Report 516

Report #516
Skillset: Hunting Skill: New
 Org: Harbingers Status: Rejected Dec 2010
Furies' Decision:
We do not find this to be necessary.
Problem: Problem: Ecologists learn the ability to create charms protecting from
various damage types, but they have know way of knowing what types of damage
denizens/monsters do apart from the attack messages, which are often not clear.
It seems fitting that a solution for this problem would have a place in hunting,
which offers other abilities to help one discern the lay of the land or
manipulate animals, further it could use some more general utility when compared
to totems/rituals.
Solution #1: A new ability in hunting which, for 2p, will display 1 type of
 damage that a creature does (meaning people will have to use the
 ability multiple times one 1 type of creature to get the full
 picture). -- Appending to note that Sior has already said this is
 not easily doable, leaving it here as it's been mentioned in
 comments.
Solution #2: A new ability in hunting which, for 5+p, will put up a limited
 duration defense during which the damage types will be revealed
 for all damage taken from creatures- basically just a line
 following the damage line indicating the type, similar to aff
 messages.
Solution #3: - incorporate either of these solutions, with associated power
 costs, into the stalk ability, for non-adventurer (mob only)
 targets, leaving stalk as-is for player targets.
Player Comments:
---[Lehki on 12/2 @ 18:42 writes]:
Having a clear definite source on damage types would be nice. Although I'd say
it should probably be a generally available ability in Discernment. Any of these
solutions sound okay.
---[Senna on 12/7 @ 18:00 writes]:
I dunno, this seems a little gimmicky. Perhaps add a line similar to the
magictome "Your magictome warms as it absorbs damage." so an ecologist can find
out what kinds of damage a denizen deals through trial and error.
---[Senna on 12/9 @ 23:25 writes]:
Okay, after a long conversation, it turns out I'm just unobservant and missed
solution 2... that would be fine, but I feel solution 1 is a little impractical.
---[Raeri on 12/9 @ 23:34 writes]:
Solution 2, to take into account attacks with multiple damagesources. Does it
really need to be that power-intensive? It's not like it really helps much,
apart from satisfying curious minds.
---[Talan on 12/14 @ 06:45 writes]:
My rationale for a heavy power cost is that it is permanent information, in that
once you use it on a type of mob, you won't have to again unless you forget. If
it seems high, by all means bring it down if implemented!
---[Raeri on 12/30 @ 05:45 writes]:
It's just occurred to me that although it's nice to know what damage types we're
being hit with, if it's permanent info, would this end up an unused ability
after we know the types? (Not that Hunting isn't filled with underused stuff
already. Cluck like a chicken! Catch that trout!)
---[Talan on 12/30 @ 14:14 writes]:
I think it depends on the player. If it's someone who is already leveled up and
now only hunts a couple of areas, they'll use it less. For newer players and any
players who are regularly exploring the game world and finding new areas to
hunt, it'll be consistently useful throughout the life of a character. There are
so many areas to bash, and so many different mobs in the game, as well as new
areas that open from time to time, that I don't see it as losing its potential
usefulness. It might not be an 'every day' skill like camouflage and
pathfinding, but it'll probably get more use than the skills you mentioned and a
few others.