Re: Good game, thoughts for new characters and experience

[Mark Wedel <master@rahul.net>]

 While giving experience for appropriate actions is nice, there are
problems.

 I remember there was a game for the apple // that was similiar.  Clerics
got EXP for casting healign spells, clerics for fighting, etc (you did
not know what yoru exp was.  You only knew when it was time to train.)

 After playing this for a short while, I figured this out.  And then,
had the character (you controlled a group) do these specific answers.  Oh,
I want XXX to gain exp, so he'll fight instead of another character,
OR cleric #1 will cast the spell instead of cleric #2.

 You also have to be careful about abuses.  If casting a spell gets you
experience, you may just sit around and cast a bunch of spells that are
not really necessary.  This then means that crossfire has to figure out
how relevent the spell is.

 What might be nicer is to make the classes more specilized.  Maybe allow
taht fighter to only cast a few spells.  Make that mage a wimp in combat,
etc.  Also, maybe give the various classes special abilities the others
can not do.  Like a thief might have some chance to open a door without
a key (instead of bashing).  Or perhaps be able to trace doors to levers/
buttons.

   Mark Wedel
master@rahul.net