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Burr · 09-18-2002, 09:25 PM

Having grown up on a small cattle ranch, and having hiked across the Grand Canyon behind several groups of mules, I find that muds feel somewhat empty and exploration somewhat lacking without that dominating factor: the amount of manure present.

I was originally going to post this in the Builders forum, as manure can have a strong effect on the atmosphere of a space - I've been told that there were hills of manure along the streets of New York before vehicles became popular - but then I realized that manure had many more uses than scenery. How many would-be warriors, I wonder, were cut down right after slipping on a pile of horse manure? In fantasy, the warrior also has the ogre's manure to worry about.

Manure can also be used in conjunction with crafting skills: you can use dry manure for fires (whether for fire-starter or like charcoal, I don't recall), and farmers or druids could use it for fertilizer.

Also, manure provides your mud with tangible jobs: streets need sweeping, and fertilizer needs hauling.

Manure can be used to spread diseases, if it is near enough food a standing source of drinking water, or if a person is around it long enough. And manure can also be used to diagnose diseases. Want to find out what's causing the epidemic, but have a prudish culture? Don't forget to inspect the area's stables.

On the subject of spreading diseases...manure is edible. Gross out if you want, but dogs are known to be quite partial to manure. And dogs bite. Also - though I don't know if this is plausible or not - manure might give the starving explorer something to fall back on, at risk of contracting disease or plain ol' humiliation if someone he knows sees him.

Manure can play an important part in tracking animals. Give rangers the ability to notice and distinguish types of manure. For that matter, make the rest of tracking tangible as well: blood, footprints, food leftovers (shells and bones and such), fur, etc. Code the ability to notice and such, but make people use their own reasoning abilities. There's potential for a lasting "quest" here.

Manure enhances roleplay. If you don't believe me, consider how much manure has dominated the curse words of our society. How can you have politicians in your mud, but not have manure? Furthermore, manure can be used for practical jokes, harmless or malicious.

Manure can be implemented quite easily. You don't have to get explicit; most people avoid paying attention to the manufacture of manure anyway.

"The X tenses and a pile of manure appears next to it," or cleaner yet, "A pile of manure appears next to the X."

"look manure"

"A fresh pile of manure rests here, drawing insects."

09-18-2002, 09:25 PM	#1
Burr Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 123	Having grown up on a small cattle ranch, and having hiked across the Grand Canyon behind several groups of mules, I find that muds feel somewhat empty and exploration somewhat lacking without that dominating factor: the amount of manure present. I was originally going to post this in the Builders forum, as manure can have a strong effect on the atmosphere of a space - I've been told that there were hills of manure along the streets of New York before vehicles became popular - but then I realized that manure had many more uses than scenery. How many would-be warriors, I wonder, were cut down right after slipping on a pile of horse manure? In fantasy, the warrior also has the ogre's manure to worry about. Manure can also be used in conjunction with crafting skills: you can use dry manure for fires (whether for fire-starter or like charcoal, I don't recall), and farmers or druids could use it for fertilizer. Also, manure provides your mud with tangible jobs: streets need sweeping, and fertilizer needs hauling. Manure can be used to spread diseases, if it is near enough food a standing source of drinking water, or if a person is around it long enough. And manure can also be used to diagnose diseases. Want to find out what's causing the epidemic, but have a prudish culture? Don't forget to inspect the area's stables. On the subject of spreading diseases...manure is edible. Gross out if you want, but dogs are known to be quite partial to manure. And dogs bite. Also - though I don't know if this is plausible or not - manure might give the starving explorer something to fall back on, at risk of contracting disease or plain ol' humiliation if someone he knows sees him. Manure can play an important part in tracking animals. Give rangers the ability to notice and distinguish types of manure. For that matter, make the rest of tracking tangible as well: blood, footprints, food leftovers (shells and bones and such), fur, etc. Code the ability to notice and such, but make people use their own reasoning abilities. There's potential for a lasting "quest" here. Manure enhances roleplay. If you don't believe me, consider how much manure has dominated the curse words of our society. How can you have politicians in your mud, but not have manure? Furthermore, manure can be used for practical jokes, harmless or malicious. Manure can be implemented quite easily. You don't have to get explicit; most people avoid paying attention to the manufacture of manure anyway. "The X tenses and a pile of manure appears next to it," or cleaner yet, "A pile of manure appears next to the X." "look manure" "A fresh pile of manure rests here, drawing insects."