A ramble about "good" plugin designs

With trinity about to come out, and Coldstone in all probability being just around
the corner, I figured I would air some of my own ramblings about what I believe to
be the basics of writing a good plugin. Take my opinions with a grain of salt, because
they are just opinions. Although, I must say, they are very good opinions.

• First, a plugin designer should make a determination from the start: will the plugin
  be designed as a "stand-alone" game, meaning that they will have changed things
  significantly enough to warrant starting a brand new game with a brand new character
  with the plugin? Or will the plugin be a continuation or addition of the regular
  game? This I really think needs to be well thought out and decided, and once a
  decision is reached all efforts need to be made to stay with the course selected.

In this decision, realize you will alienate certain player bases. Some people want to
be able to use their buff character, and simply want a continuation, or addition to
the story line. Other people will want new plugins to require starting over, with
new story lines, etc.

Also, if you plan on your plugin allowing current characters to be used, then your
plugin should assume that the character will not have any items needed to complete
any of your quests or plotlines. If your plugin has a quest that requires the
dwarven runic sword be on the player(ie, a questline that the dwarf wants to get
it back, and so he is hunting the player down), then your plugin should have a means
to get the sword, if the player does not have it(never got it, got it and sold it, etc).

• Next, if your plugin is a continuation or an add on, it should make sense with the
  normal game. Ie, the queen should not be giving you contrary orders, or the druid
  should not decide he wants a comfy chair to sit in while you are trying to save
  Garendall. Remember what the overall mission/purpose to POG is, and have your plugins
  stick to it. If you have a "stand-alone" plugin, then it doesn't have to follow the
  POG plots/missions at all. But everything in your plugin should mesh together nicely.

Well, this is all I have time for. Will probably add some more later. If anyone
wants to comment or add additional opinions, that would be dandy.

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Shoot 'em with everything you've got. If anything still lives, shoot 'em again.