i don't see why you'd need to include the heir-making in a game at all. when they die, just tell them "this is your heir. allocate the bonus stat points you got for doing so well last time, and type their name. by the way, they get 50% of your last characters resources (damn inheritance taxes)."

unless the game specifically is about building a family, or gaining heirs, or whatever, there is no need to even mention whether the heir is a son, adopted kid, or random person you named in your will.

just my 2 cents.

You could always do it the harvest moon method. You get married and provided you contiune to spend time with your wife and keep her happy they at some point she has a baby. There is no need to go into great details, or your heir could be an adopt child. The interesting part comes into your heirs abilites. Depending on how you do it could either be a combination of the parents abilites or simply a duplicate of yourself at a lower level.

but then what about people who get married ingame (i would need to put in actual marriage too which would be kinda creepy) and just want to spend time w/ eachother?

there are people like that!

-Ajain

Quote: Original post by Ajain
but then what about people who get married ingame (i would need to put in actual marriage too which would be kinda creepy) and just want to spend time w/ eachother?

there are people like that!

-Ajain

I think the group needs more info about your game and the gameplay you have in mind to come up with a satisfactory answer.

If you're doing a medieval RPG (statistical hunch here ;>) you can completely avoid any problems by creating a society of arranged marriages or politicla marriages. However, I'd eschew this approach unless there are real choices to make, such as political connections or whatnot, that really affected the gameplay of the heir.

If you're absolutely going for the E for Everyone rating, you can have heirs created by magic; you can backfill with a super extended family of infinite cousins and declare that only one dynasty rules things; or you can simply declare by fiat "here's your heir" and say no more, leaving any interpretation up to the audience.

I assume you are referring to this game concept:

http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=261751

you assume correctly

;)

-Ajain