🚀 go-pugleaf

cffitzge@IASTATE.EDU (Charles F Fitzgerald) writes:

>I do not believe, however, that this problem is insurmountable, in
>fact, I believe the mechanism for combatting the problem has already
>been discussed by the group, _ie._ the ability tree.  In my view of
>this mechanic, the final form of net.rpg will come with a well
>fleshed-out ability tree of the general form
>                        A1
>                    /       \
>        B1                              B2
>   /    |     \                     /   |    \
>C1      C2      C3              D1      D2       D3
>etc.    etc.    etc.            etc.    etc.    etc.

>I also think that there is generally a tendency among game designers
>to add, and sometimes necessitate the use of, symmetry in role playing
>design.  This means that if B1 has three subcategories, B2 must have
>three subcategories.  I would like to state again that this practice
>is probably unneccessary and may be unrealistic and needlessly
>cumbersome.  I think that if a few stats are used (say, between four
>and seven) symmetry is nice and can be handled easily.  If one uses
>more abilities, generally in an attempt to increase realism, pedantic
>use of symmetry tends to erode the realism and does not serve any
>worthwhile purpose.

I agree with you completely that trees (and not just at the
ability/skill level, but at levels of detail of the rules) are the best
way to design a flexible game system.  I disagree with you on symmetry,
though.  Symmetry has very real advantages in that
a.)	It's more intuitive.  If B1 has two children, and B1 and B2 are
	both children of B, then, as a player, I'm going to suspect that
	B2 has 2 children, as well.  I think it's very important for
	a game as complicated as any multi-genre game has to be, that
	the game have clear, consistent patterns in the rules.

b.)	In a point based system, it's desirable for all skills/stats to
	cost the same number of points (at the same level).  This is
	ONLY possible if the skill/stat tree is symmetric.  Ie..if all
	4th level skills (ie...fourth 'generation' of the tree) cost 1
	point per level, but some 3rd generation skills have 3 children
	and some have 2 children, then not all 3rd generation skills
	will cost the same.

My stat tree would be something like:
			All stats
		Physical	Mental/Magical

			Physical
		Fortitude	Coordination

			Mental/Magical
		Mental		Magical	

			Fortitude
		Constitution	Strength

			Coordination
	Hand-eye (Dexterity)	Whole body (Agility)

			Mental
		Willpower	Intelligence

			Magical
	Power/Resistance	Luck/Intuition/Sensitivity

As you can see, I like binary trees...  Anyway, that's roughly
how the game system I've been working on for the last 2 years works.

--
Ramez Naam
naam@terra.cecer.army.mil