Re: does large ice storm exist?

[Peter Mardahl <peterm@soda.berkeley.edu>]

	> <peterm@soda.berkeley.edu> wrote:
	
	> In the server code you download, it is TURNED OFF, meaning
	> you can't find any spellbooks of large icestorm.
	>
	>   Turned off also are these spells:
	>
	>   dragonbreath
	>   hellfire
	>   charging
	>   regenerate spellpoints
	>
	>   Recognize some of them?  If so, then it's because your server
	> god has turned them on.
	
	Why would you make these available???  

  Because the piddling spells available by default make no dents in
the tougher monsters that you face.  I agree, though, that hellfire and
reg. spellpoints should not be in spellbooks!  Hellfire is a boring spell,
anyway.  A large fireball is a much better use of sp.

  Balancing is done by making the powerful spells intensive in sp, and
by giving the monsters the option of using the powerful spells on you.

	
	Hellfire is essentially a large fireball. It is just invisible until 
	it hits something. THEN it turns into a large firball.  

Not quite a large fireball.  It's somewhat smaller.
	
	Charging?? It is supposed to be available in scrolls....

It is, and on the chico server, it's available in spellbooks.  I'm
not sure I agree with that, but it doesn't make a lot of difference.
	
	I would say that you just spoil the fun by making every spell 
	available to the players.

You're right, here.  I think large-icestorm is a cool spell, though.
On soda, it costs more sp and is higher level than what was distributed.
	
	
	> comet--shoot a cosmic rock, which hits for megadamage, and THEN explodes
	>        into a fireball!  The trail is something to see!
	> meteor-swarm--shoot LOTS of cosmic rocks!  (This spell ROCKS!)

And isn't to be found in spellbooks!  It does about double the damage of
a large bullet, and explodes into a small fireball. 
  It's also high-level.  I
think the sp cost is [largebullet+small_fireball].  the fireball is actually
smaller than a 'small' fireball.  This spell is actually not as effective
as simply using medium fireball, but it's so much fun that people will prob.
use it anyway, certainly on single, strong monsters.
	
	When designing spells, be sure not to create them too powerfull. This would 
	just ruin the balance (what balance?) of the game. Another point is that 
	all of the playerclasses should be equally good. Great spells could result in 
	everybody playing mages . :-(

I agree with you here.  The thing is, is that magic is inherently more
powerful because of its ability to effect an area.  Damaging one monster
at a time is inherently less efficient than damaging many monsters.

As it is, there are effectively two types of players--warriors and mages.
All the other classes are just subsets of those two.  I proposed something
to implement warriors-mages-clerics-thieves, but no one seemed willing
to take it up.  When I get time, I'll screw around with it.

	
	> immunity spells--Tired of getting blasted by dragons' breath?  Cast immunity
	>                  to fire!
	
	Death-knell-- Looking for an easy way out? When tired, this spell kills every 
	              monster in the current map!  .... etc ....

  What's wrong with that, if it won't kill really strong monsters, and
sucks loads of sp?  Though your point is well taken--perhaps failure
of an immunity spell should cause a LOOOONG lasting vulnerability!

  Lots of the soda spells are turned off until they are balanced,
etc....

  If you wanna help balance the spells (we'd appreciate input)
come help us beta-test the server.  scotch.berkeley.edu 13326

  You're very right, a lot of careful thought has to go into balancing
the spells, and the more opinions the better.

Regards,

PeterM