[MUD-Dev] Better Combat

[Byron Ellacott]

David Kennerly wrote:

> A simple mechanic to model this would be that every attack not
> only injures the opponent but also injures the attacker.  In such
> case, the optimal strategy consists of making the most efficient
> attacks.  That is, ensuring that every attack maximizes the ratio
> of opponent's injury to one's own injury.

Star Wars Galaxies employs this model.  Using special moves drains
your own health[1] as well as the opponent's.  The two problems this
faces is that combat is remarkably dull without using special moves,
and you can easily do more relative damage to yourself than your
opponent.  It turns out that you're still better off attacking as
hard as you can, but you will get more downtime to heal off the
damage you did to yourself.

The system is perhaps more realistic, but it's less "fun."  It
appears the SWG team agrees, since the model is, or will be,
undergoing revision such that your specials don't directly damage
you.

--
bje

  [1] SWG uses three different kinds of health, but you can abstract
  that into one without any loss of meaning.
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