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Author Topic: Writhing  (Read 1190 times)

PTTG??

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Writhing
« on: February 19, 2009, 02:21:43 am »

When a unit is on the ground, In Pain, conscious, and has whatever necessary personality traits, they should "writhe in pain" this has little effect- perhaps they might trigger in-tile things like traps again- but more importantly there will be a graphic effect of showing the brown background flash gray.

Why on earth should this be done?:
Becuase there's something about seeing your adventurer sourrounded by a dozen writhing goblins that simply isn't there when the goblins are merely collapsed to the ground. Abstract though it may be, I think it has a nice, subtle effect of making opponents and victims seem more "alive". At least for a few moments, anyway.
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Tormy

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2009, 08:02:10 am »

I like the idea. Also, perhaps these creatures should be flagged/tagged in the same time.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2009, 10:36:43 am by Tormy »
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G-Flex

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2009, 10:34:29 am »

When a unit is on the ground, In Pain, conscious, and has whatever necessary personality traits, they should "writhe in pain" this has little effect- perhaps they might trigger in-tile things like traps again- but more importantly there will be a graphic effect of showing the brown background flash gray.

There's already a "stun" effect that's caused by pain and covers all of this.
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Re: Writhing
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2009, 03:35:36 pm »

There's already a "stun" effect that's caused by pain and covers all of this.

Writhing in pain is different from stunning. A Stun is when someone is distracted or disoriented briefly. A Writhing unit is completely preoccupied with the pain, the organs popping out, the incredible new joints their bones now have, that sort of thing. They would be unable to do much more than move.

And then there's the fact that this would allow other units to emote- something they hardly do now.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2009, 03:37:38 pm by PTTG?? »
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Granite26

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2009, 04:15:12 pm »

It wouldn't hurt to have the actual emote caused by giving into pain include this, especially if it's by grade and personality.

G-Flex

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2009, 05:49:44 pm »

There's already a "stun" effect that's caused by pain and covers all of this.

Writhing in pain is different from stunning. A Stun is when someone is distracted or disoriented briefly. A Writhing unit is completely preoccupied with the pain, the organs popping out, the incredible new joints their bones now have, that sort of thing. They would be unable to do much more than move.

I wasn't aware that stunned units COULD do much, but yeah, I guess they can.

However, they already CAN "give in to pain" in which case they fall unconscious temporarily, and honestly, in terms of game mechanics, there's not much difference between that and what you're saying.
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Mikademus

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2009, 06:33:29 pm »

However, they already CAN "give in to pain" in which case they fall unconscious temporarily, and honestly, in terms of game mechanics, there's not much difference between that and what you're saying.

Not in game mechanics, but definitely in the degree of sadistic joy on the part of the OP.
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SirHoneyBadger

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2009, 06:47:16 pm »

I could see where this would be fun, so I'll give it a hesitant approval (I'd want to see it in action, in other words).

I'd also like to see the possibility of relatively minor "brain bruise" (or maybe just "head injury") type injuries, where the brain (or head) could actually heal low level damage, but in the meantime injured parties might suffer hallucinations, temporary memory loss, concussion, strange behaviour, increased nausea, etc.

So that you might have "stunned" units acting strangely, in some cases. 
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Neonivek

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2009, 12:35:48 am »

In my honest oppinion... I really don't like this suggestion... it kinda takes gore and wounds to the next level as it demostrates the pure psychological torment of people who are obviously having their limbs hacked off.

Mind you... I don't oppose the suggestion either and believe it is a great way to add more depth to the amount of pain you inflict on people. It probably would enhance the game for quite a few people.
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SirHoneyBadger

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2009, 02:50:46 am »

Well, yeah, there is something to be said for too much stark reality, in what is otherwise a fantasy game.

There is, or there should be, a point at which sheer gruesomeness and bloodthirstiness begins to tip the balance away from enjoyment.

It's almost a parallel to the graphics question: the more the graphics fills in for you, the less your imagination has to do. In this case, the more emotional shock the game provides, the less real emotion we're left to feel, on our own, and the less we begin to actually care about Urist McNoLegs.
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Re: Writhing
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2009, 02:13:30 pm »

So, in order to make the game more emotional, there should not be any emoting on the part of NPCs?

"The guts shoot out of the wound!" is fine, but the slightest indication that the goblins are really uncomfortable is too much?

I don't understand.
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LegoLord

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2009, 02:25:40 pm »

Stunning is very different.  Units can move with purpose and work while stunned, and being stunned can be caused by things other than pain; spider bites, for example.
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Re: Writhing
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2009, 03:23:48 pm »

I could see where this would be fun, so I'll give it a hesitant approval (I'd want to see it in action, in other words).

I'd also like to see the possibility of relatively minor "brain bruise" (or maybe just "head injury") type injuries, where the brain (or head) could actually heal low level damage, but in the meantime injured parties might suffer hallucinations, temporary memory loss, concussion, strange behaviour, increased nausea, etc.

So that you might have "stunned" units acting strangely, in some cases. 

Yeah, brain injuries should have a much wider and subtler range of effects.  Conceivably the brain could even be divided into sub-organs so you could have injuries that affect the motor cortex while leaving Wernicke's area intact or whatever, although these sub-organs might be "invisible" in the UI (i.e. all brain injuries could be labeled as plain brain injuries despite having different symptoms).
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Warlord255

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Re: Writhing
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2009, 03:37:10 pm »

Well, yeah, there is something to be said for too much stark reality, in what is otherwise a fantasy game.

There is, or there should be, a point at which sheer gruesomeness and bloodthirstiness begins to tip the balance away from enjoyment.

It's almost a parallel to the graphics question: the more the graphics fills in for you, the less your imagination has to do. In this case, the more emotional shock the game provides, the less real emotion we're left to feel, on our own, and the less we begin to actually care about Urist McNoLegs.

I don't think an indication of writhing in massive pain would detract from emotional impact...
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Re: Writhing
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2009, 06:51:52 pm »

It's like when you watch a movie like Friday the 13th, or Nightmare on Elm Street, or Halloween, or Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the classics of my generation), and after a while you kind of get numb to all the gore and mayhem going on in the film, because after a while, blood and guts really just become props.

But if you witness somebody actually getting injured in real life, and you see the pain on their face, and what they're actually going through, even if it's a relatively minor injury, it has a much greater emotional element and impact.

Fear and pain, indignity, loss of control, shock, etc. can be much more powerful than an unrealistic amount of cherry flavored cough syrup flying around.
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