Possible New Races

[Eternal]

I'm all for opening existing races to play, but the staff has to decide at what point it breaks the playerbase into groups of iso clans.  As far as new races, adding new species due to an OOC desire for Cat-People does not sit well with me.  Who knows, sentient cat, lizard, and plant species may well exist IC already... even the Known World isn't entirely known to everyone... and what lies beyond?

I think the race/guild options are good as they now stand, if mantis and gith were reopened, that would be nice, but would also require a steady playerbase as they do not often interact with major population centers.  Too many races (especially those that do not often interact with others) can pose problems in their own light, and many are probably left best to the realm of NPC/Extremely Special Application categories.

[ale six]

I also voted no. I must be a conservative twit, thanks for the unbiased poll options.

:arrow: I trust the staff that if a feline race were added, they'd be well documented and not be furry catgirls. However, I wouldn't trust the players to play them as non-furries, unless the race was made karma only... and see below.

:arrow: Mutant races are already possible, I believe? Mutants should be uncommon, and I like the frequency they show up now (which is not often but occasionally.) Making a New Race of mutants would lead to far too many of them in PCworld and skew perceptions of them, I think.

:arrow: Mantis... how would we be able to accurately roleplay a "hive mind" race? I don't see how that would work. Never mind that mantis can't really communicate with anyone else and would just want to eat everyone.

:arrow: Gith: These guys have the most potential, but I still wouldn't want to see them in game. I don't see what gith would do besides raid/attack -everyone- and be an iso tribe beyond that. Even the desert elves actually trade, you know, once in a while. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love to be in the 1337 r4id3r tribe of gith, but I really think an RPImud should be putting interaction first. If you gave gith nonviolent means of interaction with other tribes, that would be better, but then they would just stink as another flavor of desert elf, to me.


My other issue is playerbase separation, as Hymwen said. If you introduce a new race, you would need to "train" a group of players into the culture of that race, so they could pass it on to others. (Sanvean stated this in another thread.) The problem I see is that the players serving to start up a new race's culture would be effectively removing themselves from the game and sticking themselves in iso clans. I would MUCH rather see our best, most experienced players in roles where they could be seen and appreciated. An 8-karma player playing a noble or a templar or an ubersorc of doom could have a huge positive effect on the game in terms of plotlines and interaction. I'm sorry, but I don't see that same potential if experienced players are playing in iso tribes. I'm sure they're fun, but there are also many more fun city-based roles that I think could really benefit from experienced players stepping up.

[Cuusardo]

I too am afraid that adding in a new race would spread the player base even thinner.  We would need a larger playerbase before these would go in, because if they aren't done by special app only, the cities will end up vacant due to all the people wanting to try the new races.


p.s.  Kryl are not a mutant race.

[Pantoufle]

What about reviving the kenku or belgoi?

[Twilight]

I voted gith.

At one point in time, there was gith in Red Storm.  I think if they were slightly redone to allow some of them to go there for trade, it would add an interesting dynamic.  I think some of the docs and camp and such of the gith would need to be somewhat updated, but overall probably has the least amount of additional work to get operational than the other options.

There are things about the Thryzzn which I think would make them interesting to play, but I'm afraid they would just come to be played as weird looking humans.  Sorta like half-elves.

I agree mantis would be a hard mindset to get into.  The big problem with them is that I would see them as really a temporary character.  I'm not even sure having a mantis character longer than a RL year would even be viable, due to the lifespan they have.

As for a being a plant, that would be kind of cool, but I'm not sure how it would all work out if they are talking about what I think they are.

As for feline's, I don't have enough to form an opinion.

[Beux]

I personally think the best option there is Gith, however this doesn't excite me much. I like the idea of Mutants, but I hope we're talking seriously mutated, perhaps inbred, clans that live way out and have been slowly working their way back towards society. I know we can 'have' mutants already, but I think a mutant race would be something that has evolved to be something set apart from humans further.

Plant people...just kind of sounds silly. Feline race, Hrm. Well, I am disuaded by the cut, furry anime types from other muds. But I kinda like this idea, only because I imagine Arm would make them more rogue-like, vicious creatures. But I still don't think they'd fit so well with the whole Arm theme...a bit too fantasy for my liking.

The idea for a new race excites me, however none of the options so far really seem interesting/feasible/fitting.

[Pantoufle]

I say we bring back kenku, make them a PC playable race and wipe out half-giants.  They cost too much to feed anyway.

Who's with me?

[LoD]

I wouldn't really be interested in seeing any of these races offered like the present races are offered.

What I would be more interested in would be Major Event Race Options that would coincide with a possible plot idea spawning from NPC's down where players could select the race during the time of the event.

One of these events might be 6 months, or 1 year in length.

Example:

Major Event Race Option: Gith

Word spreads through the bordertowns and villages of the Known World of an increase in gith activity in the tablelands and southlands.  Reports vary from seeing more frequent tracks pushing into their territory to minor scuffles at the fringes of patrols.  Little is known except that the tenuous peace between the gith nations and their neighboring lands is being tested.

:arrow: Gith now appears as a race option to any players with appropriate karma.
:arrow: All Gith player-characters are born of the same tribe/people.

Stage 1 - Preparation

The major event is but a conception of what could be with the direction of the Immortals, and steps are taken to begin the PC's upon a path that would move them along the plot line, which could change as the game and its players evolve.  Gith players have a defined home, territory, and culture within which to RP their characters, but they are also given specific instructions from high ranking NPC members of the Gith people on events that will be unfolding.

:arrow: Rumor boards are placed in the Gith encampment(s) to pass information.
:arrow: A Gith Clan forum on the GDB would be created to coordinate play times/events.

Stage 2 - Development

Over a broad length of time, the Imms provide the players with tasks and goals ranging from violent to non-violent interactions between other PC races, resource acquisition, training, and information gathering.  These tasks keep the PC's on task and moving toward productive encounters that are geared to interact with the gameworld rather than falling into the ISO-clan trap that bleeds certain areas of the world of its regular playerbase.

Stage 3 - Execution

After the goals have been met, the orders have been carried out, and the preparation has been completed, the world event (in whatever shape it has assumed since its inception) will be ready to move forward.  The event will take place on a scale that will involve as many of the other players in the gameworld as possible at some stage.  The event is carried out in a similar fashion to the on-going HRPT recently tested for the Tuluk-Allanak skirmish in the Red Desert.

Stage 4 - Decisions

After the World Event, the clan is closed and the race option is removed from the list.  Current gith characters that have survived can either store their characters or continue to play out the culture.  If it is determined that the gith have now achieved enough of a presence in the gameworld as to merit their continued presence as PC's, then perhaps the option will be explored to keep them open indefinitely.

That would be my preferred method of introducing another race into the game, as a "temporary" race being used in part of a much larger world event down the road.  If things work out, then they've been given a good deal of time to interact with the gameworld, define their culture, and develop a role in the game that is not limited to PKing and violent activities.  If the event closes and these criteria are not met, then they can simply be closed and people can relish the fun they had being able to participate form the side of a race not normally available.

-LoD

[Hot_Dancer]

I'd like to see Gith, I also think they're the easiest to implement as they really function most like another desert elf tribe..

Sadly, they don't fit into the scheme of things much these days. The cities are more popular than ever and your wilderness play is somewhat less supported by the playerbase than it use to be. Adding yet another tribe would be rough..then again, it may work. The gith wouldn't be split up like the desert elves..

Hot Dancer, who actually played a gith for a very short period..

[Agent_137]

I am a conservative twit.

edit:
I would only like to see new races if implemented in the manner of LOD's suggestion.

[moab]

I am a conservative twit.

edit:
I would only like to see new races if implemented in the manner of LOD's suggestion.

This is the best way, IMO.

[Sanvean]

There are no plans to automagicakally pop races in and say that they have always been there.

[Beux]

There is land -outside- of known Zalanthas right? Like on the other side of the silt sea...there has to be something....so I'm sure a race could be introduced in the form of an invasion from the across the silt sea, or over the mountains...or whatever....but then I suppose their homeland would have to be built onto the existing map also?

[flurry]

First off, yeah I agree it should only be after the playerbase builds up some more.  I'd rather not see things get too spread out.

As for new possibilities like feline or plant races, who knows?  I'm not going to dismiss an idea sight unseen.   It all depends on what the race concepts are, not on whatever connotations come to mind when you hear "feline" or "plant".   I trust that whatever the Immortals choose would be suitably Zalanthanized.

Mantis?  Meh.  I can't imagine it being the least bit interesting to play a mantis, but perhaps that's just me.  

Gith might work, but I'm not as excited about the notion as some people seem to be.  As it is, it seems like raiding roleplay causes more problems than anything else (and not in a good way), if the GDB is any indication.

Mainly, I would prefer something that has a reason in interact with the other races (at least some of them), and in a more interesting way than just killing them.

[Malken]

Everyone was excited when Gith became an option to play, I remember.. People were all saying things like, "The roleplay around the campfire, telling war stories, having contests of strength, all of this will be amazing, the gith is one of the most developed tribe out there.." Then what happened is that it started out good, then just a few weeks later it was mostly one Gith PC after another, leading NPCs into the desert and raiding people, killing critters, nothing much of anything else..

So yeah, in theory, Gith sounds like something fun to play, but it isn't much different than desert elves, without the trading, without the social aspect that you /might/ have with other races..

I think that any races that might get added, should at least have the option to socialize with the other races, as it's basic core..

[Flaming Ocotillo]

Code Select Expand

Extending a green appendage as it laughs shrilly, the yellow petals of its flower head surrounding its segmented facial features like a glowing halo, the flowery, thick-stemmed plant asks, in tribal-accented sirihish:
    "Why.. hello there, stranger! What brings you to these parts?"

Looking up at the flowery, thick-stemmed plant from behind the shadow of his sandcloth hood, a gloved hand clenched about the reins of his kank, the other hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, you say, in sirihish:
    "Lookin' for a plant. A yellow plant. A yellow plant that's real flowery."

Its leaves ruffling as a few spiny growths suddenly protrude from its stem, a cluster of small insects taking flight from the sudden movement, the flowery, thick-stemmed plant asks, in tribal-accented sirihish:
    "Oh. Heh.. and what's your name, if you don't mind me asking?"

You draw a bloodied stone-headed shovel.

You say, in sirihish:
    "They call me.. the Gardener."

You deftly parry the flowery, thick-stemmed plant's whip.
The flowery, thick-stemmed plant whips you very hard on your leg.
You feel very sick..

[LauraMars]

And the crowd goes wild!

[Rhyden]

Krathians would have a fun time with walking, talking plants.

[Djarjak]

Ok, so am I the only one who saw "plant-based" and thought of the Pequinos?

[mansa]

Ok, so am I the only one who saw "plant-based" and thought of the Pequinos?

No.

[jstorrie]

No fucking catfolk, please.

Zalanthan races I'd want to see PCs of, in order:

gith
those whatchamacallits that helped Tuluk in the occupation (not mutants, the species that's briefly mentioned in docs)
braxat
halflings
mantis
kenku
undead Steinali
some kind of psionic race

And that's about it.

[WarriorPoet]

I hate the idea of catfolk and plantmen. Just doesn't -fit-, to me.

Gith. Gith. GITH MUFFUCKAZ.

All these gith haters are just afraid I would challenge them to a fire-dance and shame them.

-WP

[Tuannon]

What? Pterran and Ssheyan tribes?

[Grey Area]

Plant creatures could be pretty neat and definitely armageddonish. This could be just because I am thinking of China Mieville's Cactacae, though.

[mansa]

I played a gith.  Twice, even.  One of them died in the 'rinth.