New Death System Idea.

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SorceressAshura · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:51 am Post subject: New Death System Idea.

Hello there.

I know I have a death system in place, that works and is very traditional. However, I've been kicking an idea around that I wanted to share. Rather then use the same idea, and play it safe. I thought about my whole "dream world" system that I once made for a NWN1 module. To use it for a death system... When the player dies, instead of being sent off to a fugue plane of spirits. I'll keep them where they are. However, the world around them is altered to look as if time itself stopped. This dark, foggy, untangible world lies ahead. Spooks of every creed (Good, Neutral, and Evil) can be found, and while this person lies dead in the living world. He/she's spirit roams free among the shadows.

Now in this new world, the player's soul can interact with other spirits who roam the lands. These spirits can grant them information, or even give quests. There will also be "living lifeforces" that will represent an NPC in the real world. Upon interacting with these, most will shrug the weak minded spirit-player away. However, depending on skill and status of the disembodied player, they can attempt to possess that NPC. Which would give them temporary access to that NPC as a playable character.

Now after the player is finished and would like to return to the land of the living. They can return to the spot where they died, and be granted ressurection. Doing so will then trigger a short cutscene where they awake in a temple beside a priest/tess.

Tell me what you think about this system. The major issues that I can see with it, is how will the object of the player's body will be handled. Will I just copy the character, and kill it off immediately when the player hits respawn. If so, how do I set the spells for raise dead and ressurection to call back the player to the corpse? Another issue is that, how could I represent other real-player's " living lifeforces" in the alternate spirit world?
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- Sorceress Ashura.
Where your dreams, are my reality.

IskatuMesk · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject:

Interesting. I've never played a PW before so I can't speak from experience or anything, but I probably wouldn't allow players to possess each other if that's what you're wondering about. Not sure about representations, either. It's not my world, I'm afraid. :\

Good concept though. I like it.
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"Ye shalt burn." - The Doom God, year 040.

SorceressAshura · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

There are alot of things that I would have to consider about using this type of system. Possessing players would be a neat idea, but as it stands.. even DM a can't possess a player.. So I don't think I'd be able to script a player to do it. Its just hard wired that way, I believe. WHat I meant about representations... was just to give the dead world alittle more realism to the player. I doubt the engine would even be able to handle that. Two separate areas, only 1 player - per - character.

However, on the issue for the corpse of the player. I think I have an idea on how to make raise spells work. I wouldnt be able to copy the character and kill it off, and allow a player to raise the player... becuase all that would do is raise the copy, not the player. So I'd have to use an object, like one of the corpse placables. Doing it that way, would allow me to attach scripts, and conversations... hmm..

Hrm..
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- Sorceress Ashura.
Where your dreams, are my reality.

Zodiac knight · Traveler Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 35 Location: UK

I like it. I like it a lot. What will you do for the dead's "alternate universe"? I would presume you copy the areas and change their overall appearance. Or maybe you can only visit nearby areas after you've died? Spirit forces tied to the body or some such idea? But the concept of having a purpose of dying brings Rhydin further apart from the likes of NWN2's campaign. Which is what draws me to your style of thinking. Taking a mundane or unwanted part of the game and making it part of your experience. Representations of the dead would probably be fading NPCs ( Transparency is a particularly effective VFX, unless you have something better of course) Could you maybe have places otherwise inaccessible to the living? Have you ever seen Life On Mars? Maybe have a contact with the living randomly, as if you are not quite in the realm of the dead? Anyway, the deciision is yours to make, and I fully support it.
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'By Tyr's right buttock' -Khelgar Ironfist

SorceressAshura · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject:

Thats an interesting idea that I had as well, Zodiac. I'm gald you brought it up. What I have right now is that there are copies of each area that have been tweaked to appear differently from the living world.

Living World, where the player died.

Spirit World, where the player awakens.

The spirit world is very dark at the moment, I'm still working on the right amount of bloom, and light sources but for now thats what it is. These areas will be practically identical to each other. Some parts of those areas might be inaccessible, and therefore made accessible in the spirit world.. and vice versa. There will also be special places where players can't be allowed unless they've been "invited" in too. To reinforce the belief that spirits have thier own rules to follow. Ever see the movie remake of "13 Ghosts" ? .. Where the spirits were bound by spell script written on glass walls?
_________________
- Sorceress Ashura.
Where your dreams, are my reality.

Zodiac knight · Traveler Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 35 Location: UK

Spooky. Will you have quests specific to the realm of the dead? Like a spirit gives you a quest e.g. Find a lost reletive to give a message from beyond the grave? I think you could write some poignant dialogue with spirits to make the player empathise with them. One of the saddest things I have ever seen is at Big pit, a mine started in the industrial revolution turned into museum in Wales, run by ex-miners. This one display case had a set of heavy-duty boots that were roughly this long:
I I
If that isn't a tale in itself, then I don't know what is. I might make an area to better explain what I mean. Where should I post it to as it'll be intended to play rather than see a screenshot.
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'By Tyr's right buttock' -Khelgar Ironfist

Zodiac knight · Traveler Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 35 Location: UK

Erm, sorry. Scrap the short concept module. The dialogue seemed soooooo.....Wrong. I cannot whatsoever do anything dealing with areas and dialogue and scripting. I sound useless. Crying or Very sad

. I should keep to just saying what comes into my head here. I can't understand what's happening, I used to be quite good at this.

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'By Tyr's right buttock' -Khelgar Ironfist