tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post931771133265419988..comments2023-10-02T10:12:03.825-03:00Comments on Orbs and Balrogs: Creating and holding on to initiatives in GURPS combats.bongotastichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06403616300118528548noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-38090647260264434432013-05-19T19:29:28.766-03:002013-05-19T19:29:28.766-03:00We're coding up the next iteration (actually I...We're coding up the next iteration (actually I'm doing that right now). The emphasis is in creating events that do not cause WTF moments AND will achieve the desired effect to drive combat into interesting twists (without gobbing things down). <br /><br />In the next iteration, the size of the bonus, and potential blowback will depend on a contest of Per-based combat skills VS the defender's DX-based combat skill. <br /><br />There should be something to look at soon. I look forward playtesting these ideas... I suspect that there will be a good need for calibration.bongotastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403616300118528548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-73508544699574103582013-05-19T18:46:00.455-03:002013-05-19T18:46:00.455-03:00Returning to this after more thought.
I'm won...Returning to this after more thought.<br /><br />I'm wondering if it might be fun to generate for each fighter (and since the computer's doing it, it can be automatic or roll-intensive) a list of not just "openings," but also "closures" that represent areas that are better protected than usual. While triggering this off of your foe's evaluate seems a bit odd (I was totally balanced in my defense until my foe looked at me funny, now all of a sudden my legs get a +2 to defend, while my left arm is suddenly at no penalty to hit and -1 when I try and parry) there might be ways to do it that aren't quite so WTF-provoking.<br /><br />This is somewhat in response to some noodling I'm doing, and will likely write about soon, about something that makes for fast trips around a game table in terms of who does what, but isn't boring.<br /><br />We'll see. Douglas Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292678529266123501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-63813539498356417572013-05-10T14:03:26.146-03:002013-05-10T14:03:26.146-03:00The critical buttons will be online within days.
...The critical buttons will be online within days. <br /><br />Combat openings is an experiment. I'll be testing a bit of it tonight with the palantir folks. But it is far from usable. bongotastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403616300118528548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-10911796980227977302013-05-10T13:18:39.383-03:002013-05-10T13:18:39.383-03:00The usual tactic in GURPS lethal combats is "...The usual tactic in GURPS lethal combats is "hit him as often as I can with my primary weapon." None of the nifty stuff that was apparently pretty key in real fights as seen in old fight manuals ever shows up. You have one optimal tactic (say, Targeted Attack to the neck with my axe) and you use it over and over and over.<br /><br />The Combat Openings concept is to provide a game-mechanical way to incentivize alternate strategies and more dynamic fights outside of "he just rolled a crit and sliced his leg open."Douglas Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292678529266123501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-23239909618129999082013-05-10T12:48:04.677-03:002013-05-10T12:48:04.677-03:00Not sure I get the combat opening idea. As you say...Not sure I get the combat opening idea. As you say, it looks like it messes with the basics of combat to much. I like the optional Evaluate rules in Martial Arts (p100). I think it would be best used as you close to fight.<br /><br />I like the app, I wish the crit buttons worked.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00974472597803018211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-49392034232731986232013-05-09T23:04:09.948-03:002013-05-09T23:04:09.948-03:00This is a good time for brainstorming and thinking...This is a good time for brainstorming and thinking about that. Why don't we open a doc and put ideas down? Laying the app to try things is simple. <br /><br />As long as in the end both GMs and players think it awesome and painless to use. bongotastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403616300118528548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-64453725453124258422013-05-09T22:58:40.707-03:002013-05-09T22:58:40.707-03:00You could do it with both - there is a natural ope...You could do it with both - there is a natural opening, something small, worth maybe no more than +2 to hit, -2 to be hit, +1 to defend, maybe a "free" retreat. That gets clicked every turn.<br /><br />Simultaneously, if your previous move was Evaluate, hit up a QC of Per-based combat skill, perhaps, and either have the same opening, but with more goodies, or something totally different, and potentially much more valuable. <br /><br />Other option (just brainstorming before I jump on my conference call): make a DX-based skill check each round, with margin of success or failure giving a general level of openness. The Per-based check would be to spot that opening.Douglas Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292678529266123501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-10728693832606604972013-05-09T22:42:50.563-03:002013-05-09T22:42:50.563-03:00A not too intrusive way to refine the opening woul...A not too intrusive way to refine the opening would be to have a bunch of buttons with initial conditions. These tags would shoe the probability landscape of the opening in the shape like this<br /><br />[who] can do [what] with [bonus] if [ end state].<br /><br />For example.bongotastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403616300118528548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-21013519713014806852013-05-09T22:37:52.442-03:002013-05-09T22:37:52.442-03:00I am all for it, and Alex and I are thinking about...I am all for it, and Alex and I are thinking about it right now. A quick contest of perception or Oer-based skill could set the potency of the bonus/penalty. The sky is the limit... What is there is a thin straw man.bongotastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06403616300118528548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193077301811512734.post-28995268163964412202013-05-09T22:35:56.665-03:002013-05-09T22:35:56.665-03:00Over on Jason Packer's blog I suggested that a...Over on Jason Packer's blog I suggested that a program like yours could be leveraged to really make some hugely deep tables and options sing. Bonuses could vary with a total value of (say) the equivalent of +3 to hit, with an extra hex of movement counting as 2. So combos could be a +1 to hit the other guy or -1 to be hit, and either an extra hex of movement (maybe restricted to an advance or retreat) or a +1 to defend or a -1 to his defense.<br /><br />Pair that up with certain hit locations or attack styles (grappling vs. striking) vs. handedness (primary vs off-hand; if you have a 2-hand weapon you can kick instead).<br /><br />You could even have tables depending on what either the attacker or defender did in a given turn previously, though "just click the button" has great appeal. Douglas Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04292678529266123501noreply@blogger.com