IDEAS FOR RYZOM

I would like to introduce an interesting new concept to Ryzom, elastic strength. It is a system that allows one to essentially push ones strength byond their natural limmits. This is accomplished by adding an elastic strength variable that adds to the current and maximum strength of an energy type (hp,stamina,sap,focus) and reduces at a natural rate of 1% of its own value every second rounded up. The formula is as follows {ActiveCurentHP=CurentHP+ElasticHP; ActiveMaxHP=MaxHP+ElasticHP} Options could be added to the skills that automatically add to these values when used, these options can be taught through the art of storytelling. I also belive that healing spells should add to the elastic strength so as to avoid the endless power issue that plagues so many games.

Catanamu --

I'm not sure what it is that you are proposing here. Right now you can use flowers (from Outposts) to increase various statistics for a time period, which includes constitution (HP) , dexterity, etc. This allows you to gain hp, focus, stamina, etc. on a temporary basis. Eat the flower and get the boost. There are also products of the occupations that affect success rate of actions and healing times of the primary attributes.

I'm not clear about how your proposal would differ, nor how you think it would make the game better. I'm sure you have a clear idea in your head, but I don't get it.

-- Bittty

The basic idea is to add options to the skills that would allow you to push the boundries of your abilities byond their natural limmits, learning these options from the legends and lore of the people. It is a way in wich the participation of the player in the backstory and history of the world of ryzom will have a subtle yet defident impact on their strength. Potions and the like are ok and all but they have nothing to do with the world in wich the character lives, nor do they provide anything more than a quick power boost. What im proposing is a sneaky way to make the RP more apealing by making it proffitable.

The things you describe are similar to the Encyclopedia Rites rewards. Shift-E (by default) brings up the Encyclopedia. As you complete missions for various people around the world, sometimes one is important and part of a larger picture. Those missions are added to your encyclopedia and are pre-requisites for a final mission for that Rite.

Complete all of the pre-requisite missions for a Rite, then complete the Rite itself, and receive rewards. They include stat increases, new abilities, new crafting patterns, and added conveniences.

Thank you, Erizon.

Especially since some of the Encyclopaedia Rites are bugged or incomplete, I'd be much more supportive of the devs working to finish those rather than starting something else.

Catanamu --

I understand now your rationale for the proposal, but I still do not understand the mechanics of the proposal. I'm not sure what you mean by Elastic HP, etc. Would your proposal just affect the derivative attributes, HP, sap, stamina and focus, or would it affect the base attributes of Constitution, Intelligence, Strength and Dexterity?

-- with respect
-- Bittty

The mechanics would effect the derivative stats by adding to the stats current and max values, This effectively increases how far one can push ones skills. By adding the 1% stat reduction per second you can only push the skill just so far before the addition matches the reduction adding a practical limmit to an otherwise open system.

The thing about healing skills is they can be used indefidently as long as you have power for it, this in my opinion is far to unrealistic and has many balancing issues. the system i propose is by default completly self balancing due to the natural reduction rate.

As for special missions, I belive the added strength should come from daily contact with players and npcs such that everyone can benifit from it not just those who do special things. The system would have every npc with its own set of short stories related to specific options that the player can add to skills thus making daily contact with the world a rewarding and fullfilling expirince.

The entire system can actually be programmed with reletive ease as all the nessissary systems are already in place. The most important point of my proposed system is the self balancing feature and of course the added RP value.

I do apologize if this is a difficult concept for me to get accross, it really is unlike anything else I have ever seen out there.

Oh, and it does sound like my proposed system and the one in place now perform simmilar functions but that is not the case, they can in fact work together as different layers of power. While the one in place is intended for those who want to go on adventures, my proposed system is intended to enhance daily life on all areas.

The system would also allow for the creation of classes and other types of orgenizations like religions and the like without interfeering with the basic concepts that make Ryzom so great in the first place, thus adding things that attract new clientel without alianating the ones that are already here.

It requires nothing more than making all npcs trainers and adding a couple extra stats, the hardest part would be coming up with all the stories for the different options based on the npc's race and lot in life.

On a personal note, Thank you Brittty for your interest and questions, I truly appriciate it as it is helping me to more clearly define the system and explain it.

A point of note, Catanamu: You can access these forums via your web browser at http://atys.ryzom.com/start/index.php. When you do, there is no character limit on posts.

I'm still not getting it, except that what you want to do is to make interactive contact with NPC's worth something, which isn't a bad thing. However, writing and programming that interaction is NOT a trivial undertaking if you are trying to make all the tales actually reflect the same lore. It's hard enough for the devs to do it for a special event, and that usually only involves adding 20-30 NPC's, and all they do is sit there and tell their tale. Adding that interaction to all the myriad NPC's in the game would be an extraordinary effort.

I also don't understand your comment about healing. If I'm doing magic, I can do magic until I run out of compensatory sources of power to run my magic (sap or hp). Healing is just a form of magic (except that I cannot heal myself via normal expenditure of sap or hp, but must use self healing stanzas instead, and accept the long cooldown for those actions). I fail to see how that is unrealistic. In terms of balance, it seems largely balanced because you can't heal yourself, and it encourages teamwork in taking down mobs that are much larger than any single homin (and that doesn't even approach the difficulty of the Marauder NPC's or the Kitin Queen area).

I'm still not getting your 1%/second decay rate. Even if it is a first-order rate law, 1%/second will knock down any increase in very short order unless you are envisioning the boost from talking to an NPC as being some sort of an x%/second boost to the stats. Is that what you have in mind? If so, see below.

If so, what happens to you when you get clobbered by that kincher? Does that affect the sum, only HP1 or what? If not, can you define your system?

I do see one MAJOR problem with this proposal. To start with, it might lead to a little more interaction with NPC's and the like, and a little more involvement with the Saga. If the boosts are small, then that is what it would stay at. However, if the boosts were large it would lead to people just running around to the boosters to get the boosts for however long they last, then running off to slaughter Ploderos or dig mats just like they do now. It would become a rote action, not an ongoing involvement. And if it is a large boost, then competitive homins would feel a *need* to do that to stay on top of it.

In addition you should be aware of the fact that most homins (at least on Arispotle) are not strongly RP-oriented, even those of us like myself who do some RP. Our RP largely consists of interacting with our environment and a little bit of posturing about how good our civilization or faction is.

Sorry for the length of the post, but the analysis isn't simple.

-- Bittty

It sounds like you want to allow for the possibility of adrenaline-fueled temporary boosts in combat? Where, due to the effects of adrenaline coursing through your body, you seem to be stronger, faster, etc? Warcry and Berserker would cover part of it, though we don't have anything similar to the WoW tank abilities to temporary grant extra HP, other than by using Occupations items. The only difference would be that you talk to some NPC somewhere instead of a trainer to get it?

That is a large amount of work (including re-balancing, testing, bug-fixing, etc on top of creative writing for the stories) for relatively minor impact. What the devs seem to be doing, instead, is revamping the Encyclopedia (as mentioned here), which is a long-standing player request. The rewards are usually minor or beneficial in specific circumstances, so they don't affect balance to any great degree.

Setting dev time aside, the mechanics are simple in concept and amount to mostly busywork, though you are right that the creative writing will take longer. However, when and where do you apply this type of "bonus" ? If it is automatic, it's just another critical success roll. If it's manual, then it's just another Warcry/etc ability.

Perhaps I'm not completely understanding what your intention is, but this doesn't seem like it would add much to the game.

I do apologise for my aperent ineptitude, I have spoken with several people on this subject and time and again have been completly misunderstood. To save myself from anymore aggrivation I'm just going to say @*#@ it and withdraw the entire thing.