I think that the problem you were mentioning with being "evil" characters in RPGs is definately a problem - but one that can be solved.

Goblins are cliched anyway. Get rid of them. Throw them away. Who needs them? In a world dominated only by humans and the other races, we can get more attached. Multiple realms can exist, those players who are Kings, Senators etc. will get to declare war, and then the thousands of players beneath them will act it out.

Perhaps too ambitious, but maybe a world of humans, and maybe desirable races like dwarfs and elves (ie. ones that players will want to be). But then again, just go with only humans. Do away with cliche altogether!

Just a thought... (sorry to continue the undesired MMORPG nature of this thread)


- Rainy

Shudder, It really depends on the System.
The way I do it, the class the engine sees would not be different for the player or AI. Rather, inside that class the pointer to the Controling Object would be either to an AI or the Interface.

Game Engine -> Person[] -> (Controler)Player
(Controler)AI

The Engine goes through and tells them all to "Think()" and depending on their controler class, they do it differently. (Although to tell the truth, this is the system I''m using in a simple TBS...but it still works.)
On the Plus side, to make a multiplayer game, you just add a "Remote" controlling class.