Ok, to preface this I am not interested in religious debate of any sort. I just want to add some more flavour to what feels like a fairly empty part of the game. Also, this has been conceived and written up on very little sleep. Please forgive basic errors, etc.
Hi everyone, I’ve noticed that churches and cathedrals feel rather barren. I propose adding new items, and perhaps an accompanying trait ‘Religious’. I also think new religious locations are worth discussing.
- New items.
Churches and cathedrals as they stand feel almost more like an abandoned town hall than a place of worship. I believe that adding bibles, crucifixes, rosaries, priest clothing, etc. would change the atmosphere of these locations entirely.
I also believe that adding items such as these could perhaps offend some more sensitive souls as many people seem to feel that adding individual, distinct religions to the game could spark conflict. I am of the belief that Cataclysm should do it’s best to emulate the real world with divergent events, and as such I feel that distinct religious objects would be immersive.
However, to address concerns regarding individuals beliefs I feel that more generic objects could be substituted.
Instead of a Bible, Quran, or Tanakh there could simply be a “Holy Book”.
Crucifixes, rosaries, prayer mats, and even Menorahs could be streamlined into “Religious Icon”.
Hymn books (idea courtesy of Sheb) could become “Song books”, although I don’t think that many could find offence with a book of hymns being found in a church.
I’m not certain what generic versions of clerical collars are. Perhaps just collar? I’m not sure if we really need this, but it would make roleplaying a priest feel a little more organic. It could also be an addition to a “Priest” profession.
Even if all of these ideas are rejected on the merit that religion is too much of a touchy subject I would really, really love to see candles in churches and cathedrals.
- Trait.
Okay, this is probably going to be the most touchy thing I’m bringing up in this topic.
I believe that if the aforementioned objects are added a “Religious” trait should make it’s way into the game. On the most minimalist end of the slider this trait could simply allow one to 'r’ead Holy Books for a higher morale boost than would be received from a novel.
(This could be special cased as 'a’ctivate “Religious Icon” for illiterates perhaps?)
The reasoning behind this is people tend to take comfort from Holy Books if they are religious. It’s that simple. If you honestly believe that there is an afterlife and that your friends and family are there then of course your morale is going to be (at least) slightly higher than those that believe that once you die you are gone forever.
On the opposite end of the slider could be things like taking different morale hits from killing child zombies (perhaps you’re more shaken up by it because most Holy Books condemn killing, perhaps you feel like you’ve layed their soul to rest. I don’t really know, this is more speculation than solid idea), and perhaps certain conducts such as not being able to eat non-kosher meat, or having to pray five times a day or be hit with a penalty of some sort.
I think that a balance between gameplay and flavour can be found, and that the inclusion of a ‘religious’ trait would add rather than detract to the atmosphere, replayability, and overall flavour (this goes under atmosphere too I guess, but three points are better than two!).
- Locations.
Finally, I think that ideally it would be really amazing to have things like Mosques and Synagogues implemented in the game as well as the generic churches (ideally along with their own distinct Holy Book and religious iconography), but I understand that this can also be a sore-point with people. I don’t see a lot of point in adding these before the implementation of Z-levels, but I think these locations could be worthy and distinct additions to the game after that.
Okay, thank you for reading this proposal. Feel free to shoot it down in as many ways as you want, but try to keep the criticism constructive. If you don’t like an idea please let me know why, and perhaps list some changes and improvements you would make.
I am open to new ideas, and I am not strongly opposed to these ideas not making their way into the game. However, at the very least I’d really like to see generic religious objects implemented in the future.
Also, thanks Sheb for brainstorming this with me.
