Falling off Silt Skimmers.

[Saellyn]

I don't mind the silt sea being dangerous.
The only thing I do not think actually adds anything to the game is the greatest danger coming from lag or a typo of the pilot.

So I say that the chance to fall off the skimmer while standing just doesn't make much sense to me.
It almost feels like a forgotten and ill designed piece of code kept around more because staff just don't care about the silt sea and adventuring on it.
(I could be wrong on that end because I have never seen how fleshed out the silt sea is mostly because of my hatred of the code)

I've never seen a silt horror tentacle, much less a silt horror xD

[Semper]

I think the risks are appropriate for the setting.

In response to the OP, if you are so worried about a pilot making a mistake, why not just be the pilot yourself? You also put your character in the same danger following a leader while travelling the Known. There's plenty enough stories of Byn units riding off the Shield wall, so it's happened before that human error has led to the death/injury of others. All apart of Zalanthan life I say.

[Forget what I wrote here. I was too tired to write everything that I wanted to say about this topic.]

[number13]

It's nice there's an uber dangerous part of the game that is expensive and usually lethal to explore.

It's not so nice if the primary danger comes from pratfalls.

[Bilanthri]

The primary -accidental- danger comes from said pratfalls. There's plenty of honest-to-goodness danger out in the Sea of Eternal Dust.

[Cindy42]

A wood-framed submarine with glass windows and sandcloth walls. more expensive version; more wood than sandcloth. no one would fall out, until a silt horror, in the intelligent and cunning way that coded animals in any game act, repeatedly bangs its head on the sub until it breaks, leaving the equivalent of a silt skimmer you could fall off of.

unfortunately since the submarine was invented within the last few hundred years (don't know) it seems a bit too high-tech.

onwards, unbelievably unreliable craft, to our deaths!

[Sephiroto]

Once this issue becomes a priority, maybe the staff will work on changing it.  I'd wager they could fix it if they had the time and energy to do it.

So, I have an idea.  Why doesn't everyone who wants a code change go to Red Storm, buy a skimmer, and pilot around until people fall overboard.  If you keep the app queue filled to the brim with new requests for Skimmer Captains and crew members, then maybe staff will get tired of dealing with all those apps and change the code to include some safety features (code fixes) to skimmers.

Or, you could just ignore the Silt Sea altogether because it's big, nasty, deadly, and bodes no return.  What does everyone think is out there?  A rainbow with a pot of gold at the end?

[Morgenes]

This is something I specifically added to add an element of danger to be standing up while riding on skimmers.  I am still not convinced to remove it. 

Note that the majority of the time when moving while standing you will be forced to sit into the skimmer.  It's only a critical fail chance to fall overboard.

So, if you don't like it, don't use the code.

[janeshephard]

Or, you could just ignore the Silt Sea altogether because it's big, nasty, deadly, and bodes no return.  What does everyone think is out there?  A rainbow with a pot of gold at the end?

I would roll a mundane Silt Sea adventurer if I thought it was doable. It just seems like a big death trap to me though so the effort isn't worth it.

In two years of play I can't say I've seen a lot of IC interest in exploring the Silt Sea. Just seems like a waste.

[number13]

. It just seems like a big death trap to me though so the effort isn't worth it.

The entire game is a big death trap.  And it is a good thing that certain parts of the game are even more of a death trap.  Exploring the INSANELY DANGEROUS area X should be something that feels like an accomplishment.

I've no idea how common pratfalls from silt skimmers really are, but from Morgenes's post I'm starting to wonder if the premise of this thread isn't overblown. If tripping over the edge is really, really common, then simply adjusting the chances of critical failure would be enough.  One out of a hundred seems pretty reasonable to me; one out of two much less so.

[Synthesis]

Basically it sounds like the "fallin' overboard" code is there because 'pilot' (I suspect) can be used as an autoflee out of combat, thus negating the flee skill and bypassing the reel and combat command-lag code, thereby rendering the nasties somewhat less nasty.

Thus, the "fallin' overboard" code forces the captain to make a choice:  if your first mate is reeled and dying do you a) remain stationary and hope your HG lands a killing blow in the next round, at the risk of the silt horror striking first and killing your homie or b) pilot away from the horror and risk someone falling overboard?

In that sort of "rock, paper, scissors" context, it makes sense, I suppose.

[Potaje]

Basically it sounds like the "fallin' overboard" code is there because 'pilot' (I suspect) can be used as an autoflee out of combat, thus negating the flee skill and bypassing the reel and combat command-lag code, thereby rendering the nasties somewhat less nasty.

Thus, the "fallin' overboard" code forces the captain to make a choice:  if your first mate is reeled and dying do you a) remain stationary and hope your HG lands a killing blow in the next round, at the risk of the silt horror striking first and killing your homie or b) pilot away from the horror and risk someone falling overboard?

In that sort of "rock, paper, scissors" context, it makes sense, I suppose.

The question is, does  -pilot- disengage your homie when he is locked into combat, or does it leave the homie in the clutches of the beasty and thus tosses him over board as you ferry the skimmer and the rest of the crew which might not of stood up, away.

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down. Once in combat you character is locked to the opponent unless they themselves flee (?)

?= this is the questionable part, and is posed as how the code work in general in other areas of the game.

[X-D]

Blah, Just make it so if a nasty is in the room you simply cannot move the skimmer, There, all problems solved without a silly DT style bit of code.

Code Select Expand

pilot north
Your skimmer is bogged down under the weight of big nasty..Fool.

BTW, I have taken Morgs advice myself, none of my PCs have ever been on a skimmer and never will be long as making a simple typo, lag or a roll of the dice means instant no possible escape death.

[Synthesis]

Basically it sounds like the "fallin' overboard" code is there because 'pilot' (I suspect) can be used as an autoflee out of combat, thus negating the flee skill and bypassing the reel and combat command-lag code, thereby rendering the nasties somewhat less nasty.

Thus, the "fallin' overboard" code forces the captain to make a choice:  if your first mate is reeled and dying do you a) remain stationary and hope your HG lands a killing blow in the next round, at the risk of the silt horror striking first and killing your homie or b) pilot away from the horror and risk someone falling overboard?

In that sort of "rock, paper, scissors" context, it makes sense, I suppose.

The question is, does  -pilot- disengage your homie when he is locked into combat, or does it leave the homie in the clutches of the beasty and thus tosses him over board as you ferry the skimmer and the rest of the crew which might not of stood up, away.

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down. Once in combat you character is locked to the opponent unless they themselves flee (?)

?= this is the questionable part, and is posed as how the code work in general in other areas of the game.

I think it's pretty logical to assume that there would be no reason for the "falling overboard" code to be implemented if being currently engaged in combat guaranteed that you would fall overboard if the skimmer moves.  The only practical reason I can see for it to even exist is to add the risk factor to fleeing skimmer-based combat.

[Sephiroto]

An idea:

Skimmer Pilot: alias GTFO shout Everyone hold on to your asses!  I'm pullin' her around!

*Ship goes out to sea.  Danger ensues.

Skimmer Pilot: gtfo ! !

*wait 5 seconds as people sit or fail to take heed

Skimmer pilot:  pilot <direction>

[brytta.leofa]

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down.

Let folks sit down while in combat, at the risk of getting moar hurted.

[Potaje]

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down.

Let folks sit down while in combat, at the risk of getting moar hurted.

I suppose you hg on board could knock the engaged party down.

Pilot shouts back along the skimmer is silty-accented gibberish " Yo, Big-un, grab hold of Amos, I'm get'n da feck out of here!"

One-eyed HG silt-pirate says is silty-accented gibberish, while charging towards the Thin fella fighting a silt beasty " Arrrrrr, Cap'n, Pilot Sir"

The skimmer shifts and tilts from side to side, nearly tossing folks into the silt as the hg gets close enough to sweep a massive arm into the Thin fella, knocking him down on deck, himself standing proud for a quick job.

suddenly, the sails snap ridged as whira's breath fills them and the hg stumbles towards the edge of the skimmer, making a mad attempt to sit quickly, but finding himself tangled as the nose of the skimmer is drawn up and he takes a spring boarded dive off the back and into the silt.

[Gunnerblaster]

Let folks sit down while in combat, at the risk of getting moar hurted.

Or you could, you know... Try bashing it? I mean, if you don't have the skill - You're 90% likely to miss and end up in the sitting position.

[Synthesis]

Did you just suggest bashing a silt horror from within a silt skimmer?  I hope you were joking, but sadly, from some of the shit I've witnessed recently, I know full well there's a possibility that you are in fact serious.

Note to noobs: don't do this.

Actually, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were dire consequences associated with failure of such a maneuver, but perhaps Morgenes is less malevolent with his approach to code than I would be.

[Thunkkin]

A silt horror nimbly dodges your bash!
A silt horror opens its giant maw and you go tumbling inside!

In a Dark Belly [U, Save]
It is very dark here and smells like rotten oysters smeared on ass. There's really no air and everything is dissolving in stomach acids.
A grey soapstone pebble is here.
A few blocky pieces of dark stone are here.

[jstorrie]

Not only should silt horrors be able to swallow you, but PCs should be able to hack their way out from the inside, D&D stylez.

[Kismetic]

Not only should silt horrors be able to swallow you, but PCs should be able to hack their way out from the inside, D&D stylez.

Like the scene where everyone's standing there after the beast is killed, and they're all sad that their favorite stump just got eaten.  Then, right before the horror falls below the silt, you see something beating on the flesh.  And then the stump busts their way out (after a successful strength roll), covered in 'goo,' like, "<joke of the week>, guys!"

Good ol' DnD.

[Gunnerblaster]

Did you just suggest bashing a silt horror from within a silt skimmer?  I hope you were joking, but sadly, from some of the shit I've witnessed recently, I know full well there's a possibility that you are in fact serious.

I was dead serious.

But, then again, I've never even ridden on a silt skimmer before so I guess my advice probably isn't the best to be taken

[Blur]

Exploration: Because your character's stats sucked anyways.




"For Krath's sakes, Amos! Stick to the plan! Stop dancing with the beast's tentacle and just bash his ass down already!!"

[Kismetic]

"For Krath's sakes, Amos! Stick to the plan! Stop dancing with the beast's tentacle and just bash his ass down already!!"

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

[EldritchOrigins]

If the game crashes while a skimmer is out in deep silt, do the occupants die when they re-enter the game?