Re: [IDEA] Thus the storms did come...

From: Niese-Petersen (Tenp@cris.com)
Date: 02/02/97


On Sat, 1 Feb 1997, Daniel Koepke wrote:

> Weather, as it is now, accounts for a lot of things, but it's
> universal.  A storm in one place means a storm in another.  Thus,
> I might suggest making different zones have different weather.  So
> it could be raining in Midgaard and bright and sunny in Rome.  The
> natural extension thus, is to make zones be able to modify the
> weather, so it's burning hot in the desert, rainy and stuffy in
> the rain forest, freezing cold on the peaks of mountains, etc.  If
> we then have zones that are traditionally colder, we can then
> evolve weather even further.  Make it colder at night, have zones
> with longer/short seasons that affect weather, etc.
Did this on my MUD code for over a year ago. Not a to advanced system,
but basically different weather-zone-types, so each zone had their own
weather. That way a "North-pole" zone always had snow, but never
rain/lightning etc..  

> So, now we have the base system here designed.  We can then get to
> the really fun stuff in having weather affect players in nasty ways.
> It's burning hot?  Movements down (or exhaustion up), getting thirsty
> faster, getting weaker...  Freezing cold?  Watch out for frostbite!
> Raining?  Don't want that armor to get rusty...  Hail?  Owwww, that's
> got to hurt!  Snowy?  Moving will be a lot harder.  Wet/Icy?  Don't
> slip!
Or have lightning hit one, in a percentice chance :)

> Adds quite a bit of depth when players aren't going around wearing
> full plate mail in the middle of a desert, eh?  Give them a challenge!
Well. Its a good idea, but the more "real" a MUD becomes, the less people
really wanna play them. If they have to take off their armor just to cross
a 5-10 rooms desert, it will be to much hassle for them. And people with
clients just add remove/wear into their macros, so why bother ?

> I think a common problem implementors face is making their game more
> challenging.  The "obvious" (but wrong) solution to this problem is to
> make tougher mobiles, weaker objects, etc.  Instead of upsetting the
> game balance like that, why not put players up against the enviroment
> they're in, as well as it's inhabitants.  Traps and perils, bad weather,
> fog and mist, creepers and tangled mats of vines to trip you up.  It
> doesn't necessarily discourage any activity, just makes players think
> about more things before they rush and attack.  If things are in the
> way, they might decide against playing rough while in that rain forest.
> Tripping could be their death.
Small random things like tripping, is a great idea. But should not be too
common.  But the environment should count as making the MUD-life more
challenging.. Love zones filled with spec_procs :) 

Erik Niese-Petersen
AKA Quint the typo Dane
Realms of Darkness IMP  [If any coder with exp. like to help a bit
                         then please email me.                    ]



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