Resting and Spell preparation

Scripted ALFA systems & related tech discussions (ACR)

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t-ice
Dungeon Master
Posts: 2106
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:24 pm

Resting and Spell preparation

Post by t-ice »

Been reading you tech guys hash away at the rest/prepare stuffs. For what it's worth, a comment I'd like to make that seems to have been omitted:

Currently spells are restored upon off-line rest, fully bringing back whatever payload was chose when logging out. AND another preparation with spellbook/holysymbol is allowed, so that casters can choose their spell payloads after login.

What seems missing is the notion that the ability of prepared casters to pick and choose their spell loadouts to fit the challenge of the day should be situational. ICly they need upto a full day (clerics and druids) or one hour (wizards) between knowing what is the challenge of the day and sallying forth to meet it in order to adapt their spells.

From a DMs point of view, you can always force rest players, so you can let PCs prepare if appropriate. (A good night's sleep before setting off.) But if the engine lets players click a thing and set their spells a'la carte, then the DM cannot make the PCs scramble out the gates without picking and choosing spells. And being able to create these hasty situations is certainly a desired functionality.

Thus, forcing players to pick their spells upon login, not after 30mins of RP, is a good thing, not a downside. Needing an IG rest to choose spells to fit the session is as it should be. It's the closest IG implementation of the IC peace and quiet needed for preparation. It's all good regardless it being via DM force rest or taking RL 5mins in a rest area in a DMless game.

Making picking and choosing spells easier for wizards than clerics&druids is certainly another desired functionality, whichever way it's done. Perhaps the Holy Symbol of divine casters is even unnecessary and counterproductive, and simply resetting divine spells on rest is close enough to the desired "get spells on a fixed time once per 24 hours" functionality? The spellbook using then could give wizards their more flexible preparation?

Anyways, 2c.
Ronan
Dungeon Master
Posts: 4611
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:48 am

Re: Resting and Spell preparation

Post by Ronan »

I don't think any of this has been omitted? All good points.

The conflict seems to be in DMed vs. non-DMed play:
Without a DM, players have no ability to change spell loadouts unless they rest. If resting takes 24 hours of waiting, thats a no-go.
With a DM, they'd have to ask for and be granted a force rest. Not a big deal I guess since they should be asking that anyway if they're prepping spells during a session.

Anyway, I was hoping we could give players the opportunity to shoot some tells around and see whats going on before preparing spells, without giving them enough time that they wait until they're in the thick of things before doing so.
t-ice
Dungeon Master
Posts: 2106
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:24 pm

Re: Resting and Spell preparation

Post by t-ice »

I don't think any of this has been omitted?
Maybe I was mistaken, but it seemed to me that the optimal functionality was considered as PCs being able to adapt their spell choices to whatever challenge they are going out for with minimal IG hassle. Thus I was trying to point out that adaptation should require extended time to prepare after learning of the challenge to come. Like IC good night's rest and adventure train leaves in the morning. Especially for clerics and druids. And IC hassle needs to translate to appropriate IG hassle for DMless play. A DM can waive it with force rest.

Anyways, thanks for considering this, and cheers as always for the hard work on improving the medium :)
Zelknolf
Chosen of Forumamus, God of Forums
Posts: 6139
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:04 pm

Re: Resting and Spell preparation

Post by Zelknolf »

If you wish to contribute to a tech discussion, please PM someone on the tech team that they may consider your contribution to the design. Creating splinter threads will only slow the process, and posting is intentionally restricted to people who are able to assess what implementations are feasible.
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