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PeaceMaker Role  XML
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Mark Phillips


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Joined: 1969.12.31 00:00:00
Messages: 2199
Location: Watsonville, CA
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The Master Plan includes a Role called "PeaceMaker". This would be something like an advanced Healer, Good-aligned, with the ability to use magical or psionic powers to stop violence in progress. There'd be a "Calm" command or etc.

I like this idea but I can imagine potential for abuse which I thought y'all might have ideas about.

For instance, manipulative players could include a PeaceMaker in a group of Evil types running around causing mayhem. If an Evil Warrior, say, were about to be killed by an advanced NPC, the PeaceMaker could then intervene to stop the fight. Effectively the Good-aligned PeaceMaker would be acting as an Evil team member. That wouldn't really be good role-play and it would be outside the spirit of the Role. But, could be done.

The brute-force way to enforce Role constraints would be to deny PeaceMakers the ability to stop fights which an Evil character is losing. That would be similar to the way Healer was disallowed from using Heal or Energize to assist Evil characters. But it's an ugly solution and the constraints it imposes are too narrow.

What do you think? Do you have ideas how this Role might be implemented in a way which preserves the intention of the Role without opening it to abuse?

--Mark

Bartle quotiet: E80, A67, S47, K7. TriadCity characters: Mark, Poobah, Occam, Abelard.
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james fisher



Joined: 2001.12.02 00:00:00
Messages: 126
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So are the fixes you made for the healer role, alingment drift and no help for criminals, going to be enough for the PeaceMaker Role or do other measures have to be taken?
Mark Phillips


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Joined: 1969.12.31 00:00:00
Messages: 2199
Location: Watsonville, CA
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I really ain't sure.

For instance, should PeaceMaker drift Evil on stopping a fight which an Evil character was about to lose?

It's very difficult to legislate reaonable role play, people just have to do it. When Healer was first available there were Healers teaming up with Evil Warriors who were killing merchants; the Healers were energizing the Warriors. Bad role play, IMO, but really difficult to legislate against in a way which can't be manipulated.

Maybe part of the solution is to post more information about Roles in the Players Guide. So that people have a better sense of what that Role is about?

Maybe also in the long run there should be a governing council for each Role which has the ability to discipline characters who abuse the Role? Personally I kinda don't like environments where powerful players have that much sway over others, but, maybe it's reasonable in these cases?

Ideas welcome!

--Mark

Bartle quotiet: E80, A67, S47, K7. TriadCity characters: Mark, Poobah, Occam, Abelard.
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Old Pat



Joined: 2004.08.12 00:00:00
Messages: 2
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Perhaps a sacrafice to the peace maker, one similar to the suggested healer, but items may also be involved.
They may need to gain permission from a guardian being on both shoulders, or a diety before the action is complete.

(just a newb, don't kill me!)
Sascha Lecours



Joined: 2003.10.24 00:00:00
Messages: 446
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Well, how about making it so that the Peacemake can only calm the instigator of a violent action - but not a person fighting in self-defense? In this way, the Evil warrior from our example(who would most likely have picked the fight) could be calmed - but not the peacemaker he attacked. The NPCs could have different values for wether they continue to attack someone once their opponent has calmed down, and those NPCs who are the targets of abuse can simply have their attack value adjusted. Thoughts?
 
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