Was wondering much the same myself.
Will there be any visual/Graphical representation of age? (Wrinkles, greying hair / hair loss?)
Will age affect performance or skills in game in any way? (e.g. movement speed)
Was wondering much the same myself.
Will there be any visual/Graphical representation of age? (Wrinkles, greying hair / hair loss?)
Will age affect performance or skills in game in any way? (e.g. movement speed)
Hey Folks!
You're both spot on. There are changes to your character's appearance as well as stat changes as your character ages.
For the physical aspects, there will be slight skeletal changes, skin/texture changes, and hair color/style changes. Let's just say it'll be obvious you're getting older.
As for the stats, Chronicles of Elyria has a set of base attributes that span three different 'dimensions' - physical, mental, and social. Each dimension has three ability scores which roughly correspond to force, flexibility, and endurance. Laid out, the nine ability scores are:
Physical - Strength, Agility, Stamina
Mental - Will, Reason, Focus
Social - Persuasion, Intuition, Leadership
As your character ages the physical attributes will naturally atrophy at a quicker rate, requiring more effort to keep them at higher values. In contrast, the mental attributes all become easier to raise as you age. Finally, the social attributes are about half and half. Persuasion will atrophy (nobody listens to their elders), while Intuition and Leadership will increase more easily.
The changes in ability scores will have a direct impact on your ability to perform skills.
Cheers!
Caspian
Sorry to resurrect this thread, and this may have been posted elsewhere (if so, I apologize); but I've heard it mentioned that things like maiming and non-permanent death (almost dead?); will "age" your character.
I really hope this means it will lower their maximum lifespan (i.e., you're not going to live as long as you otherwise would have).
I think it's a subtle, but important difference.
You heard correctly.
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I'm not so sure about that Silv.
And to your question Lordnym aging is a process connected with actual age of character, if you die frequently and thus you permadie at age of 31, you will not look as a 95 year old, that's for sure.
It's dead, Jim.
I should have clarified; I meant dying will result in loss of years (you'll die younger) not that your character will physically age.
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That's not entirely true. We wanted to give people a visual indicator that they were approaching the end of their life. So if you go to jail for "20 years" you'll come out looking 20 years older.
If you die, when your soul returns to your body your hair may be graying, etc...
The body's vitality is tied to the amount of life you have remaining. Incidentally, I'm now calling that term "Spirit". Spirit is the amount of time your character can live before permadeath is a real possibility.
Pros and cons? Anyone want to discuss?
Thanks Silv, DerryFH, and Caspian.
So, it sounds like - regardless of how long a character has "existed", their physical age is tied to their remaining Spirit.
It makes (to me) sense that "jail time" and things of that nature would add to the physical age, but not neccessarily detract from spirit.
While grave injuries and near death experiences would reduce Spirit, but not have any impact on a character's physical age.
And either way, when physical age equals or exceeds Spirit; then the player dies permanently
Not to derail this topic, but it brings up the question of characters dying of old age while in the middle of an important event - such as a battle. Does the NEXT mortal wound the character suffer kill them, or do they simply slump over and die. Guess, with the above 2 points (Spirit vs. Age) you could have the following scenarios:
1. A character's physical age is 50, his Spirit is 51 - he suffers a mortal blow that reduces his spirit by 5. He suffers the final death, and cannot be returned to life.
2. A character's physical age turns 51, his Spirit is 51 - he keels over and dies (some sort of animation).
Also, regarding pros and cons - if Physical Age were an indicator of how close somebody is to their Spirit Score - then this may be used in some way against the character. Example, I may decide that instead of looting them - I'm going to kill them, knowing they won't get a chance (in this lifetime) to retaliate.
Seems like Physical Age is something the player of the character knows exactly, and other players can deduce roughly; while Spirit and Spirit Remaining for a character should be only something their player is aware of.
Thoughts?
Also, regarding bullet point 2 above - this would mean that some jail sentences would be a death sentence for characters who would exceed their spirit while in jail.
Lordnym, great counter-arguments. I'm interested in hearing other peoples' thoughts.
With respect to your question, you won't keel over in the middle of an important event. The whole process of dying, death, etc.. will be discussed in depth in part 3 of the design journal on souls (1.5 weeks from now).
Oh okay so when you die you will age visually? That's a nice touch.
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Not sure I like the idea.
Dying brings a penalty to max lifespan. That's brilliant.
Aging effects both visial and on abilities that coem with age of a character. I really like that!
But looking like an old man when I am in fact 27, just because I have died 30 tiems already..
I have problems with accepting that approach. I am all for scars, some signs of being through tough times, even skill atrophy is fine for me.
But I would prefere to die young because I spent my life active on dangerous missions doing some heroic acts and in result visited Soul Realm quite often, than looking like a 90 y/o rich businessman with his young 25 y/o wife.
It's dead, Jim.
In our world people say things like “stress ages you” so in my mind it’s not inconceivable that when you die time and time again it puts a strain on your body and soul which produces similar aging results. That's how I imagine it anyway.
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Well, I think you need to decide whether you're going for a real world approach (i.e., people who are shot, stabbed, etc... do not wake up looking physically older); or an approach that is consistent within your fantasy world - i.e., visits to the Soul Realm do in fact physically age you when you're "brought back".
Personally, I'm with DerryFH - I'd love a system where you accumulate scars, even lost limbs due to trauma and suffering the "tiny death", but wouldn't expect my character to age. However, I can see the wear and tear such trauma would take on your Spirit, and therefore decrease your total lifespan.
The obvious question in that case of course is, are there ways to reverse that process and regain or rejuvinate lost Spirit? If it's true that "stress" ages you, wouldn't "rest & relaxation" have the opposite effect? What if, at 35, I hang up my sword and shield and settle down (with my hard won riches) to the life of a scholar or artisan? Am I still destined to die young?