combat and hit points

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In reference to the recent combat tactics and intelligence thread,
this would seem an obvious feature to both add a feeling of some
intelligence to the opponents, as well as increasing the difficulty
level of combat (getting brained with a stone while invoking a
fireball is not condusive to good concentration).

This would also seem an excellent extension of the selective
targetting I briefly discussed.  Have your brawny NPC chaps beat on
the attackers, have your weaker/more injured retreat and attack from
the rear while they recover (or fetch reinforcements) etc:

From: rayb at fc.hp.com (Raymond Bingham)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: combat and hit points
Date: 2 Sep 1997 20:11:06 GMT

...deletia...

This reminds me of something else that frequently happens. 
(Especially  in traditional Experience point based games).  Have you
ever noticed  how the creatures seldom flee?  I'm not talking about a
whole group or  until you have wittled down a group of orcs, but
rather on an individual  basis.  If I was Orc A in a horde of fifty. 
And I got hit down to "2 hit points" I certainly wouldn't stick around
and try to have the hero hit  me for the remainder of them. ;) Even if
I had 49 other friends, I would try to retreat and throw rocks or
something... :) 

While it's a feature of poorly governed roleplay, I think it alludes
some  game masters that creatures would probably try retreat and
regroup  tactics with sabotage and traps and 'sure thing' attacks
rather than  attacking one on one.  

...deletia...

--
J C Lawrence                           Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------------(*)               Internet: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
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