Still Alive

I realize the posts have stopped for the moment. I've been collecting my thoughts on the project and I'm working on a design document. When I have the first draft, I'll put it out here.

Thoughts on classes

Tutorial Level

• Crafter. The tutorial will demonstrate the means to perform basic crafting, as well as provide a simple quest to gather materials.
• Soldier. The tutorial will demonstrate basic combat with melee and ranged weapons.
• Cleric. The tutorial will demonstrate basic worship and sacrifice methods.

Apprentice Level

• Crafting.
  • Clothworking - The early apprentice is generally involved in the collection of raw materials, spinning, and weaving. By the end of apprentice training, the crafter can make simple clothes from a pattern.
  • Leatherworking - The early apprentice is generally involved in the collection of raw materials and tanning. By the end of apprentice training, the crafter can make simple leather items from a pattern.
  • Woodworking - The early apprentice is generally involved in the harvest of trees and cutting of logs. By the end of apprentice training, the crafter can make simple wood items.
  • Metalworking - The early apprentice is generally involved in collection of ore, smelting, and tending the furnace. By the end of apprentice training, the crafter can make simple metal items.
  • Stoneworking - The early apprentice is generally involved in stonecutting and hauling. By the end of apprentice training, the crafter can put together simple stone walls and carve simple stone items.
• Soldiery.
  • Infantry - The footsoldier is taught the basics of the weapon of choice for their nation's army. This may be a sword or axe. (or something else?)
  • Cavalry - The horseman is taught how to tend to horses, ride them, and use simple weapons from horseback. This class is reserved for those capable of affording their own horse.
  • Archery -The archer is taught how to use the ranged weapon of choice for their nation's army. This may be a type of bow or crossbow. (or something else?)
  • Mariner - The mariner is taught the toils of life at sea.
  • Support - The auxillary is taught the use of one or two support weapons used by the nation's army. Examples may be sling, javelin, or pike. Generally one short ranged and one melee weapon are taught, though it varies by nation.
• Clergy. Those who follow this path must choose their religion early.
• Zealot - The zealot is taught the basics of combat along with proper sacrifice rituals for their god.
• Healer - The healer is taught the basics of medicine and battle wound treatment.

Freeman Level

• Crafting. The crafter advances to journeyman and continues to learn the tricks of the trade. They are allowed to craft items for sale, and recruit apprentices for assistance.
• Soldiery. The soldier advances to an NCO (sergeant, etc.) and will have soldiers reporting to him. He is assigned a particular duty (patrol, MP, scouting, front-lines, etc.).
• Clergy.
• Zealot - The zealot may gain a following. He is sent out on tasks of retribution.
• Healer - The healer may have some assistants. He is generally sent out with a military unit to provide medical support, though other duties may apply.

Master Level

• Crafting. A master crafter has learned advanced techniques and is sought after for high quality items. A master crafter can also create items heretofore unknown, often at the request of an engineer. The master crafter can teach apprentices and journeymen and as such has a larger following.
• Soldiery. A soldier may advance to officer (lieutenant, etc.) and have several NCOs reporting to him.
• Clergy. A zealot or healer reaching the master level may start their own church.

Heroic Level

• Crafting. A legendary crafter makes items of unparalleled quality, and is sought far and wide for their skills. Even a master crafter may learn from such an individual, and as a result they will have a large following.
• Soldiery. An officer will eventually reach the level of a marshall or general, reporting to often to the king or king's military advisor.
• Clergy. The heroic zealot will often be known as their god's "right hand" in the mortal world. The heroic healer will be sought for their incredible life-restoring powers, perhaps even able to restore a bloody mess to life (or unlife...).

Other Classes. These either need homes or flushed out or ditched.

• Thief - Not a formal class; rather the thief earns their living taking from others. Subclasses: con-artist, pickpocket, cat burglar, brigand.
• Spy - The seedy but necessary part of running a well-prepared kingdom. Subclasses: spy, counter-spy.
• Assassin - Sometimes you can do more damage by killing a single important individual than an entire platoon of footsoldiers.
• Mercenary - Soldier for hire.
• Monk - One of the few who actually knows how to read and write. They serve their religion through worship and hard work.
• Engineer - The engineer is required for any large project, such as the construction of fortifications and seige equipment.
• Scientist - The scientist spends their time in the persuit of knowledge.
• Shipwright - Probably a subclass of woodworking, their specialty is the construction of ships.
• Artist - The persuit of happiness. Subclasses: painter, sculptor, dancer, poet, etc.
• Food Service - Everyone needs to eat. Subclasses: farmer (plants), farmer (animals), miller, baker, vintner, brewer, butcher, etc.

PvP or PvE?

Rank 0 - Tutorial
The tutorial will consist of gaining basic familiarity with controls. You might attack something, but it won't attack back.

Rank 1 - Apprentice
The apprenticeship period is spent learning the basics of your profession. You may be attacked by beasts, but you are safe from other players, even the gods. You aren't worth their attention.

Ranks 2 & 3 - Freeman, Master
You become a target for anyone. You are capable of attacking anything rank 2 through 5, and vice versa. You also are vulnerable to the eccentricities of the gods. This is the most vulnerable period of your life.

Rank 4 - Hero
You are mighty enough to battle demi-gods, and likely your epic journey to immortality will involve the defeat of one -- well as much as one can be defeated.

Rank 5 - Immortality
You are now incapable of being killed by anyone below rank 7, though you may still be wounded by them. Your progression of skills ends here; at this point your focus switches from gaining experience to gaining followers. The beasts of the land are no longer your concern (you can't attack them), except for perhaps those really nasty things that are unleashed upon the world by the fickle actions of gods.

Rank 6 - Demi-God
The ascendence to demi-god involves the transition from the affairs of men to the affairs of gods. You will spend most of your time the land of gods, venturing forth to the mortal world only for epic situations. You can't be killed, but battle with the gods will tax your powers and weaken you.

Ranks 7 & 8 - Lesser God, Greater God
You power is derived from alliances and followers. You cannot be killed (unless you lose all your followers and return to demi-god status), but again battle with other gods will tax your powers.

Rank 8 - Supreme Deity
You are at the pinnicle of the game. Unfortunately this means everyone else is gunning for you. Your power can't be drained as it is derived directly from the nine greater gods (with or without their consent), but you can still be weakened in battles with the other gods. If you are sufficiently weakened and the majority of the gods vote in a new supreme being, you are utterly destroyed.


Rationale
Lowest ranks are for people learning the game and getting started. They are removed from basic griefing for now.
Middle ranks are the bulk of the game. The restriction is nation vs. nation, but since nations often align themselves with gods, it will often be more of a holy war.
The upper ranks are the advanced part of the game. Killing critters is boring now, so you're in it for combat with others. However you spent a lot of time getting to this point, so it shouldn't be easy to make you disappear in a puff of smoke.

Why kill the supreme being?
This is the pinnicle of the game. Reaching here, even if it doesn't last long, constitutes "winning" the game. If you are deposed, its time to start over rather than flounder around with a character you've spent way too much time on.

Organization

There are five types of organizations for mortals within DA:

1. Nationality. You are born in a particular nation, and thus inherit its nationality. You may not change your nationality until you have attained sufficient level. The leaders of these nations may be allied, neutral, or at war with each other. As a member of a nation, you may be attacked by others of neutral nationality, or even killed by those at war with you. Borders of nations may change as the result of these wars.
2. Religion. You choose the deity you follow once you have reached a certain level. You may not change your primary god unless dismissed by them, you are converted to another religion by the actions of other gods, the leader of your following is promoted to lesser god, or you have become a demi-god. A religion may have many member churches; these act as specialized guilds with members having a common primary deity.
3. Following. A following is a group of individuals with a specific leader. This may be a master craftsman with associated apprentices and journeymen, or a warrior with his grunts. There is no limit on the size of a following, and demi-god with sufficient following may rise to the status of a lesser god; at that point the following becomes a religion, and the members will change their primary diety. An individual may belong to at most two followings: one where they lead and another where they follow. A following has all of the capabilities of a guild as well, except the leader can not change.
4. Guild. A guild is a group of individuals usually devoted to a particular purpose. You may join as many guilds as you wish. A guild may own property, though it may be taxed by the nation it exists in. The organization of a guild is up to the owner(s) of the guild, and may be little more than a chat group. Guilds may be public (anyone can join if they meet the requirements), private (membership is by applilcation), or secret (membership is by invite only).
5. Team. A team is a group of individuals acting together. Members may freely come and go, and there are no formal rules other than members of the team may not harm each other. A team is thus a temporary entity. Members of a team will have hotkeys that allow them to select each other quickly, and a private chat group for communication.

Immortals no longer have a nationality. They are effectively at a neutral stance with all nations, as they cannot be killed by mortals. They retain the other four organizations.

Demi-gods no longer team or belong to guilds. Their existence is devoted to the affairs of gods, and as such their interaction with the world of mortals is limited to tending to their following. Demi-gods do not quest for experience and are not involved in teams.

1. Alliance. A demi-god no longer considers his primary deity a religion; rather he is part of the alliance lead by his primary deity. As such, he may change alliances freely, though doing so may bring about the ire of the former primary. However they may belong to only one alliance at a time.
2. Following. A demi-god no longer belongs to a following, though he continues to lead his own. A following is very important to a demi-god if he plans on ascending further.

Lesser gods also have two organizations:

1. Alliance. A lesser god may form or join alliances at their own whim. They may be a part of more than one alliance -- such are the politics of gods. A leader of an alliance gains power from the demi-gods who belong to it.
2. Religion. A lesser god is the leader of his own religion. He may choose to abandon followers, or reassign them to other gods or demi-gods. He also decides what powers he wishes to bestow upon his devoted followers. This is a trade off -- more powers will attract more followers, but also detracts from his own power.

Greater gods have three organizations:

1. Alliance. As with lesser gods.
2. Religion. As with lesser gods.
3. Council of Ten. The nine greater gods and the supreme deity belong to the Council of Ten. This is nothing more than a glorified chat group, but it may be used for whatever purpose the higher gods decide. The Council of Ten becomes a Council of Nine if the supreme deity is deposed, and it is this council that votes in the new supreme deity.

The supreme deity transfers all of his followers to the newly appointed greater god and as such is no longer the leader of a specific religion. Consequently, he has two organizations:

1. Alliance. As with greater and lesser gods.
2. Council of Ten. As with greater gods.

Progression - Rule the Heavens

When a demi-god has attained a sufficient following, he will automatically progress to a lesser god. He may now imbue lesser powers upon his clerics, and deliver quests for immortality to his followers. He may receive powers from greater gods he is allied with. The blows of mortals and lesser immortals have no effect, and only other gods may weaken him. The power of a god is strongly tied to the number and strength of his followers, so it is in the best interests to recruit and keep them. Indeed, a lesser god with no followers is demoted to demi-god and must begin anew to attain true divinity. The affairs of all gods involve politics, squabbles, and power grabs, and a higher god will seek alliances with lesser gods to further their own power. There is no limit on the number of lesser gods, but this is not true above this level. To attain the status of a greater god requires a divine war.

A greater god gains new powers and may delegate them to lesser gods in exchange for support. He gains little power now through mortal followers, and thus is better served by recruiting demi-gods and lesser gods to support him. There cannot be more than nine greater gods in existance. A greater god is thus displaced by the actions of a lesser god through divine war. Such wars involve the affairs of men as the most direct way to weaken a god is to eliminate his followers. A greater god must keep his allies to have success. If the power of a greater god is reduced sufficiently, he is demoted to a lesser god, and the lesser god with the greatest following assumes his place. A greater god will likely spend most of his time working alliances and watching his back. If he is lucky, he may have time and sufficient cun to advance once more.

There is only one supreme deity. The power of a supreme deity is derived entirely from the nine greater gods, with or without their willing support, and thus he is nearly omnipotent. A supreme deity can only be deposed by the united action the majority of the greater gods. A divine war takes place to reduce the power of the supreme deity, and once it is of a sufficiently low level, the greater gods must vote to promote one of their own as the supreme deity. If such an occurrance happens, the deposed supreme deity is utterly destroyed, leaving a power vaccum among the greater gods. One lesser god will be promoted to a greater god; in this event it is the new supreme deity who choses this.

Progression - The Path to Immortality

No doubt by now you have a reputation amongst your peers and following. You will continue to attract more followers, and you will have the resources to provide them with missions of higher importance. You yourself will take part in campaigns, perhaps leading a force into battle with a rival nation, or searching the far wilds for rare items. Soon your accomplishments will be known far and wide, and you will have reached heroic status. Your importance in the world is reaching its peak, attracting the attention not only of other heroes, but the gods as well.

When your chosen deity deems it appropriate, you shall be given a quest of legendary status. You will need a lot of help in this, and it would be wise to recruit as many followers as possible. The end benefit of this shall be the highest honor that can be bestown upon a common man -- immortality. Your life can no longer be ended by a mere mortal, though you still may suffer at their hands.

The immortal now seeks to attain that which no mortal can. He seeks to recruit additional followers, heroes, and perhaps other immortals. It is through his leadership, providence, and ambition he increases his following. With a sufficient following he reaches the status of a demi-god. He is more involved in the affairs of the deities and may even seek to change his primary deity to another in order to further his own goals.

Progression - Beginnings

As you begin your journey, you are but a lowly serf. Your skills are rudimentary, attained only through hard work during adolescence. Perhaps your father was a farmer, or your mother a blacksmith. You will start with this knowledge to face the world. The gods care not for you at this time, so you are entirely on your own. To begin your story, you will strive to become a freeman, applying for a career as a soldier, apprentice, etc. You will be taught the skills of your chosen profession, with plenty of menial tasks provided by your mentor. At this time you will be vulnerable to the wilds of the world, though humans won't bother with someone of your station.

After sufficient training and proven loyalty, you will advance to a mercenary, journeyman, etc. At this time your life takes on more importance. You will find yourself recruited by others to perform various tasks. Additionally, you will begin to seek the roots of your own faith, searching for a deity whose rules of morality align with your own. You may seek other opportunities throughout your nation. You are still vulnerable to the wilds, but now you may find yourself at the wrong end of another's sword. Be careful, as these are trying times, and perhaps the most difficult you will face. Death is swift in these lands, and a mere mortal must be well about his wits to survive.

After a time, you will begin to establish a reputation, and perhaps gain a following. You are now a warrior, master craftsman, etc. Your importance in the world has increased; this is a double-edge. On one hand, you are important enough to protect, but on the other you are important enough to become a target. You may teach others, and provide them with tasks. You may travel to other nations, at potentially great risk, and even change your nationality. It is time for you to seek your place in this world.

Creation Myth

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, ...

Or was it...

In the beginning, a great abyss of infathomable size existed in the center of space; on one side was a land of ice and darkness; on the other was a land of fire and brightness, and the eventual mixing gave rise to the ice giant Ymir, and his great cow...

Or perhaps...

In the beginning there was a great darkness, occupied only by a bird with black wings named Nyx. With the wind she laid a golden egg, and for ages sat upon this egg...

Perhaps we shall never know. However, within the Universe of Divine Ascension, you get the opportunity to write much of rest of the story. How could a lowly serf become supreme ruler of the Universe? Time shall tell many stories of great deeds, an impossible journey, a fantastic ascension, and the eventual conquest of the heavens themselves. Do you have what it takes?

The Path to Divinity

And thus begins a series of articles on my idea for an MMORPG.