Ok, I haven't posted a suggestion yet, so I guess I'll throw one out there and see if it flies. I usually generate multiple ideas for MUDS that I used to play, but those have pretty much died, though there are some still kicking.

I enjoy EfU because of the challenge. The feeling of survival and struggle, toss in some politcal battles, factions, and other drama and EfU can run off the weak. So, I figured why not throw in something else, and I'm pretty sure it has probably been mentioned in the past. Starvation. There are so many elements in EfU that can cause drama, conflict, uproars, revolts, and others, that I think if food was just as important (or more) as gold, armor, weapons, etc, then there would be new things that would unfold. If PCs actually had a limited time before they would actually starve to death (perma-death?), then I think it would actually create something new for PCs to do. Forage for food, trade, buy, sell, confiscate.

Imaging cutting off food supplies from Lower or other minor areas. Like, a hunger timer would countdown in intervals day by day for the PC going without food. Go without eating after a day and you will reach the hunger stage, day two it gets worse, day three and you start to lose -1 from your str, etc, etc. I think this would add not just a new way of struggling and surviving in this dreaded city/Underdark, but also new strategic moves for political powers and other situations.

New jobs would open up. Rangers will be extreme hunters that could bring in food supplies. EfU is about survival. Food is the main key to surviving. EfU is about realism, not powergaming.

Anyways, just wanted to see if this idea is ok or just too extreme. If I've missed something or inaccurate on something that I mentioned, just let me know.

-Dreh-

Against.

pretty sure it was mentioned before and the response was that it added to much hassle to the game to be worth implementing.

Your idea of 'cutting off' food supplies can work! Don't feel discouraged to pursue something in game simply because it doesn't have mechanical backing in the engine. Nothing is impossible in EfU, as long as you work for it in game!

Cutting off food supplies is entirely possible! NPC's would start to die, food would become more expensive.. etc. However, I think that forcing people to eat regularly is going too far.

I could see this working as a limited time DM event that ran for a few days or so. Due to cut off supplies everyone on the server needs to buy food and eat.

But as an "always on" feature, I agree, it adds too much hassle.

While eating is one of my favorite activities in real life, it would NOT be one in EfU... I'd detest it, in fact.

Thumbs down. :?

Yes, it has been mentioned before, and no, a scripted solution wouldn't add anything significant to the setting other than frustration. We try to keep needless micromanagement to a minimum -- you really do not want to end up dying because you didn't have any food. If there's a food crisis, we'll increase the price on food items dramatically, but we're not going to force you to actually have to eat anything (although in long quests, it is possible that we may apply various penalties as a result of food shortages, but those would be temporary).

Starvation is something I like to tie into some of my DM quests. It can give certain situations an amusing edge to them. Scripted starvation however, is probably not going to be very fun.

wcsherry Starvation is something I like to tie into some of my DM quests. It can give certain situations an amusing edge to them. Scripted starvation however, is probably not going to be very fun.

Ever had any parties kill and eat each other to survive?

wcsherry Starvation is something I like to tie into some of my DM quests. It can give certain situations an amusing edge to them. Scripted starvation however, is probably not going to be very fun.

This is the very reason most of my characters carry rations around with them... Not so much because I feel the need to roleplay every aspect of realism (toilet break anyone?), but because I don't want to be caught out if some DM-event led to "find food or die" situations.

Ever had any parties kill and eat each other to survive?

Yes. It was awesome.

Dreh's post was actually probably the most persuasive argument for scripted food I've seen, but I still think it's probably not desired at this time.

Feel free to continue to discuss, though! Who knows.

Well, it's true. Starvation is a hassle and I have played a NWN server with such setup. Imagine losing your str stats with too much weight and miles from your home city (slow walking home sucks). And, eventually passing out, then waking just to walk a few more feet, then passing out again. It was a hassle on that particular server, but I know EfU has a cast of talented DMs and players and usually come out with innovative ideas. Just wanted to see the response to the topic.

-Dreh-

It sounds like an enormeous time sink if scripted to force you to carry food, and eat it, for no other reason then to avoid the message " you are starving, eat something" and or whatever penalty is incurred. I know we enjoy realisim and immersion here, but I just have a bias against this. A bit of the reason, and I will keep it conservative and say some folks play NWN and EFU is to escape the things that constrain us in real life. The same argument could be made for gear wearing out if not repaired, dieing of thirst, mandatory sleeping, but again, in a fantasy game, I would rather not have to be conscerned with such mundane actions. I would think if it were part of an overall plot, say, all the mushrooms -edibble plants, animals aka rothes, and so forth died out for some reason( evil druidic plot or whathave you), and there was the possiblity of a solution via the player base...but to just have it as a scripted daily occurance would be annoying at least to me, I have played on servers where it was required, and is a big part of the reason I left. Just my two 'cents worth..

I've played other servers and toyed around, logged out- only to log back a week later to find that I was dead due to starvation. That is very irksome.

However, I don't mind, and in fact enjoy it when a group takes a time out form a long march to sit down and crack open some food and take a rest break now and again. Those campfire RP sessions are awesome. ...

I'd be extremely happy if instead of killing a PC for not eating- instead, give them some minor bonus for staying well fed. i dont know what that could be.. But its another option that would allow some people to care more, and others to ignore it entirely. I tend to Eat when its applicable to the current Rp session anyway.

It would be interesting if the bonus could be changed depending on what types of food you eat... Could make gardening and cooking become something even cooler then it already is.

In summation, I like food being involved with either minor Hp healing (once/so many minutes etc) Or some minor bonus if kept up. But I would hate to actually starve to death as a PC for not getting enough food.

(+1 to skills or something. Who knows!)

~Ebok

Starvation, I could take it or leave it. Self-induced obesity, on the other hand, is where it's at.

We need more body types for efu >_> Ahem. off topic. Sorry.

More cannibal paladins please. KTHXBAI.