Soar

For the discussion of general topics about the game.
Post Reply
Amalia
Sword Grand Master
Sword Grand Master
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:51 pm
Location: Ardeep Forest
Contact:

Soar

Post by Amalia » Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:38 pm

First off, I'll note that this is by no means a necessary, urgent, or easy-to-code skill idea. I just think, were it ever done, it would be really spiffy. I don't know if it's ever been suggested, but if it has I wasn't able to find it.

Soar is the ability to keep one's head when flying high above the ground, to properly navigate the air currents and keep one's bearings in relation to the ground. It could apply to characters who can cast fly spells, turn into flying animals, or naturally have working wings. I think it'd be especially nifty with the upcoming addition of Avariel to the game.

Basically, the skill would put a flying character higher in the sky, perhaps allowing them to see more of the map at once (I'd say with less detail, but I imagine that would be harder to code), so long as they're outdoors. Mechanics-wise, it might look like this:
John is soaring.
Jenny is on the ground with Jacob.
When John soars into the room with Jenny and Jacob, he sees:
(Room description)
Two antlike figures are on the ground far below you.
Jenny and Jacob see:
A shadow passes over you as a figure passes through the sky.
(figure might be replaced by more specific descriptors for different varieties of flynig PCs).
If Jenny and Jacob are fighting, John might see:
The faint sounds of battle float up to you from the ground.
(This might be edited so it's only available in weather that's not exceptionally noisy-- lightning, wind, etc. Weather might also increase the difficulty of Soar checks.)
If John flies into a square that's a closed room, a forest, etc., he'll see roofs or treetops, though sounds of battle might still drift up from some places.

I imagine it would take constant stamina to stay in the air, much like swimming, and also like swimming that cost could be lessened as the ability with Soar improves. If a character is soaring with a fly spell, the wouldn't suffer the stamina loss, but they would risk falling to the ground and going splat instead of gliding to the ground when they're tired as winged characters could. Perhaps a warning when a fly spell is about to wear off could be added to allow spellcasters to avoid this pitfall if they're careful.

Thanks for the ear to my long-winded suggestion :)
Dear Enemy: May the Lord hate you and all your kind, may you be turned orange in hue, and may your head fall off at an awkward moment.
Lerytha
Sword Grand Master
Sword Grand Master
Posts: 989
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 8:37 am
Location: Waterdeep

Post by Lerytha » Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:18 pm

I'm not sure whether this is easier or harder than that... but what I've always thought would be interesting, would be to add an "up" to every single outdoors room... with clouds, bird mobs, wyverns, etc. Flyers then would be able to travel in a whole new playing field... the sky.

Maybe even if you had every few rooms with an up, meaning that travel would actually be shorter (one "up" room for every three rooms).

But that might make the MUD a lot bigger and eat up server space, for very little gain. But... an alternative idea, nonetheless.
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.

--Sir Winston Churchill

"This place is boring, I'm gonna go eat whatever I can find laying on the ground"

-- Hoildric

Cacie asks Larethiel 'Did that air just bow to you?
Post Reply