First, I think that the idle mode of a player-controlled character is a great way of visually represent non-implemented actions and states of said characters
Ok, what I mean is, no-one actually like to implement a eat-sleep-doYourNeeds kind of system, as most players no doubt wouldn't appreciate it anyway. So, you you use the idle state of a character do display different actions that link to these Needs (yes, a capital 'N' - these are important things after all
), such as a character taking out an apple from his back-pack to have a snack, taking a sip from a bottle, grooming his horse (and, in more humoristicly inclined games, also taking a leak - behind a convenient piece of vegetation, of course ).Anyway, this does not only remove the need for actual implemention of a system that only causes your name to enter the top-ten list of the Impatient gamers toLynch-list, it also (if done well) enhance the playing experience of your game. Furthermore, who hasn't heard the wise words, "A soldier takes every opportunity for a rest or a snack, and can snooze virtually anywhere if given half a chance" (something like that anyway), which would sort of add a bit of realism to the game (as most often your carracters are warriors of some type).
Enough of this, I see part of the audience is starting to having a bit of a nap themseleves
OK, my second point...
Actually, I would just like to agree with Mr dwarfsoft on the matter of the "...go through the ENTIRE game without killing a thing" -idea. and I would really like making friends with a goblin, think of what a great help he would be to your questing pary: A locked door with just a dog-hatch? No probs! Just send in your little pal the goblin and you'll be inside in no-time! (parhaps you should give him a piece of sleeping-pill stuffed beef, just to be sure)
You probably get the idea. If you reward mercy (this would also fit nicely with a karma-ressurection scheme) by making the life of the player easier if he is nice, you can get a the player to think a bit before engaging in mindless slaughter of little green men (not Martians *duh!*)
That's my little comment for now, will probably have more after I have read the whole doc - seems to be a good several days work
By the way - I'm sure these ideas have been mention, implemented and appreciated by gamers two decades ago, but please try and restrain yourselves from commenting on this particular issue, we all know that it is practicly impossible to come up with a brand new idea these days, but it doesn't hurt to compile the good ones, eh? And by the way #2 - I thought this up while reading this post, I have never read an article by Ernest W. Adams
(Absolutely no offense meant towards any poster in this topic)Nuff' for now - You'll probably hear more from me later (Just you try and stop me!
).Edited by - Taharez on August 13, 2000 8:26:25 AM
. You are welcome Mr Taharez 
