[MUD-Dev] Magic systems, was: Moving away from the level based system

[Richard.Woolcock at rsuk.rohde-schwarz.com]

John Vanderbeck wrote:
>
> From: "Corey Crawford" <myrddin at seventh.net>
>
>> Hmm. The first thing I want to say is... Cool Magic System :) I
>> like the idea that it actually costs the caster mana (energy,
>> whatever) to maintain the spell, not just cast it.
>
> The whole design is to make being a caster require skill as well.
> I'm a magic freak.  I love wielding spells.  The design here is that
> spells do'nt have a set "duration" like for example in D&D, but
> rather last for as long as the caster spends energy to maintain it.
> Move this to the more practical scale where you are maintaining
> multiple spells at once and the skill aspect comes in.

You might this of interest (I don't think it's been mentioned before
on MUD-DEV, and I couldn't find it with a search):

Firetop Mountain: http://www.gamerz.net/~fm/

It's a play-by-email game of strategic magical combat between two or
more players (who take on the role of wizards).  Basically there are
a set of different gestures you can make with each hand, and each turn
you specify which gesture each of your hands is making.  Here's a example
of part of a battle I had:

   [snip]

   You proffer the palm of the left hand.
   You wriggle the fingers of the right...

   Sabathius proffers the palm of the left hand.
   Sabathius waves the right...

   You cast Paralysis at Sabathius.

   You cast Shield at yourself.

   Sabathius casts Summon Ogre at Sabathius.

   Sabathius casts Shield at Sabathius.

   OrangeOgre springs into being and rushes at you.

   Your Paralysis spell takes hold of Sabathius.

   A glimmering shield appears in front of you.

   A glimmering shield appears in front of Sabathius.

   BlueOgre is deflected by your glimmering shield.

   OrangeOgre is deflected by your glimmering shield.

   You snap the fingers of the left hand.
   You proffer the palm of the right...

   Sabathius's Left Hand is paralyzed!

   Luckily, Sabathius intended to repeat the gesture anyhow!

   Sabathius proffers the palm of the left hand.
   Sabathius waves the right...

   You cast Shield at yourself.

   Sabathius casts Shield at Sabathius.

   A glimmering shield appears in front of you.

   A glimmering shield appears in front of Sabathius.

   BlueOgre is deflected by your glimmering shield.

   OrangeOgre is deflected by your glimmering shield.

   You point the digit of the left hand.
   You stab with the right...

   Sabathius claps with the left hand.
   Sabathius claps with the right...

   You cast Magic Missile at OrangeOgre.

   Sabathius casts Time Stop at Sabathius.

   Sabathius slips into another timeline!

   A Magic Missile zaps across the circle towards OrangeOgre!

   There is a thunk as a Magic Missile hits OrangeOgre.

   You stab OrangeOgre!

   BlueOgre strikes you!

   OrangeOgre strikes you!

   OrangeOgre dies.

   You blink as Sabathius winks out of existence for a moment!

   Sabathius sneaks in another gesture from a parallel time line...

   [snip]

Originally I thought it would never work in a real-time game, but I
have actually used a simular concept (except real-time rather than
turn-based) for my new mud and it works pretty well.  You can read
about it here:

   http://www.kavir.dial.pipex.com/glad2.html

Although I've used it for physical combat rather than magical, the
same system could easily be applied to either - or both.  In most muds
a battle between a warrior and a wizard consists of the two characters
slugging it out with fists or weapons, with the warrior throwing in
the occasional kick and the wizard throwing in the occasional
fireball.

With the approach I'm using the warrior could use his sword and shield
(or whatever weapons he likes) and the wizard could use purely magic,
without having to resort to any sort of physical attack at all.

--

KaVir.


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