Wiki Game Mechanics 101

I’m just throwing this out there, but, I think it would be a great idea to introduce information on actual game mechanics. I find that essentially, the more you know, the bigger advantage you're going to get. Period.

If you know the terrain, armament set-up (ideal for your class) and overall tactics, you're pretty much good to go. However, I find the resources for more advanced information is very limited. If we were to exclude actual in-game experiences, the best way to obtain resources is the wiki or forum topics. Which, speaking of the wiki, will soon have up to date information which is very exciting!

Now, when I mean ‘advanced’ information or ‘Game Mechanics’ I’m really talking about numbers. I’m an analytical person. So I find it useful to know the numbers and facts so I can make appropriate adjustments based on this information. Right now as it stands (and correct me if I’m wrong), you would almost need to be a coder to REALLY understand what is happening behind the hood.

So for example. Having good -AC is ideal right? Like -500, -600. -700 or whatever the case might be. But what does this actually mean? If you have -600 AC you’ll what? Reduce your chances of being hit by 50%? 25%? You’ll increase your bash reduction by 15%, or reduce your chances of being tripped by 30% if not flying?

Let’s say you have 40 Hit, 40 Dam. What does this really mean? You have a 40% chance of getting all your hits in, if there AC is below -400? But if there AC is -600 you have a 15% chance? If you have -30 AFF you’ll reduce all damage by 30% and so forth and so forth. I’m just throwing stuff out there, so by no means is any of this accurate or remotely close.

Another example is matching weapons to your opponent. We have a good breakdown on the wiki about what weapons are good to use against what race/class etc. However, it doesn’t really explain what that means. So, if I’m a ninja using a spear against a bard, what does that really mean? A spear is -1 on offence and +2 on defence, but now this bard can’t use spears so do you now have a +25% of landing? They have a -25% chance defending? Does your AC affect this stat? Can this be negated?

If we had a breakdown of what is actually going on, I think this will help make this mud much more user-friendly. Which in return, will help increase the player base. In this day and age, most if not all MORPG has a pretty good breakdown of all abilities, spells, skills and so forth to reduce the learning curve of actual in-game play. Players are empowered with information and whoever decides to take the time to learn more, will essentially be a better player.

Maybe a lot of people already know most of the mechanics because they’ve been playing for a long time, my question is, how did you find this out? Can you share this? Is this easily accessible?

I think the issue is its layers on layers of things.

Weapon knowledge, weapon prof, -ac, your opponents training, the number of thier defenses (Which is extreme because there are so many skills that block that aren't just shield block or parry), the knowledge of those defenses, the level of weapons, shield levels etc...

3 hours ago, Aulian said:

I think the issue is its layers on layers of things.

Weapon knowledge, weapon prof, -ac, your opponents training, the number of thier defenses (Which is extreme because there are so many skills that block that aren't just shield block or parry), the knowledge of those defenses, the level of weapons, shield levels etc...

100% agree with you, there are a lot of dynamics involved here. But if there was a way to have somewhat of a baseline, then it would be up to the person to actually piece everything together themselves. 

We can start with something as simple as weapons. Brings me back to my point before. If someone is using a weapon that the other person doesn't know. What does this actually mean? How does this hinder their defence? Offence? 

Maybe we just start small and slowly add to it, but again, I wouldn't know how to go about that.

I've always wanted to know some deeper mechanics myself.

Like for example, if my enemy has 1 dex more than me, what is his chance to land dirt on me and what is mine.

What if we fight on green terrain? What if we fight in the city?

To what weapon does a staff's offence compares to, if my opponent doesn't know staff?

But then, I think noone can give you an answer THAT exact.

IF it's coded, then there is an exact answer. Some might involve complex statistics, but most are just direct addictions and subtractions of the factors.

I have no faith in a wiki because the work volume would be great. The only way you are going to really get correct answers is to looks at the formulas in the code. Even asking someone who read the code is not guarantee of success because people forget stuff, have only partial knowledge because the code is to big to memorize, or it was changed and now it works in another way. Or it simple is to obscure for understand. Hell, sometimes I code and submit works and they ask me to explain how stuff works a single week latter and I no longer know.

So the only way you would have what you want was for you to have access to the source code. This would be great but, it's not happening. We had some leaks of the source and it was great, at least for me. But stuff keeps changing and some stuff it's not in the change logs. Your best bet is to look at the old source code to get an idea and them check the change log and have some time to test and experience stuff. You need to grow a feel how stuff was done and how they probably changed it, and what was changed and no longer works as it worked.

Also F0xx, I don't think dirt kick code changed. And as an Engineer you should have learned rudimentary programming and decent statistic. It's not that hard for you to check it out, ... if you want to.

Yeah f0xx