Identifying other character

[Leritho]

I think it would make sence that the identifying border isn't just at Intelligence 50, but also the difference of a combination of Charisma and Itelligence of both players. Therefore here my suggestion. I've never programmed in C++, so I am not sure if there are mistakes in my modification:

for src/server/usermanager.cpp

Code: [Select]

                int CharsIdentify = charData->GetCharIdentify();
                int PlayersLvl    = client->GetCharacterData()->GetCharIdentify();
                int LvlDifference = PlayersIdentify - CharsIdentify;


if (( playerAttr->GetStat(PSITEMSTATS_STAT_INTELLIGENCE) < 50 ) || ( IdentifyDifference < -50 ))
      desc.AppendFmt( "\n\nYou try to evaluate the strength of %s, but you have no clue.", charName.GetData() );
else
...
and for src/server/bulkobjects/pscharacter.cpp

Code: [Select]

unsigned int psCharacter::GetCharIdentify()
{
    return ( attributes.GetStat(PSITEMSTATS_STAT_INTELLIGENCE) +
             attributes.GetStat(PSITEMSTATS_STAT_CHARISMA) +
             attributes.GetStat(PSITEMSTATS_STAT_CHARISMA) ) / 3;
}

[Karyuu]

Why would your charisma help you know how strong someone is?

[Suno_Regin]

This is more of a joke than an answer, but I think charisma of the character YOU'RE identifying would help, because instead of them looking like a freakish blob, they'd look like a...muscular/skinny person that can be easy to know it's a...person, instead of a freakish blob. =P

But I don't know how the charisma of the indentifier would help.

[Karyuu]

That's how it already works, Suno :3 Having a high charisma makes you appear stronger.

[Leritho]

Yes, you are right, my dictionary said something alse about the word charisma than i had in mind, I thought more about knowledge of human nature. But it would still help to prevent beeing identified as what someone is.
So maybe it should only matter for the person beeing identyfied and for the identifying person Intelligens could just be taken as it is.

But is not how it already works. What i mean is the chance to identify someone and there, it does not matter at all. It only matters in what you identify. But the better someone acts, the more difficult it is to determine who he actually is. And it gives more sence to train Intelligence above 50 - and that usually should matter.

[Karyuu]

I'm having a bit of a hard time understanding what you may mean, Leritho. Currently, the higher your Intelligence is, the better you can estimate someone's strength. However, the more Charisma someone has, the stronger they appear. What exact changes would you like to propose to the system? And why?

[DaveG]

Having charisma obscure your strength is an interesting idea, but there's really no need to futz with charisma like this right now.  By the way, why do you have charisma listed twice up there?  What's wrong with just multiplying times 2, if you want it to count more?...

[Zan]

I think what Leritho is trying to say is that identifying someone's strength shouldn't depend on the identifiers intelligence alone but it should depend on the identifiers intelligence compared to the intelligence of the one being identified. So if someone is smarter than someone else they'll be able to figure out how strong he or she is.

It makes more sense to me that a smarter person can appear to be stronger than they are if they wish instead of a charismatic person appearing to be stronger. Maybe even when you reach a certain intelligence level you could have the optionr to chose whether to make yourself come over as stronger or weaker than you really are?

[Leritho]

I will try to explain myself a bit better. What i found disturbing was, that once you reach a certain level of Itelligence (50), one seems to have reached unlimited wisdom when it comes to identify others no matter what the difference of these two characters is. I find that highly unrealistic and would like to soften these hughe step a bit. What Karyuu wrote ("Currently, the higher your Intelligence is, the better you can estimate someone's strength.") isn't cosequently implemeted - there is only the one mentioned step of INT 50.

So I think what would prevent them of beeing identified would be Itelligence and Charisma. And the best way to implement that could be that a difference is calculated between the values of charisma and itelligence of the character beeing identified and the (_only_ as we discussed) intelligence of the identitifying character. Once the difference is too high - the weaker character shouldn't be able anymore to figure out the others strength.

By the way, why do you have charisma listed twice up there?  What's wrong with just multiplying times 2, if you want it to count more?...

uhm - I just wasn't sure how to do that... 

"Maybe even when you reach a certain intelligence level you could have the optionr to chose whether to make yourself come over as stronger or weaker than you really are?"
In my opinion this is a great Idea.  Gives more motivation to do train INT.

[Herleva]

In my opinion this is a great Idea.  Gives more motivation to do train INT.

Don`t forget that this is not the final version of PS.
The mental stats should determine the power of the spells, but it doesn`t work yet.
At the moment it doesn`t matter if your char is stupid or genius, your spell causes the same effect.
When magic is fully developed it will make a difference.
Imagine you try to cast a spell in a battle, the opponent almost standing at your feet.
When you have less will power you probably would become nervous and begin to stutter, or worst: low intelligence will let you forget the right spell 
Your spell would fail and your lack of mental power would be a disadvantage.
For me the amount of mana points is reason enough to train stats.
I have a Kran char with -1 mana points  ...i decided to let him be just stupid, he can`t even speak in complete sentences...

Greetings

Herleva, Freelancer

[lepoop]

I created a cat-person that is apparently too retarded to tell how strong an enemy is. Shouldn't feline instinct count for something...?

[lirucan]

I created a cat-person that is apparently too retarded to tell how strong an enemy is. Shouldn't feline instinct count for something...?

No, does a baby know anything of strength or charisma or intelligence? no, they know only love warmth and food... the rest is learned like everything else in the world real or imaginary you must learn it either by being taught or through trial and error!

[Narure]

The real intellegence and Charisma lie with the player.

[lepoop]

The real intellegence and Charisma lie with the player.

Thanks for the fortune cookie wisdom. Unfortunately, although I'm a supermodel and a MENSA member, my character is still dim-witted, so my real-life qualifications don't seem to help me in that regard.

*edit*

does a baby know anything of strength or charisma or intelligence? no, they know only love warmth and food

I'm pretty sure the character I created was an adult, so I kind of assumed she had already nursed, mastered her fine motor skills, and was ready for me to play her and have an enjoyable time doing so. But....

While I admire the game's "hardcore RPG" ethic, and the fact that it doesn't want to be an EverQuest clone, not being able to identify an enemy's strength, then dying, having to go to the Death Realm and run through the monotonous landscape just to continue playing is... well, boring. Especially for someone trying the game out to see if it's worthwhile.

[ Please avoid making one post right after the other in the same thread. Just "Modify" your first post to add more information. --Karyuu ]