Someone Else
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2357
Registered: 06-14-2005
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If you're unsworded, goblins don't attack you (in passing) when you're facing towards them (any direction that you could be facing with a sword for them not to attack you, unless you attack them first). While this may be intended behavior, it doesn't make any sense. Goblins don't stay away from the space right in front of you in DROD just because Beethro is intimidating. It's because he has a Really Big Sword(tm) (But it doesn't have to be Really Big, as shown by RPG. It just has to be a sword (Or, theoretically, just a weapon)). I think that this should be changed.

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[Last edited by Someone Else at 11-08-2008 10:28 PM]

TFMurphy
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3118
Registered: 06-11-2007
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On the flipside: the "strikes when you turn your back to it" mechanic (that's the exact wording given by the game when you right-click on a Goblin) is a simple rule to remember and adding a "except when you don't have a sword" exception to it would be an added complication. Not that we're not used to complications, but sometimes, simplicity has its place. Also, the current ruleset gives unsworded movement an interesting feel around goblins -- there are, for example, goblin placements that are easier to navigate without a sword than with one... and vice versa.

Even given that such a change was made, I would not want such a complication added to the simple script Behavior "Attack in front when back turned", since it's easy to script complex interactions from simple behavior, it's much more difficult to script basic interactions from complex behavior. So if this were to happen, I'd want it made to goblins alone. (Which reminds me... we really could do with a way of detecting whether the player currently has a sword unsheathed)

And finally, not all TCB interactions are going to make complete sense when converted over to DROD RPG in the first place. While certain comparisons are going to be made, I'd take impact to DROD RPG's gameplay as a more important factor, and I think I'd rather see what people do with goblins as they are, rather than turn them into a weaker version of Seep when you don't have a sword.

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5197
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I concur with TFMurphy's sentiments. I agree having a new script query/option/var to check whether the player's equipment is currently enabled or disabled would be useful. Including this would seem to be enough to faciliate the type of scripted monster logic that Someone Else is requesting.

Edit: this addition will be a new option selection to the Equipment command.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

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[Last edited by mrimer at 01-19-2009 05:08 PM]