Archery/Throw Skill Improvement Idea

[slipshod]

We all know that there is a delay between the time you 'take aim at your target' and the time your projectile is launched.  During that delay, it's possible for your target to move, and then the code forces you to abort.

I think that if you have a sufficiently high archery or throw skill, and if your target moves into another room which is still within range of your weapon, it should be possible for you to keep a bead trained on them and take the shot, without retargetting and starting again.

Maybe for an added degree of difficulty, you'd need to be 'watching' the target in order to track it and keep your aim.  Of course, this would require you to either first get in the same room as your target to begin watching, or for watch to be changed so you can watch a mobile in the distance.

[Fathi]

Love this idea.

Possibly, regarding the 'watch' aspect, you could still do it if you were watching in the direction your target's standing, and they also move in that direction?

Seems to me like 'watch w' when your target is moving between two rooms that are straight west of you would function a lot like 'watch duskhorn.'

Either way, there are a lot of things that could be done to improve archery, and this is one of them.

[slipshod]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking after I posted originally.  If you're watching in the direction of your target, and they move farther (or closer) along that same direction, you could keep your aim.

Also, if you target a mobile that is in the same room as you, and you are watching it, you should be able to track it in any direction it might move.

or

If you target a mobile in the same room as you, are NOT watching it, but are watching in the direction it happens to move, you can keep your aim on it.

[Synthesis]

As long as the target is moving in a straight line away from you, and is within your bow's range, the idea works.

However, a problem would arise in say, alleyways, where you could be aimed in on someone to the east, who then ducks around a corner to the north.  It wouldn't be reasonable for you to still be able to hit them, since there is now a wall between the two of you.  Given this restriction, the "fix" doesn't really solve much, because PCs already tend to move primarily at right angles away from the archer in PK situations (it's an intuitive tactic).

HOWEVER...magickal effects (if they are ranged in the future) could presumably lock on target and go around corners.  Even if they aren't given a range, they could still extend out of the room after the target if he flees while the spell is being cast.  This might be construed as being a bit overpowerful, though.

[Fathi]

Given this restriction, the "fix" doesn't really solve much, because PCs already tend to move primarily at right angles away from the archer in PK situations (it's an intuitive tactic).

True enough, but I'd also be fairly confident in saying that the majority of archery that takes place on any given day isn't PK-oriented.

[slipshod]

Definately, if the mobile turns a corner, or exceeds the range of the weapon, the target would be lost.  But I don't think that would happen so often that it makes the ability more trouble than it's worth.  Even in PK situations, it would just add another RP element - trying to funnel your target into a narrow pass or dead end so they couldn't duck around a corner, and don't forget the times when you'd want to use throw in the same room as your target, and they just walk one room in any direction.

And then there's the more prevelant scenario I think Fathi was eluding to - hunting NPC animals.  If you stalk your prey and get into a good position to shoot, that clueless grazing whatevermasaur could very likely wander off while you're readying your aim.  You'll still get your shot if they happen to move in a linear way, which they are just as likely to do as to break left or right.  And you could still have the facet, even in solo RP hunting, of chasing the animal into a good location first, or picking your location well.  

And that brings to mind another possibility.  If you get in position on a high dune, or catwalk, or watchtower, or rooftop, you could use this 'bead training' ability to attack any moving target in the area you're overlooking.

[Bogre]

Slipshod's above post is scrumptious.

I don't think it should hold if the target moves in right angles, but adjusting the aim for shorter/farther is a good thing. Especially if it was tied to the watch skill.

[slipshod]

I think it should be an advanced archery skill, perhaps one that branches right off of archery, and a moving target would still be more difficult to hit than a stationary one.  The speed at which the target is moving could also factor in, so it would be more difficult to hit a running target than a walking one.

[flurry]

If it's moving directly toward or away from the shooter, I am all for it and think it's a great idea.  If it's moving in another direction (and it's not clear to me if this is what the OP is suggesting or not), then I'm more skeptical that it would be a good thing.

[Angela Christine]

I think it should be an advanced archery skill, perhaps one that branches right off of archery,

It isn't as big a problem for advanced archer.  At low to moderate skill levels an average person can walk out of range durring the aiming delay.