Analyzing Magics: 03 - Field Magics

Field magics can make various effects to the ground of combat terrain like D&D games' "Entangle," Ultima Online's "Fire Field," "Paralyze Field" and so on. When the characters enter the affected zone (mass of grids), he or she gets a effect that caused by the magic.

As same type of magic, Spatial magics can be thought. Its difference from Fields' is type of grid can be targeted and affected. Field magics can put on the ground only. Spatial magics can spread in the space.

Entangle

It makes vine that twine around characters on the ground.

• It makes characters unable to move.^*1
• Select a grid on the ground.
• Area of effect is a radius from targeted grid.
• Effect is invoked all of area immediately.^*3
• Effect remains on the grid during pre-defined duration.^*4

Paralyze Field

It makes field of paralysis on the ground.

• It makes characters paralyze.^*2
• Select a grid on the ground.
• Area of effect is some types of mass of grid.
• Effect is invoked all of area immediately.^*3
• Effect remains on the grid during pre-defined duration.^*4

Fire Field

It makes field of flame on the ground.

• It causes characters damages of flame.
• Select a grid on the ground.
• Area of effect is some types of mass of grid.
• Effect is invoked all of area immediately.^*3
• Effect remains on the grid during pre-defined duration.^*4

^{*1 "Move" is action that causes to change character's position. Shooting arrows, throwing items or casting spells can be done by affected characters.}

^{*2 Characters affected in paralysis can't do any action (include shooting and throwing) and can't speak loud or shout. Only characters having the feat "Still Casting" can cast a spell with additional costs.}

I think it must be added several states of "unable to move." (2, 3 are not implemented at the time.)

1. Paralyzed
2. Entangled
3. Stopped
4. Stoned
5. Frozen
6. Fainted
7. Dead

4, 5, 6, 7 are not same as simple state of "unable to move"...

Another Possibilities

^*3 If the affecting grid would be spreading and adding as time passes, say not immediately, it can reduce cost of that magic.

^*4 If the caster must be continuing to cast for keeping effect, it will be able to reduce cost of that magic.

Analyzing Magics: 02 - Magic Missile

"Magic Missile" is a one of most popular magic. In the D&D CRPG "The Temple of Elemental Evil", its ammunition can be increased by the caster's level and each ammunition can be set a target individually. I want to take this.

Magic Missile

It makes damages to a target's hit point by striking with ammunitions made by magical power.

• It forms an ammunition and makes damages by strinking with it.
  • It takes a target physical damages.
  • It uses physical magic power.^*1
• Targets can be remoted.
• It chases the target and doesn't collide any other characters or walls.^*2

Thinking others from it

Entries marked asterisk have possibilities of taking another forms.

1. I wrote it uses physical magic. Another types of magic can be replacing it. So, using flame magic will make flame damages and it'll be called like "Fire Ball."

2. It can say it attacks only the targeted character. It's a element of "Movements." Another movements are

• It flies straight to the target, but it will collide non-targeted characters or objects on the line of course. Say the movement type of "Arrow." Its cost will be lower than former type of "Chasing Missile."
• It chases the target and can collide non-targeted characters or objects. Its cost will be lower than "Chasing Missile" but higher than "Arrow."

There will be more possibilities. I must think those in another article.

"Moving Speed" is a parameter proper to the Elements of Movement.

Analyzing Magics: 01 - Heal and Cure

Magics are composed of several "Elements" . On making and thinking of magics, so, I have to know what types of elements would be needed. This series of article will also be about basic and simple magics.

Heal

It heals a targeted character.

• It heals a character's hit points.
  • It uses Sacred power.
• Targeted character can be remoted.
• It'll be invoked immediately.

Cure Poison

It cures a targeted character who is suffered from poison with Sacred power.

• It cures poison.
  • It uses Sacred power.
• Targeted character can be remoted.
• It'll be invoked immediately.

Cure Paralyze

It frees a targeted character from paralysis.

• It removes paralysis.
  • It uses Sacred power.
• Targeted character can be remoted.
• It'll be invoked immediately.

Another Possibility

Another possibility of composing magics that have same effect is, for example, "deleting targeting element." It means that the magic would be casted and heal(cure) the caster immediately. It can reduce a cost and a requirement of this magic.

Composing a Magic

How can I make magics?

Magics are casted and invoked through the "Carrier." The "Carrier" is a container of "Elements". "Elements" are pre-installed in the game and cannot be modified (basically). All magics are composed of the mass of these "Elements." On the way of composing magics, at first, the size of carrier must be decided. And at least, an effect element will be needed. Types of elements are varied so much. These are divided into a few categories. Like "Effect", "Targeting", "Movement", "Time" and so on. And these combinations of elements decide the costs and the skill-requirements of the magic. *I have said it on twitter and put it here. :)

I will show up lists of elements below. Now it has not done yet and it'll be growing.

Elements of Magic

Effect

• Heal wounds with sacred power
• Cure a bad status
  • cure poison
  • stop bleeding
  • wake slept
  • remove silence
  • remove blindness
  • remove paralysis
  • return frozen
  • return stoned
  • raise dead

Targeting

• caster (same as using no targeting elements)
• a person adjacent to the caster (Caster must stand next to the target for invoking effect)
• a remote person
• a remote grid of ground
• a remote grid of space

Movement

• Missile 1
  • fly to the target from caster
  • chase the target
  • through none-targeted characters or objects
• Missile 2
  • fly to the target from caster
  • chase the target
  • collide with the other characters or objects
• Arrow
  • fly to the target straight from caster
  • collide with the other characters or objects
• Beam
  • fly to the target straight from caster
  • penetrate none-targeted characters
  • collide with objects

October 21, 2011 updated

Characters

"Characters" are inhabitants of the world who can be joined in your party. They can be divided in

• Player character(s) (PC)
• Non-player character(s) (NPC) joining in your party
• NPCs joining in non-player parties
• NPCs keeping a shop or ruling the town

PCs are fully controlled by players. On the other hand, NPCs are moving on their own way. If the NPC is joining in your party, nevertheless, the way of to control him or her is restricted.

PCs are made by players at the start of in-game generations and able to exist only in a generation as PCs (about this "Generation" will be explained in another article). NPCs are made automatically by the system and can be existing even if the generation has changed.

Durability of Items

Almost all items, especially equipments, are going to be worn away by using. Each items have parameters of durability and maximum of it. How the item is worn away is divided by 5 steps and shown in literary. (There are some exceptions that I called "Stack Items," but I want to write about it separate from this article.)

How affect?

What I must think here is about its effects. In the first time, I've thought that the item should be broken and lost if it was continued using with condition of 0 durability. It would be like below.

• Durability point is decreased with protecting from enemy's attack. (it occurs randomly, not always)
• When durability point is 0, maximum durability point is decreased.
• If maximum durability point is 0, this item is broken and cannot be used.
• Durability point can be recovered by repairing at weapon shop. Maximum durability point is used as its limit and having no way to increase.

But in recently, I think it's not good. Because players want to keep using some legendary, forged or enchanted items. Passing time is an important factor in this game. Generation alters, but the world keeps advancing time. And player can make own ancestries in this alternation of generations, and leave items to the character of next generations.

What I've planned newly are some penalized conditions of broken items.

1. It takes repairing costs more
2. reduces the ability of attack
3. reduces the ability of defence

2 and 3 are temporary effects that can be restored with repairing.

Though, the cost of reparing is variable between degrees of erosion. From this thought, more penalties are not necessary. Which is the best?

Types of Dungeon

In this game, dungeons are classified into two categories by its way of providing data. One is "Permanent Dungeons." These are prepared out of the game in advance and existing permanently in the world. One another is "Random Dungeons" generated procedurally at necessity of events. I want to think about types of dungeon for this procedural generation of the latter one.

What kind of dungeons can be thought?

It can be defined roughly

1. Natural
2. Artificial
3. By creatures

, and these can be divided into more smaller categories. I want to simply list up what I could think. I think each type of dungeon should have an appropriate generation code. More smaller categories will come from these list (example: Is this cave having water vein?), those categories should-or-shouldn't have appropriate code is a matter must be thought.

Natural Dungeons

• cave
• cavern
• forest
• field

Artificial Dungeons

• mine
• den
• ruined structure
• graveyard
• hamlet

Dungeons by creatures

• cavernous nest
• hole

needed more?

Options of death

When your character's Hit-point reached 0, normally it means that the character has been dead. But I will make some options for against this rule.

Characters

Options for each individual characters' death are like below.

1. Player's characters don't die
2. Party members don't die
3. Important characters don't die

1 is straight meaning.

2. "party member" means NPCs in your party. But event characters who rescued or escorted (etc..) by your party are not included.

3. Important characters are event characters shown in 2.

In any case, the end of each characters' lifetime cannot be overruled. "Passing time has meaning." It is one of most important thing in this game.

Annihilation of party

When all characters in the party are dead, it means annihilation. There are two options.

1. "Game Over"
2. Time passes and start same place

1. After the "Game Over" you can choice from making new character in same world, starting new world or loading your save files.

2. In this case, each character's life-and-death is depended on the option of character's death shown in above. If your party is in the dungeon, they are taken out of the dungeon and some of your items are kept in the dungeon (possibly it will be an option, too).

"Look" around in Towns

I want to show some contextual text, when you get into the town (and with "Look" command). It will be

• number of people
• most appeared job of dwellers

and these are from an impression which the character could see at the time. It means that you may not see so many people at night compared to the noon. And you'll see beggers when the town is so poor. Of course, population and jobs of dwellers can be shown as statistics of town in another way. Those context are made from actual data.

I want to show these literary rather than visually. It is a matter of prefer, because these do not affect the gameplay.

Writing online, the first post

Recently I've been writing some ideas, notes about bugs and ToDo-s on my Moleskine notebook. Writing on papers with a pen is good (Format-free! Layout-free! More intuitive!)

But now, I want to write online. Because it is the easiest way to show notes to others. (and I wanna practice to write in English. :)

What I will write on this blog is almost about "Definitions of LushLife" the game I'm developing. Perhaps I cannot write so tidy way. so, at least, it will be useful for me...

Well, I'm off!