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09-17-2013, 04:12 AM
Is there a difference between the ring of spells and the ring of power? Is there a list of available artifacts and what they do?
Short answer: Ring of Spells adds one power level to highest wizard in the group
Ring of Power adds a level as RoS, but also protects the wizard (limited invulnerability)
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09-18-2013, 02:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-18-2013, 02:47 PM by Jumbie.)
So, the need to cast a spell on artifacts to find out what they do is only for rookies while experienced players have private lists to consult?
Maybe this system should be looked at for streamlining in the next version of the game. I'm not against the principle of having to find out the what and how of an artifact, but since the powers and order numbers remain the same from game to game, it essentially allows experienced players to skip a step.
If it was a case of the order numbers being randomized, then the discovery spell would be essential to all. and private lists would be useless. That's a difficult programming task though, so doing away with the discovery requirement might be the best option.
As it is, it's just one more thing stacked against new players in a game with an already steep learning curve.
Side note: in Diablo 1, the player had to take special items to the witch to have them identified for a fee. In Diablo 2 they did away with this since they realized it was slowing up gameplay and items and their capabilities were known from the moment you discovered them. Probably less 'true to life' that way, but better for the game flow I think.
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Given that the order numbers are usually provided when you defeat the unusual sighting and get the artifact, I think this isn't as big of a problem as certain other areas in terms of asymmetrical knowledge.
That said, the forums here are very helpful, if people take the time to ask. So newbies who take the time to do some research on the forums, and/or are willing to take the initiative to ask questions, are going to be in a fundamentally better position than newbies who don't. But in a way, isn't that kind of the way life is, in most areas? That people who spend more time and are willing to ask questions will tend to do better?
Not sure this is something that can ever be completely equalized in terms of the playing field. Regardless, I can't imagine Rick/Cipher will want to spend programming time on this, although your point about potentially eliminating the general mechanic of the extra step to learn what artifacts do in future cycles or games is well-taken, IMO.
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09-18-2013, 04:19 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-18-2013, 04:22 PM by Jumbie.)
Palantirs for instance don't give an order number when they're captured, so a noob has to spend an order and a turn figuring it out while an experienced player just types in 972 and uses it.
Yes, experience brings skill but that's for things like knowing when to use the palantir and where. How to protect it best etc. But the extra turn and order is a concrete disadvantage for a player and it happens to fall on the extreme noob.
And the forum is a great place for advice, rapport and trash talk, but it should never be an essential leg of the game. And of course we could have a document floating around with the cheats, but that's one more sheet on top of an already paper-intense game. From the newbie POV it's overload, like walking into a college class and being hit with a 150 page syllabus, reading list, appendices and course outline...
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From Chess on, any game worth playing rewards experience.
In 3rd Cycle we'll change some formulas up.
Things will be quite a bit different in Kingdoms of Arcania.
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