[MUD-Dev] Item Distribution in Areas

[Jim S]

<EdNote: Duplicate HTML copy removed>

[Dave Rickey wrote:]

>   We're experimenting with similar ideas in DAoC.  Our quest engine
>   tracks quest progress in the character record, and the "Phat Lewt"
>   items drop only to people on the appropriate step of the quest
>   (which may be *entirely* contained within the death event of the
>   mob).  The purpose of this is primarily to eliminate item farming,
>   but we're looking ahead to "Group Required" mobs, like dragons,
>   that will require 8 or more characters to kill, and intend to
>   extend the system so that each member of the killing party would
>   get a reward appropriate to their class and level.

I see this as a good use of the area and it's inhabitants 'sensing'
what the player is doing against them.  We do this to in a round-about
way with all of our quests by using a 'place marker token' in each
step of the quest whether it be abstract(a bit placed in the player
file) or in the form of a letter bearing the seal of so-and-so or
which outlines what is to be done(whether in the form of a riddle or
using generalizations) to accomplish the next step in the quest.
Either of these methods effectively force the player to complete all
steps in the quest to arrive at the reward stage, instead of skipping
steps 1-6 where most of the story line is contained to arrive at step
7 which is where the reward is given.  The retainment of drops is also
taken care of in our quest engine so that a subsequent item or NPC
required to complete step 2 is not available until after step 1 is
complete.

>   We can, for example, set it up so that multiple mobs death events
>   are required to complete the "quest" (quotes because it's not
>   really a quest, we're simply using our quest engine
>   functionality).  Play wierd games with the AI in order to tackle
>   the (aged, weak) Goblin King without his (young, strong) guards,
>   no cookie for you.  We've also laid the groundwork for "Unique"
>   items, things that will not drop if *any* other instance of that
>   object exists on the server.

This is something we have also are looking into so that instead of
setting up a 'quest' which works like this:

  1) Talk to Bubba the ranger

  2) Find out orcs are causing problems in the Misty forest

  3) See if Bubba needs any help resolving the problem with the orcs.

  4) Kill the orcs, get to the leader of the orcs and get an item
  identifably 'orcish' from him.

  5) Find Bubba again and give him the 'orcish' item which results in
  completion of the 'quest'.

You could have it such that steps 4 and 5 would be changed to
eliminating all orcs from the forest at which point a change is made
to that player or group's pfiles and when they find Bubba again he'll
have heard of their accomplishment and reward them for their efforts
without any intermediate 'token' necesary.

Jim S
Tempus of Exile
tempus at exilemud.com
http://www.exilemud.com
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