Ideas, ideas, ideas!
I was looking at a journal (smerg_devel) logging the progress of a code-base for a MUD (Sabrous).
One of the problems was this:
Automatic Half-breeds - A class's traits are organized as stat boosts, stat penalties, equipment slots, prohibited food and drink, and suchlike. These can be automatically combined to produce half-breeds (this feature can be turned on and off at the MUD owner's discretion). I just have to figure out how to do that and not end up with overpowered races.
To which I replied(notes added):
For the half-breeds: perhaps you could set certain attributes automatically, like ability to drink blood, and make others more random? For example, let us suppose that a Cypher (a weak but clever race - excellent mages)has a -3 modifier to strength, while a Lizardman (pretty much the opposite) has a +2 modifier. A Cypher-Lizardman would have a random modifier between -2 and +1, or any other parameters you pick that are less extreme than either a Cypher's and a Lizardman's. Players would not be able to reroll these.
This would eliminate the problem of uber-races, since every half-breed would get a random mix of attributes from it's parents, and it would be closer to reality. It would combine each races strengths and weaknesses, and the child would be an average - less clever than it's father but much less frail, or the other way round, or a god of MUDs, or a amalgamation of every concievable flaw. Some people will get lucky, and some people won't.
Personally, I would make the modifier parameters give an average player a character equal or slightly inferior to a normal character, to make up for the added stability. That way, people won't be able to pick a race that is better than others, and their will be a better mix of pure-breeds and half-breeds.
This could also be used to create ready-made plot-heavy alts for roleplaying - perhaps the character will be a feeble, stupid Razordemon-Cythid, although their initial rolls were great. Why? Maybe she fell of a low cliff when she was young, damaging her mind and shoulder. Giving people unexpected limitations and talents to explain would add variety to roleplaying.
Is this an original idea? I've never come across it being used, including in games like Neverwinter Nights, which uses the D&D system. Also, can anyone see any problems with this?