A couple of age-/time-related questions

[Eirdrien]

I'm not entirely sure that this is the correct forum for this but I am new to the game and there didn't seem to be anywhere else that was more appropriate. In any event, I've been working on a character background before actually doing much in-game and was about to give specific ages for some of the events. At around this time, the question occured to me of what the rate of aging and average life expectency for the different races is intended to be. Well, I looked about and wasn't able to find it so I'm wondering if we're supposed to assume that it's simply the same for all of the races and roughly equivelent to humans in our reality? or is this information in fact somewhere on the site and I've simply missed it? If the later is the case, could someone point me to where I might find it?

In the same vein, during the character creation process, the year of the character's birth is automatically set to...I think it's the 750. This kind of leaves me wondering what year the "now" of the game world is intended to be, if it has even been set at this point in development.

Yes, I'm a bit detail-obsessed but answers to either of these questions would be appreciated  .

[Karyuu]

Hiya, and welcome to PlaneShift :]

The race-ages question has been asked of the dev team before, and here is the current official answer from one of our monthly Q&A's:

What is the official average/normal lifespan for each of the races? (Yes, I'm asking about all of them...though any information would be helpful!)

There is no official answer to this question at the moment.

D'oh! We'll have to wait a bit for our Settings team to settle on something :] For now I'd use whatever makes most sense - Elves are generally long-lived, as are dwarves, Enkidukai have perhaps a bit less than humans, etc.

Concerning the "now-year," that's a question that was asked in this month's Q&A, so perhaps we'll see a better answer than the one above :} Keep your fingers crossed!

[Eirdrien]

Heh; huzza for not-yet-decided setting aspects.

Thanks for both the welcome and the answers; I guess I'm off to try and finish this background up, then ^^.

[miadon]

Concerning the "now-year," that's a question that was asked in this month's Q&A, so perhaps we'll see a better answer than the one above :} Keep your fingers crossed!

I asked that q last month, and it wasn't answered :p

[Miaua]

Enkidukai have perhaps a bit less than humans, etc.

  What the.... !   

[Malfini]

Miaua I'm so sorry about the bad news . You could always find a fountain of youth or something though and then you wouldn't have to age at all.

[Einnol]

Enkidukai have perhaps a bit less than humans, etc.

  What the.... !   

I would agree with Karyuu here.  I think they probably live longer than cats, but not as long as humans, somewhere in-between.  But, they probably mature faster too, maybe reaching early adulthood around 10 or 12.  Meh, just my thoughts. 

[Karyuu]

I asked that q last month, and it wasn't answered :p

I've stuck it into this month's selection :]

[Miaua]

...Well here is one issue. And I'm quite sad about it.
If we will play the ages... Elven and dwarves will be advantaged too much.
Why should other races be almost immortal and others have to die "soon"?
I would like to see all races equal in this matter. How would you feel to live only a fragment of time of others?

I don't see a reason for such race differences.

[Karyuu]

The only advantage is through RP - I doubt we will be implementing any actual aging system (at least not in many years), as that is where things start to be unfair and unrealistic for players.

Different life-spans for different races is quite realistic, however. It would make no sense for Kran to live 70-80 years only, for example - they are sturdy structures ;]

[Miaua]

Thats what I'm talking about. RP. If I'll standing in front of elven.. what shall I do? act like short living beeing?
Additionaly it gives to other races IC advantage, cause they are able to learn much more, then short living ones have a chance to.

[Karyuu]

And Klyros can glide while no other race has the natural ability, Enkidukai have Night Vision, and Ynnwn have a skin rash if they come in contact with gold, silver, or platinum. There are disadvantages and advantages for each race. Take that away and all you get is a different appearance.

[Miaua]

All that are some minor differences. Minor enough to don't take it so serious.
If I imagine it... Age kind of difference is bad IMO.
Ynnwns can avoid contact with gold, platinum, silver.
Night vision have more races. Klyros's gliding can be compensate with spells....
But RP soon-dying can't be...

[Karyuu]

How "soon" is 70 years in-game? Two years of playing, three? Five? Do you actually expect your character to die of old age, unless you create someone who is nearing their deathbed from the start of play?

I don't think this is something anyone has to worry about. Besides, you can always have "youth potions" or similar magic.

[Miaua]

My character is worry about. Not me. Only IC reasons.
Here... I would like to see similarity. Only for IC feelings and behaviour.