The following are links to design documents and FAQ's on the various projects being conducted on the code side of things. The documents found have been written by the people currently working on them.
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Combat System
Channeling System - Design proposal only... and still being written.
Channeling System:
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Currently the channeling system is still in it's design phases, mostly watching for the
outcome of the combat code so that the two systems work hand in hand.
That said, let me go into what I have working in my brain so far.
The first initial idea was rather complex and never fully worked out so I've scrapped that
taking some elements and moving it more to what is to follow. The basic idea is to let
channeling be a little more open as well as use the talents chosen in creation to make each
character unique rather than the way it was in MM2 where all channelers, once reaching a
certain level were roughly the same.
I am trying to model the channeling system to be more like the books were, though adding a
little bit more rules to it so that it works in a mudding enviroment. The ideas so far is
changing the ways channeling is taught/learned by the players. That said the spells would not
be treated as skills as it was in MM2. Rather they will be learned by watching a player actually
channel and then practicing it on your own. Let me break that down for you though:
Disclaimer: I use the terms cast spell and weave rather interchangibly. Yes I realize that there
is no casting or "spells" as it were in the wheel of time but I've been playing D&D and varying muds
for many years so it just kind of comes naturally.
.:: Teaching/Learning:
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- Learn from watching other people weave.
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o When you are in the room with someone who is weaving there will be an automatic
chance for you to learn the weave that you see before you. This will rely on several
factors.
1. A command similar to teach that will let the game know that you are actively trying
to learn from a target person. i.e. watch <name> The person who you are
watching would also have a similar command that would tell the game that they are
trying to teach you that weave as well. This would in a sense have them slow down
and go through it so that in the end the spell can be learned.
2. A random chance to learn depending on the flow finesse talents you chose at creation.
A spell, which I will explain further down would have several components, i.e. an order
of importance on the flows, so that if you have finesse in the main flow component of
a weave you would have a better chance to learn that weave just by seeing it.
3. When you first learn a weave in this manner it will be at a level that will not let you
cast it. The thought process behind this is letting weaves be at different levels.
.: Weaves at Different Levels you say? :.
:: The first level you would learn a weave at would be a level that you know the
flows, how they form together, and basically how to weave it, just that you wouldn't
be able to weave it such that it gave an affect. (i.e. the Aiel Wise Ones knowing how
to gate but not able to make it happen).
:: As you practice the weave, which the amount of time it will take will vary depending
on a complexity level set upon that weave (explained later as well) you will be able
to do more with that weave. It should take very little time to go from learning how
to weave the weave to being able to actually weave it. That is of course unless you
do not meet the minimum requirements to weave it. You will however also be working
on your knowledge of the weave which at a certain point will let you be able to teach
it. This means that even though you cannot cast the weave you will be able to teach it.
:: You will also be able to go above the minimum requirements to cast the spell so that
in the end you can make a weave a little more potent than another person as well as
learn it at a higher level to perhaps defend against it better.
- Practicing
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o Practicing weaves hasn't been given much thought as far as the game play of it will go. It
will basically consist of you weaving the weave and in essence practicing it (duh?). I'm also
thinking along the lines of using the earlier mentioned tools like watch and the
"yet-to-be-named" command for teaching, perhaps mentor, that will allow you to practice under
someone's supervision and learn it faster. This would basically be like the two of you weaving
it together.
- Factors for learning
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o Finesse in flows will increase/decrease learning time.
o Complexity of the weave.
o Strength level.
- If you do not have the strength to cast the weave it will take you a little longer to learn
it because you are not actually ever casting it, but just trying to mimic the pattern of the
flows. As such it will take you longer to know when you have it right.
- Likewise if you are stronger than need be it will increase the time it takes, though all of
this is of course factored together.
o Endurance.
- It will cost some endurance points to be able to learn a weave, depending on the size of the
weave and it's complexity so if your endurance is low it will take longer because you will
have to wait and let it heal back up.
.:: Spell Factors:
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- Complexity
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o Basically how difficult it will be to weave the weave. Is it lighting a candle? Or is it healing
someone after they've been stilled.
- Flow Cost
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o This will be set up in a multi level set up.
- level 1: How far apart each flow will be. Like +1 +2 +0 +1 +1
- level 2: The minimum cost to learn the spell. 4 5 0 4 4
- level 3: The maximum level of flows the spell can be weaved at. 10 11 0 10 10
- level 4: The level of flows to weave the spell. 8 9 0 8 8
o You will be able to vary the level you can perform the weave at.
- for teaching purposes you can weave it lower than the required amount costing
less endurance in the end.
- for attacking you can throw out a weave at full strength for maximum damage in
a last ditch effort.
- could weave the weave at it's minimal level to show someone how little you
think of them
- for some weaves this may determine the actual outcome of the spell. i.e.
channeling pure fire you could light a candle at it's minimal level, or perhaps
engulf a room in flame at your full strength.
.:: Weaving:
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- Still deciding on this. Partially this will have to deal with the combat system. Also
it needs to be made as simple as possible. There are alot of factors moving into flows
and such.
.:: Channeling Talents:
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- Adding more talents
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o These talents would not come at the cost of the player, but basically work on the
choices the player makes for their strengths, weaknesses, finesse, and ineptitude in
flows. Depending on those choices it would unlike different groups of spells.
o There would also be generic groups of weaves that would allow people who do not take
any variances in their skills to still have access to these things.
o This would more than likely come with a wipe of the current finesse/strength/weakness/inept
settings to give people a fresh start. It would also remove the healing and cloud dancing
talents as these would fallen into the above categories.
o Some weaves would fall into various categories, An example perhaps would be fireball. (this
is just an example as it would more than likely fall into the category of generic weaves,
but it is a useful example in this manner.) So the fireball would require both fire and air
to take it. Having strength fire and at least a regular air (not weakness) you would have
access to the spell. Likewise if you had strength air and a regular fire rating you would
still have access to the spell. Similar ratings for finesse could be put on some weaves,
like healing where it is more your ability to use the flows rather than your ability to pummel
someone with them.
.:: Combat:
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- Waiting largely upon the combat system as this will be the determining factor in how channeling
will work in combat.
A few of the frequently asked questions:
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1. When will this be finished?
As soon as possible. Like I stated earlier it is somewhat dependent on the fighting system which
I am sure will need to wait on this. In essence Tannil and I will have to work together to make them
both work. If the design however is finished and meets the approval of the implementors it will then
move on to development where I will try to get the ground work in place as well as the non-combat
part of channeling working so that channeling will be available to some extent.
2. What style will the combat for channeling take?
It will be a turn-based style fighting. Why? Because that is the style the combat system is in and
because of that both systems will need to be the same ;>
You know, I haven't really paid attention to the questions because I hadn't decided to code this before.
Now I am jumping in face first so if you have questions please direct them to me, Guy, via mudmail and
I will gladly post them and the answers here (if they are asked frequently enough).
-Guy