Movement modes

[Antoine]

There used to be search mode, I'm not sure if it still exists,

I think it should be replaced by a list of 'movement modes' that players can toggle through.

• Searching - increased chance of passive trap detection
• Running - movement actions take slightly less energy
• Recuperating - +50% HP/SP regeneration while moving
• Chanting (mages and priests only) - double SP regeneration, no HP regeneration
• Sneaking - increased stealth
• Ninjaing (high level rogues only) - greatly increased stealth, drains SP
• Singing (dwarves, priests and paladins only) - reduced stealth, Bless effect for several turns after you stop moving
• Charging (warriors only) - melee damage bonus builds up over time and lasts for several turns after you stop moving
• Aiming (rogues and rangers only) - missile hit bonus builds up over time and lasts for several turns after you stop moving
• Retreating - bonus to AC and saving throws while moving
• Levitating (high level wizards only) - avoids traps, drains SP
• Listening (elves, hobbits and rogues only) - short-range, low-probability ESP

For the avoidance of doubt, none of these modes should have any effect when the player is standing still.

A.

[fizzix]

There used to be search mode, I'm not sure if it still exists,

I think it should be replaced by a list of 'movement modes' that players can toggle through.

• Searching - increased chance of passive trap detection
• Running - movement actions take slightly less energy
• Recuperating - +50% HP/SP regeneration while moving
• Chanting (mages and priests only) - double SP regeneration, no HP regeneration
• Sneaking - increased stealth
• Ninjaing (high level rogues only) - greatly increased stealth, drains SP
• Singing (dwarves, priests and paladins only) - reduced stealth, Bless effect for several turns after you stop moving
• Charging (warriors only) - melee damage bonus builds up over time and lasts for several turns after you stop moving
• Aiming (rogues and rangers only) - missile hit bonus builds up over time and lasts for several turns after you stop moving
• Retreating - bonus to AC and saving throws while moving
• Levitating (high level wizards only) - avoids traps, drains SP
• Listening (elves, hobbits and rogues only) - short-range, low-probability ESP

For the avoidance of doubt, none of these modes should have any effect when the player is standing still.

A.

This honestly sounds a lot like the Sil song system. This isn't a bad thing, I think it's quite a good system.

[bio_hazard]

ToME 2.X had two modes to tinker with. This may be as much due to UI implementation as anything, but it was sometimes a pain to have to move from one mode to the other every time you wanted to do something out of the ordinary. Then you'd forget to go back to fast mode after searching for traps at - 15 speed and get swarmed by snagas.


That said- I think this would be fun. Would be great to add Taunt/Shout to get temporary Aggravate. Not just for luring monsters into more favorable terrain, but how cool would it be to have monsters follow you, phase into a nearby corridor, then leave them in the dust. Singing should aggro as well.

Something like Aiming/Charging should just be passive imo. These modes are only interesting if in choosing to toggle over to one you are giving something up. It's possible to design these to have a negative as well, but as described it sounds more like an ability than a tactic.

[Nick]

ToME 2.X had two modes to tinker with. This may be as much due to UI implementation as anything, but it was sometimes a pain to have to move from one mode to the other every time you wanted to do something out of the ordinary. Then you'd forget to go back to fast mode after searching for traps at - 15 speed and get swarmed by snagas.

My feeling is that the best way to do something like this would be to have a standard mode; the player could then choose to go into an alternate mode, but would drop back to standard after a certain (fixed or player-set) time.

[emulord]

Too many choices can overwhelm players, so I the list should be reduced in size.

DoomRL has a couple movement modes. Berzerk (powerup, automatic), Running, Cautious (can switch to Running), Tired (After running). One button to start running. This works well.

I think a couple things could be combined in your list.
Warriors don't run, they charge.
Rogues and Rangers Aim while they Sneak
Hobbits, Elves, Rogues Listen while they Search
Combine Chanting and Singing.
High Level Wizards Levitate while they Chant

This takes the list down to Sneak, Run, Search, Chant, Retreat, Recuperating, (Ninjaing), which is manageable for even new players. Cycle through with a keypress for 0 time, or a 2 step menu would work on the UI side

[Antoine]

My feeling is that the best way to do something like this would be to have a standard mode; the player could then choose to go into an alternate mode, but would drop back to standard after a certain (fixed or player-set) time.

How about flicking back to 'standard' whenever they arrived in a new level?

It would be good, also, if none of the modes was very disadvantageous in fighting. Ie none should reduce your speed. Then, it would not matter too much if you were in the wrong mode by accident.

A.

[Antoine]

Too many choices can overwhelm players, so I the list should be reduced in size.

DoomRL has a couple movement modes. Berzerk (powerup, automatic), Running, Cautious (can switch to Running), Tired (After running). One button to start running. This works well.

I think a couple things could be combined in your list.
Warriors don't run, they charge.
Rogues and Rangers Aim while they Sneak
Hobbits, Elves, Rogues Listen while they Search
Combine Chanting and Singing.
High Level Wizards Levitate while they Chant

This takes the list down to Sneak, Run, Search, Chant, Retreat, Recuperating, (Ninjaing), which is manageable for even new players. Cycle through with a keypress for 0 time, or a 2 step menu would work on the UI side

Yeah, sounds broadly sensible.

I think the key thing is to make sure that all but a few modes are class-, race- or level- dependent - so that a L1 Human Warrior will have only a handful of choices. I don't see a problem if a L50 High Elf Rogue has many options.

A.

[Antoine]

If you wanted to implement this in a limited way for the next release, you could put in just a few modes - say, Searching, Sneaking and Running. More could be added later.

A.

[Derakon]

Yeah, sounds broadly sensible.

I think the key thing is to make sure that all but a few modes are class-, race- or level- dependent - so that a L1 Human Warrior will have only a handful of choices. I don't see a problem if a L50 High Elf Rogue has many options.

A.

Why would we want low-level characters to have few options? The early game's boring enough as it is.

[Antoine]

Why would we want low-level characters to have few options? The early game's boring enough as it is.

There's bound to be some kind of compromise here

A.

[the Invisible Stalker]

Why would we want low-level characters to have few options? The early game's boring enough as it is.

That's why V needs thrall mode.

[Nick]

That's why V needs thrall mode.

We'll have to introduce a wilderness first

[PowerWyrm]

We'll have to introduce a wilderness first

Why? Can't you simply start the character on dlvl98 instead of in the town?

[the Invisible Stalker]

That would be cruel. FA thrall mode would be analogous to starting @ on dungeon level 58, although with no recall point on town level. Much more reasonable. ;-)

[Nick]

Why? Can't you simply start the character on dlvl98 instead of in the town?

Forced descent would be pretty hardcore