[MUD-Dev] Re: Combat Was Re: Leaving characters in play

[D. B. Brown]

Oliver Jowett wrote:
> Right, this sounds like what I was suggesting later. Anything significant
> should interrupt less important actions, so combat of any length would
> probably result in the open chest action being cancelled.
> 
> Do you use a simple priority system to work out what to cancel? ie. "being
> bonked on the head cancels all actions at priority 'menial'"? Or
> something more complex like "if I'm bonked on the head more than twice in
> 10 seconds, cancel all actions at 'menial' that will take more than 5s
> to execute"? Or something different again?

Why not let the player decide?  The system I'm contemplating
for my mud is a bit simpler -- everything goes into the queue,
unless the command is followed by 'now'.  In that case, the
queue is cleared (and current action is aborted if allowed), and
the 'now' command executed immediately.

        > get ring
        You pick up the hematite ring.
        > cast enchantment of clear thought on ring
        You begin casting the spell.
        Bubba enters the room.
        Bubba begins attacking you.
        > zap wand of fire at bubba now
        You end your spell before completion!  Your body is
        pierced by escaping magical energy!
        You burn Bubba's head to a crisp with your wand of fire.
        Bubba dies.
        > say whew.

Actions which include code for being aborted is also a key to
this system.

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|Do you ever get the feeling that the story's|D. B. Brown            |
|too damned real and in the present tense?   |dbrown1 at stny.lrun.com  |
|     -Ian Anderson                          | "..."                 |
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MUD-Dev: Advancing an unrealised future.