Another thing I've been wondering that relates to the 1st point, is if faction-specific races and/or classes are harder to incorporate in science-fiction games compared to fantasy games or not.
Maybe. I think it needs more thought over but it certainly isn't impossible. Every type of race which have hands can get a gun and armor and play a soldier. And in all sci-fi MMO's there is some kind of a global war and the need for soldiers.
I guess to make certain classes exclusivness logical one need the physical limit ot the body of certain race or really good lore explaining that. Think W40k for a second. Orcs are stereotypical dumb front-line meat machines while Eldars (a kind of high tech elves with strange powers) certainly are not. If you change their roles, game starts to look comical.
It hit me yesterday while playing paper and pen DnD with my friends:
Do you want to limit someone's gameplay options because certain race/class options aren't typical? More specifically one of my player wanted to play a halfling barbarian. This doesn't make much sense, light hearted halflings aren't exactly the barbarian material both physically and mentally. It worked out and was kilarious as his main background story behind this race/class was that he is mentally ill.
On the other end think about half-orc wizard. I can imagine a middle aged greenskin with glasses and smoking a pipe, while sitting in a chair and reading some spellbook. The roleplay fun potential is big, but the gameplay options for him are limited because of his race traits.
Last thing. I am really waiting for a faction in a game that is highly xenophobical or even openly racist (The Wither world comes up to mind). The problem is that a grown up can roleplay a character like this but adhd 10years old might (i am not wanting to generalize but you know about what type of player im talking) turn this into flames and can treat this to openly grief upon low level players from other factions.
Comments
Maybe. I think it needs more thought over but it certainly isn't impossible. Every type of race which have hands can get a gun and armor and play a soldier. And in all sci-fi MMO's there is some kind of a global war and the need for soldiers.
I guess to make certain classes exclusivness logical one need the physical limit ot the body of certain race or really good lore explaining that. Think W40k for a second. Orcs are stereotypical dumb front-line meat machines while Eldars (a kind of high tech elves with strange powers) certainly are not. If you change their roles, game starts to look comical.
It hit me yesterday while playing paper and pen DnD with my friends:
Do you want to limit someone's gameplay options because certain race/class options aren't typical? More specifically one of my player wanted to play a halfling barbarian. This doesn't make much sense, light hearted halflings aren't exactly the barbarian material both physically and mentally. It worked out and was kilarious as his main background story behind this race/class was that he is mentally ill.
On the other end think about half-orc wizard. I can imagine a middle aged greenskin with glasses and smoking a pipe, while sitting in a chair and reading some spellbook. The roleplay fun potential is big, but the gameplay options for him are limited because of his race traits.
Last thing. I am really waiting for a faction in a game that is highly xenophobical or even openly racist (The Wither world comes up to mind). The problem is that a grown up can roleplay a character like this but adhd 10years old might (i am not wanting to generalize but you know about what type of player im talking) turn this into flames and can treat this to openly grief upon low level players from other factions.