From: gspall@lagrange.uwaterloo.ca (Greg Spall)
Subject: Re: player interaction in multiplayer games [was Re: <None>]
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 15:11:37 GMT

In article <2ACFAFB0.9954@news.service.uci.edu>, cnc@balboa.eng.uci.edu (Christopher Christensen) writes:
> Wayne C. McCullough writes:
> >Christopher Christensen (me!) writes:
> >>my opinions:
> >>
> >>As for bullies beating up on new characters:
> >>  A.  There should be a safe area (probably where they begin the game)
> >>      where violence is not permitted.  (a temple or something)
> >>      (just like in lpmud)
> >>  B.  The player being bullied could give a "hue and cry".. basically
> >>      shout for the cops.. so as long as the player is near civilization
> >>      he can count on being pretty safe as long as the guards are about.
> >>  C.  Player-player conflict should be discouraged by the sysadmin(s)
> >>      (whoever is in charge of the thing)
> >>      (just like in lpmud)
> 
> >I think you are missing part of the point.  Competition is desireable
> >in this sort of game.  In most muds I have been in, player-player combat
> >is actively discouraged, and instead all the competition you get is
> >who can run to the monsters first after each regeneration.  If you don't
> >have interplayer violence, moderated by gods and wizzards, you take out
> >a major degree of realism.  Leave it in, and let it be moderated by players,
> >not the dreaded "blue lightning bolt from the heavens punishing you
> >for your sinful actions.  Tsk, Tsk" 
> 
> Well, I'm definitely against any sort of automatic punishment for
> attacking another player.  On one hand, I don't think that powerful
> players should have free reign to slaughter weaker characters at will,
> on the other hand I don't think that all player-player conflict should
> be forbidden.  Part of the problem is that characters can die pretty
> easily and players who die are severely penalized.
> Here's an idea:  how about a more "realistic" combat system..
> instead of having hit-points and the player dies when they reach zero,
> have 2 combat variables, energy and body.. different weapons inflict
> varying amounts of damage to energy and body.  For example, a fist or a
> boxing glove would inflict mostly energy-damage and little or no
> body-damage.
> When the character reaches zero energy, s/he collapses unconscious but
> will rapidly recover as energy is quickly replenished.  Body damage is
> more permanent and takes longer to restore.  If body reaches zero, the
> character dies.  Body does not increase with experience, energy does.
> With this type of combat system, players could fight each other in a
> non-lethal way by using non-lethal weapons.

Gee. sounds alot like an RPG combat system I now of, called Champions..
:-)
Except 'Energy' is called 'Stun'  .... :-)

There are always problems with ALL combat systems, and anyone.. ANYONE
who says otherwies I will gladly call an asshole to their face!!

The are, however, good combat systems, and bad combat systems, that I WILL
agree with.  Something that allows a victim to fall unconscious I agree
is better than one that doesn't.  I was once on a MUD that a victim
went unconscious when you beat on it enough, but there was still a problem
with it.  It was a MUD and therefore, when entering combat, continues to
beat on the same opponent until it's 'dead'.  Well, while I was forced
to try to kill an unconscious opponent I was getting the snot kicked
out of me by two other creatures.  If you include an unconscious 
possibility, please... PLEEEASE have the character STOP attacking the
target when he/she/it falls unconscious.  You should automatically switch
to a target that is still up and fighting. 
How many people do you know, when fighting 3 others, and one drops
unconscious, ignore the two still conscious, just to make sure the other
one is DEAD???!?!?!?!?!?

I'm sorry, but I myself would attack the most dangerous of the two
choices, and I do NOT consider an unconscious opponent, dangerous!!!


					The Ditto

**********************
To all those 30+ level characters who get killed by a 'lucky' blow from
a first level character ... *sucker*, try a different critical hit table!!
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