NPCs with "mercy on"

[Rhyden]

Time and time again, I've seen PCs die unnecessarily to little code mix-ups and die at the hands of NPCs.

Why don't the majority of NPCs inside cities have "mercy on"? Is it possible for NPCs to have mercy on in order to prevent any more future accidents?

This would be most useful for soldiers and clan NPCs in their respectful areas. The next time when someone makes a small coded mistake and 10 NPCs jump them, then knock them out within 5 seconds flat, that unlucky PC will be spared when the NPCs' "mercy on" kicks in.

Anyone else for toggling the majority of NPCs with "mercy on"?

[MeTekillot]

I've experienced NPCs with mercy on.

They usually re-attack you after you get to 1hp and keep you mortal-locked at negative hp.

[Hot_Dancer]

Interesting concept.. can't you just type 'die' to leave your ..mortal lockingness?

[Nyr]

Why don't the majority of NPCs inside cities have "mercy on"?

Because mercy on doesn't stop you from getting ganked if you typo, lose link, lag, or do something stupid, and assigning this value to specific NPCs across a broad swath of the game (yet not all of the game) would be time-consuming and difficult.  It "might" help.  It is easier to adjust things playerside instead.

Is it possible for NPCs to have mercy on in order to prevent any more future accidents?

No, and again, I would disagree with your assumption that it would prevent future accidents.

[Lithium]

Is there anything else that can be done code-wise to resolve this issue?

I mean, it's a bit much when you see:

Code Select Expand

The tall, muscular man attempts to subdue the slender woman, but fails.
A half-giant soldier arrives from the north.
A half-giant soldier arrives from the north.
A half-giant soldier hits the tall, muscular man solidly in the head.
The tall, muscular man's eyes roll up into the back of his head.
The tall, muscular man crumples to the ground.

The half-giant soldier hits the tall, muscular man's head, doing frightening damage.

The half-giant soldier hits the tall, muscular man's head, doing frightening damage.

The half-giant soldier hits the tall, muscular man's head, doing frightening damage.
*beep*

If there could be some kind of code fix to prevent NPCs from continuing to kill PCs after they were knocked out, at the very least, I would be happy.

[Nyr]

nosave arrest

[RogueGunslinger]

Just remember that fleeing the grasp of a soldier turns it off.

[Fragmented]

Having just caused a PC to die to NPC soldiers, because said PC left a piece of code active by mistake, I can say I would certainly beg that something to be done to give a little gap to how quickly a pc can be killed.

I know the game is supposed to be harsh, but this was truly just a sad, sad waste.

If it's not feasible or efficient to turn mercy on for all npcs, then I'd ask something else be done. If this has already been researched, and there's no fix available.. well, ugh. Sorry, I just feel sick to see a PC wasted like that. Especially because of me.

[Nyr]

Deaths caused by link-loss, lag, typos, the
callousness of other players, and rampant stupidity do NOT fall into the
category of exceptional circumstances.

That may seem callous of us to put it that way, but we do have it as a policy.

[Rhyden]

If it's not feasible or efficient to turn mercy on for all npcs, then I'd ask something else be done. If this has already been researched, and there's no fix available.. well, ugh. Sorry, I just feel sick to see a PC wasted like that. Especially because of me.

I can totally relate, having done this accidentally before in the past. It really, really, really sucks.

I'm sure several other leaders can relate too, when your NPC guard begins killing some PC and continues to kill said PC despite trying to get them to flee, or disengage, or stop.

All I'm asking for is to have NPCs not automatically kill PCs to avoid these kind of mix ups. And if that's not possible, perhaps some kind of command that leaders can use to force their NPCs to hold those needless killing blows.

[Yam]

Can't you order npc disengage or order npc mercy on if you're capable of it? I seem to remember being able to do that but it was a long time ago and I can't remember for sure.

[MeTekillot]

You can order your NPCs to turn mercy on if you're able to command them.

[Nyr]

You can order your NPCs to turn mercy on if you're able to command them.

This is untrue, at least on some scripts.

perhaps some kind of command that leaders can use to force their NPCs to hold those needless killing blows.

It's possible that we could toggle that as something that could be ordered.  People would still complain that they forgot to order an NPC to mercy on, or complain if they failed to revive someone that had gotten beaten down into the negatives, but we can look into it.

[Ghaati111]

You can order your NPCs to turn mercy on if you're able to command them.

This is untrue, at least on some scripts.

perhaps some kind of command that leaders can use to force their NPCs to hold those needless killing blows.

It's possible that we could toggle that as something that could be ordered.  People would still complain that they forgot to order an NPC to mercy on, or complain if they failed to revive someone that had gotten beaten down into the negatives, but we can look into it.

A suggestion to that end:

If the guard is "automatically" on guard duty (such as soldier NPCs who are programmed to auto-attack a criminal), then perhaps they could have mercy on be set as a default. And it could be togglable by whoever is authorized to command them, such as a templar, or senior Militia officer, for example. That way, they -will- still attack if you do something stupid, but you have a better chance of surviving to explain your stupidity to the authorities. AND..that way, the authorities can ensure that you don't live to tell anyone else about it, because they can still order the killing blow by toggling the guard's mercy off. So it would be intentional, rather than circumstantial.

It doesn't prevent you from getting killed because your defense just really suck that bad or there are too many NPC soldiers all attacking you at once. But it does provide a wider window of survivability and potential for RP rather than instadeath.

[Nyr]

assigning this value to specific NPCs across a broad swath of the game (yet not all of the game) would be time-consuming and difficult

[Bacon]

I don't think it's a big deal. It makes you learn to pay attention to what you're doing and you can avoid being killed by soldiers and guards in most cases very easily. I think I've been killed by soldiers twice, once over my own ignorance of the game code, and the other because of a keyword mistake. I've had a lot of characters too.

[Talia]

Leaders who are in a position to possibly get other PCs killed due to carelessness or lack of knowledge about the crim code should, simply put, be more careful. I've seen it happen numerous times (due to the actions of other players), but to be honest when I have played a leader who could have gotten PCs killed I managed not to, by being scrupulously careful. It sucks when it does happen, but all you really need to remember is that if there are ANY NPC soldiers (or same-clan NPCs) within a one-room radius, and you take ANY kind of aggressive action toward another PC (yes, subdue is an aggressive action) then you are risking their PC's life.

[Jingo]

I would be sorely disappointed if resurrections weren't given for these sorts of mistakes.

[Jeshin]

They are not.

[Jingo]

Lame.

[Talia]

Death                                                              (Newbie)

   When characters die in Armageddon MUD, there is no resurrection. Only if
at least two senior staff members agree that the death occurred directly as
the result of some major bug, or other exceptional circumstances, can the
character be resurrected.  Deaths caused by link-loss, lag, typos, the
callousness of other players, and rampant stupidity do NOT fall into the
category of exceptional circumstances.

[BleakOne]

By 'bug' I assume it's meant such weird stuff as NPCs with infinite health for no reason, rooms that insta-kill you when they shouldn't, ect. And not NPCs bashing your head in for sparring in the wrong zone.

[Jingo]

Death                                                              (Newbie)

   When characters die in Armageddon MUD, there is no resurrection. Only if
at least two senior staff members agree that the death occurred directly as
the result of some major bug, or other exceptional circumstances, can the
character be resurrected.  Deaths caused by link-loss, lag, typos, the
callousness of other players, and rampant stupidity do NOT fall into the
category of exceptional circumstances.

Yeah, you can draw a hardline just for the sake of drawing a hardline. It doesn't mean there is any reason to it, especially when all parties agree there is a mistake involved.

[Culinary Critic]

Death                                                              (Newbie)

  When characters die in Armageddon MUD, there is no resurrection. Only if
at least two senior staff members agree that the death occurred directly as
the result of some major bug, or other exceptional circumstances, can the
character be resurrected.  Deaths caused by link-loss, lag, typos, the
callousness of other players, and rampant stupidity do NOT fall into the
category of exceptional circumstances.

Yeah, you can draw a hardline just for the sake of drawing a hardline. It doesn't mean there is any reason to it, especially when all parties agree there is a mistake involved.

Not to derail (though it probably will), this hardline is one of the things that I love most about this game.  Yes, losing a cherished character to something stupid is terrible (and sometimes traumatic), but the permadeath aspect is absolutely vital to the realism of this game.  It forces you, the player, to get better and better at understanding the code, the rules and the way the game works.  -This- makes the game better and better, at least as far as I'm concerned, for the rest of the players.  As we play, we learn to emote better, say and talk better, interact better, fight better, craft better, brew better, hunt better, politic better.  Why not stay alive better?

On topic, agree with staff on this one.  Too much effort to put into something that should be a player responsibility.  Learning how to keep your characters (or followers) alive is our ooc perception of their desire to stay alive.

Edited to add: It particularly sucks huge mounds of ass when your actions/inactions result in the death of someone else's character.  The guilt/sorrow I feel at my own characters death is bad enough, but to know that you caused this to someone else?  So much worse.

[Kismetic]

Sometimes, mistakes do happen, just as in real life.  They are sometimes tragic, and it's important to remember that you're actively telling a story, even in your death.

[Talia]

Yeah, you can draw a hardline just for the sake of drawing a hardline. It doesn't mean there is any reason to it, especially when all parties agree there is a mistake involved.

The lines of rules have to go somewhere. Having a line prevents us from consulting our feelings about the deaths of characters, and making decisions about resurrections based on whether we liked a character or the player, whether we need them as a leader, or any other criteria. In short, the rule prevents favoritism and arbitrariness. It provides consistency and clarity of action.

I understand that you don't like the rule, but you are mischaracterizing why the rule is a rule. It's certainly not because staff are powertripping egotists who like to shove rules down players' throats, just 'cause. In fact, rules like this prevent anyone on staff from acting like powertripping egotists.

[Wolfsong]

I have seen, on several occasions, rezzes given when NPCs ganked someone by mistake, though most of those were limited to when clan leaders mixed up kick and dump, or something similar.

[Gunnerblaster]

I fixed this problem.

By not fucking playing in Luirs or Red Storm.

It "might" help.  It is easier to adjust things playerside instead.

*fixed playerside*

[jstorrie]

I have seen, on several occasions, rezzes given when NPCs ganked someone by mistake, though most of those were limited to when clan leaders mixed up kick and dump, or something similar.

The one and only rez I've ever had approved occurred when a player abused clan-code to unreasonably aggro the gate guards of a T'zai Byn compound on my dude (a liveried templarate messenger who was there to deliver a message to some Lieutenant, IIRC.) Complex situations like this are, to my understanding, always case-by-case, and resurrections are to be considered a discretionary courtesy, not a right.