[Arianne-general] Professions

[Albert P. <alb...@te...>]

Hi all,

This is my first post about professions. Comments are welcome.=20

By the way, could somebody help me with a question?: Which is the =
preferred method for posting? Plain text, HTML, PDF, Word document?

***

INTRODUCTION

Defining professions is a complex task, not because the professions =
itself, but because they relate to many different things in the world.

(a) First, they relate to NPCs, and should create a framework that =
provides the building blocks for creating and managing NPCs. It includes =
assigning skills to NPCs and giving certaing behaviours to the NPCs.=20

(b)  Second, they relate to PCs. Even if the decided method for creating =
PC is "classeless", a professions system should provide a "development =
path" for PCs, and should provide motivation and lots of fun for =
players. In my understanding, movitation is closely related to a problem =
I have experienced when playing internet RPG: Because there are no =
"real" objectives for players, the game becomes an "raise your skills =
and buy better armor" game (a little bit boring for me...). Now lets say =
that there is a "career plan" linked to a profession, that will give a =
character wealth, power and status, and that jumping to the next step is =
not related (or not completely related) to the skills level... It would =
be far more funny, because professions themselve would generate =
"personal quests" for characters.

(c) Also, professions are closely related with economic system, because =
at the end workers are the ones who produce goods. At the same time, =
economic system is closely related to motivation... so it is a kind of =
closed loop.

(d) Last, it directly relates with skills. You need skill to have a =
profession, and you can use a profession to raise your skill.

OBJECTIVES

Having said that, the objectives that the professions system will have =
are:

(a) To have a professions system flexible, extensible and easily =
implementable.

(b) To provide a system detailed enough to "define" NPCs and to link =
behaviours to a given profession.

(c) To desing a system that provides a "career plan" for PCs and NPCs, =
introducing additional subtle relations in the world and "deflating" RP =
in Arianne.

(d) To link professions with skill development (this part is not the =
core system itself, and should be done with the skills team).

(e) To make sure professions system is aligned with economic and politic =
(in particular) and RP (in general) systems.

DESING DECISIONS

Some initial design decisions follow. For sure I'w change and add many =
during development of the system. They correspond to my initial =
feelings.

(a) Professions will be defined in a hierarchical way. It will be like a =
tree, each level more detailed. It should allow an object oriented =
implementation that takes full advantage of generalization (easy, =
flexible and scalable).

(b) There are many, many professions. I'w try to keep them as grouped as =
possible to fullfill the stated objectives.

(d) Professions system will include guilds description.

(e) It will have 2 main dimensions: "Profession" itself and "Level" (ie. =
for craft professions, level could be like "apprentice", "journeyman", =
"master", "guild representative" and "guild master").

(f) Jumping from level to level requires both a minimum hability AND =
some additional conditions (ie. upgrading from "squire" to "knigh" could =
require both mastering fighting skills AND having a horse and a full =
suit of armor).

***

Thats all for now. I know it is very general, but I'd like to release =
things as soon as available for feedback. The next post will deal with =
the professions tree and the levels (at high level).

Kind regards,
Albert P=E9rez