Character Architecture for Labyrinth MUD - wwestlake/Labyrinth GitHub Wiki

Character Architecture for Labyrinth MUD

Overview

In the Labyrinth MUD, the concept of a character is central to the player's experience. Characters are the avatars through which players interact with the game world. These characters can either be Player Characters (PCs), controlled by users, or Non-Player Characters (NPCs), controlled by the game's system. This document outlines the architecture for characters, including character classes, attributes, and the relationship between users and their characters.

1. Users and Characters

1.1 User

  • Description: A User is an individual who has registered and logged into the game. Each User can have multiple Player Characters (PCs) associated with their account.
  • Key Relationships:
    • A User can have many Player Characters.
    • A User can interact with NPCs, but does not own them.

1.2 Player Characters (PCs)

  • Description: A Player Character is an in-game avatar controlled by a User. PCs represent the User's presence in the game world, allowing them to explore, interact with other characters, and engage in combat.
  • Key Characteristics:
    • Owned and controlled by a User.
    • Can belong to a specific Character Class.
    • Has attributes (e.g., health, mana, strength).
    • Can gain experience, level up, and acquire items.

1.3 Non-Player Characters (NPCs)

  • Description: Non-Player Characters are entities within the game world controlled by the game’s system. NPCs can be friendly, neutral, or hostile, and they often provide quests, sell items, or serve as enemies.
  • Key Characteristics:
    • Controlled by the game system.
    • Can interact with PCs in various ways (combat, dialogue, quests).
    • Typically does not level up or gain experience in the same way as PCs.

2. Character Classes

Character Classes define the role and abilities of a character within the game. Each class offers unique strengths and weaknesses, providing diverse gameplay options for players.

2.1 Common Character Classes in MUDs

  • Warrior: A melee combat specialist with high physical strength and durability.
  • Mage: A spellcaster with powerful magical abilities, typically with lower physical defenses.
  • Rogue: A stealthy character skilled in evasion, stealth, and critical strikes.
  • Cleric: A healer class that can heal allies and sometimes wield divine powers against enemies.
  • Paladin: A hybrid class combining melee combat with some healing and protective spells.
  • Ranger: A versatile character skilled in ranged combat and survival in the wilderness.
  • Bard: A support class that uses music and performance to buff allies and debuff enemies.
  • Necromancer: A dark magic user who can summon undead minions and cast curses.
  • Monk: A martial artist who relies on unarmed combat and spiritual powers.
  • Druid: A nature-based caster with the ability to shapeshift and command nature.

2.2 Custom Character Classes (Optional)

  • Alchemist: A character skilled in potion making and chemical concoctions.
  • Beastmaster: A character that can tame and control animals as combat companions.

3. Character Stats

Character Stats (or Attributes) are numerical values that define a character’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. These stats directly impact gameplay, including combat effectiveness, survivability, and skill success rates.

3.1 Common Character Stats in MUDs

  • Strength (STR): Determines physical power, carrying capacity, and melee damage.
  • Dexterity (DEX): Affects agility, evasion, accuracy, and the ability to perform complex tasks.
  • Constitution (CON): Represents endurance, health, and resistance to physical damage.
  • Intelligence (INT): Influences magical abilities, spell power, and the effectiveness of learning.
  • Wisdom (WIS): Affects spiritual power, mana regeneration, and the effectiveness of healing.
  • Charisma (CHA): Determines influence, persuasion, and the ability to interact with NPCs.
  • Luck (LUK): Impacts critical hits, random events, and general fortune.

3.2 Additional Stats (Optional)

  • Mana (MP): The amount of magical energy a character has available for casting spells.
  • Health (HP): The character’s life points; if this reaches zero, the character is incapacitated.
  • Stamina (STA): Determines how long a character can perform physical actions before needing rest.
  • Armor Class (AC): A measure of how difficult it is for enemies to land a successful hit.

3.3 Derived Stats

  • Attack Power (AP): Calculated from Strength and Dexterity, determines the damage dealt in combat.
  • Defense (DEF): Based on Constitution and Armor Class, reduces damage taken from attacks.
  • Spell Power (SP): Derived from Intelligence and Wisdom, increases the effectiveness of spells.
  • Critical Hit Chance (CRIT): Influenced by Dexterity and Luck, determines the likelihood of landing a critical hit.

Conclusion

This architecture provides a foundation for implementing characters in the Labyrinth MUD. By defining clear distinctions between Player Characters and Non-Player Characters, establishing a variety of Character Classes, and using a comprehensive set of Character Stats, we can offer players a rich and immersive gameplay experience. As development progresses, these concepts can be further refined and expanded to meet the needs of the game.