Teacher only characters

[Selveem]

Honestly Dalvyn,

I haven't been actually able to play the game in a while. I would really like to benefit from this as teacher and student, but I simply can't commit to the game right now.

What I can say is that I've been watching this particular topic with interest. At first, I wasn't sure I'd like it, but I really think the potential here will help spur many more roleplays.

I have a question, though. What if one were to apply for a character to be specifically a teacher and not involve themselves in actual quests and the like. Basically, a mobile with a player behind it only for teaching purposes (GM at specific skills they teach), could that be applied for?

There would be a number of restrictions, of course. A few I can think of are:

• Not allowed to train without extensive roleplay.
  Not allowed to train people it is not IC to train.
  Not allowed to partake in any form of Player Character killing.

Likely with actual players behind "Heroes" and "Villans" such as Elminster and the like, the answer is no, but I just thought I would ask.[/list]

[Oghma]

From my experience in using the teach skill for teaching and training, I would rather not see a character able to train multipleskills without ic dedication to bring those skills to the proper level of expertise. This does not mean I support repetition of skills over and over until you max them out, but rather a slow and steady path to learning. However, I would not be opposed to the creation of specialist teachers of one skill or spell that relates to their field or lot in life. They could teach other people.

They would need to be in my opinion:

• Dedicated and thorough players
  
  Regular role players not concerned overtly with stats
  
  Proven teachers or students
  
  Able to properly explain their reasons for the skill or spell they wish to be master of in an application
  
  Have the hours and experience required for such a venture
  
  Show that they are responsible
  
  And of course, fit the skill given on an ic subjective basis

I could see this being applied for, a single gm skill for teaching purposes as long as a player has proven the above. However it should probably come much later on after the teaching system has fully established itself and the feats involved have been set and tested as well.

[Selveem]

Oghma,

First, let me thank you for responding to this quickly. I appreciate this, sincerely.

What you state makes plenty of sense to some. While I may disagree with you (I believe that just because a person DOES care about the technical portions of the game, this does not make them any less of a roleplayer or valuable asset to the game), I believe the question I was asking was lost so I want to define a little more what I was suggesting:

I'm not suggesting an existing character suddenly get GM at a skill to teach. I think that idea is crap;anyone who wants their regular character to have a skill GMed should have to work for it just like anyone else.

What I am asking is that a 'teacher' character be created. Just like a mob is by default GM at any skill they have, the character would have a specific set of skills that they are GM at ONLY for teaching purposes.

These characters should not be joining characters to go help with quests. They shouldn't be receiving special RPs.
They shouldn't be getting special or powerful equipment.
They shouldn't be seeking any titles that are not teacher/scholar-related.

That sort of thing. Think of it as a mob. It's a static character with no room for advancement (or, rather, shouldn't be seeking advancement) or changing/adjusting their RPs any further.

I do agree, though, that this is probably something that needs to be waited on. I was just curious how others felt about it. I understand your point of view on the rest of the things, though.

[Oghma]

I don't really like it. A character should not be created for the express purpose of teaching something. A character needs to be established, not just show up one day to teach people, even if they rp. It sounds more like a mobile controlled by players. I'd rather have established players train or teach other players. That way they will have interacted with players, built up their own experiences and participated in the game, not just came into being. Part of it is being able to relate or associate experience through learning.

[Caelnai]

It seems to me that this might be a good rp for some of those maxxed/old hero characters some of us have in the back of our accounts. A good reason to dust off some of those relics and bring them into town!

[Oghma]

I do agree, it would be good incentive to have maxed out older characters come back into commission. Though they would need to reestablish themselves and still prove that they can specialize in a certain talent or skill.

[Selveem]

I've been around a long time. I've seen characters 'created' by the staff for the express purpose of teaching other players and the like. I don't see it as a bad thing, but to say it shouldn't be done just because a player would be playing it sounds a bit hypocritical.. :/

What are your major qualms with it? It's not like every character can know every single person in the entire world. Surely there are plenty of people to be introduced. I just don't really see a reason _not_ to have this as an option if someone is devoted enough.

[Caelnai]

If they're "devoted enough" why wouldn't they rp the entire thing? What I mean is moving up the ranks from a beginner character through normal RP into a well-respected, robust character who eventually decides to specialize in teaching a certain thing.

One oddity of FK I've noticed compared to other muds I'm familiar with; the sheer volume of characters individual players seem to have. I really like to see a single PC played long enough to develop very complex rp and move from one thing to another...as opposed to creating a specialized PC for each new RP idea.

[Selveem]

The difference is this MUD is very much RP oriented. Each character is vastly different from another due to their opinions, religion, race, alliances, enemies, etc. That is why so many people have so many characters. Not everyone has all level 50 characters, so I really don't feel this is a bad thing. I, myself, have plenty characters under level 20. Actually, the majority are.

If they're "devoted enough" why wouldn't they rp the entire thing? What I mean is moving up the ranks from a beginner character through normal RP into a well-respected, robust character who eventually decides to specialize in teaching a certain thing.

As for the question you presented above, the reason I suggest this is because static characters tend to stick around longer. If you look at characters such as Manshoon, the Matron Mothers, etc.. who have been around forever, the reason they can is because anyone can know their RP. They can be transferred from account to account (and have, over the years). The only difference would be that said people wouldn't need to get bashed by the administration for skilling up.

It's frowned upon, even sitting in a training room in your temple killing training dummies non-stop, to 'avoid roleplay.' If you go out and kill a bunch of mobs elsewhere repeatedly, you're considered 'razing' an area and ejected. If you wait and mostly just go on quests with people, skilling up takes a VERY long time.

Now, bear in mind, I don't know how new you are. I don't know how familiar you are with the way this MUD is coded, but what I _can_ tell you, is that certain skills take _years_ to GM. I mean, literally, years. I have had Selveem since 2001 and his riposte skill is still "apprentice." I haven't seen it moved from when I first trained it. I can say the same for grip, which is still at "expert" from where I last trained it.

To suggest that if someone take the time and GM it themselves is unreasonable in certain situations. Have you ever tried to GM a level 9 spell? With the very few spell slots, it takes a very long time as well. And, repetitive use will likely get you in some very hot water.

*edited to correct the spelling of the word "level"*

[Oghma]

Not that this has anything to do with the thread itself, since the thread deals with the idea of creating teachers of specific skills or spells that can be introduced into the game. Auctioned characters in my opinion ARE not there to train or teach skills AT ALL. They have been created to facilitate role play and are completely unrelated to the aspect of teaching skills or spell mechanically or through rp. If you were seeking out Fzoul to be his apprentice for example, he may kill you and drink from your soul or if he is in a good mood might ask you to seek out someone else that would teach you. The imms will not create high level pc characters for the soul purpose of training, since those would just be mobiles. We believe in facilitating player character role play first. In my opinion you could have 150+ characters in your account or one and you can still create one that stands out as a good example of rp or even more than one that is a good teacher, it is all subject to role play.

[Lathander]

Three points.

1. This thread is little more than an application. It would have been better to apply for this specific rp idea and allow the imms to discuss and decide the issue.

2.

I've seen characters 'created' by the staff for the express purpose of teaching other players and the like.

Those were NPCs not PCs.

3.

One oddity of FK I've noticed compared to other muds I'm familiar with; the sheer volume of characters individual players seem to have. I really like to see a single PC played long enough to develop very complex rp and move from one thing to another...as opposed to creating a specialized PC for each new RP idea.

AMEN!

[Oghma]

In complete agreement, something that can further be applied for and discussed in private.

[Selveem]

Thank you, that's all I was asking to begin with.

Those were NPCs not PCs.

Ah, and not to pick any fights or anything, but PCs have been created in the same manner, too. If you'd like, we could discuss it together sometime.