Loot and PVP

I have had the opportunity to see a range of loot systems implemented in the last few years.  The algorithms currently used to generate "loot tables" by developers and further to select actual "drops" during gameplay vary greatly in complexity.  I will not go into calculation at this point.  I will simply outline core principles.  I do not have insight into the mechanics used by other game developers and so I can only refer to the player experience.

Let me first state that I have not yet found an instance of a system that completely customizes loot.  I have often found myself using weapons that are a poor fit for my class/play style/etc. due to their significant improvement over my previous weapon.  I believe the same could be said of many players.  In cases where the loot is not useful to the player, their options are to sell it to an NPC, destroy it in some way that changes it into a base material, or simply discard it.  In multiplayer games, trading items with other players is often limited so as to not negatively effect another aspect of the game.  Although I do not feel it is possible to completely customize loot based on the player and their play style, I do feel that it should limit items based on class.

In some cases, the loot dropped appears completely random.  The stat combinations are obscure or do not complement one another.  There may be players that desire some odd stat because of an effect it has on an ability at certain levels, but an item should not be useless to 99% of those that receive it.

I also feel that player freedom is important.  A warrior may wish to use a staff and a mage may wish to use a sword while playing and should be free to do so.  Very often lore-based limitations are added which I do feel add to the overall game (priest-type classes being unable to use bladed weapons, shields making it impossible to cast spells, etc.) but outside of those constraints, the player should be free to play as they wish.  I do not, however, think this freedom should effect loot drops.

I feel that loot drops should be tied to class.  I feel that this should apply to groups as well (i.e. a rogue specific item should not drop when a group of 10 people have finished something and none of them are playing rogues).  As the game's developer, I have a great deal of insight into what combination of stats will provide the "best" result.  I should, therefore, only include stats which will positively effect the player that receives the item.

How then would someone account for a player 20 points away from the haste cap for blah, blah, blah...?  Simple, let the players customize it.  More specifically, via crafting.  I feel that crafting should be a viable means to gear up.  Obviously, limitations can be implemented so as to prevent a user from acquiring "best-in-slot" gear without ever completing high-end content, but this can easily be done with material limitations.  A blacksmith should be able to modify an existing piece of plate armor.  I also feel that few top-level crafters should exist in a given profession.

Now, you may be wondering why I mentioned PVP and loot in the same title.  I am not going to go into structured PVP.  A fellow player will often be the most difficult encounter a player will face.  I do feel that players should drop loot.  Whether or not the defeated player loses the items is a separate discussion.  Looting people during a battleground (or equivalent) would negatively effect teammates as well as competitors, however, if players square off in the game world, the winner should be rewarded.  This is, of course, allowing for level differentiation, etc.

Further, I feel that "world bosses" are a great mechanic and that "tagging" mobs is unwieldy at best.  However, to encourage world PVP, I feel it would be ideal to have the loot from world bosses be limited by faction.  My current thought is that the faction that is responsible for the majority of the damage receives loot, while the other factions do not.  Whether or not attacking a world boss tags a player for PVP, I have not yet decided.  I do not feel it should. I believe this would lead to "griefing" rather than world PVP.

I would like to get others' thoughts.  Actual encounter design is far off if it ever occurs but I do wish to take the necessary steps to allow for the development in the future.

Physical limitations and shapeshifting

As I continued to think of character design, I came to the conclusion that I wished to incorporate limits.  Certain aspects of character design can only be modified to certain levels or degrees.  These limits would be tied to the base stats of the character.  The basic idea would be tied to immersion.  A character with a strength of 3 should not be built like the Incredible Hulk.

That being said, the very nature of the Kin makes initial character creation less of a concern.  All kin are shapeshifters.  Their ability to maintain a form varies.  Only the most skilled shapeshifters can make permanent changes to their appearance.  The Kin must be able to envision a form to maintain it and so their memory of the form plays a key role.  As a gameplay mechanic, this would probably be tied to base intelligence.  Then there are the Molders...

Molders are hypnotists or mesmerists in our parlance although they would not think of it this way.  Dragons discovered that while in a trance-like state, they could memorize a form.  The memorized forms were easier to maintain and could be shifted into much more quickly.  They also discovered that these memories could be changed.  The Kin are not able to memorize new forms without aid.  The parts of them that are human also prohibit continuous or radical experimentation as death can easily occur if the form is not able to sustain life.  They need coaches.  Molders allow Kin to envision a form without shifting into it.  They are also able to imprint the memory of the form so that previous memories of the form are replaced.  This does lead to discrepancies between memory and actual events.

Originally, all Molders were full-blooded dragons.  They aided their offspring through the pitfalls of shapeshifting.  Over time, the Molders did take apprentices from those that were able to memorize forms most readily.  They were able to teach some the method of imprinting onto another that allow the Molders craft.  Most of the dragonflights have since stopped teaching the Kin these techniques fearing the effects of this gift and no Kin has, as of yet, been able to instruct another in the technique.  Whether this is an actual physical limitation is not known to any currently living Kin.

All current Molders are recruited as apprentices.  They are taught the various techniques for coaching and reading and are able to eventually modify their own forms.  In order to become Molders, however, they must travel to the land of Water.  There they request training from the blue dragonflight.  Details regarding this training are not discussed even among the Molders.  However, only 1 in 5 potential Molders ever return.  Should they return, Molders quickly become wealthy.  Their services are expensive and they rely on notoriety and word-of-mouth for their custom rather than offering other services.

In relation to gameplay, Molders allow for the customization of any form from the base player character to any other form shifted into.