Suggestion: Massive Race Selection

Didn't we just have this thread? Yes, we did. I supported the Warcraft image, but on second thought, it doesn't say "massive" like the EE suggestion does. Also, the main criticism of that image is that the races are mechanically similar, but I don't think that is valid: in that game the races are mostly functionally identical, but that doesn't make it a bad example (they are mechanically distinct even if it's only a little)... even if the choice is mostly cosmetic, it is genuinely race selection.

I suggest this crop:

edited 9th Dec '12 12:56:49 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

EE sure does have a lot of playable races, but how are they mechanically different from each other? I haven't followed the game since Beta, but I recall explicit statements that there would be no mechanical or starting zone differences whatsoever.

Remember that mechanical distiction was put into the trope as a requirement.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:30:25 PM by ArcadesSabboth

Oppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.

That was my opinion then, and it's still the same.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:30:29 PM by AnotherDuck

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Which was your opinion?

Oppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.

I am not familiar with the work but allegedly the races talk differently. That is a very small mechanical difference, but it is a difference. Also, that is only one sentence fragment in the MRS description. This example fits the spirit of what is described by that article: the choice is not color or faction, it is race.

Saying this is not an example is (erroneously, IMO) splitting hairs.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:35:05 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

I think you're talking about changing the trope definition, which is a TRS issue. Not something you do in IP. If you think the definition wasn't resolved and want to holler for the TRS thread to be revived, you can do that. The thread basically had a consensus to require significant mechanical differences, and multiple people agreed EE doesn't.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:40:00 PM by ArcadesSabboth

Oppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.

No I am not. The EE races are not mechanically identical.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:39:51 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

I don't see why "slightly different dialogue" can be anything but cosmetic.

They don't play differently. They don't have separate stat optimization with the different classes (unlike other games by the same creators). They don't have any differences in starting zones. They lack racial abilities. There are no differences in ability to use equipment.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:42:29 PM by ArcadesSabboth

Oppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.

Cosmetic is how you look. Full stop.

Combat is a mechanic. Travel is a mechanic. Equipment use is a mechanic. Talking is a mechanic.

The mechanics of other games are not relevant. In Toon Town you can't talk in anything but predefined messages; race selection often does not affect what equipment you can use; etc.

edited 9th Dec '12 2:00:12 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

That's the thing I was unsure about whether it counted or not. There was different dialogue depending on your race. Sure, considering the number of races, and the lack of focus on the actual text in the game, you hardly ever noticed it. Roleplayers more likely did. I'm not sure if it was in all versions of the game, though, as it went up and down several times with rebuilds here and there. I think some references were removed, for instance.

Edit: As a programmer I'd say it's a mechanical difference, since you have to code for different situations, rather than just slapping a skin on and you're done with it.

At any rate, the image in itself is better. It says massive a whole lot better.

edited 9th Dec '12 1:54:58 PM by AnotherDuck

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Swap the images.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman

Well I can respect Duck's opinion as a programmer regarding the nature of dialogue differences, as more informed. Though it still seems slender to me.

I don't think it matters which versions of the game it was in, though. The latest version didn't even have 22 races, though I read somewhere it had 12 so it would still count.

edited 9th Dec '12 6:42:17 PM by ArcadesSabboth

Oppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.

The latest version was the one I played the least. I played much more from the beginning in closed (which started with ten people or something) and open beta.

Check out my fanfiction!

Clock is set. I'm not really impressed by the suggested pic, for aesthetic reasons if nothing else.

Current:

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Aesthetically worse in my opinion. :) And not really "massive". 4-1 if that is a vote against?

edited 4th Jan '13 2:44:52 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

Reclocking to try to get some more votes one way or the other.

The current is fine as it is.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Not as much activity as I was hoping for...crowner's hooked.

Bump for votes.

Bumping again, the votes have shifted some.

Well, this went nowhere. Looks like we're keeping the old pic for now. Locking up.