Tasks Affecting the Game World

[tulpa]

Would it be too much complexity for town tasks to have an appreciable effect, besides helping new characters generate riln?

Instead of increasing the number of tasks (I don't know whether that's something being shied away from or if it's a to-do) perhaps we could just stick to having a few, adding to their relevance in some subtle way. For example, for every day Clean Street Lamps isn't taken and completed by players, that could result in a reduction in light levels, making subterfuge/stealing easier. Cleaning stables could improve the rate of recovery after a mount's "death", there, or reduce the time taken to recover lost mounts to that stable, as the stablehands will, er, have more time on their hands. Not taking delivery tasks could result in a backlog at the post office, affecting mail costs or perhaps delivery times between players.

If there are balance concerns, I'd still quite like to see inconsequential effects from taking (or not taking) these tasks: parcels piling up in the mailrooms, disgruntled comments from shopkeepers who haven't received their goods, bad smells wafting from the stables, that kind of thing.

[Jilliana]

I like these ideas.

It's easy to ignore three of the four tasks offered simply because they do feel like they're things only the newbs can do.

By adding the elements suggested, it makes them feel like we're actually contributing to the town in in a more tangible way.

[Rias]

These are neat ideas! I think I'll start with some purely cosmetic indicators to get people used to the idea before we consider having potential penalties. Though I've always wanted it to take a second of traveltime to trudge through snow-filled streets that haven't been recently shoveled by the shoveling task. Or a tiny chance of slipping on ice.

[Gorth]

Tiny, please. I cannot express how beyond obnoxious it is to slip in Icewind. Particularly in groups, because people start getting separated if they don't notice in time. I'd still like it, though, if there was a chance for one of us heavily armored folks to be walking, having a conversation and just sprawl out all of a sudden. Clang!

[Lexx416]

These are neat ideas! I think I'll start with some purely cosmetic indicators to get people used to the idea before we consider having potential penalties. Though I've always wanted it to take a second of traveltime to trudge through snow-filled streets that haven't been recently shoveled by the shoveling task. Or a tiny chance of slipping on ice.

This reminds me of the trail-clearing activity in Somnium. It'd be great to see areas with things like that - underbrush and plant life to clear out (with a slashing or hacking item, based off of your bushcraft skill) that improves conditions for folks that want to traverse the area.

[Karjus]

Going to agree with the concept, and also the addendum of it being purely cosmetic. It's a neat idea, but I'd also rather not see Mistral be punished simply because it doesn't have new players come through who will delve into dealing with tasks. Even in that regard, I've little doubt that some people will take that as a RP hook, "Can't even keep their own lanterns filled" or whatever.