Code changes to the Labyrinth

[Flaming Ocotillo]

I was thinking how it might be a good idea to tweak the code regarding how 'rinth NPCs function in the labyrinth. Zagren announced that he was looking for all sorts of NPC write-ups for the 'rinth, but I don't think the 'rinth envrionment, as it stands now, can really be looked at as anything more than a battleground. Not because of PC behavior which makes it "unfriendly", which it certainly should be, but because nearly all of the 'rinth NPCs are coded to be in the same "clan". This generally results in a "NPC vs PC" war which does a good job of shattering the suspension of disbelief that NPCs are no different from players.

Example:

You are walking in the labyrinth and some elven rogue tries to backstab you. You run away from the rogue and then decide to catch your breath in an abandoned building. After some resting time, you decide to move to the other side of the 'rinth. On your way there, you pass a child and a prostitute just as that same elven rogue attempts to backstab you from the shadows, having tracked you down. The child and the prostitute immediately charge at you with death on their minds, siding with the elf and trying everything in their power to see you die while assisting this elven hero.

You escape. You run into a dirty dwarf who tells you he's being chased by a mob of unlikely people banding together, who all want him dead, led by a man with a sap in his hand. Women, children, elves and dwarves all want him murdered because someone tried to mug him and he managed to escape. Suddenly you feel a kinship with this dirty dwarf. Like you, he has seen inexplicable aggression in all living people who reside in the 'rinth. The logical choice: ally with him against these people. These crazy people who feel an OOC kinship because of their coded clan status.

By the end of the day, you are 2 PCs against the world.. bonded by your PC status.. hated for your PC status. It's the classic story of the Labyrinth of Allanak.

Another example of some coded 'rinth issues that could use some tweaking:

You're slinking carefully in the alleys of the 'rinth.. trying to keep to yourself with your stealthy elven footsteps. Everything looks quiet. You keep on moving, and then you hear the sudden scrape of a boot behind you, instinct causing you to whirl around and dodge the sap aimed at your head. Suddenly the two exits to this alley are blocked off by tough looking thugs who also step out of the shadows. The three man NPC mob was waiting in ambush! But wait, there were -also- two NPC elves who were standing there, roasting meat, minding their own business, who immediately take sides with the muggers because of their NPC blood. The elves throw down their meat sticks and draw their weapons. It's now three on one with all exits blocked.

Raising your weapons up in front of your face, you prepare for the three man fight.. only to see a hunchbacked old man rush into the alley from the east exit, to come to the aid of his NPC-blooded companions. It's now four on one with both exits blocked, with six foes waiting to see you fall dead.

You die. The end.

How come if you're a group of three PCs going around mobbing people, the NPCs don't rush to your aid, but instead rush to their NPC brothers' assistance?

That 'rinth-clan marker for 'rinth NPCs needs to be done away with.

Then we can party down with some cool NPCs and cooler in-game RP inside the Labyrinth.

[Zagren]

Some of your concerns have already been addressed and I'd made the changes earlier on this week and they'll be going in 'live' tomorrow. Things shouldn't be as nasty come Sat night for people who actually wanna live in there, but they'll still remain fairly nasty to people who really shouldn't be slumming around.

I'm also working on some nifty clan code for the rinth, which will further reinforce some of the atmosphere in the rinth...and work fully on a 'reap what you sow' basis. Dorks and random alley killers will notice no difference and will die like flies as they should. People with a brain should be able to figure out the 'rules' pretty quickly, like many have figured out the current ones.

Those of you that are slower on the uptake - just dress in crap and don't pick fights needlessly and you'll be fine.