Triggers

[Marauder Moe]

[Derail from the topic in the New Player Questions forum because we veterans really should not be having discussions there]

Don't we have some rules/taboo against automating your character's actions? 

I know we have this: http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,43053.0.html

Do/should scripted combat reactions fall into that category?

[RogueGunslinger]

No. None of the things listed in that thread fall into that category. This distinction is VERY clear by morgenes:

Using scripts and triggers in your client to automate frustrating tasks is ok, so long as it is to allow you more time to role play during them.  It is NOT ok to automate actions and walk away from the terminal, or otherwise stop interacting with the game except for your script/triggers.

[Marauder Moe]

I dunno, I kinda felt that was things like crafting or changing outfits. 

While indeed combat reactions aren't walk-away-from-the-keyboard automation, it doesn't seem like they count as a "frustrating" tasks where scripting is permitted either.

[RogueGunslinger]

Are you talking about using disengage to automatically stop from accidentally murdering you sparring buddy. Or the standing whenever bashed stuff?


That's all fine too, in my opinion. Anything that helps soften the hindrance of the UI so that players aren't quitting the game whenever they do something that their characters definitely wouldn't do (laying on the ground taking a beating when you're perfectly capable of standing up being an example.) is more than just okay, it's almost a requirement for some things.


I don't use any scripts. Because I've been playing the game fore years and years that way. I know all the little thing you can accidental do to get yourself or others killed. I have the OOC experiance of seeing someone do those things multiple times, so that I now check to make sure I don't do them. I've lost characters to some of those things that could have been automated. I don't really care if someone doesn't want to get into a bunch of trouble over a simple syntax issue.

[Marauder Moe]

Well, auto-disengage certainly seems harmless.  Auto standing... seems like it might give you a bit of an edge (though not much with the current code).

I am honestly conflicted/uncertain about what's permitted/fair in this regard.

[Withered Ocotillo]

I've considered the application of scripts for combat scenarios in Armageddon MUD a couple of times, and in both cases I came to the conclusion that combat scripts are actually more of a hindrance than benefit because of the dynamic scenarios you get placed in.

More often you will fare better in a given scenario, even if surprised, if you read the context of what just happened to your character, and then react accordingly. A script that automatically makes you flee when attacked could send you off a cliff, or get you lost in a sandstorm, or script-bounce you into a series of script-flees if you keep running into adjacent rooms with aggro enemies, leaving you completely confused as to what is going on while the script takes over.

Scripts that make you stand when bashed are of no value since the game won't let you stand up until the coded recovery lag has worn off. In general, scripts that try to make your character capable of acting faster than a human's reflexes at the keyboard are of little to no advantage. What small advantage you do gain in some scenarios may end up being disadvantages in others.

The best thing you can do to optimize your efficiency in combat is to familiarize yourself with combat echos you might expect to see against your character, and plan in advance for what you might do in that scenario (since they can be so dynamic).

Having reliable aliases that you are intimately familiar with (so you can remember them during stress) are also very helpful. I.e. typing "tt" to draw one weapon setup, "ff" to draw a different weapon, "rr" to sheathe a weapon, etc. I personally like typing two characters that repeat themselves, for super quick response time with the keyboard. I'm not personally a big fan of CTRL key combinations or function keys - the Armageddon MUD in-game alias command is quicker than any MUD client key-combination I've used.

[hyzhenhok]

Agree with Ocotillo. The stand-after-bashed trigger particularly doesn't strike me as a big deal when you can put your position in your prompt and color code the words.