tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post1282336918756364455..comments2023-11-24T03:49:24.508-05:00Comments on Solo RPG Gamer: How would you represent evolving relationships in solo play?Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17977593737440597836noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-54749577165660956962011-11-09T09:09:24.417-05:002011-11-09T09:09:24.417-05:00Hey Dave,
Thanks for the info! I was actually thi...Hey Dave,<br /><br />Thanks for the info! I was actually thinking about a solo MUD myself, maybe about a month ago, since there are a lot of free MUD servers one cans et up. It looks pretty hardcore, though, to set up a MUD server and maintain it. <br /><br />I was seriously looking at the Inform language (http://inform7.com/) for interactive fiction as an alternative. Some of the IF games I've seen are very similar to mods in that you still use a command line to play, and the environment is divided into areas and rooms. Not sure that it would necessarily be easier than setting up a MUD, though. <br /><br />Part of the appeal for both of those things, though, is the ability to tinker in a more or less open ended way. I sense the potential for gm emulators in those things-- it would definitely make solo gaming speedier, IMO.Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18060823479968314880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-55172298927107277482011-10-06T00:32:14.757-04:002011-10-06T00:32:14.757-04:00There were a few difficulties. it was used in a te...There were a few difficulties. it was used in a text-based rpg (a solo MUD).<br />each creature had a set of keywords & they were matched against any strings <br />the creature might respond to.<br />The main problem was sending & receiving text tended to be recursive<br />and it was difficult to effectively limit it. An infinite or even a very complex loop frequently occurred.<br />I could limit this, but there was<br />a loss in how much detail it would produce.wdk_davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12555255749520967691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-51422994461195891252011-09-27T06:15:50.369-04:002011-09-27T06:15:50.369-04:00Thanks for the comment, Dave!
Yeah, that is kind ...Thanks for the comment, Dave!<br /><br />Yeah, that is kind of what I was thinking about, which is why I brought up The Sims. :) <br /><br />I still have not given up on the idea, but I've found it kind of hard to visualize an easy way to do it on paper.<br /><br />What was it like trying to implement this on your RPG? Any salient difficulties?<br /><br />-AlexDreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18060823479968314880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-42425833825121915362011-09-26T23:58:14.628-04:002011-09-26T23:58:14.628-04:00I actually tried something like this awhile ago fo...I actually tried something like this awhile ago for computer RPG. any two characters have a 'rapport' value based on their accumulated common likes/dislikes vs differing likes/dislikes. The more you have in in common the more positive your rapport & vice-versa.<br /><br />the likelihood of changing an attitude depends on the strength of the attitude and the strength of the rapport.<br /><br />someone you really like could convince to like something you really dislike. someone you only moderately like could make you like or dislike something you were previous neutral about.wdkdavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-73077204533775841352011-05-31T07:42:15.012-04:002011-05-31T07:42:15.012-04:00Thanks for the comment, Doc!
I like the nuances ...Thanks for the comment, Doc! <br /><br />I like the nuances that your idea would add. I think it kind of fits in with how my thoughts have morphed since this post. <br /><br />I became somewhat "obsessed" with thinking of these traits as chemical elements, that would interact in pre-determined ways. Your idea of primary and secondary traits makes me want to extend the metaphor to "physics" (I suck at physics, by the way, so be forgiving, lol). <br /><br />Keeping the initial metaphor of chemistry, I'm going to refer to traits as "elements. " My initial thought was that Primary Elements would have Strong Attraction, whereas Secondary Attributes would have Weak Attraction. The idea here is that attraction between Primary Elements will always eclipse attraction between Secondary Elements. <br /><br />Now, what I'm thinking is that secondary elements should interact first, and only later be superseded by primary elements. I'm visualizing concentric circles right now (primary inside secondary).Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18060823479968314880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-53863961076817586022011-05-30T14:18:16.986-04:002011-05-30T14:18:16.986-04:00It occurs to me that you can have a primary person...It occurs to me that you can have a primary personality trait and secondary ones. A violation of the secondary one that feeds into the success of the primary one (breaking off the heels to stay free, for instance) temporarily lowers the relationship score but it bounces up to the higher level (go down one, up two) once the primary trait is recognized as being enforced. If the primary trait is never enforced (they don't stay free, or the type of freedom that they have subtracts from some other primary trait), it does not go up, just stays down. <br /><br />That makes your set of personality traits more complex, though it does distinguish between who this person is and just stuff they like.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-62562824202091322942011-02-02T09:08:46.733-05:002011-02-02T09:08:46.733-05:00Haha, you're not alone. I don't particular...Haha, you're not alone. I don't particularly enjoy romance, unless it's understated. Also, I do remember in a creative writing class (long long ago) that my teacher said that it was more interesting to have the protagonist's relationship break up. :)<br /><br />I'd love to hash this idea out further, however. What I want to do, essentially, is try to add some structure to character interactions. <br /><br />For example, I want to have that "Delicate Whiny Princess" get exasperated the "American Ninja Commando" breaks the heels off her high-heel shoes so she can run better (remember the movie "American Ninja"?). <br /><br />Not only as a structure towards adding flavor, but also to represent how their relationship evolves. Breaking off her high heels should make her be annoyed with him, but later, after he's saved her life from the ninjas, her disposition should be way more positive (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fg3y2KP46U). I want that to be noted in some sort of relationship gauge. <br /><br />It doesn't have to be only for romance either. I would want to represent the American Ninja's buddy friendship with the Sgt. Jackson, which started on the wrong foot (Watch around 8:30 minutes in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK57xp7fw5w&feature=related)<br /><br />So how to take a bit of the fiat out and add some structure that would set characters in motion towards certain outcomes, depending on the situation they get in? <br /><br />I'm still thinking Personality Traits that get triggered in certain situations (judgement is still needed), but there could be better ways.Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18060823479968314880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8614330364671514919.post-24896752123078635802011-02-02T08:26:14.475-05:002011-02-02T08:26:14.475-05:00The timing of this post has revealed to me an inte...The timing of this post has revealed to me an interesting gaming/writing prejudice I didn't know I had.<br /><br />Last week or so on my World vs. Hero blog, I wrote about using romance as an obstacle for heroes, so the general topic of character relationships was on my mind.<br /><br />Then, I read this post and as I tried to think of an answer to the title question, I realized that in ALL of my solo RPG gaming (and that's decades' worth), the start of a relationship for a character has always led to the exit of that character or a separation from the love interest in some way.<br /><br />I've NEVER tried to develop or evolve or play out a character's relationship in a game story. I suppose I considered the idea mundane - but I know it doesn't have to be that way. (So, what's my problem? What kind of a monster am I?)<br /><br />This is something I'm going to think about now and, maybe, attempt to play but as an element of substance and not just as window dressing.<br /><br />Thanks for the therapy session!JFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00564104029467943674noreply@blogger.com