                            Proposal For Nirvana
                                  
                                  Maledicta
                                  10.23.99


   The ideas presented here in this proposal are based on the need for the
   following changes:
   
   1.  Change and simplify the current system of heals.
   2.  Guilds and players should not be so well rounded as to never need
       each other.  On the other hand, they should never be forced to
       rely fully on each other, as has been mentioned. Players need to
       be able to solo kill.
   3.  Create a working and viable party system.
   4.  Create a randomness that will provide players with more enjoyment
       while playing and fighting.
   5.  Allow for more interaction with player-to-player game play without
       disrupting the flow.
   6.  Stop the trend of ever increasing power in mobs, weapons, armor,
       spells, etc.  Bring all of this back down to an appreciatable 
       and workable range.
   7.  Create more atmosphere for players to immerse themselves into.
   
   
                    -=[Step-by-Step Guide to Changes]=-
  
                      
   1.  Setup the heal structure.          
       a.  Create a regeneration increase in autoheal() based on soaked,
           stuffed, and intoxication. Perhaps 25% chance, if toxes are
           greater than 0, gives +1 hp/sp per round.  
       b.  Remove healing from the game from items that use the soaked,
           stuffed, toxed system.  Change bars/pubs to increase these
           scores so as to improve healing for the duration. Portable
           heals should not exist unless they follow (1.c)
       c.  Create an inheritable portable infusion heal.  ALL HEALING 
           WILL RUN FROM INFUSION.  If in combat lower the total effect
           of the portable heal or perhaps allow it to fail. This is
           not something we want them to stray to just because normal
           heals are gone.  This is a supplement to regening and 
           healer/clerical powers.
       d.  High Stamina (above 15) will regen faster if not in combat.
           Add to autoheal().
       e.  Change heal_self() so that even if a player heals themself,
           it increases infusion.  (will prevent clerical and
           healer type from gaining too much power) Also, check PIETY
           and determine total effect by this stat. Low piety will 
           decrease healing. High piety will help alot. 
           ______________________________________________________
           Piety effect on healing:
               1-13 piety:  loss of random (14 - piety) + 1 %
                14  piety:  no loss or gain
              15-25 piety:  gain of random (piety - 14) + 1 %
           ______________________________________________________

  NOTE:  Once healing changes are made, then we can playtest what will need
         to be changed on mobs in order to present a more fair system. I 
         believe what we will find is that a mob will begin to appear more
         like a player, 200 hps, 12 ac, 18 wc, occassional special damage,
         and will turn out to be more like a pk fight without heals. The
         advantages for the mob will occur in the code where we program in
         specials, regen, etc.  Players will find advantages in guild
         powers, items, and parties.  A low level will be more like a low
         level player: 50 hps, ac 5, wc 13, maybe a special of some small 
         type.
         
  
  2.  Armorclass changes.
      a. Create a second armor class type: MAC (magical armor class). This
         is what mobs will check when their special goes off.  This is also
         what will be checked vs. spell attacks.  This has a base dependent
         on the stats Magic and Willpower.  Additions can be created by way
         of guild spells or Items.  I believe rings, amulets, and misc should
         be changed so as to help MAC or used for magical purposes(regening,
         stat help, etc.) or just be for looks instead of AC.
      b. Shields can be increased to ac 3 maximum so as to compensate
         slightly for the 6 point loss of (2a). Armor may be increased to
         a max of 6.  
      
  3.  Hit_player changes.
      a. Set up separate for MAC(?) Unsure on this. Ideas?
      b. Create a Hit and Miss system that separates chance to hit and
         damage done. Hit is helped by higher Intelligence. Need to work
         this out so that a bonus or penalty can be added by way of guilds.
  
  4.  Attribute changes.
      a. Strength
         i.  Carry bonus - already in, good:)
         ii. strength bonus on damage IF the weapon is of a type that is
             usable for this.  I have created a system that uses hit() in
             the wep inherit. set_str_wep() can be used to set a weapon
             to be usable for this type of extra damage. A sword, axe, or
             hammer for instance would be usable. A gun, crossbow, etc. 
             would not gain this bonus.  
             NOTE: I have added a str_wep = 1 to the reset() in the wep
             inherit. I believe that giving this bonus to all weps as a
             default will make it easier to change the weps that DO NOT
             need it rather than the weps that do.
        iii. increases base wc of hands.
      b. Stamina
         i.  As mentioned above, hp regen faster in autoheal()
         ii. Still works the same on the hps gained per point.
      c. Intelligence
         i.  Increases chance to hit as mentioned in hit_player() changes.
      d. Willpower
         i.  Increases sp regen rate.
      e. Magic
         i.  Stays as is, determines additional sps.
      f. Luck
         i.  Decreases damage done occassionally. Stays the same.
      g. Piety
         i.  As mentioned in heals(1e) will help to increase healing
             ability by spells and items.
      h. Stealth
         i.  Increases chance to dodge.  Helps vs. intelligence in
             hit_player().       
      i. Create a system of leveling and gaining points to spend towards
         attributes. Total points in all stats is maxed at 160. If we
         can cap the total gain to around 115 or so, then that would leave
         a player with 3 20's, 3 15's and 1 10, a huge difference in what we
         currently have. This will create a system of randomness and
         specialization. The player can also stretch the points out and
         have 14's in almost everything, creating a 'jack-of-all-trades'.
      NOTE:  Guilds NEED to use stats. The greater the variety(physical
             type guild using strength, stamina, stealth for example) the
             better.
     
         
  5. Death
      a. Remove xp loss and stat loss.
      b. Adapt a new system of death that utilizes the following:
         i. Upon death, a player is given +1 to their death stat.
            if > 1, then random(100) is compared to that stat. if it
            is less than, then the character is permanently dead.
            FOREVER.  This will create a system that I believe will
            allow players to go out and take chances, while at the
            same time creating a gamble situation.  The first death
            is free and does not fall under this system.  We could
            give breaks to newbies also, if less than or equal to
            level 5, no additions to death stat.
   
  6. Rooms
      a. Add a set_room_type()
         i.  This will allow guilds to base powers on places, creating
             a whole new aspect on the game itself. Druids, rangers,
             thieves, etc. will be able to flourish while in their own
             areas, and yet suffer while in other areas. (defaults to:
             None, allowing for powers to work in these areas until we
             have time to go through and set them all.)
             Types I have come up with so far:
              Plain    -also includes clearings,ravines,flat areas.
              Forest   -jungle, etc.
              Marsh    -swamps,wetlands,etc.
              Cave     -basements,underground
              City     -ruins,towns,rooftops, etc.
              Indoors 
              Mountain -plateau, etc.
              Hill     
              Water    -sea,ocean,pond,lake,streams,rivers,etc.
              Desert   -badlands,wastes,etc.
              Space    -Outer space...
              None     -default setting.
           I believe this can cover all categories. Suggestions?  
 
      b. Add a set_cycle() and create a night/day daemon.
         i. Not all rooms should be effected by night and day(indoors,
            caves, etc.) and so by setting the 'cycle' then night/day
            will effect the room.  Cycles should last 4 hours at a 
            time, not hourly changes of day and night. Will help dmages,
            vamps, etc. to protect them at certain times, and give
            it a good atmosphere perspective.
      c. Improve the door object and add it directly into the room 
         inherit. We NEED something workable here.  Bash/pick-lock
         option.
         i. Bash runs from strength and can do damage on failure and add
            that players name to an array so that they cannot try again.
         ii. Picklocks can also have a trap option for failure. At the
             same time, failure adds name to an array for no more tries.
     d.  Trap option.
         i. Goes off on init(). Chance of protection if carrying an object
            that has the id: trap_detector.  10' pole, magical item, etc.
         NOTE: Will cause players to be cautious, But more importantly
               PREPARED. Will also create a niche for thief type
               characters who can auto detect traps, disarm them, etc.
                
  7. Party Object.
      a. Integrate into the Follow command -or- directly into the player
         object.
         i.  Would like to see a strategy set up for where ppl are positioned
             frontline/backline. Maybe have mobs react differently to
             parties. Any ideas on this?
      b. Do not allow shares to be set. This idea is outdated and 
         makes no sense.
     
  8. Remove game spells/mini guilds.
  NOTE: We want ppl to join our guilds, not stay guildless. Mini guilds 
        help to keep ppl from joining, and if already in a guild, helps
        to span the weaknesses created by the guild. Guilds are the future
        and where the roleplaying will be, lets promote this.
        
  9. Guilds.
      a. The current guilds operating on Nirvana will need to be
         adjusted so as to work within the limits of this new world.
         i. Create specialization within the guilds. A guild will either
            be offensive, defensive, or Other. A guild that has all
            of these abilities will be weak in them all. Visually speaking:
            |||||||||||||||||||| Offense           
            ||||||||             Defense
            ||                   Other (healing, cantrips, etc.)
                 -or-
            |||||||||||          Offense
            |||||||||||          Defense
            |||||                Other
                 -or-
            ||||||||             Offense           
            |||||||||||||||||||| Defense
            ||                   Other (healing, cantrips, etc.)
                        
        ii. We MUST create balanced guilds. Weaknesses are not enough
            to create balance. Too much power is TOO MUCH. 
    NOTE: Guilds are the basis of theme and power. We need to introduce
          more theme oriented, roleplayable guilds. If it is not written
          somewhere, then a player feels they do not need to be or do 
          it. Specialization promotes Partying, on the other hand,
          we do not want to cripple the player who wants to fight 
          alone. 
    PERSONAL NOTE:
             IMHO, I believe Snow is the person to lead up the guild
          changes.  He has perspectives on it that can possibly make
          things fair and reasonable, as well as fun. I would like to
          say more about this phase, but I believe my limited coding
          experience in guilds has narrowed my perspective on the 
          situation.  
  
  10. Mobs.
     a. Mobs will need to be adjusted so as to fit into 2 categories.
         i. Solo kills(or, easy party kills): low level to midlevel
            mobs with limited extra damage.
        ii. Party kill mobs. High level, semi-tough, but manageable
            if properly fought.  Higher gains in equipment and such.
     b. Additional party incentives:
         i. AC lowers if being attacked by more than one opponent.
        ii. Cannot go aggro on backline players. (this is where the
            unarmored mages, etc. will hide and help from)
     c. Give mobs sps.
         i. With a spell point system mobs can cast for only a short
            time, and then will be required to regen or heal in some
            way to continue casting. This brings them down to more
            player level of combat.
     d. Spells will check MAC, as mentioned above.
     e. Give mobs an MAC.
     f. Create another special that will use the physical aspect
        of a special. Will check AC instead of MAC. A giant hits
        you with a club, definitely not a magical attack. Won't
        use sps either. 
     g. Mobs that party with each other to kill players. Tactics,
        additional damage, could be themed very well.
        Maybe a set_tactics() that could go off like a third
        special if with a group.
     NOTE: Mob changes will take alot of time. We will need to
           create an inherit that doesn't directly effect the 
           mob unless set to. This way we can create the changes
           over time without a major effect to the mud.
  
  11.  Change the areas that exist.
     a. Change mobs to fit new standards.
     b. Change rooms to fit new standards.
     c. Change items to fit new standards.
     d. consider some areas that are outdated, and maybe close/update.
     
  NOTE: This will be the most time consuming task of all.  Wizards will need
        to make changes to their own areas as well as to other areas which
        belong to wizards that no longer log on.  This phase will take a
        huge number of volunteers I believe. Can promote this phase with
        additional levels for those who wish to assist.(For instance, 
        redo 2 wiz areas and get 5-10 levels. Use your own judgement)                                                   

  12. Alignment.
     a. Get rid of alignment changes from attacking creatures, etc. On 
        creation have a player CHOOSE their alignment, which is 
        semi-permanent.  Semi because a player should be able to,
        through some HARD task or quest, be able to change alignment.
 
  13. Additionals.
    a. Add into the player and living functions that will allow
       guilds and items to have more control over to hit, damage, etc
       etc.
       Example: Boots of Speed would increase stealth by 2 points,
                have query_attrib look for objects in the inventory
                that might add to the total. 
                Bracers of Accuracy might increase the to-hit by
                a few points. Etc.
    b. Create more atmosphere functions: Built-in infravision, blindness,
       poison, etc.  This is open to whomever has good ideas.
    c. Create a new crime setting to protect newbies.  We currently have
       no protection for newbies and often regret it. Create a new
       crime setting that will set if a high level player types, 'kill'
       against a newbie(level 7 or under?). Once set, that player can
       be attacked by anyone, anywhere. See /players/maledicta/crime
       for more info on this concept.
    d. Write new help for newbies, as well as update the help files.
       PERSONAL NOTE: I wrote the help files, so I will be more than
                      willing to update them. 
    e. Remove locations from the who commands. Will help PK and broaden
       the mud from a psychological standpoint.  Players will find out
       just how big the mud is when they go out and try to hunt down
       someone that is pk, just to bother.  Guild who commands, if
       themed, can still show where their own guildmates are. IF
       THEMED!:) This will also give value to magical/technological
       items that show location, etc. Unfortunately, simple little
       items like the wooden boy will need to be gone.
    f. God help us. Lets redo the main town, it is far outdated and 
       needs help.
    g. PK. It isn't a bad word. Although it has gotten a bad rap from
       all the newbie killing that has gone on, etc.  This is an
       aspect of the mud that we should consider helping out. Ideas?
       NOTE: Dragnar had the idea of making kill stats save in the 
             player object.  Wins, losses. I like that.
    h. Should we have ALL equipment be storable? This is an idea that
       has been juggled around for ages. We need to decide on this.
       i. Lower some of the current weapons in specials/wc. 18 is
          the average wc right now, we need to lower this considerably
          so as to make skills, strength, etc. more necessary.
    i. Autoload helpful items.
        i. Beatfixer, sci-watch, quicktyper, party object, etc.
           should all be integrated directly into the player object. 
        ii. Get rid of speedsters.
    
NOTE:  Skills will most likely become more popular on this style of mud,
       therefore, we will need to consider using something other than
       sps to activate them.  A fatigue rating that requires rest after
       so much use would be something to consider.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
