Mules

[Lyletuba]

Virtually every MMO player in every MMO game eventually creates a mule character. A mule is a character in the game that doesn’t fight or adventure, it just holds stuff for the active characters of that player. The mule takes up a character slot and it cannot be accessed while logged on with any other character.

So why not just make a Mule class/race (Mule with a capital “M”)? Give it inventory spaces equal to the maximum allowable bank slot space (after the requisite favor) PLUS maximum allowable backpack space (after the requisite favor).

A Mule would basically be a portable bank companion.

Mules can:
Be logged on and controlled simultaneously with any one other character of the player
Carry items
Trade items with any character of the player
Go anywhere in public instances
Run fast
Wear/Wield/Equip any item (so you can see what it looks like)

Mules cannot:
Enter Quests
Talk
Trade with anyone other than a character of their player
Fight
Have a Bank Account
Use any item
Cast spells
Mail

Sure, you can argue that people will still make mules out of their lesser used characters.
Sure, you can argue that plat farmers will mistreat their Mules.
Sure, you can argue that we already have banks slots, extra inventory slots and soon gem/collectable pouches.

But I believe most players would use their Mule. Mules don’t need to level or get favor to gain extra space. They don’t get quest invites while doing their job. It saves the player from logging in and out of multiple characters to find that one misplaced item. And I really think most people would probably decide that if they can’t store that extra item on their Mule, they don’t need it.

Look, just because your elf fighter-wizard named Drizzit1234599 was a terrible build (and created before you unlocked the Drow) doesn’t mean he should be kept alive as a virtual garage. He was once your favorite. He fought and died for you time and time again. Let him finally die in peace.

Kill the mules. Add Mules.

[Laith]

Mules can:
Be logged on and controlled simultaneously with any one other character of the player
Carry items
Trade items with any character of the player
Go anywhere in public instances
Run fast
Wear/Wield/Equip any item (so you can see what it looks like)

Mules cannot:
Enter Quests
Talk
Trade with anyone other than a character of their player
Fight
Have a Bank Account
Use any item
Cast spells
Mail

if they can only interact with your "main" characters, what's the point of controlling them independently? well, i suppose it's easier than mailing items between characters.

edit: ok, so i suppose i get it, but the mechanics of implementing it are interesting.
1) turbine has to allow multiple character to log in per account simultaniously (main + mule), and account for each account suddenly doubling its load on the servers (exaggeration).
2) player has to be able to easily run & manage 2 copies of DDO. this is probably what would kill this implementation of the idea.

really, wouldn't it be cleaner to have a few pages in your bank shared across your account (ie accessable to all of your toons)?

[blakbyrd]

Although I kind of like the idea, to me it seems moe a waste of time and resources to create what people have already done.

Personally, I think such time would be better spent on revamping the banking system or working on the guild banking system.

But if you idea is something Turbine finds to be worth looking into, I'm all for it.

[Ghoste]

We already have a mule race: dwarves. Why else would anyone make a dwarf character? I can't think of a single reason.

[Ironik]

Because of their abilities. Why would anyone choose any of the races? Same answer, I believe.

[Charmazal]

You can't top dwarves :P


Unless they make a Half donkey (mule)/ Dwarf now that would be untoppable.

[blakbyrd]

You can't top dwarves :P


Unless they make a Half donkey (mule)/ Dwarf now that would be untoppable.

Not only would they stronger than the average mule, but they would also probably be twice as stubborn, making it so that your "mule" character would never want to go where you want it to, or simply refuse to move at all :P

[HumanJHawkins]

So why not just make a Mule class/race (Mule with a capital “M”)? Give it inventory spaces equal to the maximum allowable bank slot space (after the requisite favor) PLUS maximum allowable backpack space (after the requisite favor).

Either you are joking, or this is one of the cases where you will feel inclined to bop yourself on the forehead and say "dooh!" once you think a little deeper on it.

If giving players a lot of space (except as a reward for favor) was something the developers wanted to do, don't you think they would just give us more inventory or bank tabs?

If they wanted it to be free and easy to trade stuff among toons, don't you think they would remove the fee from the mailbox and maybe make our bank sharable between toons... You know, like a joint checking account?

The whole reason players make mules is as an exploit to get around the game design that the devs have put MUCH effort into, to PREVENT you from doing this. If the devs were wanting to give us something like this, there are many much better ways to do it!

[dragnmoon]

You can't top dwarves :P


Unless they make a Half donkey (mule)/ Dwarf now that would be untoppable.

I personally like Fluffy Pink Ponies

[Lyletuba]

Either you are joking, or this is one of the cases where you will feel inclined to bop yourself on the forehead and say "dooh!" once you think a little deeper on it.

If giving players a lot of space (except as a reward for favor) was something the developers wanted to do, don't you think they would just give us more inventory or bank tabs?

If they wanted it to be free and easy to trade stuff among toons, don't you think they would remove the fee from the mailbox and maybe make our bank sharable between toons... You know, like a joint checking account?

The whole reason players make mules is as an exploit to get around the game design that the devs have put MUCH effort into, to PREVENT you from doing this. If the devs were wanting to give us something like this, there are many much better ways to do it!

Neither a joke nor a head bonk. My point is exactly what you mentioned. Making characters act as mules is an exploit. But it is not exclusive to DDO and if everyone does it, why not accomodate it, code it and control it? Why force people to exploit to accomplish a goal that exists in every MMO? [please don't say that I'm arguing to legalize all expliots - let's keep the arguments rational ]

I've played since beta. Back then, we didn't have extra bank slots or a mailbox. To transfer items you needed to find a trusty friend or guildmate. Some could have made your same arguments against adding these things but yet we have them now.

1) turbine has to allow multiple character to log in per account simultaniously (main + mule), and account for each account suddenly doubling its load on the servers (exaggeration).
2) player has to be able to easily run & manage 2 copies of DDO. this is probably what would kill this implementation of the idea.

really, wouldn't it be cleaner to have a few pages in your bank shared across your account (ie accessable to all of your toons)?

I think they would act more like companions - but controllable companions. It wouldn't be a separate log-in for the DDO client. In fact, I picture them as being summoned pets while in town.

You're at the mailbox and win an AH item. You have 2 characters that might need it but neither is the one that won the auction. So you summon the Mule, drop the item in its pack, then dismiss the Mule. Next time you log in with one of these other characters you can check it from each of the characters. Much easier (and cost effective) than mailing it around your own characters.

A shared bank space would go a long to cure most of these problems. But would people still use mules?
Hmmm. Not sure. Guess it depends on the size of the shared space. Current size? Yes, mules still needed.

[Magnyr_Delorn]

Are you serious? A mule "class"??!?! You would be delivering the coup de grace to whatever DDO's dignity has left with its relation to PnP.

[M1A1]

Are you serious? A mule "class"??!?! You would be delivering the coup de grace to whatever DDO's dignity has left with its relation to PnP.

A REAL PACK MULE then, summon them, etc, etc, however it ends up working out.

EDIT: Guess it would be no different than like Mithral Companion, but I'd hate to see the lag when everyone in an instance summoned the mule at the tavern.

[SaberMonkey]

I think either a real PACK MULE, would make more sense. (see Dungeon Siege, except for the fact you would only acess them in public areas) I also like the idea of having a living space accessible by every character on your account where you can store items.

[teddok]

If you really wanna run a Mule while playing get a second account.

[Missing_Minds]

You can't top dwarves :P


Unless they make a Half donkey (mule)/ Dwarf now that would be untoppable.

Yes you can. A lowly human can top a dwarf easily as a mule... providing it is of the henchman class. I can never see a dwarf being a henchman afterall.