Mystic Land: The Search for Maphaldo - Old school RPG inspired by W7 and EoB

[Alex]

Hey guys/gals, quick question.

We are discussing the mythology skill and potential additional penalty if you don't identify monsters in the fight (so when you get ?? rat ?? instead of Giant rat for example - like in Wizardry).
The idea is, that if you don't know the monster, all physical attacks would have a bit of a penalty (not too much, but let say in the range of 10-20% ?) - as the fighter wouldn't know where (on the body) the monster is most vulnerable to attacks
This would also add additional utility to mythology skill.

What do you think about this idea?
Would you be up for it? Do you think it's no good? This is another one where we WILL listen to you and will go with what the majority of you will "vote for".


I will also have new material to show any day now, along with a few news tidbits. We are "building" the game every day - So stay tuned

I think it makes sense, but... Well, if we are being grounded in reality, 99% of the time what you know about goblin anatomy should be valid whether you are fighting a goblin, a hobgoblin, a gremlin or whatever. I think maybe the other way around might make more sense? Since you don't know so well how a creature is likely to act, you are more likely to be hit by it (especially by non standard attacks) and they are more likely to have greater effect. I mean, if you don't know that the ?? bad hair lady ?? is a medusa, you are more likely to look her in the eye. For a simple solution, I think increasing the attack chance (or lowering the effective defence of the party) against unidentified creatures, as well as it affecting special abilities/spells (make them harder to resist) might be a better solution which is still simple. If you were willing to put more work into this feature, you could also have special effects for having a creature identified. For instance, if you identify the ?? green monster ?? as a troll, you get a chance to kill it for good when you make it reach 0 hp. If not, and if the final blow wasn't done by fire damage, it will regenerate in a couple of rounds.

 

[newtmonkey]

SirBlabsAlot
I know it's mostly the same thing said differently, but rather than a penalty for not identifying the monster, it makes more sense to me to give a bonus for identifying it.

 

[SirBlabsAlot]

Hey guys/gals, quick question.

We are discussing the mythology skill and potential additional penalty if you don't identify monsters in the fight (so when you get ?? rat ?? instead of Giant rat for example - like in Wizardry).
The idea is, that if you don't know the monster, all physical attacks would have a bit of a penalty (not too much, but let say in the range of 10-20% ?) - as the fighter wouldn't know where (on the body) the monster is most vulnerable to attacks
This would also add additional utility to mythology skill.

What do you think about this idea?
Would you be up for it? Do you think it's no good? This is another one where we WILL listen to you and will go with what the majority of you will "vote for".


I will also have new material to show any day now, along with a few news tidbits. We are "building" the game every day - So stay tuned

I think it makes sense, but... Well, if we are being grounded in reality, 99% of the time what you know about goblin anatomy should be valid whether you are fighting a goblin, a hobgoblin, a gremlin or whatever. I think maybe the other way around might make more sense? Since you don't know so well how a creature is likely to act, you are more likely to be hit by it (especially by non standard attacks) and they are more likely to have greater effect. I mean, if you don't know that the ?? bad hair lady ?? is a medusa, you are more likely to look her in the eye. For a simple solution, I think increasing the attack chance (or lowering the effective defence of the party) against unidentified creatures, as well as it affecting special abilities/spells (make them harder to resist) might be a better solution which is still simple. If you were willing to put more work into this feature, you could also have special effects for having a creature identified. For instance, if you identify the ?? green monster ?? as a troll, you get a chance to kill it for good when you make it reach 0 hp. If not, and if the final blow wasn't done by fire damage, it will regenerate in a couple of rounds.

Hmmm. Interesting take on it.
Will discuss it with others.

And interested (again) what others here think of my or Alex's ideas?

By the way, I'm in pain today (health issues), but ?? Bad Hair Lady ?? really made me laugh. So thanks for that

 

[Darth Roxor]

99% of the time what you know about goblin anatomy should be valid whether you are fighting a goblin, a hobgoblin, a gremlin or whatever

Well you must first know it is in fact a hobogoblin and not a ?? vegetable golem ?? tho

 

[Butter]

I think it makes sense, but... Well, if we are being grounded in reality, 99% of the time what you know about goblin anatomy should be valid whether you are fighting a goblin, a hobgoblin, a gremlin or whatever. I think maybe the other way around might make more sense? Since you don't know so well how a creature is likely to act, you are more likely to be hit by it (especially by non standard attacks) and they are more likely to have greater effect. I mean, if you don't know that the ?? bad hair lady ?? is a medusa, you are more likely to look her in the eye. For a simple solution, I think increasing the attack chance (or lowering the effective defence of the party) against unidentified creatures, as well as it affecting special abilities/spells (make them harder to resist) might be a better solution which is still simple.

I agree with this.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Well, if we are being grounded in reality, 99% of the time what you know about goblin anatomy should be valid whether you are fighting a goblin, a hobgoblin, a gremlin or whatever.

Such things could be chalked over with differences of training, fighting style, or preferred equipment.

 

[fantadomat]

Hey guys/gals, quick question.

We are discussing the mythology skill and potential additional penalty if you don't identify monsters in the fight (so when you get ?? rat ?? instead of Giant rat for example - like in Wizardry).
The idea is, that if you don't know the monster, all physical attacks would have a bit of a penalty (not too much, but let say in the range of 10-20% ?) - as the fighter wouldn't know where (on the body) the monster is most vulnerable to attacks
This would also add additional utility to mythology skill.

What do you think about this idea?
Would you be up for it? Do you think it's no good? This is another one where we WILL listen to you and will go with what the majority of you will "vote for".


I will also have new material to show any day now, along with a few news tidbits. We are "building" the game every day - So stay tuned

It is a nice idea as long it is not done in retarded way. Make a common enemies group where everyone knows them and gets neither bonuses nor malices from not knowing. Not being able to kill a rat because you don't know what rat is and you are not a three year old infant,is retarded. Make it so you have lower damage if you don't know them and higher damage if you know more shit about the enemies.

 

[The Limper]

99% of the time what you know about goblin anatomy should be valid whether you are fighting a goblin, a hobgoblin, a gremlin or whatever

Well you must first know it is in fact a hobogoblin and not a ?? vegetable golem ?? tho

A little know fact is the dreaded Veggie Golem packs quite a punch, especially the ‘Squash’ variant, which is much nastier than the feeble Vegan Golem. Tis true, I swear!

 

[negator2vc]

SirBlabsAlot
Better give a bonus to the party instead for identifying the monster true nature.
Beside at the beginning of the game where both skills (mythology & combat skill) are low the player will be in a even greater disadvantage against monsters. Both from lack of combat skills and from lack of mythology skill.

Another idea could be to provide different advantage when the party know it's enemies like
breaking some of the monster's resistances, immunities or even nullifying some of the monster's attacks.
The party know what to expect against the monster.

 

[belated]

I though Caves of Lore did this quite well by each monster having three categories of monster lore: species, type and body. So since you'll know from the start that a skeleton is of the undead type, if you've killed enough other undead you'll already know that it's weak against silver/holy/sun etc. But you won't know it's weak against blunt unless you've killed enough of its species. Likewise you may have killed enough elementals to know they're for instance weak against magic, but not enough stone elementals to know they're resistant against physical.
https://caves-of-lore.fandom.com/wiki/Monsters
Felt like a nice way of creating groups so what you learn won't apply only to a specific monster.

 

[0sacred]

Being more vulnerable to (special) attacks would make Mythology a must have skill, which isn't good. I think you should go with your plan of lowering the party's attack chance

 

[agris]

Hey guys/gals, quick question.

We are discussing the mythology skill and potential additional penalty if you don't identify monsters in the fight (so when you get ?? rat ?? instead of Giant rat for example - like in Wizardry).
The idea is, that if you don't know the monster, all physical attacks would have a bit of a penalty (not too much, but let say in the range of 10-20% ?) - as the fighter wouldn't know where (on the body) the monster is most vulnerable to attacks
This would also add additional utility to mythology skill.

What do you think about this idea?
Would you be up for it? Do you think it's no good? This is another one where we WILL listen to you and will go with what the majority of you will "vote for".


I will also have new material to show any day now, along with a few news tidbits. We are "building" the game every day - So stay tuned

a couple thoughts.

1. mythology seems like a strange name used to identify animals like a rat, RUS or not
2. putting the creature's full name behind a skillcheck and applying a malus to player attacks is one way to do this; you're creating penalties for not having enough of the skill. have you thought of the flip-side: provide additional bonuses for enough skill? such as insight into creature's health, resistances, or the upcoming attack (such as signaling AoE vs single target)

might and magic X had an interesting system, wherein you had to beat a creature Y times to be able to view it's entry in an in-game bestiary. full unlocked, you would see the creature's HP, AC, special attacks, resistances etc. More info would unlock as you went from defeating the creature once, to Y times.

 

[Abu Antar]

Don't increase damage, but give a bigger chance for critical hits.

 

[Jaesun]

Going to agree the word "Mythology" for identifying creatures seems really odd.

Something like Bestiary(?). I'm sure some people could offer some better worded examples.

 

[0sacred]

1. mythology seems like a strange name used to identify animals like a rat, RUS or not

not if there are different types of rats

 

[Casual Hero]

I would agree that effectively permanently penalizing the players for not having a specific skill is a bad idea.
I think giving a bonus for successful identification is a much better idea, like what newtmonkey said.

 

[Alex]

Guys, it really doesn't matter much... or at all... if it is a bonus for having a skill or a penalty for not having it. What matters is if the skill can hit the sweet spot of being useful without being mandatory.

 

[agris]

Going to agree the word "Mythology" for identifying creatures seems really odd.

Something like Bestiary(?). I'm sure some people could offer some better worded examples.

"Naturalism", or even the workman-like "Animal lore" would be a better fit imo

 

[The Limper]

Going to agree the word "Mythology" for identifying creatures seems really odd.

Something like Bestiary(?). I'm sure some people could offer some better worded examples.

Its what the Wizardry series used in the later games. I’m not stating I agree with it, but it won’t be a 1st if implemented.

 

[Lady Error]

Going to agree the word "Mythology" for identifying creatures seems really odd.

Something like Bestiary(?). I'm sure some people could offer some better worded examples.

"Naturalism", or even the workman-like "Animal lore" would be a better fit imo

You fight not just animals though, so Mythology is fine as a name. Wizardry used it too.

I think that either giving a slight critical chance bonus for identifying the creature is the best idea. And/or being able to see its HP, resistances and so on.

 

[negator2vc]

1. mythology seems like a strange name used to identify animals like a rat, RUS or not

It's what wizardry 7 used.
It could be a way to show respect to the game inspiration.
Not a big deal in any case.

 

[covr]

Hey guys/gals, quick question.

We are discussing the mythology skill and potential additional penalty if you don't identify monsters in the fight (so when you get ?? rat ?? instead of Giant rat for example - like in Wizardry).
The idea is, that if you don't know the monster, all physical attacks would have a bit of a penalty (not too much, but let say in the range of 10-20% ?) - as the fighter wouldn't know where (on the body) the monster is most vulnerable to attacks
This would also add additional utility to mythology skill.

What do you think about this idea?
Would you be up for it? Do you think it's no good? This is another one where we WILL listen to you and will go with what the majority of you will "vote for".


I will also have new material to show any day now, along with a few news tidbits. We are "building" the game every day - So stay tuned

There could be also some very rare monsters basically resistant to any kind of attacks without a proper identification. Vendors should have tomes/scrolls containing information on such specific groups of monsters, enabling the party to kill them with ease.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Animal Lore

 

[Gandalf]

Well, in my opinion, if the creature is unrecognised, then it should be more difficult to defeat. Consequently, I would increase such a creature's chances of dealing critical hits, but also give heroes a small 10% hit penalty for any non-spell attacks.

 

[SirBlabsAlot]

1. mythology seems like a strange name used to identify animals like a rat, RUS or not

It's what wizardry 7 used.
It could be a way to show respect to the game inspiration.
Not a big deal in any case.

This