Major gameplay change in trunk server and archetypes

[Leaf]

There have been some major game play changes to Crossfire trunk. Trunk is the development and new feature "area" of Crossfire.

IMPORTANT: Many of the public servers are running branch/1.x - which are not affected by this recent change.

So, what has changed?
The way combat works.

From the commit log files:

Revision: 8194
Log Message:
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Commit combat rebalancing. Combat is slower now, so less deadly. If player is idle, they get faster hp/sp regen. Allow generators to have limit on number of monsters they generate before disappearing. Starting characters all have same stat total (re-rolling may make the distribution different, but total will be the same). Add weapon_speed as an object attributed, and also add weapon_speed_left - distinct values fixes some odd speed bugs. Change encumberance for players - character can carry some portion with no slowdown. Allow more tuning for races (hp/sp/grace can be customized more)
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File Changes:

common/exp.c: Refine exp calculator (for dump) for monsters. This isn't used in play, but system gave too much bonus for resistances and speed, resulting in skewed exp values when using the dump values.

common/living.c: Greatly reduce speed bonuses for high dex. Reduce damage and to hit bonuses from strength. Remove max_carry. Improve disease handling - player gets speed penalty from worse disease. Change speed benefits from magical devices. For players, give them extra hp/sp/grace based upon what the archetype says. Reduce rate of increase of wc and damage from melee skill. Implement new encumberance calculations. Add code to calculate weapon speed.

common/loader.l: Add support for loading an saving weapon_speed and weapon_speed_left.

doc/Developers/objects: Update notes for the generators to detail generator_limit

doc/Developers/protocol: Add note about sc protocol 1029 (change way weapon speed is calculated)

include/config.h: Add new defines related to encumberance handling. Also add new define related to characters base weapon speed

include/newclient.h: Add MSG_TYPE_ATTACK_MISS

include/newserver.h: Bump up SC_VERSION because of weapon_speed handling.

include/object.h: Add weapon_speed, weapon_speed_left to object structure.

include/player.h: remove weapon_sp from player structure.

lib/exp_table: Add new experience table to slows down character advancment. (table D)

server/attack.c: Display all attack messages, not just a portion of them. With slower combat, this is still reasonable, and is useful in debugging stages of combat. If not all messages are to be displayed, this should really be controlled by listen level and not random choice.

server/login.c: Remove load/save support of weapon_sp in player file. Now an object attribute handled in common/loader.l

server/player.c: Keep rolling stat until total is 105 (arbitrary value) - good for testing balance since all characters are closer in power. Add code to handle weapon_speed properly.

server/server.c: Add weapon_speed_left handling. Give boost to players sp/hp/grace/food consumption when player is 'resting'

server/skills.c: Change throw calculation based on new character encumberance

server/skill_util.c: Add 'you miss foo' messages when attacking - otherwise hard to know what is going on.

server/time.c: Modify generator code for max limiting of monsters. Functions that actually generate monsters were modified to return if in fact they generated a monster, so that generator_limit only happens if in fact that number of monsters were generated, not attempted to generate (otherwise generators go poof in room full of monsters because there is no space to make new monster).

socket/request.c: Pull weapon_speed from object, not player structure when sending to client

[Leaf]

Changes with archetypes include the following:

Log Message:
-----------
monster/*: Rebalance monsters. In many cases, hp, ac, exp, and level were adjusted. This also includes the gods avatars and some spells that create monster like objects.

player/race/*.arc: Give all playable races a 30 sp/hp/grace boost, so starting values are higher, making things more playable.

[Leaf]

The following public servers have the summarized changes in place and available for testing:

tavern.santa-clara.ca.us

And in the next 24-hours or so, this server will to:

ailesse.com

You can visit their respective forum threads to find out more.