I've been thinking about Random Number Generations (RNG) for quite some time as I'm designing my system, and am trying to fiddle around with pre-seeding or normal seeds.
For the uninitiated, a seed is a number you pass into a random number generator to generate a... well, number. If you pass the same seed into the generator, it will always generate the same results.
Computers use the RNG to simulate dice rolls. And if I went with the normal seeding method (using system time to seed), a player can keep trying on a lock until he rolls a successful lockpick check. Or, in the event of a critical failure (he breaks the lock), all he needs to do is to reload a previous save.
I believe mechanisms like this forces the player into a mindset than failure is not an option. What if however, my game's mechanics allow players to learn through errors too?
Say if you successfully steal an item from a person, you get 10XP. But if you fail the steal, you get 5 + Wisdom modifier XP too.
Failure should be encouraged in a game, I believe. Especially so in an RPG, where failure should be allowed and accommodated as a gameplay device. When the player get used to failing in certain task, he will gradually get used to the fact that his character is not a god and is not perfect.
Will this pre-seeding (seed using character creation time) make an RPG more enjoyable, making choices more meaningful, or will it just be an annoyance?
Opinions appreciated.
For the uninitiated, a seed is a number you pass into a random number generator to generate a... well, number. If you pass the same seed into the generator, it will always generate the same results.
Computers use the RNG to simulate dice rolls. And if I went with the normal seeding method (using system time to seed), a player can keep trying on a lock until he rolls a successful lockpick check. Or, in the event of a critical failure (he breaks the lock), all he needs to do is to reload a previous save.
I believe mechanisms like this forces the player into a mindset than failure is not an option. What if however, my game's mechanics allow players to learn through errors too?
Say if you successfully steal an item from a person, you get 10XP. But if you fail the steal, you get 5 + Wisdom modifier XP too.
Failure should be encouraged in a game, I believe. Especially so in an RPG, where failure should be allowed and accommodated as a gameplay device. When the player get used to failing in certain task, he will gradually get used to the fact that his character is not a god and is not perfect.
Will this pre-seeding (seed using character creation time) make an RPG more enjoyable, making choices more meaningful, or will it just be an annoyance?
Opinions appreciated.