[CF List] Too stupid...

[Andrew D. Bagdanov]

Mark Wedel writes:
 > "Andrew D. Bagdanov" wrote:
 > 
 > > I think there is consensus that level minimums are the solution to
 > > this problem, but ideas about what happens below minimum level vary
 > > wildly:
 > > 
 > >  1.  Item cannot be applied and is totally useless.
 > >  2.  Item attributes scale with character's level.  Item may be used
 > >      by low-level characters, but with reduced effectiveness.
 > >  3.  Item randomly un-applies itself depending on level.  Item may be
 > >      used, but with high potential risk.
 > > 
 > > Did I miss any options?  I'm too lazy to review the whole thread right
 > > now...
 > > 
 > > Option 1 is certainly the simplest solution, but options 2 and 3 add
 > > interesting gameplay elements...
 > 
 >  Those points are also in rough order of how hard to do.
 > 
 >  <snip> 
 >
 >  The other little complication is that for items that give stats,
 > even really good ones tend not to give really high stat bonuses, so
 > even if just a little below min level, the item may appear much
 > worse.  If we continue with the example of a level 10 item that has
 > +1 Str, +1 Int, and +1 Dex, if you do simple fraction drops, this
 > item has no bonuses even at level 9.  If you do standard rounding,
 > then at level 5 (.5 for each stat), the item is effectively fully
 > usable.
 > 
 >  This is a very simplistic example, but there probably are many
 > good artifacts at there which have moderate bonuses in a whole
 > bunch of things, so the rounding could really make those appear
 > weaker.  I wouldn't really want to try to give partial benefits (in
 > the case above, at 4'th level, you get one of the +1, at 7'th, you
 > get 2, and at 10'th, you get all three).
 > 

Hadn't thought of that.  Trying to give partial bonuses would be a
real mess...

 >  But this dimishing/confusion could probably be fixed relatively
 > easily by doing something like this when the item is examined:
 > 
 >  The ring of might is a level 10 item.  ITs full bonuses are ....
 >  The bonuses you would get are ... (this only gets printed out of
 >  character is > less than 10th level)
 > 

This is a very good idea.  The full bonuses wouldn't even necessarily
have to be given, it could say something more ambiguous like:

  You feel you are not powerful enough to awaken the full potential of
  this item.

It would be interesting to have to go through all the trash in your
apartment every once and a while to see if there are any artifacts
that are now useful.

 >  This way, the low level characters could see what they may
 > eventually get from the item.
 > 
 >  But I will note that case #1 has to be done before either #2 or #3
 > can proceed.  So it probably makes most sense to do that, and if
 > further refinements are needed, #2 or #3 could be done after the
 > fact without a lot of difficulty.
 > 

Well I guess it's about time for me to get off my lazy ass and look at
the server code...

-Andy