Needing MAGIC system suggestions...

ID:153292
 
Jul 9 2004, 6:10 pm
I find myself after a year of development, having to redo my entire magic system in LJR-RPG. Those who have logged in and check the magic part of the game out, will have an easier time understanding my current system than those who have not.

What I have right now is:
  • If you're a Cleric or Mage you click on a HUD icon that in turn brings up a pop-up graphical menu which the spells listed.
  • You click the spell icon/name and your mouse then becomes magic activated.
  • You click on the mob/item in the room, with a range check validation you cast the spell.
  • Your mouse becomes deactived for magic.(Doesn't always work)

    Here is where the problem came in. I next coded the client.click, which now I see as a big mistake. Everything from can't assign null to mouse pointers, to clerics nor being able to open clickable doors. The main reason I use so much clicking in LJR-RPG is to patten off of games like Diablo, which seem to be popular and enjoyed by many.

    I've now begun working on a new system that still uses the pop-up HTML spell book which I like. The spell then gets transfer when click on in the book to a HUD area called, "Ready Spell" which will be like a holding place in the spell castors mind until the spell is cast(clicked upon).

    I'm wonder if any RPG'ers out that have any suggestions that include my spell book pop-up as a system for using magic in my game???

    -LJR
Jul 9 2004, 7:42 pm
I see you mentioned a heads up display, does this mean the rpg is HUD based or just for skills and such?
Jul 9 2004, 10:56 pm
In response to XzDoG
Log-in and see.. LJR-RPG is often hosted for hours on end. I normally only take it down when I'm moving around or working on resources for the game. Create either a cleric or mage and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Jul 9 2004, 10:58 pm
To get a better idea of all the spells involved in this game take a look at the Help command when you log into LJR-RPG. I don't know of any BYOND game that has such a range of spells in any of the RPGs. If there are, please tell me so I can take a look at what has been accomplished.

LJR
Jul 10 2004, 4:13 am (Edited on Jul 10 2004, 5:31 am)
In response to LordJR
LordJR wrote:
To get a better idea of all the spells involved in this game take a look at the Help command when you log into LJR-RPG. I don't know of any BYOND game that has such a range of spells in any of the RPGs. If there are, please tell me so I can take a look at what has been accomplished.

Darke Dungeon has around 5000 distinct spells as of this writing: 13 elements (counting null element as one) * 39 effect magics * 2 (for reversed effect magic) * 5 classes of spells (self, attack, area, barrier, and burst). Many more effects are planned.

Some of them are very odd combinations though, like the "life spell of death" Spuzzum was playing with last night. The life element heals the body (of most creatures), but the death effect rips the spirit away temporarily. You can reverse the effect, for something like a "life attack spell of ressurection" which is quite handy, but an "acid burst spell of ressurection" is just weird. It hits everything around the caster with caustic damage, but ressurects anything it kills with 1 hp. Still for every weird combination of element/effect/reverse there are dozens of more traditional ones.

For more details on magic in Darke Dungeon, check out the Darke Dungeon FAQ with special attention to the Magic, Elements, and Status Effects sections at the bottom.
Jul 10 2004, 4:24 am
I had no luck getting the magic to work at all. The spell book opened fine, but clicking the spells had no effect.

Some other notes:
  • The monsters tend to swarm people as they enter the cave, making it very frustrating for low level players.
  • The delay after you've died is another frustration factor. It might be good to give them something to do while stuck in the "res room" or allow them to exit sooner with some sort of penalty.
Jul 10 2004, 11:15 am
In response to Shadowdarke
Well I think the 1 minute wait is your penalty for dying. People should learn to heal and leave the dungeon ever once in awhile if they don't want to face the wait.

Also, if I were to follow the D&D rules, I would just delete your chacter and have you create a new one from scatch. Thats how it is in the pencil/paper/dice game, which this one is model after.

-LJR
Jul 10 2004, 11:19 am
In response to Shadowdarke
Thanks Shadowdarke!!
I'll check it out. Its good to see other RPGs out there, besides the current flood of Hack'Slash'n'Level ones.

I still have about 50 monster types to add to LJR-RPG, as well as traps and quests. Afterward, running around the dungeon is about to get much harder than just a field of blobs.

-LJR
Jul 10 2004, 1:51 pm
In response to Shadowdarke
Some of them are very odd combinations though, like the "life spell of death" Spuzzum was playing with last night. The life element heals the body (of most creatures), but the death effect rips the spirit away temporarily.

It was a wand, but I should mention that the wand wasn't a target-affecting attack wand. It healed me for three points and then killed me... temporarily. =)


You can reverse the effect, for something like a "life attack spell of ressurection" which is quite handy,

I have one of those too (thanks to the enchant stone of resurrection +1 I bought from Sensuna). =)
Oct 13 2004, 2:26 pm
In response to Spuzzum
Fusing magic always makes for some good entertainment... you could use that to make some bizzare combinations like spuzzum's example.

for example: the fusion of fire and cure would be something like healing flame. and it would heal you and other pc's around you but hurt the npc's in its range.