I propose that OSI consider building or out-source the construction of a Monster Client. This would be another game client that would connect to a shard but it would simply allow a player to play as a monster. The player would choose a monster and be able to utilize whatever capabilities that monster had. Allow the "monster" player to loots its kills so that the killer of that monster will get sufficient reward. ( DO NOT allow a monster to drop items or become overloaded )

This would allow an alternative playing style for those who wish to break from roleplaying and need something different and fast-paced. I suggest that monster players can not control where they spawn so that they can't use this as a means of surveillance. Furthermore, monster players would spawn where other players are, so as to guarantee conflict.

Continuing this idea, I thought it might even be cool to add a little "monster" type character building. Allow players to name their monsters, but not talk. Then allow monsters to gain experience points from conflicts that they engage in. New player monsters can only play as low-level creatures and monsters. Each time the monster dies, the player gets to choose to res as a monster of his/her choice. The choice of monsters is based on the experience gained by the player. Eventually, players would build up to mean monsters like Lichs, Dragons and Elementals and even become infamous for being a rather nasty monster. ( Remember, they can name themselves) Furthermore, as players gain experience, they gain the opportunity to do more things...like maybe after 10000 experience points they can talk, after 20000 points they can go into cities w/o being killed by guards so on and so forth.

Monster characters would gain so much experience for things like successful attack strike, engaging in combat, and killing players.

I think this would be a really cool addition for UO. There are many holes in this so far, but you all can comment as you please. I think this would be the ultimate in adding monster capability..after all, you would know that the monster was not stupid anymore!! (maybe, hehe)

Runesaber

1) Allow only like type-monsters to understand each others speech. Different type monsters would only see jiberish. ( credit Tom of napa, COB )

2) Allow normal players ( non-monster players ) to learn the dialect of each particular monster as a skill.

3) Place Monster caps for each type of monster. Once there are already, say, 500 Dragons in the shard, a player can't select that from the list. This would prevent the eventuality of having the shard overrun by Dragons or some other high level monster hordes. ( credit Someone, COB )

4) Make it such that monsters have a movement radius so they can't wonder around too much and form huge Monster PKing hordes. Monster might be able to increase this radius through experience gain. By making spawn points random, restricting motion, and implementing Monster Type caps...that would reduce most chances of having huge PKing hordes forming.

5) Make it such the the monster player loses experience points upon death, so as to slow the rate of advancement and encourage skillful monster playing. This will also go towards ensuring that shards aren't overrun by high-level monster hordes. Make the death penalty proportional to the level attained by the player.

6) Make it such that if you die as the highest level monster ( such as a Dragon ), death is permanent. A player can die all they want until they reach the ultimate monster level. Then they must choose whether or not to take the chance. The "carrot" would be that the highest level monsters would be totally kick-ass ( within reason of course ). This is another measure to prevent high-level Monster hordes from overruning the shards. ( credit Talne, COB )

7) In order to prevent Monsters from becoming the new PK tool of choice, the abilities of a monster will be adjusted and balanced in the PCs favor. For instance, a sewer rat or mongbat should be able to be killed fairly readily by any newbie character. A Ratman might give an Expert some problems. Trolls, Ettins and such might give Adepts some troublesa and so on and so forth. Only the highest forms of monsters ( Drakes, Dragons, Elementals ) would be a real threat to a properly trained GM Swordsman, GM Mage, etc. But, remember, should one choose to play as the highest level monster, they run the risk of permanently dying and starting over as a sewer rat!

8) Allow monsters to have upgradable stats and when starting out as a new monster of any given monster level, you start out with the weakest stats for that particular monster. Allow a monster player to build up experience points, then use them in one of two ways: a) you can cash in their expereince points to upgrade to the next level on monsters or b) you can upgrade the stats on their current monster. This allows people to create and roleplay a well known orc. "Watch out for Bokonon the Orc!! He is one bad ass orc and is the equivalent of 5 normal Orcs!!" Or people can choose to move on to the next level of monsters, but they must start out as the weak form of that particular monster. ( credit Bokonon, COB Dev Board )

-Enosh Flam (Atl)

I would think this would also give the player killers a place to go and do there thing which would build on the game rather than distract from it.

I like the Idea

Someone

I think when a player picks a monster, they should be assigned a random monster somewhere in Britannia. Probably nothing weaker than a ratman (I can't see a sewer rat's life being very thrilling). I like your idea of looting; after a few kills, a player/monster would definitely possess quite a lot of booty. As for gangs of pkiller dragons, one solution is that when a player monster is formed in a dungeon, it can only move within that dungeon. The chance of two pkillers both getting assigned dragons in the same dungeon would be pretty slim. If someone is assigned a creature that lives on the surface (i.e. orc) they should be able to move as they please. The reason I say this is that dangerous magic wielding monsters (gazers, dragons, liches) are very rare outside of dungeons. And anyway, it would be cool to see an ettin attack on Yew.

Justinian

P.S. I personally view playing a monster as great fun, not really a career. Something to do when I wanted to kill half an hour; not having to worry about skill points, banks, and long trips (coming from one of the few people who don't use recall)

Great idea! I suspect this would finally separate the roleplayers (humans) from the powergamers and pks (the much less social monsters). As long as the monster system had as much variety and challenge as the human side, I figure most powergamers would rather play an ass kicking dragon.

This power has to come at a price, or Sosaria would be overrun by dragon hordes. A simple experience scale won't prevent this. So...

If you die as a high level monster, you're DEAD. Start over as a lowly mongbat or spider and work up again. That's the life of a monster, for ya, and it makes up for playing a dragon more powerful than 10 mere mortals.

True death would make Dragons very concerned about their survival, and they'd be more reclusive and less prone to taking over towns.

One quirky side effect of your idea: all the other monster types would go into suicidal frenzies once in a while to gain the next level of monsterhood! Kind of cool to encourage courage like that!

Talne

Great idea, AI will never truely be a challenge anytime soon. This allows more felxability in play, but only if it can be controlled so it is not abused by the PK element. Some of the rules suggested could curb that....could really help role-players. This is probably one of the best ideas I've heard so far.

GrOGak Marrow Eater

New Monster to Add...

The Spam Newbie

They are spawned in banks and run around in death robes and an orc helm shouting, "I'M NEW! GIMMEE STUFF!"

Then use the same code beggars used to follow players and have the SN follow any player that says the word "bank" or who is named "Runesaber".

Also, make the SN follow players into the wilderness, and if you attack them, they run around screaming "HELP! I'M BEIN PK'D!"

Finally, if you kill them, they have nothing on their corpse buy christmas spam. [and an orc helm...this was added by me, Runesaber. ;)]

Xavori

Great idea. Apparently, monster AI is (as in most other games) static, and as such can be easily curcumvented by the ever-adapting human brain. And creating a dynamic, quick-learning AI is yet to be accomplished. And when it is, not sure it'll be a good thing (remember SkyNet :) ) So giving monsters human brains would be a blast.

Some comments: I can choose which type of habitat I want to appear in(forest, dungeon, etc) I cannot choose which dungeon, or where in forests.

Monsters can be divided into 3 categories: Unintelligent (aimals/animal-like monsters), intelligent non-humans(ratmen, dragons) and undead (liches, skeletons). Unintelligent: Can emote a limited number of things, cannot carry things, can loot only food (carnivores can eat the bodies). Can enter cities but are subject to be attacked. They retain neutral(grey) notoriety at all times. Intelligent non-humans: can talk to each other, can loot whatever they want, can have chests to store loot. They can use weapons, some types of armor (orc can wear a full plate, but I doubt an ettin woyuld fit into it, ratman cannot wear helms because of head shape, etc) *** Just a devilish remark - allow 2 players to band togeather to play one ettin (haha) *** Dragons can use gems to armor themselves (remember Smaug in "The Hobbit"?) Communication: depending on human/monster total intelligence, ability to nderstand each other increases. Dragons are usually fully capable of human speech. Undead: (I relate wisps here too) These can use all of human equipment and also stash wealth into chests. Upon killing a player, lich receives a magic item related to power of slain person. Spirit speak allows to speak to these. A twist: upon death, a person may choose to become an undead monster. Grandmaster Warrior could rise as a one badass skeleton. :)

Ok, I have more to say, but I need to leave.

Thanx for attention

Scorpio

OK, how about you accumulate "karma" based on how well you play each lifeform? Each creature player accumulates karma based upon the needs/wants for the creature currently being played. The more needs/wants you fulfill, the greater your karma. If you perform acts counter to your needs/wants, you lose karma. As your karmic total increases, each time that you die, you are allowed a wider range of monster choices. This system would provide for advancement in the game and reward good monster role-playing.

Hop

I've always liked the idea of player monsters. To limit this, require the PC Monster to establish a lair. Once a "lair" is created a special monster graphic is placed there, such as those used to denote Orc and Lizard Man camps. A PC monster would only be able to roam for a set number of minutes away from their lair. Once they roam too far from their lair then they are randomly teleported back to their lair up to two minutes later.

This would allow PC monsters to establish known bases out of which they could operate, and heroes could seek them out to fight them and destroy their lairs. Some thought must be given as to whether PC Monsters would be allowed to resurrect or not. I think as a first pass they should simply die and re-create new monsters.

Pre-created lair spawn points for PC Monsters should be created, allowing bases of Orcs, Lizard Men, Ogres, etc to be created. Naturally the Orc Fort should be provided as a starting location for PC Orcs. This would greatly enhance the game, provide intelligent PC opponents within the game mechanics, and increase the longetivity of the game.

The Black

Perfect. I can't even comment.

God (COB)

--------------------------------