Hey all,
I have searched long and hard on the subject, and I have found nothing about the core mechanics of Daggerfall, the equations that control interactions, including speech, sneaking, combat, and spell-casting. I can find other formulae, like the necessary skill changes to level up and the base value of items, but nothing that affects the way the game runs. Am I to assume that they are the same as their successors in the series, or are they proprietary information? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

If you haven't already, find a copy of the Daggerfall Chronicles. While it doesn't brush the surface of every equation used in the game, it's a pretty good start.

You mean, for example, what is the formula/equation that determines whether or not you're successful at sneaking up on a given enemy? I don't think anyone's ever bothered to figure out the specifics of it. In the case of sneaking, I've read that your stealth skill, along with the "detection rating" of the enemy you're sneaking up on, both factor into it. Throw in a random dice throw, and you're good to go. As for the specific ratios, I have no idea.

As for speech, I know that your Streetwise skill is checked when you speak Bluntly, and Etiquette is checked when you speak Politely, and your Personality is checked when you speak Normally. What they're checked AGAINST is unknown to me - probably the NPC's corresponding ability score.

Combat - your skill with the current weapon is probably checked against the enemy's Agility, or maybe even a Dodge skill if they have one. I think that every time you HIT an enemy, your Critical Strike skill is checked, and if it's successful, you score a critical hit (extra damage). A successful critical hit might also require that an enemy fails an Endurance-save. Damage dealt is probably based on Strength.

That sounds an awful lot like Dungeons and Dragons, though. But hey... why not take a little inspiration from the mechanics of the father of all RPG's?

In any case, the specific numbers involved with WHY you couldn't pick that lockpick are never spelled out for you. I think that gives Daggerfall a more organic feel to it - you have to follow your instincts more. It's not like Neverwinter Nights, where you can just look at the "game messages" screen and see the exact amount of damage you'd have to be able to deal to get past the enemy's damage protection.

Most of these equations are in the Daggerfall Chronicles, which I have and will happily relay any you are interested in (as I'm sure other owners will as well). Here's a few, and I'm editing the eqs from the book for better readability:

atk = attacker, def = defender

%Chance_to_hit = Atk_weapon_skill + Def_armor_rating + (Atk_Agility - Def_Agility)/10 + (Atk_Luck - Def_Luck)/10 + swing_type + (Atk_adrenaline - Def_adrenaline) + general_mod + (Atk_Career_mod - Def_career_mod) + misc_racial_mod - (Def_dodge_skill/10) - 60 = minimum of 3% max of 97%

If behind enemy, add backstab skill to that %chance_to_hit. Also, successful skill check on backstab = 3x damage.
Crit strike successful : [1 + (crit_skill/100)]x damage
In the case of a monster attacking the PC, their weapon skill is = PC_level * 5

H2H dmg: low = skill/10 + 1. Max = skill/5 + 1

So Daggerfall Chronicles is a book, then. Alright; I'll see. Jormungandr, thank you for offering your help. Judging by your avatar, I must ask: shall I exterminate a certain scrofulous patrician, or bring the blood of each race in order to peruse its pages?

Much more complex than I'd guessed. Doesn't seem like it should make a difference in your playing style, though - just raise those skills and combat attributes as high as possible, grab your best weapon, and hit it.

Do you happen to have the formula for shoplifting? I'd love to see it and find out just WHY shoplifting is so damn hard. Did the programmer accidentally add an extra zero somewhere? lol

And is that Daggerfall Chronicles worth buying? Would someone who's been playing the game pretty much since it was released still get some use/enjoyment out of it? Because I saw some copies of it on Amazon that I could pick up for 15 bucks.

Alright, I see a lot of variables in there that I'm unaware of any numbers for, such as swing_type or adrenaline. Would it be permissible to scan in a few pages? I see it appears to be percentage-based, not D20-style...

% _ Chance _caught = (100 - pickpocket) + store_level + total_weight + num_items
And no, I don't know what values store_level ranges, but you can surely get an idea relative to another store by the description of the store upon entering. Of course, that's just how is is SUPPOSED to work, no telling if it's true. I once jacked my luck, pickpocket, etc to well over 100 and tried stealing books to no avail. Shoplifting is just nigh impossible.

As for the guide itself, I've reviewed it http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=627504&hl=


yes, everything is percentages. Doesn't give numbers for those variables, though. Swing_type we can guess at, because we know that a thrust is easier to land than a cut, then a slash, and finally a chop is hardest to hit with. Of course, damage goes in the opposite order.

If it's not possible to scan pages from the document and share that way, could these formulae be found within the game itself, like in the code from the demo? I have Borland C++ Builder X; I just don't know if that would allow me to open an existing .exe file and look at it...

1. I don't have access to a scanner.
2. Facts (equations, etc.) aren't copyrighted, but how they are presented (the pages) is.

And I seriously doubt you could just open up the executable and find anything useful. That's just not how it works; you can't open an executable and read it in c++ code


Seriously, though. If you're a Daggerfall enthusiast and would enjoy a peek at the inner workings, this guide is seriously worth the cash. You can really see that they put a lot into this game. Such as the percentages for each weather patter in each region for each season. That's just cool.

So if there were an online edition of the Chronicles, or a list of the math involved, that would be perfectly legal? I'm only asking because I am a starving college student and am not too eager to spend 20 dollars. But if there is no other way then I shall. So... What about conversation or persuasion?