Barren Realms MUD

i like all the ideas.....and i didn't know slart left hmm i been slipping big time

I can see merging items working a bit more simply than Amy, and in one of two ways. Either you include designations in the area file for a "list" of sorts that you want the merging items to be on, and then anything from that list that's mergeable can combine with each other. Or you just allow any item to merge with any other, mergeable, item. There are, of course, some problems and advantages with either one in particular, and a couple issues just in general.
The general problem involved is a balance one: if you take just the individual stats of each merged item and combine them into one conglomerate, it can quickly become far, far, far more powerful than any natural item for that slot. Now, this can be limited by creating the new item at a higher level than any of the prior ones, where the stats on it would be balanced, or by taking the general bonuses on the merged items and proportionately balancing them to an average level (or that of the highest item merged).
Specifically for the options in the first paragraph, the list of mergeable items would take some fairly serious amounts of code to work out, as some modifications to the area file read-in process would have to take place, as well as the game being able to keep track of which items were on which list to allow combining. The advantage of that option is that, coded correctly, the area builder could create a series of names for the combined items, and new areas could add additional items somewhat simply into existing lists. Merging with any other item is somewhat simpler code-wise, but does then have to have the randomizing aspects of names to one extent or another, and could potentially run into more serious balance (and combination - i.e. what happens when you want to merge a sword with a ring?) issues.

I assume you would only be able to combine items in the same slot. It might be amusing to do otherwise but I think it would be more trouble than it is worth. Still, if there was a 50% chance that a ring-weapon combination would become a wearable weapon, that might be fun. That is probably too dangerous to allow, but I like the idea.

I think you guys are getting the wrong point of what I am trying to say. Only certain items can me merged together, as a set (in a way). If you try and merge two items that aren't in the same set, you'd be told that they cannot merge.

Ring of Truth, Ring of Wisdom, Ring of Love would be one set making the Ring of the Ancients.

Sword of Truth, Sword of Wisdom, Sword of Love would be another set, making the Sword of the Ancients.

If you try merging the sword with one of the rings, then you'd get a message such as: Are you blind!? You cannot merge these items!
It would be a little complicated to code, seeing that you have to get specified items to merge with each other. Although, it would be kind of like coding keys...each key goes to a certain door.

P.S. I don't have an imagination (hence the name of the eq)

-Relo-

Ah. That's far more limited in scope, and I like it less, actually. It's similar to the "lists" option I had for merging, but with many, small, exclusive lists, basically. Allowing people to combine things in unexpected ways would be part of the main draw (to me) of implementing something like this.

I think it is much more interesting if anything can merge because then characters start to diversify. It is easier to customize and even two identical items would have different names, assuming we did random naming.

I'd really like it if you could combine two items across different slots but I don't think that would work well logically. Go go gadget boot rings!

AMystery wrote: Go go gadget boot rings!

ROFL AMy, that is amusing.

I do think it would actually be even more interesting if you could merge any item together (same slot) to form a newer, higher level, stronger item. People will have all sorts of different equipment with different stats, for better or for worse. I am not sure if AMy or EB had stated it before, and I am sorry if they had.

-Relo-

I think a nice quest prize would be invisible eq. Not just your ordinary invisibility being seen by a detect invis spell, but invis like NOBODY could see it no matter what (except the imms, of course). Watching people looking at your eq that you worked so hard for, and then seeing them locate and teleport to get it is a pain in the butt. Then they ask, "What's this? What's that?" I don't know if it's just me, but i just dislike that...

-Relo-

That's why you rename things and don't tell people the originals or claim they are original so they end up searching for impossible things.

Eh, imo, most of the good questprize eq is lowered or load-only, anyways, so it doesn't matter if someone looks at it and find out where to normally get it, then does so, because you'll have one that can be used at a lower level (usually significantly, sometimes much lower) or they won't be able to get it normally, anyways. Or, if you get into the right quests, you can get specific mods done to your eq, which will make it more unique than loadable or lowered eq, or as AMy said, get it renamed, and don't tell people what it really is.

I once had someone renamed with all newbie equipment names at level 40. They were quite fetching.

AMystery wrote:That's why you rename things and don't tell people the originals or claim they are original so they end up searching for impossible things.

How would my mortals be able to get so many renames? Yes it is possible, but very very hard to do with the amount of quests going on now-a-days (Recently it's been good). It's easier for you guys since you're both immortals and could rename any item you wish.

Just something I would like to see over-looked, or maybe as a quest prize you can get all your equipment renamed to a certain theme...for example what AMy did, the newbie equipment. Imms could have alias' and such down already so it would take a second.

-Relo-

Well, since you started this particular topic off as a code change you'd like to see specifically for quest eq, Amy and I responded in that vein with why it's probably not necessary (or at least low on any code change list). Now, if you were speaking of it in a fashion of puzzle-solution eq (i.e. loads already in the game, you just have to solve the clues to be able to get it), I can see that as a more feasible reason to include it, although much of that type of eq is already difficult to acquire simply by seeing someone else wearing it without hints/solutions (as they'd have to solve the puzzles for themselves to get it).