The Chargometer

Discussion in 'General Modification' started by Rudy, Mar 20, 2013.

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  1. Rudy

    Rudy Established Member

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    Re: Creating a Spell Spreadsheet

    Yeah, no problem about the split.

    I'm not sure what you mean by an invisible object. I was picturing an item that a player could activate via the radial menu to read the charges of an item. It would function similarly to the Helm of Reading Magic. I'm open to alternative suggestions though, of course.
     
    Rudy, Mar 20, 2013
    #16
  2. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Re: Creating a Spell Spreadsheet

    Oh, I thought this was something that would happen automatically upon using the item. In that case, it probably should have a more serious name ... drawing a blank at the moment but we'll think of something. I can get you an inventory icon too.
     
    Gaear, Mar 20, 2013
    #17
  3. Rudy

    Rudy Established Member

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    Re: Creating a Spell Spreadsheet

    No. Sadly making it happen automatically upon using any wand would either require editing temple.dll (something I can't currently do, and may never be able to do), or editing the code of *every* single spell that there is a wand for (something that I'm not even 100% sure would work, and far more effort than it would be worth). Besides, I think that would be a bit obtrusive to have floating text with the number of charges every single time a player used any item with charges.

    Yeah, I knew that "Chargometer" wouldn't work as a serious name. Since it's now clearer what I'm talking about doing, do you still want me to remove the particle effects upon using the item? I don't care either way.


    EDIT: If you think it would be more elegant, I *might* be able to work it in as an additional function of the Read Magic spell. That is, using Read Magic on an item would identify it if it was a potion or scroll (as it currently does), and indicate the number of charges for any charged item.

    I say "might", because I'm not 100% sure that I could allow Read Magic to target wands, without also identifying them. (Note that currently you can only target scrolls and potions with the spell). But, if I could do this, would that be preferable?
     
    Rudy, Mar 20, 2013
    #18
  4. Daryk

    Daryk Veteran Member

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    Perhaps you could add it as a function of the Helm of Reading Magic? That is, if adding it to the functionality of Read Magic itself wasn't feasible.
     
    Daryk, Mar 21, 2013
    #19
  5. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Sorry, I meant to reply earlier ...

    No, I'd say leave them in now.

    Assuming that it would cost players a use of the Read Magic spell, I'd say probably not. This should really be a freebie, as it's a function you should be able to carry out automatically but can't.

    What I'd suggest, perhaps ironically, is a 'Wand of Charges' or 'Wand of Charge Detection,' something we could hand out for free or at low cost in the Shop Map equipment or magic chests (e.g. amongst the thieves' tools or scrolls, depending on whether we want to portray it more as a tool or a magic device), along with a (long description) explanation of what it is and what it does. Then you could even have the little wand animation of a character using a wand to see how many charges are left in his wand. :)
     
    Gaear, Mar 21, 2013
    #20
  6. Rudy

    Rudy Established Member

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    Consider it done =D
     
    Rudy, Mar 21, 2013
    #21
  7. Rudy

    Rudy Established Member

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    Sorry, forgot to ask: you want me to just slap a standard wand inventory icon on it? That would be easy, obviously, but I don't know if you think it should be more unique looking.
     
    Rudy, Mar 21, 2013
    #22
  8. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    That will do for the moment; I may make something better for it.
     
    Gaear, Mar 21, 2013
    #23
  9. Salk

    Salk Established Member

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    My two cents about this: I find it borders too much on the ridicule. A wand that reads other wands' charges? :dizzy:

    I'd rather implent Rudy's idea of incorporating this into the Read Magic spell. It'd not bother me that I'd need to use a spell in order to know how many charges are left in a wand. It'd actually make sense to me.

    This solution is by far more elegant, in my opinion. It's also consistent with the fact that when you sell a wand, its value should be appraised by the number of charges left. A process that should not really be as plain as reading a price tag.
     
    Salk, Mar 22, 2013
    #24
  10. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    You don't think people would get irritated at using up Read Magic spells for that? I'm thinking along the lines of player furor over things like having to cast cure spells (at all! ;)) while healing, and casting identify to actually ID items - both of which people seem to despise. Telling them that we've fixed something that should have worked free and easy before, but that they have to be inconvenienced for it - at our discretion no less - seems like an invitation for ridicule.

    One, two, three -

    "Co8 sucks! They [insert complaint here]!!!" :angry:

    ;)

    All that said, I'm flexible. If people can make a compelling case that Read Magic is the way to go and enough say that that's what they want ... :shrug:
     
    Gaear, Mar 22, 2013
    #25
  11. Salk

    Salk Established Member

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    As I said, it's just my opinion... ;)

    Read Magic is a 0-level spell whose meaning seems to fit this particular case.

    What do you think yourself Gaear? I mean, leaving aside other users' reaction. Do you think that having a wand that detects wand charges sound sensible?
     
    Salk, Mar 22, 2013
    #26
  12. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Inasmuch as the device has to exist at all, yes. I mean, we could make it a club of charge detection, or a periapt of charge detection, or thieves' tools of charge detection etc. ... would any of those really be better?
     
    Gaear, Mar 22, 2013
    #27
  13. sirchet

    sirchet Force for Goodness Moderator Supporter

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    My vote would be for the "Read Magic" version, we already abuse this spell for potion identification.

    Also, once your caster gets a few levels they tend to have a high number of read magic spells, well ... at least a cleric does.
     
    sirchet, Mar 22, 2013
    #28
  14. Gehennis

    Gehennis Established Member

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    If I could interject for a moment- why not use Detect Magic instead of Read Magic, as Detect Magic seems to have no other purpose in this game?
     
    Gehennis, Mar 22, 2013
    #29
  15. ConjurerDragon

    ConjurerDragon Established Member Supporter

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    If that would be possible? :thumbsup:
     
    ConjurerDragon, Mar 22, 2013
    #30
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