and efficiency of it. Or if a player chooses, they may have 5-6 gcommands and just invest their skill points into those commands to make them stronger. But the strength of the command will rise very minutely, so for players like Uma who can afford to put in 100 skill points into a command, still wont make that command extremely strong, just stronger than a command with 1 skill point in it.

3.3 Guild Names

Although the key to this system lies in its lack of definition, I tend to find a lot of players like having definition, or a title per say. Just something to boast about to the other players as being the best build for a character things like that. So I cake up with a system that would incorporate a guild title for each player. The first part of the title will be a sub guild where the player has the most skill points invested in, the next part of the title will be of the player's base guild and the last will be of another sub guild in which the player has invest the 2nd most amount of skill points in. Eg: Necromantic Mage Druid, a player with the base guild of mage having the majority of their sub guild skill points in Necromancer and the 2nd most amount in the druid guild. Eg: Samurai Warrior Warlock etc.

Section 4: Revised Points From Last Proposals

4.1 Guild Quests

Guild quests seemed like a popular suggestion made on the Tg forum. So it does seem like a good idea to add it to the new guild system. When a player joins a guild they should have to go through a guild quest to become a member, but they would receive guidance from their mentor, which is explained later. The guild quest should be a non static quest, meaning it changes every time it is done. Also there should be a fairly hard, multi day quest requiring comple- tion before entering the trinity stage, more about the stage is explained later as well. This quest doesn't require to be non static, as it would take a lot of play time for someone to achieve the trinity stage. The guild quests would of course vary from each base guild and their themes will be based accordingly.

4.2 Trinity Stage

The trinity stage was another popular idea from the last proposal I created for guild design. This stage would be achieved after obtaining a specific overall level (since this system would not have a guild level), somewhere around the lines of level 100. Where every 25 levels after achieving the trinity stage a player could exchange on of their gcommands for another of their choice. This exchange would have the player investing the difference in skill points (if any). But it would allow higher level players to try out different builds for their character and create some new level of interest for them to still play. To achieve the trinity stage (the name could vary by guild), the guild leader, more explained on this later, would have to organize a date where all the members of the guild, or at least 10 members or so would meet and engage in a ceremony which initiates the player into the trinity stage, after the player has done the quest for it.

4.3 Guild Ranking

I am strongly for creating guild unity between the members of the base guild, creating almost a community within the mud. Each base guild will have their own guild hall which will be very large. In the guild hall there will be the basics of the guild eg guild box, training rooms, storage, common rooms etc. Also within each guild there will be a guild ranking system, a sort of inner guild hierarchy which will consist of a guild leader and various ranks under that leader.

Here is the excerpt from a previous proposal on guild ranking:

I have seen a guild ranking systems in many other muds I have played and I think it is a good idea for a variety of reasons. A guild ranking system helps give players something else to strive for, rather than just levels. It promotes guild unity, as to improve your guild rank you must help your guild and guild members. It also makes newer players feel more wanted rather than shunned as I have seen. I have already coded a ranking system for the Necromancer guild, which I am currently coding. So I will use it as an example. But the names would vary.

Rank list

Guild Ruler - The highest rank for necromancer, gives the most benefits and allows access to all commands. There can be only 1 of these. And this player works with me directly to improve guild. Circle 10 - Full access to commands. Most benefits. Works with Guild Ruler to present new ideas to me. Circle 9 - Full access to commands. Excellent benefits. Circle 8 - Full access to commands. High benefits. Circle 7 - Full access to commands. Good benefits. Circle 6 - Full access to commands. Average benefits Circle 5 - Full access to commands. Satisfactionary benefits. Circle 4 - Semi access to commands. Below average benefits. Circle 3 - Semi access to commands. Low benefits. Circle 2 - Low acess to commands. Minimum benefits. Circle 1 - Low acess to commands. No benefits.

In this list the term "circle" is just a title used for the necromancer rank. Each promotion in circle will grant a guild member more benefits in gcommands they use, ie more damage, more healing etc. Also it will allow better access to special guild commands. For example in the necromancer guild, I have the necrohelp command (something, I also want for all guilds). Which lets the guild members write and read their own helpfiles on the mud. But you need to be a certain circle to be able to write/read/edit entries. To advance a rank, a player must get 10 rank points. These points can be obtained by doing certain tasks to benefit the guild. Donating items of worth is a way to get rank points. The formula for donating items would be: amount of worth to advance a point = (players level * (circle^2)) * 50 Another way to get rank points would be to help new members of the guild on their way to reaching the point where they become full members, around level 20, by helping them around the mud and guild. Another way to get a rank point would be to donate money into the guild coffers. The formula for this would be: money for a point = ((players level/2) * (circle^2) * 50 Then one final way of advancing a rank points, are to do guild quests. Every reboot, each guild would have a guild quest, the first person to do the quest gets a rank point. Once the player gets 10 rank points, they must goto the guild elder (one should be in every guild hall) and they will be promoted up a circle. Some side notes with rank: The guild box would be unavailable to withdraw from, unless you've obtained circle 1. Also once obtained circle 10, you would be able to ban/grant gbox privileges.

A few points of basic points of unity were covered in the last section, but were not elaborated much. One of then being the guild help files. Each guild member (> circle 1) will have access to read the guild help files that were written by other guild members (> circle 4). I think I forgot to mention, that writing a 50 word guild help file, which is relevant and helpful, and has been checked over by the guild leader and the guild wizard leader, will be worth guild rank points in a formula like this: # of guild files written for a rank point = (level\circle)\2. But guild help files will promote unity in a guild because it gives new guild members a library of information to look over to help them succeed. Another way to promote guild unity would be to have monthly guild meetings, where everyone in the guild, and any wizards available sit and discuss ideas and opinions about the guild. Another way to promote guild unity is to have circle tests, every time a person wants to advance a circle, they have to answer a series of questions, and/or do a series of tasks, but the rest of the guild can help that person. Then one last way of promoting guild unity, would be to have a guild score board, which would list all the top members guild score. This score would include their glevel, their circle, the number of guild quests done, number of donates.

Another important point to note is that to join a guild a person must have a mentor. A mentor is a person which guides a person into the base guild and teaches them the basic workings. They will help the player and give them items/coins and such to get them going. The mentor and maybe a few other guild members would have to be present for a ceremony to have a person join the base guild. The benefit for a mentor is that they would receive rank points for becoming one and they can just prove them selves to be a generally nice person.

Section 5: Concluding Points

5.1 Conclusion

To pretty much put everything in a nutshell and repeat everything for the 5th time, lets recap what this system is and what it will hopefully accomplish. This system will allow for players to first join a base guild. In this guild they will have a mentor who will initiate them into the guilds and show them the ropes. The player will gain skill points for every level they gain, they would be able to invest skill points into guild commands to learn them. Once a guild command is learnt it has to be practiced for full effectiveness. Once a player achieves a certain level or guild rank, they would be allowed to goto sub guilds around the guild spectrum and learn more gcommands to a maximum of ten. Once a player achieves level 100 they will have to do the guild quest, which will allow them to enter the trinity stage. Then every 25 levels after that they would be able to exchange a gcommand for another so they can further customize their character. Additional skill points can be placed into gcommands for minute advances in its ability. Guild ranks also effect power of guild commands. Blah, well what more can I say, you've read it all already.

5.2 FAQs

Why do these ideas suck?

Well they do because they are very paper thin. There still needs to be a lot of discussion before anything can be finalized and each separate section of this proposal an be set in stone for development.

How long will a system like this take to implement?

The way I want it to be designed allows for fairly fast implementation of the system. Since there isn't any specific amount of sub guilds required, the system can be implemented after having created the system and the 3 base guilds. Then the sub guilds could be added in throughout future times. The ranking system also presents a fair amount of coding, but I have already made a lot of advances in it from the development of the necromancer guild that it can also be put in play fairly fast.

How will this system be implemented?

They way I would like to see a system like this be put inplay is that we create a 2nd town where new characters will log into under this guild system. This way all the players can still keep their old chars and even intermingle/fight each other.

Since there are so many ways to make gcommands stronger, are skills useless?

Skills are still the most crucial part for the power/effectiveness of your guild commands. The bonuses provided by the guild ranking system and from additional skill points only marginally help your gcommands.

Wont this system allow for the creation of super god players?

Balance is definitely one thing that will be strictly enforced in this system. Maybe to prevent a ability to create a super player, there should be some restrictions on how many guild commands of a specific difficulty a player should have. Eg each player is only allowed 2 gcommands of a difficulty level of 5.

-- Imported for PyrO by FantoM - 21 Jan 2003

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Section 1: Introductory Items

1.1 Introduction