[crossfire] Custom items & monsters on maps

[Kevin Zheng]

On 8/1/21 7:46 AM, Preston Crow wrote:
> On 2021-08-01 05:15, Nicolas Weeger wrote:
>> I wonder if instead of setting custom values for items & monsters
>> on maps, it wouldn't be better to create artifacts (with a 0 chance
>> of being generated) and use it in maps.
>> 
>> 
>> The rationale I can see is that it makes it much easier to balance
>> items/ monsters (since artifacts will give all available
>> items/monsters, instead of needing to check all maps for custom
>> items).
>> 
>> It'll also allow changing items the players possess (which is not 
>> currently possible with custom items).

I think the advantages for balancing outweigh the inconvenience.

It would also help to have a global table of artifacts, so that new 
artifacts can be balanced in the context of existing ones.

>> One limitation though is that artifacts can only have names in the
>>  form "item of artifact", whereas custom items/monsters can have
>> any custom name.

This is a technical limitation that can be fixed or worked around, for 
example, by utilizing the "custom name" field (currently only used for 
player-given custom names) or by adding a new field.

> I think both the naming restriction and the added complexity of
> making custom items in maps makes this a bad idea.  For major
> end-of-dungeon loot items, I can see it making sense, but not as a
> general requirement.

I agree that the tools for editing archetypes are pretty much 
non-existent, and the tools for editing custom items (Gridarta) is 
pretty easy to use. I don't think this is a reason for not doing this, 
but rather, we should focus on improving the tools: either adding this 
to CRE, or adding that to Gridarta.

Regards,
Kevin