PlaneShift
Gameplay => Wish list => Topic started by: Rigwyn on January 05, 2015, 11:17:29 am
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The Death Realm Could use Some Improvement.
I think the Death Realm would be less off-putting to players if one could be more productive while there. Having things to do there might help to encourage longer stays and would at least give people a reason to park their characters there. More role playing props and space to move around would be an improvement.
My point of view is from both a role playing perspective and a gaming perspective. It is my opinion that the death realm as it currently is, does little to promote either area of interest. Rather than just complaining about it, I would like to point out the problems that I see and provide what I think are possible constructive solutions.
What is good about it.
I like the dark and gritty feel that it has. It is a terrific place for dark, nasty RP that might not look right against a bright, sunny backdrop. Also, from a training/grinding perspective, you can die and come back immediately without penalty. Settings wise, there is a good bit of mystery to the death realm if you read the books. Visually, there are things that leave you wondering - like the huge skeleton and the citadel. This is great, visually.
What it lacks.
It feels barren and desolate. I get the death and loneliness angle, but I think the emptiness is off putting rather than haunting. Also, it does not look like there is room for habitation. Where do the people who live there stay? Why is there no evidence of this?
From a gaming perspective, it lacks things to do. You can train down there to a very limited degree, but once you run out of resources ( mana, potions, whatever ), you need to return to the upper level to get these things.
Also as far as space and mobility goes, it feels like you are on a long, winding track rather than on a plane. In many areas, you can only got forward and backward. It lacks width if that makes any sense. If feels like you are on a track or a roller coaster for the most part.
Things that I think would make it better:
To make permanent or long term stays in the DR plausible:
* A way to quickly replenish mana and hit points.
* More mobs to train against. ( diverse mobs with a full spectrum of difficulty)
* A place to craft and a source of resources
To make role play more interesting:
* Places to hide
* Jails and cages
* Usable devices for torture and restraint.
* Devices or places designed for rituals, sacrifices, and so on
* Kitchens with meat grinders and other morbid devices.
* Perhaps some way of communicating with those above - some sort of magical device for contacting the living and dead ( perhaps at the cost of one's health or something )
Just food for thought.
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A long time ago, I knew of a "Real Death Realm" project; so long ago that I don't know if it persists. Maybe your chance to contribute if ...
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Yeah, there's been talk about it for years now. I hope though, that there is productive and constructive discussion that leads to an improvement that satisfies most if not all the areas that need to be addressed. The DR needs more than just a map expansion, but also needs things to make it more conducive to both gaming and role play.
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I think it would be great fun to see the "throne room" added. I also had this thought once, what if there was an awesome lemur avatar (sigh, I want that the most of all things) Dakkru NPC that roamed the realm and when she laid her eyes on your avatar she zapped you back up to out of the death realm, saying something profound and nabbing and reducing a small portion of a randomized basic stat? That would add a bit more fear and gamble to traveling the underworld. A few simpler changes could be, the diseased rats down there could give hide as loots, to help with leather armor training, and some herbs to gather, etc...
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* A way to quickly replenish mana and hit points.
/die? ;)
it feels like you are on a long, winding track
There is a shortcut, which used to be very difficult to take. But since we have mounts with amazing jumping power, that has gotten much easier. The most interesting things to do down there for now? Some reading in the library - and climbing on the citadels roof.
I think it would be great fun to see the "throne room" added.
Actually, there is a throne, but it takes some climbing (ooc-ish mount-hopping) to get up there.
A long time ago, I knew of a "Real Death Realm" project; so long ago that I don't know if it persists. Maybe your chance to contribute if ...
As far as I remember, there were some very ambitious ideas. I wonder how this will turn out in the long run.
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... and when she laid her eyes on your avatar she zapped you back up to out of the death realm...
Wasn't there a C=64 game "Sentinel" where you had to avoid the sight of a boss?
Oh, wait. Wrong century. — Are Lemurs slender? And how does Dakkru look, at all? Oh, sorry, that question sounds famous.
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Now I have to go /die and hop around looking for the throne room, any tips as to where its at on the map Bonifarzia?
There is a description of her illuminated palish, grey skin, white hair (?) Piercing green eyes, some jagged gem cloak or such, I am thinking lemure would be the most fitting, we could get a Goddess and a new avatar, Total win!
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Haha! I just realized how insane it would be to be running an rp down there and then Dakkru comes around and zaps the rp'ers out of the realm...lol, how rude :P
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Before you enter the Citadel, go right; but you would probably not recognize the throne even if you stood in front of it. What you can actually do.
I remember events when the audience was allowed to enter the loges. I wonder if there is still an entrance via the library or if it required an additional teleport...
P.S.: Thoughts about the looks of Dakkru (http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=40449.0) and other Gods (http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=40445.0)
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You can get close to the throne, but can't get up there without a gm to give you a boost...
Then again, I wonder if the old trick where you drop sacks or crates might work....
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Here is what I foresee Dakkru to look like, its all about the eyes... (no affiliation to the image)
Hope the link works:
http://www.ebsqart.com/art/3198/141111.jpg
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I agree that the DR needs to be fleshed out more -- I even posted a wishlist thread (http://"http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=41505.msg468571#msg468571") about this, only to get basically 0 support.
TL;DR -- the current DR is so mechanically tiny and regular that it does not make sense to treat it as significant! It's possible to design portal mazes so they aren't endless frustration wells, btw...
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a temple structure where people emerge from the DR :thumbup:
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http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=41505.10
Link was broken...
Definetely agree that the DR misses something to make it as imposing as you would expect of such place.. especially for players who have been around for some time..
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The DR needs some care, sure, some of the things Rig suggest cannot be done without a map expansion, some work has been done but it's still incomplete, anyone willing to help is welcome ...
In the meanwhile I will reply a few point I think we can address:
Things that I think would make it better:
To make permanent or long term stays in the DR plausible:
* A way to quickly replenish mana and hit points.
This can be done, maybe Oriven can sell a few mana and health potions or maybe a version of them only functional in the DR
* More mobs to train against. ( diverse mobs with a full spectrum of difficulty)
a "full" spectrum like the one you can find in the living world is not possible without more space (bigger map) available, but improving the variety is something we can do.
* A place to craft and a source of resources
mhm interesting but there are pros and cons ... my idea is we should make it a to craft something DW specific here, before the auto-training system the DR used to be a place to train DW; we may bring that back by introducing something cool like a special magical crafting or something like that (just some thoughts).
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There is something of a logical disconnect to the Death Realm, perhaps I need to read more books. How is it really different that any other area with just a different transportation system and a penalty for the return trip? Why do your material possessions travel with you if your soul is being re-fleshed when you materialize there. Perhaps my understanding of it is old-fashioned and the religious dogma has since evolved. Why does Dakkru only take a little bit of your essence which you recover but none of the essence of the things you travel with which not living don't recover. there ought to be a bit of chance that they degrade, more magical items could be somewhat protected by the degradation but things like animal parts or plant parts could suffer greater degradation. There could be recipes for things that could only be worked and for which ingredients could only be gathered in the DR. Areas outside the death realm that feature the creatures native to it could have some kind of spell effect that harms the living and sustains said critters.
got a bit off topic I guess.
Guess I really do need to edit that whack of books in the DR just to learn the current state of the settings.
edit someonewhat
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@Bilbous; I think some of the ideas you have are pretty interesting.
Why does Dakkru only take a little bit of your essence which you recover but none of the essence of the things you travel with which not living don't recover. there ought to be a bit of chance that they degrade, more magical items could be someone protected by the degradation but things like animal parts or plant parts could suffer greater degradation.
I have no idea about the technicalities for this but I think that at least the degrading of animal and plant parts is a logical side effect of a trip to the DR. Maybe even extended to items that are created with the use of animal and plant parts.
Example: You travel through the DR with a Q50 steel sword and a Q50 wooden sword, after exiting the DR the steel sword would still be Q50 where as the wooden sword would be Q48 (-5% give or take).
Another idea I have is maybe an advantage for players who have chosen Dakkru at char creation, there is no need for an elaborate scheme like BF has but a possibility is could be that they are affected less by the curse. Extended for players who have chosen Dakkru at character creation and become a DW master.
* A place to craft and a source of resources
mhm interesting but there are pros and cons ... my idea is we should make it a to craft something DW specific here, before the auto-training system the DR used to be a place to train DW; we may bring that back by introducing something cool like a special magical crafting or something like that (just some thoughts).
:love: YES, special DW crafting would be so awesome.. :devil:
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mhm interesting but there are pros and cons ... my idea is we should make it a to craft something DW specific here, before the auto-training system the DR used to be a place to train DW; we may bring that back by introducing something cool like a special magical crafting or something like that (just some thoughts).
I couldn't agree more.
DR specific goods would also give reason to travel there. With that said, perhaps there should be a counterbalance so that the gravity of character death is not completely ignored. It might be good if somehow there was incentive to have dedicated DR homed resource gatherers and crafters than to have people skipping back and forth between the upper world and the DR. ( I don't know how such a counterbalance might be created at the moment. Perhaps crossing the threshold with mined materials from either realm might impose a much larger penalty? Or perhaps crafting from resources that are mined in another realm might result in lower quality goods?) Just food for thought.
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EDIT:
Also, what about that big eye that watches you on your way over to the portal? It would be spooky if it glanced around and followed you as you passed it. This is something Unreal should be able to facilitate quite nicely!
http://207.244.96.64/PlaneShift/smf/index.php?topic=34085.msg430038#msg430038
Here is what I foresee Dakkru to look like, its all about the eyes... (no affiliation to the image)
Hope the link works:
http://www.ebsqart.com/art/3198/141111.jpg
Since removed from EBSQ, so (not that anyone else couldn't've found it)
http://bellagitana.b.e.pic.centerblog.net/Original-gothic-art-VAMPIRES-SKULLS-WITCH-dark-painting.jpg (http://bellagitana.b.e.pic.centerblog.net/Original-gothic-art-VAMPIRES-SKULLS-WITCH-dark-painting.jpg)
Nice find, Siteya.