GUI and PA text combination.

[satori]

In order for the LWOAC to take the place of StatsKeeper, it needs to be able to reproduce the full original text* within the GUI. An example is shown in the current GUI mockup: (The PA text will continue to flow downwards in a column if it's length requires it, while the GUI elements anchor to the top of the page)


This means players will see text telling them to do things that the LWOAC has already done (and that they can't do themselves anyway). Exceptions listed at end of post. I think this is a good idea, as you would not know something happened if you were not paying attention (taking 2 EN damage).

LWOAC will handle events in the order they occur in the page, but the text is shown in entirety from the start.

*Exceptions:
The <combat> tag from the XML will be stripped out, this simply contains the enemy name/CS/EN. This is shown clearly in the GUI, and will be updated as you move from one enemy to another (in multi-enemy combats)

The <choices> tag will be stripped out. Page navigation will be handled through LWOAC, not the HTML, and possible (skill/item masking. Don't have it, you don't see the option) choices will be displayed through the LWOAC, and this will include the choice text (Minus 'turn to page xxx')

Random numbers will be done automatically, but all possibilities will be shown, UNLESS the random number is used to determine the 'turn to' choice. This means mid page randoms will be shown in general, end of page randoms won't, in general.

All href tags will be stripped, to prevent the player from breaking out of the LWOAC via an HTML link.

There will be cases where more text is shown in the GUI than is appropriate for a given set of options (best example is mid page random). In these cases I prefer to include the text, to keep things as close as possible to the original text.

To sum up (because I can even confuse myself at times), the only text from the book that will not be represented in full through LWOAC (either in the PA text or in the GUI itself) will be options that you can not possibly choose. In some cases these will be shown, but the 'turn to page xxx' links will be inactive.

Jacob

[outspaced]

Any chance of making the RNT options as actual choices? An issue that many have withthe books is that there are too many unavoidable RNT-Death picks. Of course, if you can save/load the game at any point, that would circumvent this problem, since the player would just reload as they would a computer game.

[satori]

outspaced said:

Any chance of making the RNT options as actual choices? An issue that many have withthe books is that there are too many unavoidable RNT-Death picks. Of course, if you can save/load the game at any point, that would circumvent this problem, since the player would just reload as they would a computer game.

What I can do is have one of the rulesets (only going to be 2 for the first batch of test code) eliminate inst-death randoms. Either reroll again, or take X EN damage (10 seems quite cheap compared to death) and the least attractive pass option.

Also, regarding save/load, the game is auto-saved at EVERY step*, including progressions within a given page. The game is auto-loaded whenever you begin to play again. You can't reload to an earlier point however. This means in the middle of playing, you can close the browser/change web pages, and when you come back you can resume right where you left off. Trying to use browser back option will not work either

Seem good?

*Edit: This is because everything about a player is stored in a MySQL table, so the exact game state is always stored on the server. Since combat will involve a session (for temp bonuses) I'm not sure yet how to handle dropped combat, but I'm sure something will work

[outspaced]

It sounds OK as long as it doesn't save the game on a death page, if you see what I mean. So, if I do a RNT pick and get 0 for that darn falling mast in Book 2, and it takes me onto the death section, and I quit, would it reload at or before the death section? If at, that's going to be a problem. If before, it would need to save before the RNT pick for the options as well, otherwise you'll get stuck being forced on to the death section regardless of the reload. Just a few quibbles while trying to nail down how it can/should/will work.

[satori]

Depends (see above post).

Random death will either be death, or X EN damage (if EN-X<=0 you die) depending on using ruleset 1 or 2 (more rule sets later)

Death will do 1 of 3 things, based on your ressurection setting.

1) Start the book over
2) Start the current series over
3) Start at Book 1.

The 'ressurection' setting is independent of the ruleset.

A snapshot of the player is saved at each point (book/series/none) based on this setting. You are restored to this state on death.

[satori]

To clarify a bit, if a random num picks a 'turn to' option that leads to inst-death, the program will know this as well (not just inst-death if you 'roll a 9' or such).

Before the page branching is made, if you are using the more forgiving rule set, X EN damage would be done, and you would get sent to a different page.

Basically, if you use rule set 2, you CAN NOT be killed instantly by any roll of a random number (not including combat here ), but you CAN be killed if the EN damage you take (instead of inst-death) puts you at or below 0.

Edit: The X value is not fixed, and can be changed on a case by case basis easily. It could scale as a default based on the book, and individual pages could be rasied/lowered from the default. It will take lots of playtesting to determine the right values, but they will be easy to change.

[outspaced]

Sounds like an interesting way of doing thigs; anything that helps improve playability is always a good thing in my book, particularly if the possibility is there to play it by-the-book as well.