Ok I gotta throw my 2 cents in here :)
I think that rather than building at this time, our efforts would be much more successful in rounding up some basic info
about the game and publishing it somewhere where we can all access it.
Here's an open ended list of some things I think we need to decide upon before we can really start building effectively:
1) What exactly has been done to the game code-wise?
We need a very detailed list here so that we are all on the same page.
2) What is scheduled for the future as far as code changes?
Here again - we need a very detailed TODO list of planned changes to the code. Afterall - it really does us no good to get
crazy on building only to find out later that a bunch of new features (by new features I mean anything - new EQ slots,
weapon damage types... etc) have been implemented and we now have to go back through our zones and start utilizing them.
3) What exactly are the details of the race/class system?
I know nothing about the races in this game (or classes for that matter). What skills and or spells apply to what classes?
What are the vulns/invulns for each race? Racial stat modifiers?
4) What changes are to be made to alignment?
I know some of you will think "why does alignment matter?". I've seen MUDs with alignment-specific zones, EQ, quests... etc.
Yeah alignment is a big deal.
5) Is this to be a PK MUD?
If yes - what level of PK? Full? Limited? Other?
6) Do we really want a Circle MUD with no death traps?
7) Is there any thought being given to overall balance of the game?
This is a huge deal folks! Balance can easily be considered one of (if not the) most difficult aspects of creating a
successful game - any game not just MUDs. Therefore if we aren't worrying about it now - we will be at some point and
it's exponentially harder to balance a game after it has been created rather than from the get go. This and players will
hate us and leave when the spell/skill/EQ they have been using with no problems for the past year is suddenly removed or
seriously downgraded due to balance (believe it - I've seen it myself). At the very least we need to begin working on a
balance document with hard rules in place as it pertains to building (i.e - no mobs give over x amount of exp, no weapons
that do > x damage... etc).
8) What are the rules of the game?
How does this affect building you ask? Well if the game is multi-play for instance - I would say it has a big affect on
building. What about player thieving? Player killing?... etc. These all affect building in my opinion.
I can keep going here but this is a great list to get started with in my opinion.
Now I realize that no one person has the answer to all the questions I've listed above. So what I propose is for Balazin
to give us whatever answers he can to the questions I mention above. Once we have that, we can all work together to fill
in the blanks.
On a side note...
Balazin, I know you aren't in a coding mood right now - hell neither am I!:) But dude if you have changes to make