[MUD-Dev] Boring Combat (was:Mass customization in MM***s)

[shren]

On Mon, 15 Jul 2002, Damion Schubert wrote:

> I don't think that grouping is one of the top problems that keeps
> gamers from playing online games.  A lot of people are interested
> in MMPs, and are interested in it because of the aspect of playing
> with other people.  I think that they come in expecting group
> play, and get turned off for other reasons (spotty launches,
> tedious advancement, boring combat, jerks, poor interfaces,
> uninspired visuals, etc).  While there's definitely a class of
> people for whom having to group is always going to be a turn-off,
> forced grouping doesn't even make my top ten as far as reasons why
> we can't get the casual gamer.

I was thinking about the whole "boring combat" thing while reading
_Snow_Crash_, and a little system formed in my mind.  Let the
players learn forms, which are techniques or styles, and let them
choose which forms to use during combat, swaping in different tricks
to react to the opponent.  Each form gives you a statistical
advantage, unless your opponent is also using it, in which case it
cancels out.  The number of forms you can use at once is governed by
character skill, but which forms you choose to engage is governed by
player skill.

I might start a combat with "brutal blow", "riposte", and "oblique
footwork" enabled.  I use "brutal blow" because it's a common but
dangerous technique that I want to make sure I don't get blindsided
with, "riposte" because it focuses on defense and counterattacks,
and "oblique footwork" because it's an obscure technique that I
don't think my opponent has access to.

I've been thinking of writing a "proof-of-concept" test in perl,
then using it for a combat system to attach to a simple chat system.
Let me get specific on the details:

  You may learn as many forms as you like, but may only use up to n
  forms.

  Using a form gives:

    -- Full bonuses if the target neither knows or is using the
    form.
  
    -- Half bonuses if the target knows the form but is not using
    it.

    -- No bonuses if the target knows the form and is using it.

  Each combat round you attack using one of the forms - on that
  round, the bonuses from this form are doubled.

There are some interesting possible ramifications of such a system.
Probably the most interesting is that "power techniques" may weed
themselves out.  In the average MUD, players tend to seek out and
use to exclusion the most effective damage techniques.  Under this
system, a powerful but well-known technique would be less effective
than a good but obscure technique.

Ramble off...

--
<a href="http://www.shren.net/.nail.html">
The client needs a tool built. He sends you a description of a nail...
</a>

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