Re: CF: RE: Successful experiments - commit to CVS?

[David Andrew Michael Noelle <>]

dragonm wrote:
> 
> 1) attacktype: psionic
> ----------------
> I have a strong distaste for the word "psionic" in association with the
> Fantasy genre.  Psionic was a term that was adopted by role players because
> the Science Fiction people wanted magic but didn't want to call it magic.  I
> consider psionics in fantasy to be inappropriate backward leakage.  We have
> magic, for crying out loud.  Psionics are redundant and anachronistic.  I
> don't know that I object to the actual effects of the attacktype, but if you
> must have it, name it something that's not quite so jarring.
> ----------------

    I wasn't aware of that being the origin of the word.  I thought it was
just a catch-all for various psychic powers.  In fact, I first encountered
the word "psionics" and the concept in game terms in 1st Edition AD&D,
buried in an appendix somewhere.  I never saw any anachronism or conflict
between magic and psionics.  They accomplish similar results in vastly
different ways, the same as the difference between spells and prayers. 
Magic uses rituals, formulas, incantations, and ingredients to channel other
energies (mana) into the desired effect.  Psionics is the ability to focus
and control your own mental energy to achieve similar effects.  Psionics
tend to be more subtle, and it is much more difficult to affect matter with
psionics than energy fields or another mind, while different schools of
magic deal with each of those equally.
    That's why I've been looking for a way to introduce psionics into
Crossfire.  Perhaps as a Mental skill that acts as spellcasting, but only
works for the Mind and Information paths.  But I believe spell points are
based on Magic level, not total level or Mental level.

    Nevertheless, if the name "psionics" bothers you, I don't mind calling
these purely mental attacks something else, perhaps something as simple as
"mental."
    The spells I already implemented for attacktype: mental are:

mage spell "Mind Stab"
 - hits the closest creature in the specified direction, similar to finger
of
   death
mage spell "Mind Blast"
 - releases one big headache in a standard cone-type area of effect

    And here are some new ideas:

mage spell "Thought Shield"
 - gives target protection from mental, fear, confusion, slow, and paralyze
mage spell "Mind Control"
 - temporarily make target creature your golem
mage spell "Forget"
 - causes spellcasters to forget how to cast their spells (does not affect
   innate abilities, like dragon breath - very few valid targets)
mage spell "Mind Steal"
 - If victim fails saving throw, he/she/it loses a magic spell, prayer, or
   learnable skill.  The caster learns that spell, prayer, or skill, if it's
   not known already.
mage spell "Sleep"
 - cone-type area of effect, victims fall asleep and will not be awakened by
   enemy presence until the spell wears off.  Taking any damage instantly
   cancels the spell and wakes that creature.

[...]
> 6) overgeneration
> ----------------
> Completely eliminating the limits is probably a bad idea, but I don't have
> any opinion about which of the proposed solutions to adopt.
> ----------------

    I'm playing with a level 65 Wizard now, and setting the maximum sp
regeneration at 2sp/tick seems to be working well.  1sp/tick was too slow,
and removing that limit altogether was just crazy.  I'm leaving it at 2 for
now, but I made it a constant in the do_some_living function, so it will be
easy to tweak later if necessary.

-- 
            -Dave Noelle,                 
            -the Villa Straylight,  http://www.straylight.org
Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email  ==  http://www.cauce.com

Disclaimer: U.C.L.A. doesn't share my opinions; life isn't that good.

Quote of the Day:
"Tilting at windmills hurts you more than the windmills." - Lazarus Long
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