[MUD-Dev] New topic: AI and NPCs

[Matt Chatterley]

On Thu, 11 Sep 1997 clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:

>    at 12:22 PM, Matt Chatterley <root at mpc.dyn.ml.org> said:
> 
> >On Sat, 6 Sep 1997 clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:
> 
> >> In <3.0.2.32.19970901122333.00b88a80 at mail.tenetwork.com>, on 09/01/97 
> >>    at 12:22 PM, Jeff Kesselman <jeffk at tenetwork.com> said:
> 
> >> I've thrown horses.  
> ...
> 
> >First question. Why on earth would you want to throw a horse, JCL?
> 
> Uhh, err, well, it was, uhh, this deep, err, umm, compulsion ya know?
> 
> Actually I saw it done for a vetinarian's examination and wondered how
> tough it could be to do myself.
> 
> >Cow-tipping I can understand, but.. ;)
> 
> Really?

You don't understand Cow tipping, but throw horses out of curiosity? ;)
 
> >> The trick is to make the horse lead with his head very quickly...
> 
> >This is accurate IMHO - and observes a classic point of interest in
> >unarmed combat, in any case - the most effective attacks are those
> >used in defence, turning an opponents own speed/strength/energy to
> >your favour. Eg, the above, and that turning a punch is far easier
> >(and more useful) than catching or absorbing it in some way.
> 
> Or as I observed to myself in a slightly adventurous youth:
> 
>   "Don't block his punch.  Just make sure it doesn't hit you -- that
> way he just walks into your punch even harder.."

My original reference to turning is simply a rephrasement of what most
people will accept as a universal fact with energy (in most situations),
aka: It is easier to redirect energy than it is to absorb it.
 
> >> I suspect that centaurs wouldn't be much different, except that their
> >> disproportional upper torso weight might make it easier.
> 
> >Plus in any society with martial arts, which has evolved near
> >Centaurs, they would be more equipped to dealing with them, than we
> >are to throwing horses. Aka, this sort of knowledge would be more
> >commonplace among proponents.
> 
> Horses, and presumably thereby Centaurs are very subject to
> hamstringing -- medieval battlefields often contained large numbers of
> peasant sword fodder who were paid to run about hamstringing the
> enemy's horses.
> 
> Note: Also works on humans.  See armour design of the period for
> evidence.

Absolutely. This sort of fairly brutal approach to battle is often
overlooked in even 'allegedly' factually orientated films and depictions.

Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
	http://user.itl.net/~neddy/index.html
"In space, you never know when to expect danger.. except when an
Enterprise away team beams down on a routine mission." -Greg Proops