Improvements to Autotarget

From a PC perspective there are a couple bugs with the Autotarget system that I think should be addressed.

1st one is "ME". If there is a player in the room with ME as the first two letters of their name, then the Autotarget feature should hit them FIRST before it targets the casting player.

2nd one is when the target shares several letters of your name. I will use two characters that have the first 2 - 3 letters as an example. If you are trying to c 'lightning bolt' Lor, and your character is Lorfaine and the enemy is Lorktar, then autotarget should consider yourself as the LAST option, and default to Lorktar.

3rd one, which is a bit more controversial is Zo, Fl, St as necromancer names. I am not sure if it should be set to check PC's first then mob's...but it is a possibility. Unless we wish to consider this an optional perk to being a necro...that is abusing new players naievety by using names with two letter prefixes that match common pets.

I know some people will have some immediate rebutal...

"dont be so lazy" yeah this is great, but doesnt help anything. Autotarget is a command designed so you CAN be a little quicker in casting spells. Mainly without having to spell out Mequezipdottit everytime you wanna hit them with a spell. In the rush of battle though, they have an advantage since anything with ME as the target will strike yourself. Again, yourself should be the LAST thing checked in the order for targetting

"Use target variables" This is a good suggestion, I do it even. Though for the common and especially NEW user this is a non solution. In truth newer players are typically the victims of this abuse of the autotarget command when it comes to fighting characters whose names fit the model.

The solution for all of this in a nutshell would be to check all targets in a room BEFORE the player when considering what is being targeted...not sure how hard or easy that will be though. I think this is a long time coming, an issue that has been dwelling right below the surface for years.

Silly Kyzarius. Lorfaine doesnt got hit with bolts, didnt cast them. Jeeze.

On a side note I agree with all points. I hate it when people make anti-pk names as well. The first that comes to mind was Zrygryra. There where like 5 variations on that name that you had to take time to read letter by letter. Really annoying but there have been several.

Agreed. Those are glitches in the system that need to be sqashed since people have abused, abuse and WILL abuse.

Reminds me of Warlo, Warl and Selfun

Agreed. Those are glitches in the system that need to be sqashed since people have abused, abuse and WILL abuse.

Reminds me of Warlo, Warl and Selfun

Zomb(insert crazy *** letters here) from a few years back.

Murder Zo.

Tintin allows this, as does every mudclient I know of. While their names might be.. 'abusive', some aren't made that way, and shouldn't be punished because someone can't type out someone's full name.

I don't care if this gets passed or doesn't get passed.. I've just never had a problem with it. Tab is my friend.

Murder Zo.

Tintin allows this, as does every mudclient I know of. While their names might be.. 'abusive', some aren't made that way, and shouldn't be punished because someone can't type out someone's full name.

I don't care if this gets passed or doesn't get passed.. I've just never had a problem with it. Tab is my friend.

my point though is you shouldnt have to rely on extra steps in your client for a decision as simple as "is this person trying to hit themselves..or that pk flagged player in the room" Or is that person trying to hit Zombie or Zomlithith the necromancer.

My solution would not punish anyone..just remove the odd advantage that only effects newer players, or only helps them in a hectic battle.

The biggest thing I see is that this problem really hurts newer players, or less script savvy folks.

I agree, as a newbie I totally remember hellstreaming myself while chasing mehmiyat.

That sucks too, cause you loose proficiency in that spell as well (as long as the code is still set up that way from AR). I agree that it would probably be easier for the system to just have you set as the last possible target. Although I think it might even be better to have damage inflicting spells not even be able to target yourself in the first place, AOE's don't.

I **** cannned myself this way when fighting Mephisoleer once

I had a vampire once qskill himself in front of me. Can't remember what my character's name was nor who the vampire was. It was definitely a chuckle for sure.

It was probably me. I did it a couple of times.

lol awesome. Vampire on a plate day.

Hahahah you guys made my evening

I had a vampire once qskill himself in front of me. Can't remember what my character's name was nor who the vampire was. It was definitely a chuckle for sure.

I, once, blinded myself fighting you. lol

Once flamestruck myself as a paladin, this was back when they had the bug that if you used flamestrike on yourself you'd fight yourself. Target ran and I stood there spamming n and getting 'you are already in combat'! Finally my weapon dug into me and did some damage and I realized I had to flee from myself.

LoL.

This is not a problem for me. Sure I hit myself sometimes, but it always get a chuckle out of it and put in the third letter.

As for mob names to cover your name, just spell out the name. They cannot have the same name or just partially, their name must have an odd letter at the very least in the end.

Also all those ZomNecro also have trouble ordering their zombies or casting spells on them. It's hilarious.

Defenitibly I do not want no change in ME priorities. I don't want to be casting sanctuary on others when I am blind.

Defenitibly I do not want no change in ME priorities. I don't want to be casting sanctuary on others when I am blind.

Sigh. :confused:

I was gonna say something, but I couldn't pick just one way that it didn't make sense.

yeah, Mya lost me. Or made me lose myself. Sometimes I think its a translation issue, other times I remove my glasses clean them and sure enough it really says that. :confused:

If you hold a stave of sanctuary or Ankh of Sanctuary you can Zap Yourself while blind.

If you modify ME priorities, you might end up with a Mechanics that tries to cast this on other, not allowing you to.