Dehydration code.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Has anybody else noticed that the dehydration code progresses WAY too fast?  In not even 2 IC days went from not needing water to having lost nearly half my hit-points to dehydration.

In RL it takes about a week to die of dehydration.  If this is somehow different on Zalanthas, it should mention this in the documentation somewhere.

[Tlaloc]

You also have to remember that, on Zalanthas, your average daily temperature is somewhere in the neighborhood of 130-150 degrees, farenheight. Speaking as someone who's dealt with 100+ degree weather (not even -close- to 140) for months at a time, I think its safe to say you would dehydrate MUCH quicker on Zalanthas than you would on Earth. It doesn't take long, at all, in hot, dry weather to completely dehydrate you.

I'd say two days isn't bad, all things considered. Also, remember, that if you spend alot of time inside, this dehydration time is typically dramatically reduced - something I'm actually not certain about. I would like to see more of a dehydration affect happen when you're inside. I mean, its not like Zalanthas has airconditioning or anything.

-Tlaloc

[The Lonely Hunter]

I mean, its not like Zalanthas has airconditioning or anything.
-Tlaloc

And we find yet another use for the Whirans!

[Anonymous]

I think it takes 3-4 days to die of dehydration in  a temperate environment.  I am willing to bet that the death rate in the Sahara in the middle of the day is something far less.  I don't see how someone could start a day without water and last much more than 24 hours, not with the rate at which moisture is being pulled from your system.

The good side about dying to dehydration in the desert is that you have plenty of places to release your diarrhea and all the sand in the world to cover it.

Personally though, I think that your immobility gets put in far too quick.  I'd really like to see, and I know this is one of those things where the ROI for the coding isn't worth it, a fourth walk rate implemented, crawl.  With a huge delay leaving a room and a normal stamina loss, but you could continue to crawl even at 0 movement.

Also throw in a huge penalty if an npc aggros after you.

Well, if you crawled, I wouldn't imagine it taking the same amount of stamina, since you are going much slower. Though crawling can be pretty difficult.

[Sandferret]

Once upon a time I was in a small town in Arizona. On one end of the town. Since I cannot drive, I was stuck to walking or begging to get anywhere. But I digress....

I walked slowly, without hurry, for an hour and a half in a 103 F heat. The dehydration hit about ten minutes away from my destination. I was shivering, it felt very cold out there. I was seeing yellow and black spots. With just a few minutes to go, I had to stop by a gas station to buy something to drink. I truly felt that I would not make that short distance without passing out. From the expression on the face of the attendant, I probably looked as ghastly as I felt.

It would take longer to die, but not all that long to be in an incoherent state or even lose consciousnes or mobility. In the scorching heat, fluid leaves pretty fast.

How long a dried up person survives is another thing. I think those 3 or 4 days are counted from the last time the person drank, not from the dehydration symptoms?

As for Zalanthas, I would assume that the people there are aclimatized and it is no hotter to them that hot is for us. Maybe even less.

[Angela Christine]

Personally though, I think that your immobility gets put in far too quick.  I'd really like to see, and I know this is one of those things where the ROI for the coding isn't worth it, a fourth walk rate implemented, crawl.  With a huge delay leaving a room and a normal stamina loss, but you could continue to crawl even at 0 movement.

That would be cool.  You would still be SOL if you were in the middle of the desert when dehydration set in, but not if you were near a water source.  Once your stamina hits 0 you start losing health, so you could still die of dehydration if you weren't able to crawl to water before you passed out.  

I once got stuck on the steps of the water selling temple in 'nak, unable to make that final step into the temple and my kank not allowed to carry me inside.  Another time I ran out of stamina right outside the vineyard up north, so close to the tavern I could nearly taste it.  Once you are that close you might get lucky and have someone notice your plight and help you, or you might not.  The drama of the situation is erroded by spending time idle, staring at the monitor waiting for either a boost of stamina to allow you to take those last steps, or a slow, slow death to finally free you to go do something else.  It can take hours to resolve the situation, unable to move or act, just stuck.  

Crawlling would also help for those Saturdays when you are still on when they call 10 minutes to shut down, but you are exhasted and unable to get to a quit room.    Or the times when some RL person inconsiderately wants you to get off the computer, but you are exhasted and unable to get to a quit room.  Outdoors on hot days, it can take a long, long time to regen even 20 stamina points, being able to crawl slowly would be better than just sitting there.

Good idea.

Angela Christine

[Quirk]

"Not a long death - even for the very strongest a second day in summer was all - but very painful; for thirst was an active malady; a fear and panic which tore at the brain and reduced the bravest man to a stumbling babbling maniac in an hour or two; and then the sun killed him."

- T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom

(and there exist hotter deserts than Lawrence travelled in).

[Kronus]

The good side about dying to dehydration in the desert is that you have plenty of places to release your diarrhea and all the sand in the world to cover it.

Just as a side note, diarrhea is a cause of dehydration, not an effect. In wilderness settings (like Zalanthas!), it usually happens that someone drinks contaminated water and the body starts trying to flush itself of the contaminants.
In normal, infection-free situations (like Zalanthas!), chronic (or long-term) dehydration results in everything up to an including painful constipation, as the intenstines suck out every bit of moisture from the waste and there's nothing left to keep it sliding along.

Sorry to get off-topic, but if I ever saw someone emoting diarrhea because they haven't had anything to drink for a while, I'd be upset.

[Anonymous]

http://my.webmd.com/content/healthwise/55/13574.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

I'll happily admit to being misinformed, but I've always understood diarrhea to be a sign of dehydration, which is listed as a symptom above.

I'm not a medical professional, and my Mom isn't a nurse.  But I'd count webmd.com as credible.

[Plazgoth]

CRW,
Come on!

It does not make sense at all.
Look here: http://my.webmd.com/content/healthwise/123/30555 does it list dehydration as the cause for diarrhea? Diarrhea can cause dehydration because of fluids leaving the body much quicker then you intake them.
[EDIT] Here is the definition:
Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid. When you stop drinking water or lose large amounts of fluids through diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, or strenuous exercise, your body's cells absorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. When you are not drinking enough fluids, your muscles begin to get tired and you may have leg cramps or feel faint. By the time you become severely dehydrated, there is no longer enough fluid in the body to get blood to the organs, and you may begin to go into shock, which is a life-threatening condition.

[Anonymous]

The page I referenced lists diarrhea as a symptom of dehydration.  I've heard that before.  I'm not drawing a line in the sand over this or anything.

But if it lists diarrhea as a symptom of dehydration then that seems clear enough to me.

[EvilRoeSlade]

If you actually read the sight you've referenced, it says that diarrhea is a CAUSE of dehydration, not a symptom.  But I guess if we're arguing over it its not a very clear sight to begin with.

Am I even typing this?

[Khorm]

Crawling through sand is actually *much* more difficult then you think, especially when loaded down with who knows what. During basic training, I was required to crawl through about 20 yards of sand, and godamn, it sucked. And that was at a time when I was required to drink gallons of water a day, I couldn't imagine doing it while extremely weak/light headed.

[DrunkenSalarr]

During basic training, I was required to crawl through about 20 yards of sand, and godamn, it sucked.

Low or High Crawl?

also, more on topic, another sign of dehydration is if you stop sweating.  Note: If you reach this point, it really sucks (trust me, I know).

DrunkenSalarr, who knows first hand what dehydration is like.

[Meep]

And not only is the risk of dehydration greater in the desert with the sun mercilessly beating down on you, but it increases the chance of heat and sun stroke and heat exhaustion. Especially with no shade. People underestimate the importance of shade (and you are much more likely to find shade in a city than a flat open plain. Even in sweltering conditions, shade is what? 10 degrees cooler?

Anyone who is living in a place surrounded by desert knows how important it is to stay hydrated, either by carrying water or not venturing so far out beyond a source of water that you are unable to return.

I don't find dehydration code that unrealistic, except, I would say if you are in a city, there should be a small amount of stam recovery as opposed to being out in the unshaded, merciless wilderness.