[MUD-Dev] Unique items (was: Graphic MUDS/Ultima Online)

[Vadim Tkachenko]

On August 6 97, clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:

> In <199707300840.BAA25834 at user1.inficad.com>, on 07/30/97
>    at 08:06 AM, Adam Wiggins <nightfall at user1.inficad.com> said:
> 

[skipped]

> >Examples of stuff that happens all the time on dikus
> >via object limits: most keys are limit one, so players get a key to
> >(say) the dwarven kingdom immediately on reboot and then hold a
> >monopoly over anything found inside until they rent or the mud
> >crashes.  I've also seen things like spiteful players throwing the
> >keys to Mahn-Tor's keep into the ocean just to keep other players
> >out, for whatever reason.
> 
> All of which seem quite ideal I'm afraid.  Note the quote in the
> recent Bartle posts of the chap sitting by the falls waiting to give
> the brand to someone.  Its a trap.  Its obvious, simple, and *really*
> elegant (outside of the player hitting ^L repetitively).  Its also
> something I don't think should  either be prevented or designed
> around.  Call it a happy accident.
> 
> I think the baser problem is that there really is only one way in to
> Mahn-Tor's keep.  Why can't the walls be scaled?  Or mined?  Or a
> player catapulted over the walls?  Or magical teleport?  Or a fish
> charmed to go eat the key and then be caught by the player and the key
> retrieved?  Or the key magically summoned?  You get the idea.

I've been playing with a different idea - make unique/restricted items
change their properties - an example:

- There's a door, you really need to open it to get some big reward.
- There's the key, and the only one.
- You accidently found it, or killed somebody who had it in possession,
[optional] you found the door.
- (to simplify) the further you from the given door, the heavier the key
becomes, so you either are forced to go in a right direction (btw, not
nessessarily, thus it becomes more compelling to solve the quest of
finding the right door), or drop the damned no-good thing.

'course, there are exceptions like above - one-way actions like dropping
into ocean, which should be resolved separately.

> J C Lawrence

--
Still alive and smile stays on,
Vadim Tkachenko <VadimT at 4CS.Com>
--
UNIX _is_ user friendly, he's just very picky about who his friends are