[MUD-Dev] Level abstractions - Realism vs Game Issues

[Matt Chatterley]

On Wed, 2 Jul 1997 clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:
>    at 08:43 AM, Matt Chatterley <root at mpc.dyn.ml.org> said:
> >On Sun, 29 Jun 1997, Jon A. Lambert wrote:
> 
> >> Yeppers.  I like this idea.  Once you know the "Fireball" spell it takes
> >> a bit of skill to control or direct it.  I think it makes the spell 
> >> system richer.  Sure you can cast a lightning bolt, but "how well" can
> >> you cast it?  Can you reliably hit anything with it?  Shouldn't it be
> >> possible for that fireball to explode 10 ft. from you?  Magic should
> >> be dangerous business, IMO. :)    
> 
> >Yup. Also, any mage can cast any spell (assuming it doesnt require a
> >"specialty" which can only be got after level 10). However, a mage
> >with a poor fire-magic skill will almost certainly explode. 
> 
> As mentioned earlier I'm attempting to implement a general underlieing
> rule in the game world:
> 
>   Causing any effect within the game increases your own liability 
>   to have that same effect created on you.  

Thats really, really, really evil. :)
 
> The biggie here for magic is: cast a lot of fireballs on others, and
> you become increasingly subject to being hit by fireballs.  Cast a lot
> of magical protection, and your own magical protections work better. 
> Etc.  This will of course be unstated.  Mostly I've been thinking
> about doing this by manipulating probability fields, but I'd really
> like to make it a direct tie-in.

You could do it more as generalisations (ie, split magic into strands such
as elements, and have using one strand increase your liability to spells
in that strand), to make it a little subtler than being "directly" tied to
each spell - but I do have a vaguely similar rule in mind, more a
generalisation of the above.

Magic (as a power) is very much like I inisist it to be as a literary tool
- double edged. It can be a very powerful ally, but it can also be
extremely dangerous, like a hand-grenade you've just pulled the pin from.
If you have trouble throwing it, you've got a problem.

Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
	http://user.itl.net/~neddy/index.html
"He can't stop us, we're on a mission from Glod!" - Soul Music (Pratchett)