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[DalGren]

I happen to agree with Whales' approach of keeping it simple. Having an active simulation will only make a marginal difference in gameplay and slow things down by a large amount. Not to mention extra complexity and dev time and such...

[Angle]

You know, know that I think about it, the giant hoard thing is actually a decent idea. Make them show up on the mini-map, so you can see them without actually having to run into them. But only if you get within a few worldmap tiles of them. Close enough to reveal unknown terrain. and have some kind of way to map out the area better. Perhaps climbing a tall building and mapping the area? I know you can use science labs for something like this, but that's just downloading prerecorded data. maybe an item, like binoculars, that could allow you too see farther on the worldmap?

You don't need to have a full simulation. Just have the current mongroups, maybe changed a little so the spawning makes more sense, and a seperate thing for the moving hoards.

[Paul]

A completely active migration thing for zombies wouldn't be efficient, but a mock up might be interesting.

For instance, random events might make zombies move from one city to the next. These events could only check the region the player is in, so you don't have to check everywhere.

Might have zombie hordes that show up randomly, which would massively increase populations and spawning in that town until a specified time, at which point they're moved to another town. Could generate a list of zombie hordes and assign them a large region (encompassing multiple cities), and set their populations at game start. They could be assigned a starting town at game start and they would move to another adjacent town on a random chance after a certain time period (possibly random, so a horde might stay in place a while or leave shortly after coming to one). The player leaving a certain vicinity would make them go dormant until the player comes back, at which point their movement could be simulated based on how much time passed (small time they're still in the same place, long period might have moved to a city across the other side of their region). If they were activated based on a vicinity of world map tiles with a central point and radius that marks that particular horde's roaming grounds you would only have to track a maximum of 4 hordes at one time, assuming the player was standing right on the corner of all 4 regions - and usually you would only be tracking one.

That way you would have city specific populations, and region specific horde populations that can temporarily invade cities. You could take it a step further and let them populate wilderness areas for a time while they move between the cities, so a player might run into a bunch of zombies in the wilderness between two large cities. Once NPC cities are functioning the hordes could approach them on a random event, and that faction could generate a quest to help them defend the town.

[Whales]

Actually, it wouldn't be difficult to add mobile monster populations to the current model; they'd work like the current ones, but just move a tile every half hour or something.  Could be pretty cool!

Hey Whales, I've been thinking about a suggestion for purifiers. Instead of the stat increase, I was thinking maybe something along the lines of this:

Code: [Select]

if (valid.size() == 0) {
  if (one_in(20) && !p->has_trait(PF_ROBUST)){
    p->toggle_trait(PF_ROBUST);
    if (!p->is_npc())
     g->add_msg("You feel fortified.");
    }
  else {
  for (int i = 0; i < num_hp_parts; i++)
  p->heal(hp_part(i), 1);
  if (!p->is_npc())
     g->add_msg("You feel better all over.");}
  return;
 }That way the purifiers are specifically useful for mutations - both removing them and occasionally getting the trait that makes mutations better. I also put the 1 point full body heal as an extra use for them, so they're still useful for people who don't use mutagen.

Damn, not a bad idea.  Though I might move the robust genetics part to a craftable super-purifier; something like 5 purifiers + 3 mutagens = super-purifier, with 80% chance of giving you robust genetics--possibly even with two levels, the second not available during character creation.

[Angle]

I just killed a zombie with pot. As in, the drug. oops

on the topic of a second level of robust genetics, you could have it be like a combination of robust genetics and unstable genetics and give you new, beneficial mutations- Maybe at the price of XP?

[Aklyon]

Mutation at an XP cost isn't a bad idea, I'd say. it'd need to be pretty expensive if it was always beneficial, though.

[GlyphGryph]

Well, not always beneficial, just... like... 75% chance of beneficial? And still random.

I dunno, I'm still not sold on the idea of using experience like some sort of currency. If anything, I'd want to see having high amounts of experience lead to fast skill gain (perhaps at increased cost), so having a large pool makes you more effective at progressing quickly.

So, over 1k eperience costs 3xp per use, adds 2xp per use, instead of the original 1to1. Having over 3k experience costs 6xp, but adds 3. Having over 5k costs 10, but adds 4.

Meaning a huge experience pool allows you to learn four times as fast, but suddenly requires dedicated effort to keep up.

Hell, I'm actually throwing that in the suggestions forum...

[Paul]

I don't really like the idea of using experience on buying things either (stats, mutations, or anything).

I'd much prefer a system like you're describing GlyphGryph, where you get faster skill gain at higher xp. Just make it use exponentially more xp as you go. Maybe have the xp usage modifier the square of the skill gain modifier, so a 2x boost would be 4x xp, 5x boost would be 25x xp.

The modifier could be XP/1000+1. So 1000 or below would be normal speed normal usage, 2000 xp would be double speed 4x usage, 3000 triple speed 9x usage, and so on. High levels of xp would burn away quickly at the bonus of faster skill gain.


IMO stat gain should be difficult. I like the idea of gaining stats only via mutations and possibly some kind of super difficult to get item. I also don't think an improved robust genetics would be a good idea, as it's already a pretty good mutation chance considering how common mutation inducing items are.

Different quality mutagens might be good though. Things like arms, legs, and fetises could have a penalty to the chance of good mutations - more often than not they'd give a bad one. Regular mutagens would be like they are now. Then some kind of "purified" mutagen made with a combination of purifiers and mutagens could have a boosted chance of good mutations, but only a small bonus like 10/14 instead of the current 9/14 (with the trait).

[jc6036]

Nobody wants the xp boost system    

It was one of the things I was most excited about.

[Aklyon]

XP boost system?

[jc6036]

Once again, "buying" temporary buffs, gaining stats (though you guys shot that down), and crafting artifacts using large amounts of xp. And when I say large, I mean massive for the artifacts and stats.

[GlyphGryph]

It doesn't make much sense to me, to be honest, is the problem. I mean, the xp pool is a neat feature, and it serves an important purpose - in essence, it measures a characters coping ability and will to live, thanks to spots of light in a bleak situation, and reflects upon how well they adapt to this new harsh environment.

I don't see how that leads to "And then he shot lazors out of his eyes!" or even "And thus his bat became able to shoot lazors!" or even "And thus he became a lot smarter!" (although I think stat boosts over time aren't a terrible idea, I really dislike the concept of using xp as some sort of ... currency.)

[FunctionZero]

Spoiler: i was board (click to show/hide)

i want my artifacts goddamnit

[Paul]

I'd rather see artifacts spawn on tough monsters or in the depths of science labs and stuff than just going "I've had a great week, im happy, and oh look I pulled an artifact out of my ass."

[FunctionZero]

also:

I don't see how that leads to "And then he shot lazors out of his eyes!" or even "And thus his bat became able to shoot lazors!" or even "And thus he became a lot smarter!" (although I think stat boosts over time aren't a terrible idea, I really dislike the concept of using xp as some sort of ... currency.)

>complaining about realism
>in a zombie gaem