Re: Re: CF: more on identify

["Mark Wedel" <mark@icp.siemens.com>]

On Dec 4,  3:32pm, Jacek Konieczny wrote:
> Subject: Re: Re: CF: more on identify
> On Thu, Dec 03, 1998 at 08:02:06PM -0800, Mark Wedel wrote:
>
> >  The easiest change would be that when an item is dropped, it looses that
> > detail.  But that could be a bit harse (player wants to rearrange some
stuff
> > and drops something on the ground and no longer knows about it?)  Better
might
> > be wheenver the map is saved to disk (temp file), we clear those - if you
have
> > been away for the item for that long, you would forget its exact details.
 This
> > is pretty easy to do in the code, would still allow parties to share
equipment
> > without problem.
>
> But what about objects player has left in his apartment. He will come
> back not remembering what is that thing?

 Certain maps could have exceptions (apartment maps being one of them).  Have
some map flag which is something like (clear_identify is set to either 1 or 0
depending on the desired behaviour.).  However, since the default should be to
clear, you probably want to call it dont_clear_identify, so if that is set, it
doesn't clear - if not set (default), it does clear.

>
> And I would really like to see objects being identified only for some
> players. Now on multplayer server hardly any player can learn anything
> in the library, because all books are already read. Isn't it stupid?

 Yes it is.  But save for storing the name of each player that has read the
book, there is no easy solution.

 A lot of the reading code could be improved.  If you are in a store, you might
see something about alchemy you want to buy.  However, you have no idea if you
already have a book of that knowledge, and there is no one to find out unless
you buy it.

 as it is, all books are player knowledge and not character knowledge (once a
player knows the formula for a potion, he can make it with any character.)  It
would be much better for this to be player - check to see if the player has the
recipe book with him, and if not, give a hefty penalty for whatever he is
making (going from memory is not very accurate.)  With this, you could then
extend books in shops to be readable there so you know if you may want to buy
it (similar to going to a bookstore and thumbing through a referance manual to
see if it contains what you need.)  Exp for literacy could then be given out
when you use alchemy with a recipe book.  Note that this in theory would allow
map makers to add recipes on the fly buy just putting a book with the proper
recipe on the map - player tries to make that, if it matches, he gets whatever.

 However, this only works for alchemy books.  Books about monsters and spell
paths really do become player knowledge.  However, do many players actually
find the later books very useful?  In practice, I never buy books of those
nature, on the other hand, I was an experienced player by the time the books
were added, so I already knew that information.

 I do think making books more useful for the characters and not players would
be a good improvement.  Maybe some books improve skills (either temporarily or
permanently) - ie, a book of lockpicking that gives 1000 exp (or some other
value) to that appropriate skill category - should be a fairly costly book.  Or
maybe a 'map of navar city', which if you are in navar city and use it, it
casts a magic map spell for you.


-- 

-- Mark Wedel
mark@pyramid.com
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