Mounts

Post by **Rias** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:42 pm

You can now purchase a horse from Theodora through the pine door in the Shadgard Stables. Simply use the MOUNT and DISMOUNT verbs once your faithful steed is in the area with you. Mounts allow you to travel more quickly in the wilderness. Note that mounts won't be able to access all areas (you won't be able to ride your horse into the inn, for instance), hence the stables, where you can stable a mount for a small fee and retrieve it later. If you dismount and walk away, your mount will remain there until you return and remount. Be careful, as it will be as susceptible to attack as any other creature might be, though it will attempt to defend itself if attacked. There will eventually be a way to lead mounts.

Mounts will effect combat either positively or negatively, depending on the mount's training compared to the rider's. Currently, melee attack accuracy is averaged between the mount's combat skill and the rider's combat skill. If the mount has less combat skill than the rider, the rider will suffer a penalty when attacking, but if the mount has more combat skill, the rider will enjoy a bonus. So, no buying a workhorse or donkey and expecting to be riding it into battle with improved combat effectiveness (unless you're worse at combat than a donkey, in which case there are larger issues at hand). However, mounts will skill up in combat when a rider attacks while mounted, no matter their initial purpose. That donkey could one day evolve into a war-donkey. How fun.

Some weapons will enjoy an automatic bonus when used to attack while mounted, others a penalty.

Polearms: Excellent
Chained: Great
Hafted: Good
Sword: Above average
Whip/improvised: Average
Staff: Below average
Dagger/Brawl: Bad

Mounts can be targeted even if they are being ridden, so don't think your mount is safe from attack just because you're currently riding it.

Also: You can't buy a mount without knowing first how to ride, so you might see if Theodora will give you some riding lessons first.

Post by **Rias** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:13 pm

Mounts will now also occasionally attack when you attack. They will also auto-retaliate if they are attacked, even when being ridden. This auto-retaliation will cause a few seconds of roundtime for the rider, and can be trained down via the Riding skill.

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 1:42 pm

Can a mount that is left alone be stolen?

Post by **Rias** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:40 pm

Currently, no. You can't mount a ... mount if you do not own it (and the only way to "own" a mount currently is to be the person who bought it).

I'm hoping to develop an affinity system eventually, so newer mounts might be willing to let just about anyone mount them, but as they build up an affinity with their rider, they'll be more reluctant to let others mount them unless the owner specifically permits it.

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:38 am

Other then a GM command, can you name your horse?

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:50 am

So I got my mount, I trained on riding. Other then mounting up and moving around, how do you build this skill. I've been moving around for a bit now and it doesn't appear the skill has gone up at all.

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:16 am

It is not obvious the verb command to leave your horse in the stable.

Post by **Rias** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:54 am

There isn't a way to mechanically name a mount, no. Players and some NPCs run around with their names clearly visible to everyone for convenience and clarity purposes. I wouldn't look forward to regulating it - it's enough of a job regulating player names. I cringe to think of players riding around on horses named "Illpwnu," "Xxshadofax" or "Glufactory." I don't even want to think about what people would come up with for donkeys.

As to riding skill, there's currently no way to skill it up. I'll put that on the to-do list. Just riding it around explorable areas will be a minimal gain (if any), wilderness travel will be a bit more. Mounted combat will also be a way to increase riding skill. Any other ideas? Perhaps a course in the stable yard you can run.

The verb to leave your horse in the stable is STABLE, as is stated and highlighted on the sign in the stables:

Feel free to check if you have any animals stabled here.
There is no fee to retrieve your animal.
The cost is 30 riln to stable an animal here.
If you are looking to buy an animal from our stock, see Theodora through the pine door.

(Bold added in the quote to replace what is cyan highlighting in the game)

Signs with information on services will always include the verb necessary to perform said services.

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:35 pm

Ok, no biggy about the naming thing. Maybe you can eventually have some kind of a tournament on horse back that allows the winner to name their horse, much easier to regulate.

I would think that combat would probably increase the riding the most. Once again as the realm gets larger you could have jousts, or races or what not and maybe skill bonuses would be door prizes.

I am sorry about the verb command, but once again I do not see a difference in the text. I tried "stable horse" and it didn't like that, I did not think to try just "stable".

Post by **Rias** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:47 pm

Ah, I think there was a bug in the code. STABLE WARHORSE should work now (I'm assuming that's your warhorse standing in the stables).

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:02 pm

Yes, before I could figure it out I had to leave for work. Glad you haven't allowed stealing of mounts yet.

Did you like the naming idea? I really want to name my mount. Heck I'll even volunteer to be some sort of filter, like players have to register to get their horses and the names all somehow make their way to me, and I will filter for content. Just a thought.

Post by **Rias** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:49 pm

I'm not stubbornly against the idea. It would be handy for distinguishing between multiple mounts of the same type in the same area. But how would it be implemented? When would the names be displayed?

"Rias arrived, riding a warhorse named Buck."
"Rias arrived, riding Buck the warhorse."

Those seem a bit silly. Maybe it could be left out of the riding messages, but display it in the "Also here" section?

"Also here: A warhorse named Buck."
"Also here: Buck the warhorse."

Hmmm. I don't know. Suggestions?

drahkik · Post by **drahkik** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:57 pm

I don't think it would show up at all. You would see.

"Rias arrived riding his warhorse." The name would be more if you inspected the horse or asked. I dunno, maybe it's not that important really. I am just going to call my horse what I want. I guess it's kind of hard. Let's just kick it around a while longer.

Post by **Rias** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:35 pm

A characters Riding skill will now go up when riding mounts in wilderness areas and when engaging in combat while mounted.

Additionally, if a mount's General Combat skill is below the rider's General Combat skill * 1.5, the mount's General Combat skill gains will be doubled. This will allow mounts that are below the rider's skill to be able to catch up and somewhat exceed that of the rider, therefore being able to provide a decent combat bonus to the rider for being mounted. Some mountable animals in the future may not enjoy this benefit, such as a donkey that would be primarily used for labor and wouldn't be suited for dedicated combat use.

Kiyaani · Post by **Kiyaani** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:41 pm

How's that leading mounts thing coming?

I'd like to see abandoned horses able to be led to a stable (either while mounted on your own horse or walking) and just leading your own horse in general.