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Molly · 07-30-2002, 06:58 AM

We too have gone to great lengths to keep the equipment balanced. Max Ac for instance is restricted for different wear_locs, and we use a system with max allowed points for addaffects, where each +5 to move, mana and hp equals 1 point, +1 to stat (str/int/wis/dex/con/cha) equals 2 points and each +1 to hit- and damroll equals 3 points. We also have a max for the weapon damage, although it can be raised a bit with the TINKER skill. (Of course, tinkered weapons break after a given time, and not all weapons can be tinkered in the first place). Most of the top equipment also is not loaded normally in the game, but used as Quest rewards, meaning that the players have to use their brains a bit to get it.

As for the top mobs, we constantly have to use new tricks to keep them powerful enough, since the players keep ganging up on them, keep getting stronger with each remort, and since new skills and spells sometimes rock the balance a bit. For instance a new spell, which allows mages to call forth 'elementals' to their aid, tended to be a bit too good, because the elementals are used for tanking. So we added a script to some of the top mobs, which makes them grab the elementals by the scruff of their neck and devour them. Very effective, and pretty annoying for the players, hehe.

So far the players usually manage to kill every mob in the game sooner or later, however hard we make them, by figuring out their weaknesses. But we do have a couple of mobs that are virtually unkillable, because they have a script that makes them regen at each hit. This is of course extremely frustrating for the players, so it should be used with caution. The only reason we use it at all is, that some mobs are Quest mobs and needed to be available all the time for the players who wants to do the Quests.

There is one that has a script saying something like: 'You cannot kill Herbie, unless you set fire to the entire planet!' One of our top players spent over a week trying to figure out how to set fire to the planet, before he finally asked me about it, and I put him out of his misery by telling the truth. But this of course started me thinking about how one could make a script for setting fire to the forest, and I might actually add it one day, Quest mob or no Quest mob… Like Illuvatar says, it gets to be like a chess game between the Creator and the top players, where both parties are constantly trying to outsmart each other. And this is mainly what keeps the interest up on both sides - not tougher and tougher mobs, but tougher and tougher Quests and puzzles.

It's pretty easy to keep the SMART players occupied by adding new tricky zones and hard puzzles. But there is another type of heroes, who use nothing but brawn to get to their position. They are too lazy to really explore, and too dumb to solve the puzzles, and they BUY most of their equipment from better players. They advance by being on line all day, constantly killing a ton of mobs, as powerful as they can handle. This is usually the type that ends up sitting at Recall and bitching about being bored. Since they don't show much inclination to leave, in spite of their alleged boredom, we occasionally run Quests that requires nothing but strength. For instance we have a PK Tournament called Knight of the Year, and a Gladiator Arena, where you get thrown into a pit naked, to fight lions and wolves - and/or other players. And occasionally we run some invasion or threat to the main cities that calls for a lot of strong heroes to defend it. In these Quests some of the smarter players usually take charge, so all the others have to do is to tag along behind them and tank in the occasional battles…

Still… you cannot run these major Quests too often either, or the players will get jaded and stop participating. The main thing with a 'major event' is that it occurs very rarely, otherwise it just becomes mainstream like everything else. The same thing goes for artifacts actually. The more seldom an item loads, the more treasured it gets by the players. We even have items with no stats at all, which some players collect, for the sole reason of their rarity.

One more thing we use to keep the interest up for exploring is the Zone Flag. This is loaded in the heart of a zone, and the players collect them either for themselves or for their Clan. The first flag to get reported is reset in the Clan HQ, and having many Zone flags of course raises the prestige of the Clan.

07-30-2002, 06:58 AM	#5
Molly Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Sweden Home MUD: 4 Dimensions Posts: 574	We too have gone to great lengths to keep the equipment balanced. Max Ac for instance is restricted for different wear_locs, and we use a system with max allowed points for addaffects, where each +5 to move, mana and hp equals 1 point, +1 to stat (str/int/wis/dex/con/cha) equals 2 points and each +1 to hit- and damroll equals 3 points. We also have a max for the weapon damage, although it can be raised a bit with the TINKER skill. (Of course, tinkered weapons break after a given time, and not all weapons can be tinkered in the first place). Most of the top equipment also is not loaded normally in the game, but used as Quest rewards, meaning that the players have to use their brains a bit to get it. As for the top mobs, we constantly have to use new tricks to keep them powerful enough, since the players keep ganging up on them, keep getting stronger with each remort, and since new skills and spells sometimes rock the balance a bit. For instance a new spell, which allows mages to call forth 'elementals' to their aid, tended to be a bit too good, because the elementals are used for tanking. So we added a script to some of the top mobs, which makes them grab the elementals by the scruff of their neck and devour them. Very effective, and pretty annoying for the players, hehe. So far the players usually manage to kill every mob in the game sooner or later, however hard we make them, by figuring out their weaknesses. But we do have a couple of mobs that are virtually unkillable, because they have a script that makes them regen at each hit. This is of course extremely frustrating for the players, so it should be used with caution. The only reason we use it at all is, that some mobs are Quest mobs and needed to be available all the time for the players who wants to do the Quests. There is one that has a script saying something like: 'You cannot kill Herbie, unless you set fire to the entire planet!' One of our top players spent over a week trying to figure out how to set fire to the planet, before he finally asked me about it, and I put him out of his misery by telling the truth. But this of course started me thinking about how one could make a script for setting fire to the forest, and I might actually add it one day, Quest mob or no Quest mob… Like Illuvatar says, it gets to be like a chess game between the Creator and the top players, where both parties are constantly trying to outsmart each other. And this is mainly what keeps the interest up on both sides - not tougher and tougher mobs, but tougher and tougher Quests and puzzles. It's pretty easy to keep the SMART players occupied by adding new tricky zones and hard puzzles. But there is another type of heroes, who use nothing but brawn to get to their position. They are too lazy to really explore, and too dumb to solve the puzzles, and they BUY most of their equipment from better players. They advance by being on line all day, constantly killing a ton of mobs, as powerful as they can handle. This is usually the type that ends up sitting at Recall and bitching about being bored. Since they don't show much inclination to leave, in spite of their alleged boredom, we occasionally run Quests that requires nothing but strength. For instance we have a PK Tournament called Knight of the Year, and a Gladiator Arena, where you get thrown into a pit naked, to fight lions and wolves - and/or other players. And occasionally we run some invasion or threat to the main cities that calls for a lot of strong heroes to defend it. In these Quests some of the smarter players usually take charge, so all the others have to do is to tag along behind them and tank in the occasional battles… Still… you cannot run these major Quests too often either, or the players will get jaded and stop participating. The main thing with a 'major event' is that it occurs very rarely, otherwise it just becomes mainstream like everything else. The same thing goes for artifacts actually. The more seldom an item loads, the more treasured it gets by the players. We even have items with no stats at all, which some players collect, for the sole reason of their rarity. One more thing we use to keep the interest up for exploring is the Zone Flag. This is loaded in the heart of a zone, and the players collect them either for themselves or for their Clan. The first flag to get reported is reset in the Clan HQ, and having many Zone flags of course raises the prestige of the Clan.