I figured I'd post my original design document, to start up discussion and possibly spur ideas. Not everything in the document is going to make it into the actual game, but it's an interesting list of stuff.
Houses, stores, NPCs.
Pre-war paper is money
water is required for movement on the world map. If you run out of water in the wasteland, then you collapse and end up at your hometown with 1 HP.
Water is generated at a rate of 5 per minute for all players. However, to have access to the water, they must return to their hometown. Players can carry a base amount of water, which increases as they gain levels, and maybe acquire items. All players get water for free when they return to their town, and go to their house or inn.
Players at low levels start at an inn, which is free until they hit a certain level. After which, the inn starts charging a fee for every night spent there.
Inns and houses provide healing, at a rate of 5% (min 1 point) health per 10 minutes, and 10% (min 2 points) health per 10 minutes while in 'sleep mode'
DAY-NIGHT SYSTEM
Every four hours, the game switches to DAY or NIGHT mode. -- Don't do just yet, but design code/database to support it
location based HP system? six parts of the body each have HP value? I don't know
FIGHTING SKILLS
Accuracy – chance to hit an enemy. Overall skill
Melee Weapons – approximate damage done by melee weapons
Unarmed Fighting – approximate damage done by unarmed combat
PASSIVE CONSTRUCTION SKILLS
Repair/Build – Repairing items, and construction of houses/buildings and any other object that might need to exist
Item Crafting – Making items from other items/combinations
Salesman – provides added bonus when buying or selling from shops
ACTIVED SKILLS
First Aid – both "spell" skill, and a bonus to healing from items
Search – Spend 2 water to find an item
MIGHT REMOVE ENTIRELY
Outdoorsman – lower encounter rates on the world map
Lockpick – opening "chest" items gives better results/is easier
THOUGHTS FOR LATER
Have families, play as the son/daughter
