[ian-reeds-games] random
- From: "Allan Thompson" <allan1.thompson@xxxxxxx>
- To: "ian-reeds-games@freelist" <ian-reeds-games@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:29:33 -0500
I wanted to put this out there. I know it is early, and a huge great release
has just been sent out, but I think the next logical step, when Ian is prepared
to tackle it, is randomness.
The true step to an rpg or even wargame is rolls of "dice".
I was hoping to present this, and let everyone add two cents, and then if
there is some consensus, it could be a foundation to work from, at least in
basic ideas. Ian can keep it on the backburner to ruminate over it and see how
hard or easy it is, and what he would ultimately do, etc and so forth.
My own thoughts are this:
All rpg games of any genre feature a dice roll, with bonus/penelties to modify
that dice roll, and in most cases, the total result is then compared to the
success number predetermined. This usually means a number or higher is needed
to show a success in that dice roll.
While other games use other more complex dice roll success methods, I think the
simplest method, and most used is the simple number comparison for one roll.
Almost all games have dice rolls that are under the number 100. The dice most
RPG games use are the d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and d100. I dont think any dice
should be hard coded in. I think mostly that any set of numbers should be
entered in, allowing for a map creator to choose what seems right to them.
I would imagine that some default file would be set up. All rolls are
basically in these catagories. Attack roll, saving roll, skill roll, damage
roll, attribute roll. There may be others but these are essentially the basics
of most rpg games.
Again, I wouldn't hard code these things.
I am thinking along these lines.
Have in the unit default file that lists the diffrent rolls the creator wants,
just like with the points.
These would be default rolls for everything in the map pack. I see them having
a minimum/maximum value.
So, in a D&D map, I would declare "Attack_roll=1 20" to mean that the attack
roll would be a random number between 1 and twenty.
Or, if I wanted a roll between 1 and 100 I could make it this way,
"Attack_roll=1 100".
It might be good to add a "lesser than" to that, so that the program needs to
know if a number or higher(default) is to be a success, or a number and lower
is to be a success.
So let's say I have a halfling with the dexterity attribute of16. I determined
that attribute rolls for the halfling are to be "lower than". Meaning that
number or lower. I would write it like this, "attribute_roll=1 20 <". That
would mean that a roll of 16 or under is a success instead of the normal
greater then default.
The attributes I see as reagular point max scores. This will make it easier to
affect their attributes simply by lowering the point of the attribute. For
example, a rogue might have a sneak attack that does "damage" to someone's
strength attribute. That could be done with the points which is already set up.
For terrain, items and units these would have a defense number of some sort. I
am not sure if these should be hard coded or not. But for example, if I wanted
my halfling to "picka lock" on a chest, I imagine the chest would have a
success number required to do that with. It might skill_roll_success=12" So
that the halfing skill roll would kick in, add modifiers, then determine
success or not, and any effects after that, such as a trap going off, or a
counter on a silent alarm that summons orcs to come and defend their treasure.
Now I am thinking that each unit could be given success numbers.
These would tie in with the damage types very nicely. For example one could
type in for a halfling unit, "physical_success=12". That would mean all
physical attacks would need a twelve or higher to hit the halfling.
Skills, effects, items and even terrain would affect the success numbers on
units. A map creator would just have to keep the damage types in mind.
So essentially each unit, structure and item would need rolls, and numbers to
resist rolls against them.
the damage roll would be a separate roll on skills and the other objects. It
could either be a default, for instance, "longsowrd_damage=1 8" or it could be
in the skill as "health_inflict_random=1,8".
skills, effects, terrain and items could have modifiers to random rolls. I
imagine something like, "damage_roll_add=1" for +1 to random damage rolls, and
"attack_roll_add=-1" for a negative one to an attack roll.
Of course, I am most familiar with dungeons and dragons so I used that as
examples, but the strength would come from a map creator determining the "dice"
and all the things scaled to it.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?
I don't know how easy or hard this would be to implement or edit for map
creators.
al
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