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+--- Thread: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. (/Thread-Other-admin-s-opinions-on-this-gameplay-mechanic)
Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - Rayvolution - 09-24-2012 08:27 AM
I want to add random loot to locked down storage containers in dungeons, cities, everywhere.
The way it'll work:
1. A special spawn gem is placed on top of a container.
2. When the item spawns, a script sticks it in the container that occupies the same space as the spawn gem.
3. A check is done, if the container has over X amount of items (10 or 15) the spawn just deletes the newly generated items.
The random goodies won't be anything really valuable, maybe a potion, some garbage, reagents, a few ingots etc. But.. from a player's perspective, do you foresee players abusing this by "Camping" these storage containers?
My plan is to make the items spawn very, very slowly. About 1 hour between item spawns, so players really won't just sit there and collect look from goodie containers, and the loot won't be anything fabulous anyway. It's more to add life to the world than anything else. Some very, very rare cases a good item will spawn, but generally it's just mid-low junk loot like reagents, a few coins, maybe sometimes jewelry/gems.
RE: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - Mordaunt - 09-24-2012 11:09 AM
Actually did this on one of my old servers back in 51a.
Players didn't really camp them and even if they had the spawns in dungeons mean that they have to work to stay alive there.
Provided you don't put anything super in there you will be fine.
Of course another method, which I have used.
Is to run the whole thing as a script with pre defined areas where the containers "can" spawn locked down with the loot in them, and couple it with a creature which spawns when the box does which holds the key.
That way the containers effectively move around in the dungeon and players have to hunt for them and the key to open them.
RE: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - Rayvolution - 09-24-2012 11:24 AM
That's an interesting concept, I was thinking about having totally-random containers spawn.
Didn't you have problems with containers spawning in "odd" areas, like right smack in the middle of a narrow hallway or in that "one odd spot" that was behind a wall outside the dungeon? That was my main concern for not going that route. But, that was how I was planning reagent spawning in forests and other random items in open areas.
I like your key idea, I actually already had something like that planned for the dungeon I'm currently working on. But instead of for loot, it was for the main door to access the staircase. The bad guys up top have a 1 in 25 chance to drop the key to the stairwell door.
RE: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - Mordaunt - 09-24-2012 11:48 AM
No... because i set a list of areas that it could spawn within each dungeon.
RE: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - darksun84 - 09-24-2012 08:13 PM
I don't like much the idea about dropping keys, because it reduce the "use" of lockpicking skill, no thief no party
RE: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - Mordaunt - 09-24-2012 09:42 PM
That only means that they cannot open boxes, doesn't mean no party.
Draigoch in LoTRO is no thief (burglar) no party. Rescripting classes to give more required skills for party play would be a good idea though.....
RE: Other admin's opinions on this gameplay mechanic. - Rayvolution - 09-24-2012 11:01 PM
(09-24-2012 08:13 PM)darksun84 Wrote: I don't like much the idea about dropping keys, because it reduce the "use" of lockpicking skill, no thief no party
Since my servers a PvE server, lockpicking is strictly limited to dungeons, locked loot chests, etc (not player houses, for example). My long term plan was to have a key exist to every locked door in the world, but some keys would be so outrageously rare that you're better off having a lockpicker with you than grinding for keys.
My example for the key to this dungeon I'm working on is more on the "newbie" side of the house, this will probably be my player's first real dungeon. The door will probably be able to lockpick fairly easily at 30.0~ skill and the keys will drop a lot more common that usual.
But in the future I was going to have certain pathways in dungeons locked out, and the key is a random 1 in 50 (or even 1 in 100 or higher) drop chance. But the door can be opened with 70.0, 80.0 or higher lockpicking.
I was also going to incorporate chests randomly "relocking" themselves in dungeons as they slowly restock, and having generic "Any chest in that dungeon" keys. But generally; they would be for lockpickers to open.
I'm all about making it better to be in a party, but making the player capable of playing solo if he wants to.
