Newbie Beast Form Suggestions and Feedback (Cow, Mainly)

[Crissa]

As for permanence (since you commented on it), what's your opinion on progressively permanent forms (as described above)?

That was the part I didn't like.

I like the milking idea; there could be some better balance between patience and clicking and batching. Transmutation has this 'feature', too.

I also don't think that Druids have Deer Form is a big deal - as long as they have to jump through the same hoops to learn the Deer moves and XP that everyone else does, that they can TF to a Deer doesn't really matter. If you want to give a bonus to non-Druid non-were animals, then they could just have a bonus based on not having that ability (or abstaining, like teleportation and veganism)

Herding is a cool idea - an animal adjunct to the lonely/grouped statuses.

[snowe]

That was the part I didn't like.

I like the milking idea; there could be some better balance between patience and clicking and batching. Transmutation has this 'feature', too.

I also don't think that Druids have Deer Form is a big deal - as long as they have to jump through the same hoops to learn the Deer moves and XP that everyone else does, that they can TF to a Deer doesn't really matter. If you want to give a bonus to non-Druid non-were animals, then they could just have a bonus based on not having that ability (or abstaining, like teleportation and veganism)

Herding is a cool idea - an animal adjunct to the lonely/grouped statuses.

It certainly makes sense that the two areas we'd find disagreement on are the issue of permanence and druidic deer form, as they both have very different appearances if you're coming from the point of view of 'animal form as a curse' or 'animal form as a class'. Those two topics aside, I'm beginning to wish I would have kept it just to the 'herding' and 'milking' suggestions.

I rather liked the herding idea as an extension of the hang out mechanic, and one which offers a bit more textual content without needing a whole lot more graphical or mapping work. I suspect it would also be applicable as a learning mechanism for other animal forms, just utilizing appropriate animals elsewhere instead of the Dairy Cows.

The milking idea itself was less about the specific mechanism and more about making it a bit longer between 'uses' and having it be something a player couldn't carry around with them (such as how the current collect milk ability allows). Once you require a player to run to an NPC somewhere (even if they were common) or find another player to help out, it opens opportunity for a timed debuff like the one suggested. The suggested debuff could be viewed as the downside to cows otherwise being very fast most of the rest of the time.

[Kaptinkillem]

As someone who wants to, as a long term goal, Max out all the animal forms, and use them all in some capacity, perma animal forms would mess with that. I would however be ok with permanently being an animal more generally. Meaning I can switch between forms with juices but cant go back to non animal form

[Tura]

Very late reply to this thread, but as a recently transformed and leveled up cow I'd like to add my thoughts.
"Permanence"
Should be a choice one makes and be required for the top end skills. At some point you've either fallen in love with the form and decided it's time to try something else. To continue to progress past a set point could set permanence( with warning of such of course). I would personally love to remain in this cow form for the remainder of my time in PG. To be rewarded with more advanced skills for being in a permanent form would encourage more players to do so. Also allowing myself and others of the same mindset to help uncurse those who do not wish to be animals without losing our own forms. The basics could still be the same for the players who choose to be temporary animals. that has benefits of it's own. There are always words of power illusion forms that can be used to talk to npcs that will have nothing to do with animal forms.
"Drums"
How far must you stretch your imagination to see a cow using a drum. I can see it. Since the release of bards I've been flooded with instruments, none of which are usable to a cow. However a drum...it can appear to be set on the ground, and a tapping hoof to play. Thus allowing animal bards. Or the participation in the musical bands that pop up.

[Crissa]

Why should permanence be required for the top end skills? I never understood this. It's not like Lycans or Druids are locked from half the world, or can't pick up a new weapons skill as it's released. The animal form is like a weapon, just a really ungodly unwieldy one.

You can't use the skills without the form, and it's not like it's not pretty inconvenient to change around. Animals already gets hidden buff/debuffs for hours based upon food choices and switching forms.

[Tura]

Perhaps not all the top end skill, but a bonus skill set to those who wish to be permanent animals. Playing a part time animal should still be feasible.I.E, still able to achieve lvl caps and use appropriate gear.
Lycans have it made, best of both worlds except 3 days a month. Druids 2-3 times a day sometimes must drop what they're doing and participate in saving the zone targeted. Animal forms are not merely a weapon though. They are more a race if played in a permanent fashion. I haven't played through all animal forms yet, but with the exception of being a vegetarian I have yet to see a buff for being a cow. That doesn't help me in combat,or give a bonus, but in fact limits the foods I can eat if i want to milk myself that often( not a cheese maker yet so not priority)

[Crissa]

...but with the exception of being a vegetarian I have yet to see a buff for being a cow. That doesn't help me in combat,or give a bonus, but in fact limits the foods I can eat if i want to milk myself that often( not a cheese maker yet so not priority)

It's still a buff. And the game is still alpha.