[MUD-Dev] Striving for originality

[Michael Tresca]

Edward Glowacki posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 9:36 AM

> I have to agree with Matt on this.  There's nothing that says a
> "mage" has to be "old, wizened, and fragile".  Why couldn't a mage
> be "young, energetic, dexterous, and strong?"  Sure, toe-to-toe in
> a

This is what happens when the only pen-and-paper RPG designers ever
played is Dungeons & Dragons, and maybe not even many sessions of
that.

I repeat with desperate emphasis: Any designer should at least give
a cursory read of other pen-and-paper game systems.

And why not? Unlike a MMORPG or MUD, the rules are laid bare for
your perusal.  You're essentially reading up on someone else's game
system.  It helps to know what's out there before you starting
designing something that 1) they already did and possibly better, 2)
your players are playing and thus bring the preconceived notions of
that game with them to your game, 3) broadens your own gaming
horizons.

A LOT of pen-and-paper RPGs don't have weak wizards.  But then, if
you just use the D&D paradigm you won't ever know any better.  It's
insidious and can creep into your game design without you
consciously realizing it.

Mike "Talien" Tresca
RetroMUD Administrator
http://www.retromud.org/talien


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