Limited items and random loading

From: Mathue Moyer (mmoyer@sdcc10.UCSD.EDU)
Date: 04/01/94


  Here's the system for controlling eq in the game that the group I
am part of is going to _try_ to implement.  Any comments,
(constructive) criticisms, or additions most welcome.

  First off, and easiest to implement, all items will have 'hit
points' somewhat like pcs/mobs, and will be destroyed if they ever
get to 0.  There will probably be ways to get things repaired,
though... and different materials will have varying resistances to
different types of damage.

  The second component involves some new item flags and
modifications of the zone file system.  The new flags will be
ITEM_UNIQUE and ITEM_RARE.  The former specifies objects (hopefully
not TOO many) that are truly one-of-a-kind.  The latter specifies
objects that should be somewhat limited in distribution.  Now, in
the zone file, every time an object is set to load, there will be a
percentage 1 - 100 associated with it.  For normal items (neither
flagged UNIQUE or RARE) this percentage will be the flat-out
probability of the item being loaded.  For items flagged as UNIQUE,
this will be the probability of loading, unless one exists already,
in which case it will not load.  (Yes, this means maintaining data
(a special info file, perhaps?) on how many of each RARE/UNIQUE item
exist in the save files AND the current world)  For items flagged
RARE, the given percentage is the probability of the item loading if
no others exist.  As the number of any particular RARE item in
existance (both in save files and the current world) goes up, the
percentage will drop from the base percentage in the zone file
towards 0... but will NOT ever be 0.  I was thinking maybe a minimum
of .1%... and haven't come up with the formula for dropping fromthe
base percentage down, but somebody will come up with something.

Anyway... that's most of the idea... I left out a few minor bits and
pieces that I'd like to keep a bit unique.... nothing really cool,
though.  Like I said at the beginning, I'd be glad to heaqr any and
all constructive responses to this setup.

-- 
-Mathue Moyer
-mathue@ucsd.edu



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