November 1997
- DESIGN: ECONOMICS: Money Supply coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Jon Leonard
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Vadim Tkachenko
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Jon A. Lambert
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Chris Gray
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Jon A. Lambert
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
- Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
- SUMMARY: Skills and Skills improvement coder@ibm.net
- newbie Marc Eyrignoux
- Fear of magic (was:Usability and interface)y Adam Wiggins
- Sorry... Bjarni Norddahl
- OT: threading list messages Alex Oren
- OT: threading list messages coder@ibm.net
- OT: threading list messages Alex Oren
- OT: threading list messages s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- OT: threading list messages Chris Gray
- AI Path Finding Todd Lair
- A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint. Brandon Cline
- A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint. Brandon Cline
- A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint. Brandon J. Rickman
- A flamewar startingpoint. s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Miroslav Silovic
- A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint. Miroslav Silovic
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Marian Griffith
- A flamewar startingpoint. Matt Chatterley
- A flamewar startingpoint. Jon A. Lambert
- A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint. Matt Chatterley
- A flamewar startingpoint. JC Lawrence
- A flamewar startingpoint. Marian Griffith
- A flamewar startingpoint. Jon A. Lambert
- A flamewar startingpoint. JC Lawrence
- A flamewar startingpoint. Marian Griffith
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. Sauron
- A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Matt Chatterley
- A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint. Nathan Yospe
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Miroslav Silovic
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Jon A. Lambert
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Marian Griffith
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Derrick Jones
On Sat, 22 Nov 1997, Marian Griffith wrote:
> On Fri 21 Nov, Jon A. Lambert wrote:
>
> > This seems to be the biggest area of difficulty. I wish to avoid the
> > arcade-like quality to combat (fastest reflexes win), add a more
> > thoughtful approach (cf. JCL's combat scripts), yet preserve a sense
> > of urgency (a time limit on decisions) without imposing excessive lag
> > on players.
>
> I have been thinking on this. The idea to have to code to be playing the
> game does not appeal to me, and I think is excessive trouble. Currently
> combat is handled very poorly in my opinion. Why not try to find a mid-
> dle ground? E.g. there exist a variety of attack and defense patterns. A
> player must choose which of those his character will attempt, of course
> to the best of its abilities. If you don't say anything at all your cha-
> will fight mostly defensive and try only the most obvious of openings in
> its opponent's attacks.
Yes, my current plan is to put standard responses to standard attacks into
a menu format for players to toy with at their leisure. One of the
problems I am anticipating is that I don't want the player to feel that
they need detailed knowledge of the character's profession. How would
'Judy' (player) know the best way to have her character Stormrider react
to an opponent attempting to disarm her? If the code is well-researched,
she could always hunt down a book on fencing (probably the closest thing
to swordplay she'll find in the local library), and find the best course
of action, but most players like to think that their character would react
according to its best interest, with a knowledge base in accordance with
the character's abilities.
Another approach I am still concidering is allowing players to control the
general flow of combat, while the actual thrusts and parries are handled
by the code. Perhaps allowing players to specify how much attention is
paid to attack/defence, or perhaps setting combat goals like kill, cause
pain, immobilize, wound, capture, etc. Once the player determines what
the character will do, the code will determine how the character would go
about accomplishing this, based on the intentions/abilities of the players
involved. Of course I'd still allow players to control real-time action
by taking over combat by calling upon specific skills, but the details of
those skills would be mainly handled by the code.
Most magic systems already work this way, mainly because there's no reason
to suspect that a player knows anything about how to go about casting a
spell. Players simply determine the desired result (cast web at Boffo),
and the rest is left up to the code (how the spell is cast, where to place
the web to have a chance at catching Boffo, Boffo's ability to avoid being
caught, etc).
I guess the level of control demanded by players is determined by the
priority placed upon the action. If most players spend 90% of their
on-line time exchanging swordblows, then they won't mind the awkwardness
of controlling combat blow-by-blow, finding that the 'work' they put into
honing their(the players) skills will be rewarded.
> I think that the combat descriptions should focus more
> on the attack and defense patterns than on the force of the blow like it
> is now. E.g. "The black knight aims for your left arm. You can block the
> blow with your shield but your arm is getting heavy." rather than "The
> black knight annihilates you with his sword."
>
nod. I've always wondered how I could be 'liquified' 30 times and still
standing on my feet. Or that I even had feet after that. Many muds use
very poor verbs in their combat descriptions. Mostly this comes from very
high number of 'hits' with each one doing neglible damage. Perhaps maybe
expanding the notion of 'hit' to include different effects (Not all
sucessful attacks do direct physical damage, but serve to weaken the
victim.). For example, maybe a 'hit' with a club just slows the reaction
time of the recipient, or an arrow damages armor, etc. Here you get into
realistic strengths, where you have to ask yourself "Now what's the chance
I'm only going to get 'nicked' by a battle-axe?"
Gunther - A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Stephen Zepp
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Stephen Zepp
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Jon A. Lambert
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Chris Gray
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
- A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
- A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
- Noise-to-signal ratio Sauron
- Gender specific Marian Griffith
- Gender specific Adam Wiggins
- Gender specific Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Gender specific Marian Griffith
- Gender specific Sauron
- Gender specific Marian Griffith
- Gender specific Derrick Jones
- Gender specific Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Gender specific Mike Sellers
- Gender specific Adam Wiggins
- Gender specific Mike Sellers
- Gender specific Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Gender specific Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Gender specific Cynbe ru Taren
- Eating and sleeping (was: A flamewar startingpoint.) Derrick Jones
- A flamewar startingpoint.y Adam Wiggins
- SUMMARY: Mud Grammar Jon A. Lambert
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
- You, the game of philosophy. JC Lawrence
- You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
- You, the game of philosophy. Richard Woolcock
- You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
- You, the game of philosophy. Richard Woolcock
- You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
- You, the game of philosophy. Richard Woolcock
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
- You, the game of philosophy. Marian Griffith
- You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
- You, the game of philosophy. Matt Chatterley
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. JC Lawrence
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. JC Lawrence
- You, the game of philosophy. Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Vadim Tkachenko
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
- You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
- You, the game of philosophy. Chris Gray
- You, the game of philosophy. Stephen Zepp
- You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
- Dynamic room descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Naming and descriptions (was Introductions and descriptions) Mike Sellers
- Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions Marian Griffith
- Introductions and descriptions Sauron
- Introductions and descriptions Marian Griffith
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Chris Gray
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Maddy
- Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
- Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
- Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Maddy
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Maddy
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
- Introductions and descriptions Jon A. Lambert
- Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and descriptions Brandon J. Rickman
- Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
- Introductions and descriptions Vadim Tkachenko
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and descriptions Maddy
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and Derrick Jones
- Introductions and Marian Griffith
- Introductions and Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and Marian Griffith
- Introductions and Sauron
- Introductions and Marian Griffith
- Introductions and Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and Marian Griffith
- Introductions and Mike Sellers
- Introductions and Brandon J. Rickman
- Introductions and Mike Sellers
- Introductions and Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and Adam Wiggins
- Introductions and Matt Chatterley
- Introductions and Mike Sellers
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and Jon A. Lambert
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Introductions and Maddy
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- Introductions and coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and Ling
- Introductions and coder@ibm.net
- Introductions and Richard Woolcock
- mud time (A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Nostalgy (A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Matt Chatterley
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Adam Wiggins
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Derrick Jones
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Marian Griffith
- Communication [was Introductions and..] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- requests Marian Griffith
- more requests Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Adam Wiggins
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Felix A. Croes
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Felix A. Croes
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Maddy
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Stephen Zepp
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ling
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ling
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Vadim Tkachenko
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Chris Gray
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Adam Wiggins
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ling
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Stephen Zepp
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Stephen Zepp
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
- Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
- Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
- Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
- fwd: Erasmatron Revs up Interactive Fiction Brandon J. Rickman
- Q: What are the coolest thief skills people have seen? coder@ibm.net
- Lots of things about me (long) Ling
- OT: my web pages Marian Griffith
- Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Ling
- Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Derrick Jones
- Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Michael Hohensee
- Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Chris Gray
- Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Chris Gray
- (Java, applets,) forests and ecologies. Marian Griffith
- Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Ling
- Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Adam Wiggins
- Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Chris Gray
- Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Richard Woolcock
- Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) coder@ibm.net
- ... forests and ecologies. Mike Sellers
- ... forests and ecologies. Jon A. Lambert
- ... forests and ecologies. coder@ibm.net
- Java Chris Gray