Wizards' Duel

[Super Mega Defiler]

So you're a magicker with over one thousand days of playtime, with maybe twenty different spells that could completely destroy or disable a PC.  Standing against you is another insanely powerful magicker who quite obviously possesses the same quality of spells.

Say you meet in the desert, with neither one prepared for spellcasting in any other way, and the two of you are hostile.  Your character starts pissing lightning as you do your first pre-casting emote, and the other magicker...burps out a small boulder or something.
Now what do you do?

It's no secret that casting lag is affected by skill percentage, so a stronger magicker would, on average, cast a little faster.  However this pause won't matter if you're already casting the spell while the other magicker has a half-typed emote.  Your character doesn't want to die, but you don't want to win for OOC reasons (because the other magicker emoted more).

So, how do you resolve this situation?

[Tamarin]

cast 'mon demonfire' rock guy

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[corona]

Run away. :shock: hehe

[amoeba]

Your character doesn't want to die, but you don't want to win for OOC reasons (because the other magicker emoted more).

Umm.. huh?

[Delirium]

He means he doesn't want to win just because the other person took longer to emote out the scene - i.e. for an OOC reason, instead of simply being more powerful and being able to cast nastier spells quicker.

[amoeba]

He means he doesn't want to win just because the other person took longer to emote out the scene - i.e. for an OOC reason, instead of simply being more powerful and being able to cast nastier spells quicker.

I understand the language, it's the intent rather I'm a bit perplexed with. I was probably being too obtuse.

My take, mega defiler or not, it's no different than anyone else.  Emotes add flavor and direction to our roleplay.  -Backed- by code.  Superior emoter or not, the winner is the winner.  OOC rational shouldn't apply.  I've yet to see a raptor back off because I out emoted them.

[JohnGalt]

You want my personal opinion?  In matters of life and death, act first, worry about emoting later.

That goes for anything.  Drawing your weapon and attacking, casting that fireball of doom, or fleeing for your life.

[Ghost]

Emoting to point out the power he carries, to me, is like duelists in the anime movies making funny poses before they start fighting.  I always wondered why they do not just attack each other, or, wait until the other one starts to make a funny pose and then jump at him.

Maybe this is related to the original post?

[Forest Junkie]

Anyone who casts without an emote is, to me, a twink who is only worried about the ooc factors of the duel.

The -only- time I would condone simply casting without an emote first is when someone attacks you with no warning or emote at all. Other than that, I feel it is your duty as a player to show respect to the other person behind the keyboard by fleshing out the scene and emoting out your actions after a tense situation has begun.

When I know that I am about to enter a situation where I am going to need to cast in a hurry, I usually set up a macro with an emote or two that allows me to first interact with my opponent, then cast afterwards.

I just feel that I as the player should respect the other guy/gal I'm facing and make the situation a bit more entertaining for them.

No one wants to die to a spam-casted array of spells. That's just pointless, and a stupid way to lose a character, and, IMHO, defeats the purpose of this game as an RPI MUD.

[JohnGalt]

Anyone who casts without an emote is, to me, a twink who is only worried about the ooc factors of the duel.

The -only- time I would condone simply casting without an emote first is when someone attacks you with no warning or emote at all. Other than that, I feel it is your duty as a player to show respect to the other person behind the keyboard by fleshing out the scene and emoting out your actions after a tense situation has begun.

I don't know how much experience you have with mage vs. mage encounters, or magick wielding classes at all, but following that philosophy is about the easiest way to insure that your character LOSES the duel and will not be alive long enough to emote a single thing.

A single spell can, and almost always does, determine who will be the victor of the encounter.

Emoting is meant to clarify and enhance the world, not describe in aesthetic detail how the fireball is about to incinerate someone, the pre-written spell messages do that just fine.

I've lost very good characters because I chose not to cast immediately.  I don't believe the players on the other end that were more quick to pull the trigger were roleplaying poorly, they just learned this lesson before I did.

Anyone who casts without an emote is, to me, a twink who is only worried about the ooc factors of the duel.

As for this comment, I must disagree.  Combat in Armageddon is fast-paced and exceptionally deadly, which adds excitement and realism to the game.  Having a powerful mage die to some random common ranger because they're more concerned with emoting the swirling blast of doom then actually casting it, is not roleplaying their character realistically.  Realistically that ranger should be destroyed with a word, and if that means excluding an emote so you can accurately reflect that in the code, so be it.

Remember, roleplay is *not* about emoting every 4 seconds.  It's about accurately portraying the actions, thoughts, emotions, and personality of the character you're playing.

[Super Mega Defiler]

Tamarin: and kill the other guy while he's typing an emote?

corona: either magicker in question, in this example, won't think to run.  Besides, running just makes you more tired after they catch up to you.

amoeba: any sane character would do just about anything in order to stay alive, including playing dirty when push comes to shove.  On an OOC level, I don't want to play dirty at all.
Also, a raptor animated by a staff member might escape because you emoted at them, as could a PC raptor.  Emotes help and back the code, but does it mean whoever enters the room should immediately cast without any emote at all?

Ghost: emoting how a magicker's casting works and what it looks like isn't a funny pose.  It's explaining what happens when you type 'cast 'mon un fekk off die''.

FJ: macros sound good.

[jhunter]

I've lost very good characters because I chose not to cast immediately. I don't believe the players on the other end that were more quick to pull the trigger were roleplaying poorly, they just learned this lesson before I did.

Just because someone did it to you and you decided from then on to do the same thing doesn't make it right. I agree with FJ. There's time enough to throw out an emote with each spell. And both sides should have the consideration to do it. Like he said, you can macro the emotes for the spells and stuff.

Emote it even if the other guy doesn't. If he wins because you emoted and he didn't...well, he's a dick and you went out with class and style.

[JohnGalt]

Just because someone did it to you and you decided from then on to do the same thing doesn't make it right.

If at all possible, I enjoy emoting spells and actions.  But if you're out in the desert and a known enemy is descending upon you with a weapon drawn, I don't believe you need to paint the picture of what is occuring with an emote.  I think its time for action at that point.  

If the combat is paced in a way that allows for emoting, by all means I emote it.  But when it comes to magickal combat one second often determines the outcome.  Whether things should be that way or not is for another discussion.

As for macros, I really do like that concept, but unfortunately there are only so many alias slots available and the client I use and enjoy doesn't offer them.

[Maybe42or54]

From what I've seen, isn't there a space between "Waves of water encircle the shadow..." And "You continue to breath, but find there to be too much water and that is enough to kill you!"?

Looks like a good place to emote.

[waroth]

I am a fan of emotes.  That being said, if it came to life or death, I wouldn't hold it against someone if they didn't emote if the intent was clear before hand.  In RL, you don't have to wait to type out your actions, you just do them.  If your opponent doesn't emote, use your imagination to determine what 'he was doing/looked like' when he was casting that fireball at you.  Shell it out and see who walks away the victor.

[jhunter]

From what I've seen, isn't there a space between "Waves of water encircle the shadow..." And "You continue to breath, but find there to be too much water and that is enough to kill you!"?

Looks like a good place to emote.

Exactly, there is plenty of time to throw in an emote for each spell. Especially since emoting is not affected by other command lag.

[Agent_137 (2L2L)]

goddamnit, this is the third time i'm trying to post the same post, i keep losing it. I'm pissed. It was going to be nice, in depth, and have a solid logical base. But not anymore.

basically,

If you have the iniative, emote. if they don't emote back, stop emoting.

If THEY have the iniative, do whatever they do.

seems fair to me. kthx.

[amoeba]

amoeba: any sane character would do just about anything in order to stay alive, including playing dirty when push comes to shove.  On an OOC level, I don't want to play dirty at all.
Also, a raptor animated by a staff member might escape because you emoted at them, as could a PC raptor.  Emotes help and back the code, but does it mean whoever enters the room should immediately cast without any emote at all?

This is where being prepared helps.   Take some time to use your client to prep up some nice emotes you hold back for such purposes.  Then chain them together. Voila, fancy assed emote with a killer spell attached.   If you die to a quick spell or kill with a quick spell, when you have done all you can to play by the rules then so be it.   If the other person didn't plan for this possiblity, well then it sucks to be them.

In so far as the "playing dirty", I have no clue as to what you are talking about.  This is the problem in trying to talk about something that you can't talk about so you cloak it in obscure wordings.   You get odd interpretations.

As far as the raptor quote, you missed the point.  An IMM could make it do a quick soft shoe, kiss you on the forehead, and skip off into the moonlight if an IMM was animating it. I wasn't talking about IMMs.  The point I was trying to get across is code trumps emotes -at times-

[Marauder Moe]

Cast first, then emote if you have time.

It's not bad roleplay to skip emotes to take care of coded actions first.

Endangering your character's life so you can type out a fancy emote doesn't make you a better roleplayer.

[Forest Junkie]

Cast first, then emote if you have time.

I can't believe you just said that. Emoting may not be the end all in roleplay, but it is essentially the backbone.

It's not bad roleplay to skip emotes to take care of coded actions first.

I think it's just pathetic that you can't have the courtesy to flesh out the world around you and your opponent before entering into combat. People seem to be too bent out of shape in saving their badass character's life when they should really be focusing on enriching this beautifully written world for others, as well as themselves, to enjoy. The notion that you are taking into account the time it takes for you to type out an emote before the other guy blasts you is, to me, incredibly OOC.

Endangering your character's life so you can type out a fancy emote doesn't make you a better roleplayer.

No, it doesn't. It just makes it seem as if you care whether the other person is having fun or not.

1) I've died to and been accosted by magickers who do nothing but use the code without a single emote. I have no respect for them.

2) I've died to magickers who actually took the time and effort to flesh out their actions before melting me into a pile of goo. The emotes weren't "flashy" and "OMG He looks like Goku off of DragonBallZ as he emotes 400 times and cries out "AHHHHHHHH" 6 times to complete his powering up before imploding me". They were snappy, and to the point, but at least the emotes proved to me that the player was thinking not just about pulling off the IC actions (coded commands), but also making sure I enjoyed the scene as it was played out.

Macros are your friend people.

[Marauder Moe]

Perhaps we'll agree to disagree on some things.

For the record, though, if I'm the one doing the suprise stab/spell I do make an effort to emote.  If my character is being stabbed repeatedly, though, I will always draw my swords or cast the fart of death spell first and emote later without shame, even if my opponent emoted before attacking.

[Forest Junkie]

Perhaps we'll agree to disagree on some things.

*nod*

If my character is being stabbed repeatedly, though, I will always draw my swords or cast the fart of death spell first and emote later without shame, even if my opponent emoted before attacking.

I understand your reasoning here.

[SewerRat_inTheOpen]

goddamnit, this is the third time i'm trying to post the same post, i keep losing it. I'm pissed. It was going to be nice, in depth, and have a solid logical base. But not anymore.

basically,

If you have the iniative, emote. if they don't emote back, stop emoting.

If THEY have the iniative, do whatever they do.

seems fair to me. kthx.

-nods- The initiator should always emote, even in the event of ambushes. It allows the opposite party to react -onus will have to be on the opposite party to allow you to strike first codedly-. While emote is not roleplay, yet, roleplay cannot do without emote.

It's just watching television, things acted out plays out better.

[Cenghiz]

I have a simple rule.. If I'm a badass xxx, who will possibly win, I emote not caring about what the other character does. If I'm a weakling that can die in an instant and I'm against a non-emoter or NPC, I simply type "flee".
...
If someone emotes his actions well and he's about to kill me, I quickly type a flee emote praying not to die.

Only exception is something like:

>e (empty hands raised, stopping in a distance)
>tell figure (hands still raised) I mean no harm. I ju...
The tall figure in a hooded cloak walks west.

Which drives me nuts. Although I hate PK, I usually note down main descs and sdescs if possible and simply kill them next time. If someone's to ignore your trial to RP in a scene although you showed you won't instaattack, why's he playing in here?

[HardCarbon]

I am a fan of emotes.  That being said, if it came to life or death, I wouldn't hold it against someone if they didn't emote if the intent was clear before hand.  In RL, you don't have to wait to type out your actions, you just do them.  If your opponent doesn't emote, use your imagination to determine what 'he was doing/looked like' when he was casting that fireball at you.  Shell it out and see who walks away the victor.

Cast then emote during the delay.  like with kick you don't know what your going to get so emote after you know.