[ScryMUD] Request for comments

[Jekar Guavarik]

>Thanks for the insightful feedback. Were you thinking of the 
>"professions"
>thing more as an arbitrary self-assignment or a quest oriented guild 
>joining
>requirement sort of thing? If it was more toward the latter I could see
>guild-only skills/spells. I.e. once choosing your path and proving your 
>worth
>you are allowed to be trained in the most secret of techniques...
>
Yes. The quest could be as simple as finding the group and asking to join,
or as hard as the guild desired. Once joined there would be guild only
skills/spells/socials/gear. Little pirks to make it worth while.  Might also
be interesting to alow characters to join more than one guild, with in 
reason.
A guild of paladins might not accept a player who was also in a guild of
assasins.

>As for auto-combat, this too is a topic that has been discussed. We haven't
>really come up with a model we think will work (as far as I can 
>remember...)
>Do you have any implementation suggestions for an alternative?
>
There are several good alternatives that Ive seen, all of which are used in 
commercial muds. For the sake of me getting some sleep tonight, Ill not 
detail all of them, and just describe one of my favorites.

Right now, scry has  round based combat. In general round based systems rely 
manly on a characters gear to determine the outcome of combat. This system 
usually encourages players to all go out and find the same godlike plate and 
claymore of insta death.  When combat  begins,  each round basically becomes 
a number crunch, until one opponent is dead or flees. In other words player 
A has 1000 hps, and is doing an average of 50 hps damage per round. Player B 
has 1200 hps and is doing an average of 47 hp damage per round. There are 
potions and salves that heal, but all things being equal, the outcome is 
pretty much determined before the combat begins.

In contrast, one of the more interesting combat models Ive seen uses what 
might be called a realtime combat model. (Ive heard some objections to the 
term, but it works for me) There are no rounds, but actions will give round 
time. For example, If Player A swings his long sword at player B, player A 
is given 5 seconds round time in which they can not preform other offensive 
actions/retreat. Now player B auto defends the attack and is left slightly 
off balance from the attack, so instead of an answer to the attack, she 
adjusts her balance by moving into  position to parry the next attack. As 
soon as player A's 5 second round time is over,  he swings again, leaving 
him off balance because of his mindless slashing with a heavey sword. The 
blow is parried by player B, who was balanced and ready for the attack. 
Player B then jabs her short sword through the thigh of the unbalanced 
player A, doing an appropriate amount of damage. At this point player A 
cries Owie, I give. Being that at the beginning of the dual, they both 
agreed that the dual would be to first blood,  player B salutes player A, 
thanks him for the fight, then mocks him badly as she walks away without 
having to flee.

Players skill ranks in their chosen weapons and  their primary stats affect 
their offence, and skill ranks in their chosen armor and primary stats 
affect defense.  The armor doesnt affect if you get hit or not, just how 
much damage is absorbed.

At this point Im going to get lazy and post links to more information about 
it because of the time.

This link has most of the mechanics explained.  Actually, after reading it, 
it explains it all.
http://www.play.net/dr/info/combat.asp

This link has information on the different combat methods based on weapon 
types
http://www.olwydd.org/hunting/guide.php

There are a few other systems Ive seen and if this one doesnt appeal to you, 
I'll detail them.

hope it helps,
Jekar

>Thanks,
>Ed
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