Nordath 2013
Two posts, transcribed here in case of anything being useful.
POST 1:
Nordath is overdue for an update. :)
One of the main intended draws for the area was ranking: we needed an alternative to miners and chaja, and the skeletons and phantoms are copies of them statwise. But the Nordath EQ and aggro make them more dangerous, which was to be offset by the fact that they reload by progs so one doesn't have to wait for resets.
But probably the biggest thing to get in the way of Nordath as a viable ranking alternative is the death curse. Exempting PCs from it would make Nordath ranking more viable, but at the loss (perhaps a very big loss) of atmosphere, distancing PCs from the dominant theme of the area.
One thought I've had is to keep a form of death-curse but remove the harshest consequences-- a "The phantom of a slain adventurer" is created, rather than a reanimation of the corpse, so the corpse is handled normally and players can get their EQ back without needing to get help (which can be hard these days) in battling the reanimation.
I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions.
Other items to look at for revision:
- slender pearl ring--people have complained about the danger of falling rocks to get this. The risk of the rocks was intended to balance the utility of the items. Anyway, one idea is to remove the rock-fall but relocate items further east, to a srryn skeleton room, so that the items can be gotten safely IF the char invests in or can find an invis potion.
- Check the curse-removal and curse-restoration quest functionality and flow, revise as needed (perhaps not require a reset or curse restoration for the removal quest to return?).
- Update quest xp rewards to match newer quest values
- fix boarhound or replace with xp
- Add some sort of benefit for positive standing with phantom knight & skeletal srryn factions
- Adjust weapons to match the new weapon table values
- Tweak balance of phantoms (phantoms should be slightly easier--revisit their eq)
- add more lore detail for old Nordath
FOLLOWUP IN SAME THREAD
- The curse for a PC death has been removed.
- the phantoms are no longer MIA. They now appear on the battlements and in ruins as they used to
- the falling rocks in the ravine now do only 5-10pts damage
- the pearl ring was moved to small crevice on the east side of the valley, past the skeletal srryn
- curse removal and restoration now create a rumor for the player the first time they are done
- raised initial curse removal reward from 7k to 12k xp (subsequent removals give nothing). Curse removal gives faction bonus (+500) to both skeletons and phantoms
- raised initial curse restoration reward from 4k to 12k xp (subsequent restorations give 500xp). Curse restoration gives massive hit (-1000) to both skeleton and phantom factions
- added a FightFlavor obj - echoes and some other special effects for combat in different places in the area. - added a hint pointing to the secret lab in a room desc
- fixed the Ralle / Bearhound progs
I haven't had ideas for faction friend perks / bonuses. Maybe someday...
New/Revised Progs:
FightFlavor obj prog delete rand_prog 25 prog add rand_prog 25 if inroom($o) > 23988 if inroom($o) < 24151 \* still in Nordath break endif endif \* Not in Nordath mppurge self \@ prog delete fight_prog 100 prog add fight_prog 100 //* Battlecry Compulsion if rand(1) if isgood($o) if rand(50) mpvalueset compulsion Enemies at hand! Defend the walls! else mpvalueset compulsion The srryn come! Hold your ground! endif endif if isgood($o) if rand(50) mpvalueset compulsion The walls WILL crumble! else mpvalueset compulsion Burn them! Bite them! Claw them down! endif endif if isneutral($o) if rand(50) mpvalueset compulsion The eyes! It is watching! It is WATCHING! else mpvalueset compulsion Ice and fire in shadows, the trident and the flail! endif endif mpechoat $o You feel a sudden deep compulsion overwhelming you. mpforce $o yell %compulsion break endif endif / / //* Crevice if inroom($o) == 24047 or inroom($o) == 24048 if rand(50) mpechoat $o $N presses forward, and you find yourself hedged in, your back against the crevice wall. mpechoat $n Pressing forward suddenly, you trap $O for a moment against the crevice wall. mplag $o 2 else mpechoat $o Your weapon swings wide, catching a bat that was in the shadows and knocking it to the ground! mpechoaround $o $O's weapon swings wide, catching a bat hidden in shadow and knocking it to the ground! mpmload 24046 endif endif / / //* Wells if inroom($o) == 24083 or inroom($o) == 24031 mpechoat $o You circle around the old well, attempting to outposition your opponent. mpechoaround $o $O circles around the old well. endif / / //* Battlements if inroom($o) == 24110 or inroom($o) == 24103 or inroom($o) == 24104 or inroom($o) == 24059 or inroom($o) == 24060 or inroom($o) == 24061 or inroom($o) == 24062 or inroom($o) == 24063 or inroom($o) == 24064 or inroom($o) == 24065 or inroom($o) == 24066 or inroom($o) == 24052 or inroom($o) == 24053 or inroom($o) == 24049 or inroom($o) == 24051 or inroom($o) == 24057 or inroom($o) == 24058 or inroom($o) == 24066 or inroom($o) == 24067 or inroom($o) == 24068 or inroom($o) == 24069 or inroom($o) == 24070 or inroom($o) == 24071 or inroom($o) == 24072 or inroom($o) == 24073 or inroom($o) == 24107 or inroom($o) == 24106 if isflying($o) if rand(50) mpechoat $o You gracefully fly over the unsteady footing of the battlement wall. mpechoaround $o $O gracefully flies over the unsteady footing of battlement wall. else mpechoat $o You fly in a half-circle around your opponent, then press your attack. mpechoaround $o $O attempts to fly a half-circle around $N, seeking an advantage. endif break else if rand(50) mpechoat $o You dislodge a small stone, and it goes tumbling down into the moat. mpechoaround $o $O dislodges a small stone, and it goes tumbling down into the moat. mplag $o 1 else mpechoat $o You feel the ancient mortar and worn stone begin to crumble underfoot. mpechoaround $o $O glances down briefly, as if concerned about the stability of the wall. mplag $o 2 endif endif endif / / //* Courtyard Debris if inroom($o) == 24073 or inroom($o) == 24074 or inroom($o) == 24075 or inroom($o) == 24076 or inroom($o) == 24078 or inroom($o) == 24079 or inroom($o) == 24080 or inroom($o) == 24081 or inroom($o) == 24084 or inroom($o) == 24085 or inroom($o) == 24086 or inroom($o) == 24087 or inroom($o) == 24088 or inroom($o) == 24089 or inroom($o) == 24090 or inroom($o) == 24091 or inroom($o) == 24092 mpvaluerand 0 1 10 if value(0) < 7 mpvalueset glimmertype coppery mpvalueset cointype 24102 endif if value(0) == 7 or value(0) == 8 or value(0) == 9 mpvalueset glimmertype silvery mpvalueset cointype 24034 endif if value(0) == 10 mpvalueset glimmertype golden mpvalueset cointype 24081 endif mpechoat $o As your battle disturbs the stone rubble and its overgrowth, you notice a %glimmertype metallic glimmer on the ground. mpoload %cointype in room endif \@ on bat crevice room: prog add verb_prog sleep mpforce $n trigger_sleep_fail \@ prog add verb_prog sit mpforce $n trigger_sleep_fail \@ prog add verb_prog rest mpforce $n trigger_sleep_fail \@ prog delete verb_prog trigger_sleep_fail prog add verb_prog trigger_sleep_fail mpechoat $n You can't quite bring yourself to do that on the guano-spattered rubble. mpverbstop \@ on Claude: prog delete trigger_prog 100 prog add trigger_prog 100 if iscarrying($n) == 24101 break else if inroom($n) > 23988 if inroom($n) < 24151 mpoload 24101 on $n endif endif endif \@ prog delete rand_prog 15 prog add rand_prog 15 if isanypcarea() mpmasstrigger endif \@ on Serdon: prog delete give_prog heartstone stone heart Xichev'Drologh Xichev Drologh prog add give_prog heartstone stone heart Xichev'Drologh Xichev Drologh mpfaction $n 32 500 1 mpfaction $n 33 500 1 if isbitset($n) == 24006 mpechoat $n You feel a sense of great satisfaction in having helped the Knights again. else mpaddrumor "$I" If you need help breaking a curse, you should turn to $N. They say $e has even helped put the undead of Nordath to rest! mpechoat $n You feel more experienced! mpbitset $n 24006 1 mpxp $n 12000 endif yell Come, brothers! $N has recovered the stone! mpseewizi mpat nordathcursemon mpset mob nordathcursemon level 1 mpat nordathcursemon mpstring mob nordathcursemon long The cursebot says the curse is: {GInactive{x loop 1 to 24 mpforce $v1.cleanshavenundead mpecho The phantom knight looks up, and quickly fades from sight. mptransfer $v1.cleanshavenundead mpforce thinbonedsrryn mpecho Suddenly, the skeletal srryn shatters, and its bones sink back into the earth! mpforce thinbonedsrryn mppurge self mpforce nordathsrrynbot mppurge self mpforce nordathphantombot mppurge self endloop mpat choreographerbot mppurge choreographerbot mpat Thensith mpecho Suddenly, Thensith shatters! The bones sink back into the earth. mpat Thensith mppurge thensith mpecho All around you, phantom knights begin to appear, their eyes shining a deep blue. mpsetdata curseend if iscarrying($n) == 24018 mpforce $n Ibleedbuckets endif \@ on Cursebot: prog delete rand_prog 100 prog add rand_prog 100 $d mpnextdata if mobvalue(8) == 1 mpvalueset 8 0 mpfaction $f 32 -1000 1 mpfaction $f 33 -1000 1 if isbitset($f) == 24009 mpechoat $f You feel somewhat more experienced. But not much. mpxp $f 500 else mpechoat $f You feel much more experienced! mpbitset $f 24009 1 mpxp $f 12000 mpaddrumor Nordath $F has worked to keep the dark curse of undeath on the poor souls of the srryn raiders and human knights trapped in Nordath. pray The curse is back and your gonna be in trouble (Hey la, Hey la, the curse back). Brought to you by Nordath, $F, and the number 13. mpforget $f endif endif \@ on Ralle: prog delete give_prog skull srryn cracked srrynskull prog add give_prog skull srryn cracked srrynskull if isbitset($n) == 24018 else mpechoat $N You gain 2500 XP for completing Ralle's Revenge! mpxp $n 2500 mpbitset $n 24018 1 endif tell $n Hah! You got 'im! Worth a bearhound, that is. emote whistles, and a large black hound comes scampering in. mpmload 24006 esay 'says to the hound' This is yer new master. Follow $m now. tell $n You want 'im to attack a feller named Raliph, just say "attack Raliph" and the hound'll be after him, make some noise if you're close, and jump on him when you chase him down. tell $n You want 'im to relax, just say "heel" and he'll quiet right down. pray $N just finished Ralle's quest. Release the hound! if isevil($n) mpechoat $n The bearhound snarls at you. mpechoaround $n The bearhound snarls at $N. say They say bearhounds is good judges of character. shrug endif mpforce elvispresley follow $n mpget mob elvispresley level 0 mpget char $n level 1 mpset char elvispresley level \$1 mpforce $n group elvispresley mpset mob elvispresley level \$0 mpflag mob elvispresley aff + charm mppurge srrynskull \@ on bearhound: prog add speech_prog heel if ismaster($n) if isfocused($i) mpecho $I growls a low growl. mpunfocus else mpechoat $n $I gives you a puzzled look. mpechoaround $n $I gives gives $N a puzzled look. endif endif