Re: CF: random encounters.

[Mark Wedel <mwedel@scruznet.com>]

Kjetil Torgrim Homme wrote:
> >    1) If there are going to be fewer monsters, instead make it a 1x1
> >   blowup (so that 1 space perhaps becomes a 20x20 map)
> 
> Is this to simplify code?  I thought it rather neat that you could
> recognize the small scale map.  E.g., the top right of the map would
> be all mountains, but the lower left was forest, just as on the world
> map.

 Generally, you could sort of know you were an a small scale map simply because
the terrain suddenly change.

 The idea for a smaller map was first that it could be easier to avoid, and
second, if there are only going to be a few monsters, you don't need a really
big map.


> If I died in there, it would be very annoying if my friends couldn't
> come to resurrect my corpse.  Let the encounter stay for some time.
> It may be removed earlier than next reset, though.

 I would be curious of permadeath works with these maps or the random map code. 
I believe that the permadeath uses the unique item code so that the gravestone
or whatever sticks around so a players friend could come at a later point and
revive the character.

 However, I would be curious what happens to unique items on these
random/temporary maps.

 In any case, a work around for the above could be to look for any/all corpses
on the map before getting rid of it, and move the corpses to the original map.


> 
> I don't play much anymore, but have random encounters turned on and
> like to slash around in the forest as a low level character (I'm _not_
> a powerplayer like most people here, I don't think I ever has played
> past level 12...  (I also turn on PERMA_DEATH)).  I think it would
> interesting to replace the implementation with the random map
> generator, but it may need enhancements to handle open spaces.

 Well, there are two pieces to the replacement.  But as I recall, one of the
'advantages' of the random encounters was an endless supply of places to go to
beat up random monsters.

 With Peters random map code, assuming links to it are placed around enough
places, that need is largely removed.

 The second would be to out random generates to the larger outdoor world, so
monsters get created on the overall outdoor map, so you don't need the extra map
layer (if this goes to a 2 scale world, those encounter maps sort of bypass that
extra scale).  See my thoughts below on the generators idea:

Raphaël Quinet wrote:
> Maybe we could create a new archetype or add two new attributes to
> the existing monster generators: the first one would be a "chance"
> attribute, which specifies the probability for this generator to be
> created or not, and the second one would be a "max_gen" attribute,
> which gives the maximum number of monsters to be created.  These would
> allow the map designers to add many (invisible) monster generators on
> the continent, and to give them a low chance of creating some monsters
> after which they disappear.  The result would be similar to the
> random encounters (you never know what kind of monsters you will get,
> nor how many of them will attack) and it would not be an annoyance
> like the current maps that appear in the middle of the dungeons.

 There are two thoughts I have on how this could be done:

 1) Add invisible and walk through (ie, non attackable) generators on the map. 
Give them a low speed so they don't generate very often.  Add support to the
generator so it can use a treasure list (instead of just the other_arch).  In
this way, somewhat random monsters get periodically generated.  The only partial
disadvantage is that the locations of these generators may get to be somewhat
known.  Probably not a big deal.

2) Add a flag to the map object which says it has random encounter logic. 
Periodically (based on a map setting), you generate such an encounter.  The code
could basically choose a random space on the map, look at the terrain type for
its treasurelist, and generate accordingly.  Add these treasurelists to the
standard archs (if the map does not want random encounters, these fields just
get ignored).  Advantage here is that monsters show up anyplace, map makers
don't need to do anything special, and designer can still specify the actual
treasure lists.  The disadvantage is that if/when we move to a unified scale,
this could result in random monsters showing up in the town (since it would be
part of the larger outdoor map)
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