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No, I'm not asking what character everyone wants to make.
I would like to see an in-depth survey be an optional part of character generation (which continues to be editable after generation). Anybody ever taken a personality profile survey during a job application, where they look for traits to potentially disqualify you? Something like that, along with other "personal information" from the character's point of view. Things like names of family members, friends, and even rivals or enemies. Things the character likes and dislikes, or even fears or is strongly supportive of (like religious views or patriotism). Basically a vast data reservoir that can be drawn on by queued variables in adventure generation, whether controlled by the game or for player generated content.
This way, instead of seeing the same "So-and-so hasn't been heard from, go fedex them and then kill 10 rats" we could have more of our adventure content personalized in ways specific to our character, or even to the extent of our guilds and friends. BuddyFromNextVillage might have a nemesis that wants to hurt him by ambushing me while I'm protecting a caravan, or my guildmaster's daughter may be kidnapped, and everybody in the guild gets a notification that it happened and we have to go find her, possibly each getting different clues that will mean more if we work together.
The idea requires a more sophisticated level of mission generation coding than most contemporary MMORPGs provide, but can provide a reward of offering a vastly more individualized play experience. And of course, being optional it's not like anyone would be required to fill out anything more than a name for their character (which we do anyway). The system can also keep track of adventures we've taken part in, adding salient details to our "journal" and occasionally making use of that information for providing new adventure hooks as well.
Theoretically, with a sufficiently integrated character database system, the vast majority of random adventure hooks could involve other active player characters, giving players who don't otherwise play together reasons to search one another out to solve their own quests or learn some piece of lore that wasn't covered in a storyline that caught their attention. Seems like a great way to promote the social aspects of being a "multiplayer" game other than just making the important encounters too difficult to solo.
Dynamic quest mechanics yes... limited to chatting around ye olde sex pits... not so much.
I'm talking about creating a database that can be accessed by the game to individualize your quest goals, assigned enemies, named interactions, and so forth, through an automated or semi-automated process, whether by developers, other players (if player generated content is functional, beyond chatting around ye olde sex pits), or even the game's random quest generator, if it has one.
In a mostly unrelated note that is completely off topic, it would amuse me greatly to see a player city named "Ye Olde Sex Pits" created, and better yet, accidentally become a merchant capital.
Goblin Squad Member
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I think I see where you're going with this Starhammer. If I'm right, it ties in with something I've been thinking about for many years.
Basically, one of the problems in computer games is that the game doesn't really know what you're trying to accomplish, unless you're actively trying to complete the objectives in a quest.
My solution would be to develop an elaborate system where the player can specify detailed motivations and current objectives totally unrelated to PvE/Theme-Park quest systems.
For a very limited example, I could specify that my Wizard is seeking out the Detect Thoughts and Locate Object spells. I could also specify that I'm distrustful of Gnomes.
This makes it possible for other characters to detect my motives and thoughts, and even makes it possible for the game to reward me for completing my objectives, if that's appropriate.
I think I see where you're going with this Starhammer. If I'm right, it ties in with something I've been thinking about for many years.
Basically, one of the problems in computer games is that the game doesn't really know what you're trying to accomplish, unless you're actively trying to complete the objectives in a quest.
My solution would be to develop an elaborate system where the player can specify detailed motivations and current objectives totally unrelated to PvE/Theme-Park quest systems.
For a very limited example, I could specify that my Wizard is seeking out the Detect Thoughts and Locate Object spells. I could also specify that I'm distrustful of Gnomes.
This makes it possible for other characters to detect my motives and thoughts, and even makes it possible for the game to reward me for completing my objectives, if that's appropriate.
Yep! You get it.
I read it as mad-libs for questing.
For example: My current goal is to [verb 1] all [plural noun 1] and [verb 2] all [plural noun 2].
Verb 1 = kill
Plural Noun 1 = goblins
Verb 2 = help
Plural Noun 2 = elves
Basically, you pick a number of people, places, or things/ideals you strive for, and a number of people, places, or things/ideals you strive against, and the text of the NPC quests fill in the gaps to make quests more motivating to your character.
This could be done easily enough by pre-generating quest text that could hold any number of possible scenarios.
NPC Guard: [Player Name], am I glad to see you! We just received word that one of our caravans has been attacked by [plural humanoid racial enemy 1]! The caravan was transporting a [singular humanoid racial ally 1] [gender opposite noble title] and it appears the [plural humanoid racial enemy 1] have kidnapped [gender opposite]. I'm currently mounting a rescue party, but I fear our efforts are taking too long. Please, will you go to [fast travel location] and rescue the [gender opposite noble title] before it is too late?
Or
NPC Guard: Starhammer, am I glad to see you! We just received word that one of our caravans has been attacked by goblins! The caravan was transporting an elven princess and it appears the goblins have kidnapped her. I'm currently mounting a rescue party, but I fear our efforts are taking too long. Please, will you go to the goblin hideout and rescue the princess before it is too late?