» Wed Feb 23, 2011 10:38 am
With recent threads about it and being a current subject, I figured I'd repost some stuff on how I'd like to see general equipment working. Mostly old, a little new, entirely too long as always.
Ideally the damage of a weapon would be based on its type and the momentum behind it, instead of a direct number. A more skilled fighter can swing a blade faster and efficiently, getting in harder strikes more often, but the blade itself doesn't somehow get sharper. Combat is about not getting hit in the first place, and armor is there to protect you when you do. Armor that simply reduces by a % the damage you take is, by definition, terrible armor because apparently the weapon is going right through it every time. Penetration would depend on factors such as weapon material vs armor material, damage type vs armor type, and momentum vs contact. Armor skills (in my set) would be reduced to a single dodging-in-armor skill; the same attack directed at a stationary target will be much less effective against someone skilled at moving in armor, as the strike will only land glancing blows and scraqe across armor instead of punching through it. Skill with a weapon would increase the speed and efficiency of swings, making it easier to get past someone's guard and land solid hits, doing more damage faster without actually increasing a flat damage number. The job of the armor is to prevent damage in most cases (extra important in a deadlier combat system, but that's not the subject here), with the most successful attacks puncturing it and doing grievous damage. Any random character would not suddenly become invincible to lighter attacks by putting on some heavy plate, as they need the dodge ability and stats to use the armor in order to move well, making them an easy target for those light attacks that they're too slow to deal with. The odds of being struck in weak points such as joints in the armor increase significantly if the character cannot use their armor effectively to redirect those attacks toward stronger points, or who lack the skill to ward off those light attackers and not be swarmed.
Armor would have several stats instead of "defense", some of the most important being recommended stats and resistances. There is no set requirement to put on a piece of armor, but depending on the item there would be recommended stats for strength, agility, endurance, etc. The further you are from recommendations the larger the penalties to things such as movement. Resistances determine the armor's ability to absorb attack, and are broken up into two parts. Damage resistance determines how effectively the armor blocks that type of attack, such as "slashing 40%." Higher resistance lowers the odds of that attack type penetrating, and reduces damage when it does. Armor resistance is how well the armor itself can withstand that attack type. For example, a plate made specifically to be fireproof will have high values for fire in both categories. A more common plate might still protect you somewhat effectively from fire by keeping it an inch or two away from your skin, but will have low resistance to it itself and suffer severe melting damage with repeated strikes. Softer, padded armor might protect you well from cold, but be much more vulnerable itself to freezing than metal armor, dramatically lowering its physical resistances for a time. Both resistance tend to vary with armor type and material.
Weapons are less obvious, generally showing the same recommendations as well as a few damage types. While how the weapon is swung affects the damage type, the damage type % shows what types it leans most heavily toward. Weapons aren't made for damage absorption and do not list resistances, as much of their wear and tear comes from striking armor whose values you can't see. The higher the damage and armor resistance against the damage type the weapon uses, the more its durability will be damaged by being used against that target. Likewise, damage taken while blocking strikes depend on the skill of the attacker and the defender's parry skill, as well as the respective materials and weapon types. The lower a weapon's durability, the less likely it is to penetrate armor and the more likely it is to break (heavy durability drop) if used to block a heavy attack with comparitively low parrying skill. The lower armor's durability, the more likely it is to be punctured. More skilled fighters can dodge more effectively in armor, lowering the damage it takes, and can also strike more efficiently and aim for points of least resistance, lowering damage to the weapon.
Equipment of both types would be capable of suffering from "wounds", similar to the player, though obviously of different types. These would be shown in icons in the item's stats. Metal armor with melting damage might be more brittle, dropping its resistance to blunt attacks, while a suit with many holes has a greater chance of being bypassed entirely. Many forms of armor damage are resolved with basic repairs, but some require special intervention. As with character wounds, armor damage would present a percentage value when hovered over to show its severity, such as "Frozen: 38%". Alongside reduced durability this also shows how easily the armor might be repaired. Dents can be hammered out anywhere, but once the "Dented" effect drops to zero and vanishes, further durability cannot be restored if other forms of damage are not so simple. Likewise, the trade-off is never 100%. If the armor lost 30 durability to the denting damage, it will not get all 30 back when it is fixed. Field repairs, as such, will not last forever and eventually the suit will need complete repair, although the player's skill will improve this ratio.
What complete repair entails depends on the armor type, and will generally require more time and effort. If the player lacks needed skills, this typically involves finding a professional to repair it for them, for a fee. If they can do it themselves, they will still need the appropriate supplies and workspace, such as a forge and some of the same material for metal armor. Equipment, like many items, also carries a 1-100 "quality" value. Separate from durability, this is an overall representation of the item's quality, and in the case of equipment, typically is a measure of the skill of whoever created it. A basic iron plate, though still basic iron, is more effective when forged by a master smith. This quality can change slightly during repairs; a high-quality item, when repaired by an unskilled smith, will lose some of its quality level. If one wishes to retain the masterwork quality of an item, they must treat it as such, having it repaired by a highly skilled smith and avoiding field repairs, which retain quality much less efficiently. A skilled craftsman can increase the quality of an item during repairs/reforging if their ability exceeds its current level, but the same item can only be improved so much. High quality generally involves making a new item, instead of improving a bad one.
Materials are not a direct quality scale, but instead have varying influences on the armor's stats. A mithril suit may have reduced weight and higher values of some resistances, steel may be easier to repair without quality loss, ebony might have higher resistances due to its hardness but considerably higher recommended stats because of its weight. Rarer materials are harder to repair, but may have unique effects. A skilled and wealthy adventurer may own several suits of varying design and material, and pick depending on the nature of the danger they plan to confront. Armor suits are more valuable and difficult to obtain than previously, but also have a much longer value period, instead of being promptly replaced by something better.
