MCDOHL'S PROFILE

I hate that monsters drop world currency. I do. I think it's irresponsible for socialized, intelligent people and governments to depend on financial solvency on magical, quasi-random cash from terrors that are trying to ruin civilization. More reasonably, it doesn't make any sense; why does the blue slime have 5G anyway? Why do bosses usually have significantly larger wallets?

There are ways around this. The latest version of my game has implemented an "sell item drops for cash" system instead of the magical G dropping system. This, however, has led me to ask myself, "well, why exactly do these guys in shops want to buy Blue Slime Goo? They've assigned a value to it after all." So then I added an alchemy/synthesis store, created the idea of pawn shops, and tied it all to a story point of a mercantile union that works with the governments to provide necessary standards for both themselves and the people they provide their service.

I have obsessive-compulsive disorder when it comes to these things. A capital city, for example, is not going to have a giant mountain range, a massive ocean, or some other kind of progress-impeding obstacle in the way of its port town - there should be direct access. Even if you're the mighty hero off to save the world, people are going to be very reluctant about letting you into their house, let alone ransack it for potions and swords. What billionaire maniac is two steps ahead of you and leaving conveniently placed treasure chests with gradually progressing equipment in them as you adventure?

A lot of what I criticize, however, is expected with your standard RPG. You go to the next area, get better loot, get better gear, level up, rob homes, talk to kings, and it's all matter of fact. It's what happens.

So, my question to you, denizens of RMN: At what point do, or should, you let go of a game and let the fantasy aspect take over?

author=harmonic link=topic=2433.msg44065#msg44065 date=1226764140
This. Although I would include the whole upper midwest, though, since it's all the same cultural group. I have repeatedly seen examples of Iowans acting nobly or humbly when others do not. The way we react to natural disasters is the easiest example. Instead of a Katrina-like "federal government has to solve all my problems in life" mentality, we tend to just come together on a grass roots level and help each other out. This year was a nasty year for natural disasters. An entire town was leveled by a tornado, and we had major flooding all over the state. There is never a shortage of volunteers to help sandbag, or donate.

I would contend that you would find people like this, more or less, across the United States. People often, in the face of tragedy, step up to the plate; and it's not limited to one region.

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