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Death in Vives
Posted: 09 Dec 2004 02:25 PM |
Changes to the death system in Vives.
These have been discussed at great length by the DM team. Player input is welcome, but be aware something along these lines -is- going to be implemented. We can't make everyone happy, but we really think these changes are needed.
First the good news:
We are scrapping the lose a level if you respawn when over level 20.
The penalty for respawning is coming down to 3% of total experience (it's currently at 5%), gold penalty will stay at 25%.
However, as soon as PD and Ara can figure out the best way to implement them, the following changes will also be introduced:
Any resurrection or raise dead, will now cost the person being restored a minimum of 25 xp per level. This is a minimal cost, for a 20th lvl character it would only be 500 xp. This will be the case whether cast by a player cleric, CPC or DM controlled NPC, and whether cast from a spell, scroll or item.
BUT the cost will rise the longer you stay dead. The exact details of this are still being worked out and will probably never be fully revealed to avoid temptation to metagame. But eventually the penalty for being restored to life will be near to or exactly the same as if you respawn anyway.
This is intended to stop people staying dead hoping someone will find them. Even being logged in all day and being afk. And to make death be a little more respected. The penalties are there for a reason, and too much OOC effort is currently being put into avoiding those penalties. Death should matter! There have been a multitude of incidents even over the last few days that the DM team have been ironing this proposal out that makes it clear to us something has to be done.
Of course if a DM is convinced of a genuine bug death...or they set a Balor elite that kills your 2nd lvl character, they can still use a DM heal to restore you with no xp cost.
And that brings up the other matter. Death in Vives, and the role of clerics:
There is a widespread phenomenon of players with no clerical background who believe that they can just pray and their god will respond and restore someone to life. DM's are as much at fault for this as players, as we have responded to this in the past. But this goes hand in hand with the view death is little more than an inconvenience.
As such the DM team as a whole have agreed a new policy on death in Vives. "Free" resurrections will become very rare. Even on DM quests, -if- we feel the challenge was appropriate to the party and deaths occurred due to insufficient care, there will be no guarantee of a DM res. This will at all times be down to the DM running the quest.
Even if you are a cleric or a character class that has a very strong link to your god (druid, paladin or the like) there will be little chance of your prayers being answered, for other classes almost no chance unless very special circumstances exist. Although people have more interaction with their gods in Vives than people in the real world, it is still incredibly rare for a god to answer a prayer directly.
Speaking of which, a prayer is a request, not a demand. Followers of a god should not expect their god to do their bidding, and to voice such expectations is a dangerous endeavor at best! A true follower has faith and should not second-guess their god's actions or inactions. Even if your god does answer your prayer directly, it is unlikely to happen without taking a toll on you, unless you are a cleric who could normally harness such powers as are being requested anyway.
If you go to an area that is dangerous and die due to lag or other RL reasons, then you will not be guaranteed a res. Occassionally one might be given, but if so it will be recorded on your application, and they will not be given to any one player with any regularity. Travel in a group and it is much less likely to be an issue. Solo a dangerous area alone and you take your chances. The penalty will be less now at least...but you're more likely to have to pay it.
The reason for these changes in approach; because death all too often isn't seen as a major concern IG; because a clerics most vaunted power is all too often belittled by the way deaths have been handled up until now.
Right, all of this said...we hope that players understand what we are trying to achieve...and we have tried to take some of the harsh RL sting out of the penalty at the same time.
Cheers,
The Vives Team
((note these changes are now IG, and this post has been moved to essential information for all new players to be aware of.)) |
- Solitaire, Wizard
- Ilyana Fiirhaart, High Priestess of Naruth |
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Re: Death in Vives
Posted: 25 Sep 2005 11:02 AM |
*bump*
This system is in place.
Also some additional changes:
Druids are considered Priests of Elbereth. As such, they can also raise the dead.
Gods are picky about who they allow their priests to raise. For example, A LG Priest of Midoran might find that trying to raise a CE follower of Gukathul to be very difficult. While there are circumstances where Midoran might allow it to happen, it is unlikely.
All Priests must have some form of religion. An atheist priest who tries to raise the dead will find they lack the faith and belief to do it properly.
If you have not selected your god, or done it properly, you may do so in the ooc lounge with the help of the vives guide.
Beware, a character who changes religion frequently may find that all the gods turn a deaf ear. For priests, this is especially so. Make your decision and stick with it, else the consequences are of your own accord.
- The Vives Team |
Purpose in life: finding better ways of allowing players to kill themselves. Repeatedly.
--
"...Cause he mixes it with love
And makes the world taste good."
--
<@James42> Lawful good isn't in your vocabulary, it's on your menu.
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