Instead of the approach code

[Morrolan]

This morning I was thinking, since the idea of the approach code has all sorts of inherent complexities, is there a way to capture some of the advantages in a simpler system?

What if there were a brief lag in front of the "kill command" and there was a semote when you type it?

Code Select Expand

>Kill malik (or Bash malik, or kick malik, or any of the commands that begin combat)

The average, pale man attacks the tall, muscular man!
[wait]
[wait]
[wait for it]
The average, pale man swings at the tall muscular man and whiffs.


I am thinking maybe a 2-4 second delay, or maybe working off some offense-related skill, stat, or a combination of the two.

Here is my idea for it:

2 second base delay

+

Between 0 and 1 seconds based on character move rate

+

Between 0 and 1 seconds based on some offensive value

Now, here is the beauty of it: since combat would be initiated at the "kill" command instead of the first swing, if the victim tried to flee, the attacker would get a free attack attempt tested vs. the fleeing skill.

Why is this worthwhile? Because:

• It relegates the hidden insta-attack more fully to those who have hidden attacks.
• It adds a little space for RP or emoting to the beginning of combat for those interested
• It allows people who are being openly charged at to have a moment to draw a weapon
• It has some of the advantages of the approach code idea, but lacks the inherent complexity of mapping relative locations

So there it is. A basic idea. Is there a way to improve it without adding coding complexity?

Edit (added bolding)to make a point clear that was apparently missed by some readers.

[Gunnerblaster]

This is how I see this being terribly flawed.

Code Select Expand

>Kill malik

The average, pale man attacks the tall, muscular man!

[wait]

The tall, muscular man walks west.

You do not see that here.

Think Doh!

If the 'combat mode' has already been activated as soon as you type 'kill <target>', here is an alternative to how I see it playing out...

Code Select Expand

>Kill malik

The average, pale man attacks the tall, muscular man!

[wait]

The tall, muscular man attempts to flee!
The tall, muscular man flees to the west!

Think ...

As it is, it's already pretty easy to flee and escape an attacker, if you're an experienced enough player. Sometimes, I've relied on that opening combat delay (after) to kill whoever I'm chasing down.

[Yam]

When it comes to combat I think emotes can be nice, but they aren't vital, and the code shouldn't be changed to make room for them.

[Bacon]

I could see this being extremely annoying. I'd rather emote it however fitting depending on the situation.

[Karieith]

I'd actually like dual wield combat to slow down a bit so I can emote between stabs/chops/slashes/dickings when I am playing a character that employs dual wield.

[Is Friday]

A change in this way would be the lamest thing ever for Warriors.

Karieith: You're asking for your PC to be less effective at killing things through no fault of your own. You realize that, right?

[Morrolan]

I could see this being extremely annoying. I'd rather emote it however fitting depending on the situation.

Sometimes the attacker emotes. Sometimes they do not.  Players need to make a decision as to whether that will decrease their chances of a clean kill (but only in PvP, most days). Whereas, if the pre-lag was balanced out by a shortening of the lag after a "kill" command (not unreasonable), then it would not degrade warriors [edit--save for the aforementioned warning that someone is charging at you across a dune with a bone sword raised high, instead of the nearly instantaneous pseudo-teleport]. It would, however, increase the relative lethality of sneakies. Those with the "hide" skill would be able to launch attacks with a semote as warning, and only players with "scan" would see it coming.

[Bacon]

Still don't like it. I don't see why the assumed distance always has to favor the victim when escape is easier than stopping someone from getting away already.

[Bacon]

You want the code to say (always) that when someone is in a room and someone else enters, it's like this:
Victim in the room, Attacker enters from east.
_______________________________
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                 A  |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|  V                                                 |
|_____________________________  |

When it could just as easily be like this:


_______________________________
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                 A  |
|                                                 V  |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|                                                     |
|_____________________________  |

There's absolutely no reason that the code should always say it is the first one over the second one favoring the potential victim all the time. Especially when in pvp, for -most- characters that would be outside, it's pretty easy to get away as it is if that's all you want to do.

[MeTekillot]

[Timetwister]

Could always do a a code with no rooms. It's been done before. God Wars 2 not only uses the most advanced combat system I've ever seen but also uses a grid system for movement. It would work pretty well in an RPI too.

[BlackMagic0]

I personally think we should just leave things the way they are right now.

[BleakOne]

I agree with Jean Luc Picard punching Darth Vader.

[BlackMagic0]

I agree with Jean Luc Picard punching Darth Vader.

I am way more of a Star Wars fan over Star Trek, but this avatar was too funny not to keep. Haha.
Plus Picard is my favorite captain outta any in ST.

[Synthesis]

intra-room grid

[Yam]

The gold standard argument of Armageddon

[Synthesis]

"If they dare to come out in the open field and spam-charge us, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the ability to insta-flee. Having behind us the ability to then spam-run back to civilization, we shall answer their demands for an intra-room grid by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of playerkillers this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify PvP upon an intra-room grid."

--William Jennings Amos

[brytta.leofa]

I think this is a cheap and elegant substitute for intra-room grid, especially if it takes into account indoor/outdoor/room capacity.  But if you're making melee attacks harder you should probably make flee harder, too.  (Which was just done, a bit?)

I suspect the real balance shift here is warriors vs. mages.

[roughneck]

I was surprised to see this suggested. I have never found myself wanting this kind of thing. I have wanted the opposite sort of thing though: chase code that allows you to automatically follow someone when they flee.

[Synthesis]

I was surprised to see this suggested. I have never found myself wanting this kind of thing. I have wanted the opposite sort of thing though: chase code that allows you to automatically follow someone when they flee.

It keeps being suggested because people keep getting instagibbed by people running in from another room and attacking before they can react.

[Bacon]

I was surprised to see this suggested. I have never found myself wanting this kind of thing. I have wanted the opposite sort of thing though: chase code that allows you to automatically follow someone when they flee.

It keeps being suggested because people keep getting instagibbed by people running in from another room and attacking before they can react.

And people do that because other people keep walking out of the room the instant someone else enters. It's a vicious cycle.

[Synthesis]

I was surprised to see this suggested. I have never found myself wanting this kind of thing. I have wanted the opposite sort of thing though: chase code that allows you to automatically follow someone when they flee.

It keeps being suggested because people keep getting instagibbed by people running in from another room and attacking before they can react.

And people do that because other people keep walking out of the room the instant someone else enters. It's a vicious cycle.

Which brings us back to why this idea keeps coming up.

[Bacon]

I was surprised to see this suggested. I have never found myself wanting this kind of thing. I have wanted the opposite sort of thing though: chase code that allows you to automatically follow someone when they flee.

It keeps being suggested because people keep getting instagibbed by people running in from another room and attacking before they can react.

And people do that because other people keep walking out of the room the instant someone else enters. It's a vicious cycle.

Which brings us back to why this idea keeps coming up.

And why this idea shouldn't be implemented unless something else is done at the same time to prevent it from happening from the other end of the cycle. Personally, I'm fine with the way it is now. It's already hard enough for a single pc to take out another single pc without the use of poisons, etc as it's so easy for potential victims to get away. They don't need things swung farther into their favor.

[brytta.leofa]

It's half of a good solution.  Make walking/running/riding away initiate a "chase"--the aggressor follows the victim and can't be unhitched.  The outcome is determined by relative movement speed, stamina, and/or ranged attacks...as it should be.

Combat wimps should survive by buying a fast mount, not by counting on their ability to run away on foot from 82% of all random encounters.

[MeTekillot]

you shouldn't be able to unhitch someone who is shadowing you

that is the twinkiest shit