Barren Realms MUD

A topic from the old boards (one that I suggested) that I hoped would help to expand options in combat. Basically, we have no real options for ranged combat on BR (bows, namely). We can use the throw command, but that gives us one hit before the mob's in the room, and that not particularly damaging.
My suggestion was to put in true ranged weapons, that you would wield like any of our standard weapons, allowing you to use a modified kill command (shoot, with a mobname and optional direction) that would then act like your standard attack. When you attacked an adjacent mob, you'd get one or two combat rounds of freebie, ranged attacks at them before they came into the room and started hurting you. To limit it somewhat, I recommended that if you were tanking with a ranged weapon your damage was substantially reduced. To go with the idea, I wanted all of these weapons to be two-handed, and the command would only have a one room range (what's visible with scan, in other words).

I think it is a great idea. I just want to add that if there will be ranged weapon, the characters should buy the quivers (i.e arrows, etc.) and can stay in the corpse when they die for the character to pick up. They can also be worn out or something during a battle (not like feathers which are timed) when they have been used a couple of times or can be based on their damage (the harder it hit, the more it gets rusty or nicked).

This certainly isn't a bad idea, but I just wonder if it will be possible to equip an aggro mob with a ranged weapon and have it attack players in an adjacent room...

Maybe with the ranged weapon attacks, include several skills giving a certain accuracy with each skill practiced....

Also definitely factor in accuracy due to race, like a dwarf will probably never be as skilled with a ranged weapon like an elf or human....

Just a suggestion

This should be a skill that requires practicing. As to which races would get the skill in guild or out of guild (or not at all) might be up for debate.

Damage should be determined by the average dam of the arrow and the bonuses on both arrow and bow. Damage should not be reduced. There should also be a small percentage that a critical point in the body was struck, increasing the damage. I do not suggest instant death, just twice the damage or something.

The arrows or other missiles should also be breakable. They should become useless objects, or melt, 50% of the time they are used. Perhaps, the number of uses would also help determine when the arrow breaks. After every shot, the arrow becomes more fragile (raising the % of breaking) until after so many shots it would break 100% of the time.

Also, I think that anyone who is not tanking should be able to use a bow and arrow, provided that they know how to use one. They could sit in the back and fling arrows at a mob even in the same room. Only while grouping would this be possible. However, there will be a chance, if they fail to hit the mob, that they might hit the player tanking instead. Damage rules apply.

Aggressive mobs with bows and arrows should be able to use them against players. The only problem with this is that they would run out of arrows eventually. The unfortunate player with new arrows in his/her/it's inventory might not be quite so thankful for the sudden increase in missiles for a bow, but will be at least a little thankful that the barrage has a limit.

-Stars

seeing this, how about allowing ranged combat to only be possible while you're not tanking? hey, a skill that'd really be worth something in a group! plus the ability to shoot at things in adjectant rooms, too, of course

the problem with the "2 rounds of freebie" comes back to the distance between rooms thing. doesn't mace sence if hte nex troom is only 5 feet away, nor 500 feet away (unless you're equiping a howitzer). i do love the idea though.

Well, that and if you have 2 free rounds, why not shoot one, leave the room, wait for the mob to go looking for where you just were, and then shoot another, move, etc...

That said, I do like the idea. But there'd have to be some way to pervent the above from being abused.

Then put a horrible lag on it. Make it like kick/circle where you hit the mob twice in a round then a lag like a roundhouse.

Or easier than that just make mobs assist on someone using ranged just as much as melee. That way people would have to be really careful of where they're going when they run while shooting.

whatever is done, i think there's something wrong with the current throw code when regarding one-way doors. i should be able to kill guards at recall from htos, but i can't

If we do this, and do it right, it should be something that a particular race specializes in. An archer race of some type.

Sounds fun and happy/jolly to me!

Yeah, that sounds cool.

Speaking of range, im not sure how the group/fighting code works, but it appears that the last player in the group (bottom when typing 'group') hits the hardest and inflicts the most damage, no matter if the player is wielding a dagger, spear, or casting a spell. The way to get to the bottom of the group list, is to be bottom of the "who" list - log on first or get all other members of the group to log off and back on.

* Is there anything we can do about this to make it more realistic?

* If not can we make a way to re-arrange a group's order without logging off

* Can we have some opinions on this code and some possible solutions/changes




This appears to be a thread for possible feedback.