Suggestions for NPC fix

[Darigan]

Around a year ago or so, changes were made to rituals and upgrading crits, since then, it was impossible for mp3's to get passed both of the Loreroot Guards without help from spells which completely negates the whole point of the guards riddle

over the year Mya was playing email relay with the Counsel to try and find a solution but one was never found. Their suggestion was to come up with a solution that could be applied to all NPCs but offered no ideas of their own.

So I ask the community as a whole, for the good of what the guards stand for, for all of us who had to use our brains to gain entry into the forest. I ask for advice, suggestions, solutions, to fix and alter the NPCs (Loreroot Guards, Shop Guards, and Shades) so that those who are unworthy can't skate by with cheap tricks.

Edit:While not strictly against the rules, I would very much like to know the person or persons who have been assisting mp3s in getting passed the guards.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Darigan

[No one]

Hi Darigan,

I am sorry to say but the NPCs were meant to be unbeatable for MP3.

Also, I've been noticing some MP4s that fail to understand basic rules of fighting, have no access to LR but they have creatures from there.
So, I am asking you: what is worse :
1. ppl with tons of different creatures that they don't know how to use
2. ppl don't have access EVERYWHERE ?

So, considering that you will say option 2, I will have to remind you of the ABUSE done by some [u]helping[/u] ppl giving birds to MP3 and thus creating MP3 with more then 30k-40 vitality. Is that normal for you ?
Do you consider that an MP3 should have access to SunGod armor ?

I think not.

NPCs guarding the Willow's Shop and the LR entrance should not be beatable for MP3 period.
This obvious limitation should be the constant push to drive them to MP4 or ... maybe you desire other super strong MP3s ?

Best regards,
No one

[Udgard]

Just wondering, why do you think they are meant to be unbeatable now?
I know it was possible back then without any creature transfers (willow's being definitely an easy one, while LR's required much more knowledge and planning but certainly doable), so unless I missed something, why would that change now?

[DARK DEMON]

[spoiler]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#006400]Just yesterday, a young MP3 beat the guards with shop crits. It's definitely possible, but very difficult even with shop crits. Without them, it's close to impossible.[/color][/font]
[/spoiler]

[color=#006400][font=comic sans ms,cursive](thanks Plix )[/font][/color]

Edited February 18, 2013 by DARK DEMON

[Plix Plox]

...Spoilers?

[No one]

Hi Udgard,

Recently I found was remembered about the creature limitation. Do you know that now, for MP3 you are allowed only grasan lvl 1 ?

So, even if it was possible with normal creatures in the past ... now it is even more difficult. I am not saying it is impossible, but they are not meant for everybody to be able to do it nor it should be mandatory.

Best regards,
No one.

[Udgard]

Yeah, I thought that was the point of the suggestion XD

To make the NPCs beatable if the lower MPs learn more about combat and spend the time to achieve it. I asked because I thought you meant there was a philosophy change behind that

[Darigan]

The point of the suggestions is to keep them from being beatable by spells and means other then fighting, if your able to get into a place without understanding the lesson of how you got there it becomes a lackluster victory and ticks the others of us who worked for where we got.

I'm in agreement with you No one, MP3s shouldn't have access to places guarded by npcs unless they can get through them using crits they have available, and at this point yes I can see how even getting passed the shop guards could be difficult. I'm asking for suggestions to protect the npc's from spells and other things that would render them useless.

[dst]

Simple suggestion: if the player is under the influence of a spell, the npcs can't be attacked. A popup or something can be set telling the player to wait till the spell wears off.

[Mya Celestia]

[color=#008080][font=lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif]The Council and I exchanged emails concerning magic, NPCs and MP3s. This is a portion of one of the emails. It contained other things, but this was the segment that covered this topic.[/font][/color]

"Making the guards immune to magic wouldn't help that much as players can still have spells cast on themselves and win that way, it would just force people to use a slightly different way to beat them using magic.

Making all MP3's immune to spells like [color=#008080][font=lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif][spoiler][/font][/color] would take some custom coding that the coders don't have time for at the moment. In addition to this, this is a blanket solution to your very specific guard problem and we are not looking to do a botched fix. If you wish to be involved with improving the guards we suggest you spend time talking with people and get a better rituation, ve/vp/stats for the LR guards at all Mindpower levels so that they are truer to their roots. We are however asking the coders to look into the issue of beating all NPC's using magic, and will be implementing a proper fix for this later when they have more time."

[color=#008080][font=lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif]Thus threads and discussions like this one [/font][/color]

[dst]

What I suggested doesn't contradict what the Council told you (or if it does, I am blind and I cannot see it): guards are not immune to spells (the ones cast on them), players are not immune to spells.
It's a simple If Clause there (I should hide after hitting the submit button cause some will hunt me for it) that will simply not allow players to attack the guards. Just one more If next to the rest of them (the ones needed to complete the quest).

[Darigan]

If I understand you correctly you're suggesting that the guards (as well as other NPCs since the counsel seems to want an all or nothing fix) shouldn't be able to even be attacked if the person is still MP3?

[No one]

I think that what dst meant is that if the player or the NPC has spells on them, the player should not be able to attack the NPC.

[Valldore Nal]

That actually could create some issues. Not sure if the actual effect can be specified only for LR guards, but if has to be more universal that means (correct me if i'm wrong) that people won't be able to use magic against Molquert's guard as well, right ? And maybe any future NPC's that might be introduced later .....

P.S. I'm not aware if anyone actually managed to beat them using spells, but i guess it may be a problem (if taken as a universal effect), that's why i'm pointing it out

[No one]

I don't know much about Molquert's guards but I know they are not NonPlayableCharacters. There are actual players playing them.

[DARK DEMON]

[quote name='No one' timestamp='1361232402' post='132959']
I think that what dst meant is that if the player or the NPC has spells on them, the player should not be able to attack the NPC.
[/quote]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#006400]Yes.[/color][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#006400]In my opinion, was dst is trying to say is that [b]as long as an MP3's ID is in the triggerbox (under a spell), he would be unable to attack NPC's.[/b] This can be coded for all MP's too. I'm not saying that anyone should be immune to any type of magic.[/color][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#006400]If dst did not mean that, it's still my suggestion.[/color][/font]

Edited February 19, 2013 by DARK DEMON

[Udgard]

That would affect bursts as well though..

[Nimrodel]

and being intoxicated by toxicodendrites and being attacked by somone who fights for a cause.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Nimrodel

[dst]

Bah! People!
What I suggested has nothing to do with trigger box! Did you forget the silent casting mode when NO SPELL shows in trigger box?
I was saying: as long as a player (doesn't matter what MP) is under a spell that player cannot attack any NPC.
The Guards are not really NPCs (from what I can tell) so I doubt this restriction will affect them.