Re: Oly: changes in G2

From: skrenta@pbm.com (Rich Skrenta)

Date: Thu, 05 Oct 1995 00:00:00 +0000

srt@sun-dimas.aero.org (Scott Turner) writes:
> (1) Fix the combat system.  This went around and around on the defunct
>     Oly design mailing list, but I think most players are in agreement
>     that the combat system is broke.

This is too broad to be accurate or useful.  The main problem with the
combat system is that it is winner-gets-stronger.  Much of this has to do
with how booty is allocated (the fact that one gets the loser's fighting
men if victorious).

The design list talk to which you refer had to do changing the bias of the
combat system towards power instead of numbers.  This is nice for the
fantasy genre -- we don't want Conan to be brought down by 20 peasants,
although this may actually be "realistic".  This is a problem insofar as
the approach to lair monsters is simply to make a big enough stack so that
you can't lose.

I don't think this causes any injustices when it comes to player-player
combat, though.  Many of the remedies discussed on the design list were
special case mods to the combat system which only came into effect for this
sort of men vs. superdragon kind of battle.  At the moment I'm favoring
something along the lines of John Morrow's suggestion to put a limit on the
size of stacks entering lairs.

The first four items on the old G2 list had to do with changes to the
combat system:

1.  Peasants, workers and sailors only assist with defense, not
        attacks.

Bias defence over offense.

2.  Whenever a noble is taken prisoner, between 1/3 and 2/3 of the
        prisoner's items will be lost.  This includes being taken prisoner
        via SURRENDER.

Make combat less economically attractive.

3.  New combat round algorithm is as follows:

A random man is chosen from the attacking side to hit a random
	target from the defender.

A random defender is similarly chosen to hit a random target
	from the attacking side.

Repeat, alternating sides until the smaller side has had
	as many chances to hit as it has attackers.

The larger side gets N hits in a row, where N is the difference
	between the number of attackers in the larger side and the
	smaller side.

"Let the loser get his licks in".  You can't insure zero losses by
attacking with a large enough force.

4.  Men and beasts belonging to a victim are never captured in battle.
        Men will desert before a noble is taken prisoner; beasts escape.

Eliminate winner-gets-stronger.

> I wonder why Rich isn't answering my mail anymore? :-)

Nothing personal, take a number.  :-)

References

Re: Oly: changes in G2
srt@sun-dimas.aero.org (Scott Turner)
Wed, 04 Oct 1995 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Oly: changes in G2
srt@sun-dimas.aero.org (Scott Turner)
Wed, 04 Oct 1995 00:00:00 +0000