Re: reading books, another idea I am working on

[Matt Cortes <link@alpha.pulsar.net>]

On Wed, 13 Dec 1995, Brian Thomas wrote:

> 	I would like to passby everyone an idea that I am 
> 	working on -- development of the "READABLE" hack.
> 
> 	Because I expect some of the idea will be controversial
> 	I have segmented it into parts of increasingly acceptablity.
> 	(I, of course, think its all reasonable :).

First off, let me tell you I think everything listed here is a great 
idea and all quite reasonable too!  Let me go through each one if I may...

> 	Main Idea -- books for players
> 
> 	One thing, I think, that will go a long way to improving th e
> 	atmosphere of the game is to create code that will support the
> 	development of non-magical reading material, which for lack of 
> 	a better (singular) word I will refer to as "books". 

There are already a bunch of books on the map, mostly empty though when 
you go to read them.  And as well as scrolls that I've found with clues 
to quests in the game, etc.
 
> 	As of the current code, the only non-magical books are those 
> 	specifically created on maps. Why not have several types of 
> 	(general and specific) information be available in shops and/or
> 	monster treasure hoards? Examples of things that I would 
> 	put into books:
> 
> 	-> Compendiums on monsters/racial groups. Their powers/abilities
> 	    and how to kill them.	

I don't know if anyone has ever played it.  But there was an old game on 
the Sega Genesis called Fatal Labrynth.  It was a random RPG game, each 
time you go through it, it was different here and there..  its actually 
alot like crossfire in a few ways.  Anyway, it had a feature I thought 
was pretty neat.  Each time you killed a specific creature, say blue 
slime.. You would gain in knowledge on how that creature reacts, etc.  
I'm thinking maybe we could add the ability to have knowledge on each 
creature's moves, attacks, etc.  The more knowledge you have on the 
creature, the better modifiers you get on Dex, Str, Int, etc for each 
move you do against that creature.  These books you purpose could also 
increase the players knowledge the first time the book is read for each 
of the creatures in there, then the book could be refered to later on for 
things such as best protection spells/items to use, best spells, weaknesses, 
max HP, etc for each creature listed in that book.

> 	-> Compendiums of spells/prayers in a given level. Rare spells
> 	   (bookchance==0) might have a chance of appearing.

> 	-> "Bibles" -- properties/characteristics of a God/religon

Slightly off topic here, but..
I'm wondering how hard it would be to say..  choose a religon?  Make 
strict rules for clerics once they choose a god to worship.  The 
advantage is random favors from the god based on how faithful the cleric 
has been.  Do simple things like Elemental gods, Demon gods, etc. Cleric 
studies the arts, practices etc for the god of his choose, as he advances 
he gains the strengths and weakness of such practices.  For example, 
studing under the Fire God increases his ability with fire, but makes him 
weaker toward cold, etc.  Something like this should be done for all 
types of characters by the way..  Make spells more intense, likely to 
succeed, harmful, as the players level raises (reads more books on type 
of spell <G>).   

> 	-> Compendiums explaining the powers of 2-3 artifacts

I definitly need this one. :>

> 	-> Random information drawn from a file in lib/. This would 
> 	   give mapmakers an easy way to make "teaser" info available 
> 	   in areas outside of their own maps! Plus server specific info 
> 	   could easily be made available here too. 

Thats cruel.  But it made me think of an idea.  (just deleted it though 
once I read it and found my idea to be really retarded. :>)
 
> 	Clearly some of this information is already available in the spoiler.
> 	But, with the ability of a given server maintainer to have different
> 	archetypes/gods/spells/etc, the spoiler can sometimes be useless. A
> 	vehicle through which to impart *server specific* information is also
> 	needed. But that wouldnt even be the main value of such a system, 
> 	the enchancement to the atmosphere of the game (I think) is the main
> 	point.

Good points.  And instead of having to write new books per server, why 
not make the books call upon the different variables set for each server?
Example:
      The Dread's weaknesses are <call dread_weak_var>, his max hitpts is 
<call dread_HP_var>.

> 	Susequent Idea -- modification of the writing skill. 

What the heck is the writing skill and stylus pen used for now anyway??

> 	I would like to propose that the writing skill be expanded to 
> 	allow players to write messages/keep notes in "books". This 
> 	would be (err, actually, "is") very easy to do. 

That would be a great idea.  You should see how much notes I have over 
here on my desk just for crossfire. :>
Make a buyable item (Diary) to do things like this I guess.
Also maybe a "note paper" item for small "Link was here first!!" 
messages, etc. :>

> 	Susequent Idea -- modification of the literacy skill. 
> 
> 	I would like to further propose that the literacy skill be modified.
> 	Why allow players to read books if they arent literate! Ditto 
> 	for spellbooks. 
> 
> 	I would further propose that reading skill be adopted. If a 
> 	player's literacy level is less than the level of the book (I 
> 	wont explain how that's assigned) and/or the level of the 
> 	spell/prayer in the book, then they get the "gibberish" message.

Thats pretty much already doing that if a player buys/gets a spellbook 
thats higher then his level and he tries to read it.

> 	Allow a nominal amound of xp to be awarded for translation of 
> 	a book (based on the readers level and the level of the book of 
> 	course). 

Or, why not make different xp catagories?  Pysical, Mental, etc.  That 
would open up a whole new world of stuff, then have seperate levels as well.
In AD&D you can be a fighter/mage/thief, etc.  Maybe we can implement 
something like that and have xp awarded to each catagory depending on 
what acts we do?


-Matt (Just throwing out ideas, may not like them..  But if there is one 
ya like, hey..  Wasn't it worth it? :>)