Running

Moirear Sian · Post by **Moirear Sian** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:08 am

I'd like to suggest a small function for running, because I always read complaints here and there about the map size, although I think the map size is good.

How about hitting the TAB key to toggle between a walking and running speed?
Running speed would make your character move at a doubled rate.

Hermie · Post by **Hermie** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:13 am

I like this idea, but I would add the following things:

1) Stamina, or at least some way of stopping people running forever.

2) Running with plate, or heavy armour (or just a certain weight in your bag) would be impossible.

3) Monsters move normal speed, since at the moment they move rather slow so we can 'run' away from them without luring them to town etc.

Moirear Sian · Post by **Moirear Sian** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:19 am

Good points.

1) Stamina exists already. I suppose it could share the existing stamina system. As "You are too tired to work on" there could be a "You are too tired to run any more".

2) Not impossible, but would multiply the speed with which your stamina runs out. Probably could be induced by a weight cap, which when exceeded, uses a stamina drainage multiplier.

3) Yeah.

Zare · Post by **Zare** » Wed May 04, 2005 12:08 am

Not a huge fan of this suggestion. The main use of running would to be a time saver, which is ridiculous. I cannot think of a single reason why one of our characters would have the desire to run all the way from one town to another, unless for emergency reasons.

Konstantin K · Post by **Konstantin K** » Wed May 04, 2005 12:44 am

Because the game is freaking slow, and it's all square-tiled, and boring to walk from one end to another with massive slow-down lag through the mountain area?

For real, you're in Troll's Bane, and your buddy asks you over MSN to meet him at Northerot. It will be good 20-30 minutes before you make it to freaking Northerot. Just walking on huge landmasses of virtual emptiness. You don't get randomly attacked, entertained by NPCs popping up, you don't get distracted by anything. You're just... walking... and walking... across the empty screen, holding your arrow keys or double clicking the map points.

Too long, too monotonous.
And don't even tell me about realism of this situation. If I want a realistic, calm, monotonous hike - I will go outside and hike.

When I am sitting at my PC in a chair, in a static posture - I don't want to have a boring hike. My back is already hurting, and my eyes are barely open - I want some ACTION.

Hence, f*ck yeah I want a bloody time saver! Not to freaking fall asleep.

When there are 3 people online, and I have to cross a 30-minute walking-lag to get to RP with anybody, because they are also too lazy to get to my location - no thank you. I need a run function.

Better yet - bloody create a system of teleporters between the major cities. What's the problem with that??? Create tunnel gates - portals.

Moirear Sian · Post by **Moirear Sian** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:50 am

Zare wrote:Not a huge fan of this suggestion. The main use of running would to be a time saver, which is ridiculous. I cannot think of a single reason why one of our characters would have the desire to run all the way from one town to another, unless for emergency reasons.

Err...

I can't believe someone would say no to this. Sure it has the use of a "time saver" as you put it, but considering it hypothetically being set with limitations like stamina, speed, and carrying weight, people couldn't just go running around 24-7. But obviously because it's under such limitations, it would serve for different uses too, i.e. roleplaying.

For example, I'd be happy if I could graphically discern the difference between a running and a walking character. So... I'm still trying to believe what I read...

Hermie · Post by **Hermie** » Wed May 04, 2005 2:03 pm

Moirear Sian wrote:2) Not impossible, but would multiply the speed with which your stamina runs out. Probably could be induced by a weight cap, which when exceeded, uses a stamina drainage multiplier.

I think it would be pretty much impossible to run while your clad in medieval plate armour!

Also a weight cap would be useful, only if it's based on a person's strength (which I guess you already meant, I merely wished to highlight it.)

Moirear Sian · Post by **Moirear Sian** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:00 pm

Hermie wrote:I think it would be pretty much impossible to run while your clad in medieval plate armour!

I insist though, I think it would be possible. Maybe around... uhm... 7-12 steps running in a row, if you're exceptionally strong. Sure, you couldn't "run" in a plate, but you could take a very short "dash" and then be exhausted for the rest of the day, if you get my drift.

Gro'bul · Post by **Gro'bul** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:08 pm

It isn't even remotely impossible. Small group fighting you would charge eachother so you could get to the other's archers or leaders and in this game, mages/healers even. If you captured someone of ranking position, you could sell them back to their family for money. This is why they usually had shields, so they could march close enough without being wasted by arrows, then run into the opposition. This also is a demoralizing tactic. People clad in armor running at you is going to be loud and scary.

Ziel Oden · Post by **Ziel Oden** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:09 pm

If ye can hear me gods of Illar.. make this.. now!

Yes. im all for it. It took me 20 mins to get from greenbair to trollsbane, here were my sights:
Forest... trees... mushroom... trees.... trees... a mushroom... GRASS HURRAH!... trees.... berrys... nothing..... treess... road!! road... road... road... a sign!... road.. road.. Trollsbane

I didnt not see one NPC, or one anything. very boering and very confusing.

and if running isnt allowed atleast make a 50bronze coin Cart Taxi Person..

Hermie · Post by **Hermie** » Wed May 04, 2005 6:11 pm

@Sian, point taken, I guess thats about right.

@Gro'bul, Generally if you wanted to charge someone you wouldn't use heavy infantry, because they would be slow with the armour. Scare tactics would normally involve some kind of face paint or tattoo's like the Maori (spelling) for example, or horses, since then you'd be much higher and faster than the enemy. Saying that, people may say that horses are not so scary since spearmen would have some kind of advantage over them, but thats merely evolving tactics.

Konstantin K · Post by **Konstantin K** » Wed May 04, 2005 6:26 pm

Plate armor is not that heavy.

And a harness of metal on your chest doesn'e make your life too bad.

It's the plate legs that get you. But we don't have plate legs in Illarion, so no problem.

Avatars must RUN!! Now!

Mimblethorp · Post by **Mimblethorp** » Wed May 04, 2005 6:32 pm

Zare wrote: cannot think of a single reason why one of our characters would have the desire to run all the way from one town to another, unless for emergency reasons.

How about this for reasons (some already mentioned):
1. The map is friggin huge (a good thing, no complaints) but would be nice to have a way to spend more time RPing, less walking.
2. RPing a coward...I can run away from that orc because I'm a merchant in cloth clothing instead of wearing plate mail, carying a two-bladed axe.
3. RPing a briggand...trying to mug a merchant and he CAN'T run because he's weak, low stamina and encumbered with 100#s of coins and sellable items.
4. Outrunning the guards - same thief got caught. He decides to choose life over riches, dumps his ill gotten gains and flees the guards who again are too heavily armored to catch him.

Lots of possiblities here for great RP. I could see Agility still affecting how fast you move, Stamina affecting how long you can run and Strength determining the Stamina drain modifier based on how much you are carrying.

Zare · Post by **Zare** » Thu May 05, 2005 12:33 am

@ Mimblethorp's #1: Exactly what I'm protesting against.

@ Mimblethorp's #2-4:

I wrote:Unless for emergency reasons

Look, I understand everyone's desire to get place to place faster, and I share it with you. Though, I think a better solution would be something similar to Morrowind's siltstrider. That is, pay an NPC to instantaneously teleport you somewhere. Or mounts, that would work, too, but more complicated.

My beef with running is just that it would seem so silly to see everyone running around everywhere. It would be kinda chaotic.

Moirear Sian · Post by **Moirear Sian** » Thu May 05, 2005 1:03 am

So you are against RPing? You see, 9 out of 10 people whose characters are running do not use a "#me runs". 9 out of 10 would presumably just rather hit a button and use the running function, letting the "graphical RPG" display it.

Well as it is right now I'm jamming toothpicks into my eyes so I can stay awake to Illarion, but I must admit the image in my head of you being overwhelmed by the ( game's current speed + a running function ) is making me giggle.

"Too... fast... everything... moving by... with lightning speed! Can't... react... nnngghh..."

/Edit: The idea with the silt-strider is fine, but that is Morrowind, not Illarion. Wouldn't it make more sense to you if people could just use their own two legs and either march someone over a long distance to retain their full strength, or run somewhere nearby in an emergency?