Encouraging Roleplay

[ven]

Technically, we're able to roleplay using only ascii and a terminal screen. In order to be widespread, roleplaying has to be appealing, and that can only happen if there are basic systems in place to support complex player-made roleplay.

What I think could be great starting points with high payoff would be in-game support for kingdom laws, family/bloodline system, and item uniqueness.

Kingdom laws refer to kingdom complexity: a king can dub anyone a knight or a duke, but that's rather meaningless without basic mechanics to bind them to the crown and give them special actions, or even an official feudal caste and vassalage system that provides pros and cons to each social class (instead of just playing pretend). Unique realm-wide edicts based on kingdom cultures fit here too.

A bloodline system means the ability to create and advance a dynasty through marriage, kinship and inheritance. People have been marrying in-game for some years now. This just turns that into an official game feature and gives you a name/house/family to add to your roleplay options.

Item uniqueness means the ability to name and add manual or automatic descriptions to some crafted items, and also random chances of items receiving rare bonuses upon crafting.
Buying a sword is lame and generic. The world feels more meaningful when we buy a Sword of the Seas, crafted at the Northern Kingdom, by the smith Eric of house Sinkschipp, even when quality-wise they're exactly the same item.

[Attas]

Technically, we're able to roleplay using only ascii and a terminal screen. In order to be widespread, roleplaying has to be appealing, and that can only happen if there are basic systems in place to support complex player-made roleplay.

What I think could be great starting points with high payoff would be in-game support for kingdom laws, family/bloodline system, and item uniqueness.

Kingdom laws refer to kingdom complexity: a king can dub anyone a knight or a duke, but that's rather meaningless without basic mechanics to bind them to the crown and give them special actions, or even an official feudal caste and vassalage system that provides pros and cons to each social class (instead of just playing pretend). Unique realm-wide edicts based on kingdom cultures fit here too.

A bloodline system means the ability to create and advance a dynasty through marriage, kinship and inheritance. People have been marrying in-game for some years now. This just turns that into an official game feature and gives you a name/house/family to add to your roleplay options.

Item uniqueness means the ability to name and add manual or automatic descriptions to some crafted items, and also random chances of items receiving rare bonuses upon crafting.
Buying a sword is lame and generic. The world feels more meaningful when we buy a Sword of the Seas, crafted at the Northern Kingdom, by the smith Eric of house Sinkschipp, even when quality-wise they're exactly the same item.

+1. Those are all good ideas that can impact both on roleplaying and actual gameplay.

[jordancoles]

[2d0x]

ven, beautiful ... But in fact, there will hardly be many people wishing to play out the lower class. So, there will be the same free citizens and "kings" with "dukes", most of the time playing the violas "lower caste".

The inscription on one subject will be unique. But if on all subjects there are inscriptions (any), then the item without inscriptions becomes unique and desired.

I'll guess, after entering the pretentious titles and the names of the objects nothing will change. Just there will be more <ignored> conditional rules and <meaningless> inscriptions embarrassing new players.

I'm sorry...

[Attas]

ven, beautiful ... But in fact, there will hardly be many people wishing to play out the lower class. So, there will be the same free citizens and "kings" with "dukes", most of the time playing the violas "lower caste".

Some people just want to plant their carrots in peace. Besides everyone at some point was poor in Haven - even if they manage to develop their base and character, that doesn't assure them a fancy title in their realm.

ven's idea is just something to improve the management in the kingdoms.

The inscription on one subject will be unique. But if on all subjects there are inscriptions (any), then the item without inscriptions becomes unique and desired.

Um, not exactly. There's some sort of sentimental value attached to certain items. Sketches allow for some of this item uniqueness, but unfortunately not every item can be customized like this.

[ven]

ven, beautiful ... But in fact, there will hardly be many people wishing to play out the lower class. So, there will be the same free citizens and "kings" with "dukes", most of the time playing the violas "lower caste".

The inscription on one subject will be unique. But if on all subjects there are inscriptions (any), then the item without inscriptions becomes unique and desired.

I'll guess, after entering the pretentious titles and the names of the objects nothing will change. Just there will be more <ignored> conditional rules and <meaningless> inscriptions embarrassing new players.

That's why I mentioned pros and cons for each caste. I don't think everyone wants to be a member of the higher castes either. Positions like lawspeaker burn people out pretty fast and I assume dukes etc would too, knights would be summoned or placed in dangerous situations often, and so on.

But the entire point is that players have in-game systems available to do whatever they want with them. It's almost the same of what ladygoo said: people want to create inns, taverns, museums, hospitals, but we don't have the mechanics for that.

Both are suggestions to provide a little ingame support for the most fundamental roles of society: family units, social contract units, and work units.

Btw part of the inscription is automated (ITEM NAME + KINGDOM + VILLAGE + CRAFTER + DATE), so there is some pattern to their uniqueness and that is meaningful. At any rate, what I suggested was that items crafted by people who bought a certain skill no longer be a generic "sword", "shield", "cape" like some 1990's RPG. Anything would be better than that.

[2d0x]

...people want to create inns, taverns, museums, hospitals...

True, they want to create. But this has nothing to do with the role system. And it does not mean that this place will be popular and necessary for someone other than the <imagination of the> creator.
In the vast majority of cases, these are just items on the list "What can I do in this game". This is a positive moment, but insignificant. A hundred empty hotels and museums with almost identical exhibits.
Probably, it will better explain my thoughts: viewtopic.php?f=40&t=52709&start=1480#p748436 (if we assume that in the picture we see an open cafe and part of the hotel-museum, nothing will change at all).
And one more thing: while some people need the opportunity to create it, others already create it: viewtopic.php?f=40&t=52709&start=1490#p749083