Re: Olympia: opinions on magical research

From: hauck@cs.washington.edu (Scott Hauck)

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1992 18:50:57 +0000

In article <1992Apr30.181133.5244@cbfsb.cb.att.com> skrenta@cbnewsg.att.com (Rich Skrenta) writes:
>I like this, since it combines the best of both systems.  However,
>it really makes it a time consuming enterprise to become a powerful
>wizards.  That is a good thing, but I don't want to make it too
>hard.
>
>Perhaps if I also made it easier to study up the individual spells,
>learning magic would be challenging but not take an insane amount
>of time.

My suggestion and others sort of fall into the category of skills that
eanr you spells, but the spells need to be learned in a specific order.
Well, this is exactly how normal skills currently work.  So, axe the
idea of learning skills and then spells, and just make the spells be
the USE command for a skill.  For example, use "Fire Magic" 8 # Wall of Fire

One thing I'd add though is a "practice" order.  The idea is that the first
time a spell is cast, there's a 25% it fails (often spectacularly).
Every time a spell is cast correctly, the failure chance halves.  Every time
a spell fails, the failure chance is 2*(old rate) + 10%.  Now, the "practice"
command allows the spell to be practiced.  This means that everything necessary
to cast the spell is done (using material components, being in the right
situation, etc.), but the spell isn't actually cast.  The benefit is that it
is considered a "successful" casting, decreasing the failure chance.

BTW, failures should be fun and creative, not likely to outright kill the mage,
but cause problems to him, and possibly those around him.  The higher the
spell level, the greater the failure effect.  So, a failed level #1 fire magic
spell might cause a brilliant light, stunning the user and his stack for
2 days, whereas a failed level #10 fire magic spell would send an explosion
throughout the town, doing 10-20% damage to the citizenry and the structures.
Soon we'll have all the mages crucified or living like hermits up in the
hills ;).

Scott Hauck
hauck@cs.washington.edu

References

Re: Olympia: opinions on magical research
srt@aero.org (Scott "TCB" Turner)
Thu, 30 Apr 1992 17:28:13 +0000
Re: Olympia: opinions on magical research
skrenta@cbnewsg.att.com (Rich Skrenta)
Thu, 30 Apr 1992 18:11:33 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Olympia: opinions on magical research
srt@aero.org (Scott "TCB" Turner)
Thu, 30 Apr 1992 17:28:13 +0000
Re: Olympia: opinions on magical research
skrenta@cbnewsg.att.com (Rich Skrenta)
Thu, 30 Apr 1992 18:11:33 +0000