BM Disease Mechanics - A little parting gift

[Deeza]

Wasn't sure where else to put this, but I just remembered as I was packing my suitcase:

In the new set of Black Marsh books I put into the CS, if you search you will find a volume called

"Diseases of the Black Marsh", or something similar to that.

It summarises all the work done by the previous team on working out this aspect of the province (disease effects, names, how they progress etc.), and should provide a solid base for you all to work on script effects for them.

Have fun!

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Oooh, thanks! This has been temporarily moved to the Guar (it's been 'Guared Away') where it will prove a useful little reference point for when I set up the claim involving disease development.... :yes:

[Ibsen's Ghost]

From the book that Deeza mentions above (my notes are in italics):

• KHANATEN FLU - a deadly virus which killed almost all non-reptilian creatures in the Province and caused the extinction of several races which had existed there for centuries. So virulent was the disease that rumours persist to this very day that it was not a natural phenomenon, and was created by evil magic or even the vengeful spirits of the swamp in retaliation for the depredations of the Empire. Thankfully, this terrible disease has long since disappeared. But in the dark heart of Black Marsh, the unwary traveller may find himself afflicted by conditions of such horrific virulence that the best course of action for the infected is to pray to the Nine Divines. For there is no cure. - I'd like to introduce lepers into BM using Django's Unique Features. This might well have been a legacy of the Flu and will be treated at the Hospice in Stormhold....although I suggest that it be non-infectious or, at least, for the most virulent to be contained in the undercity.
  
• SHIVER-FEVER - Although rarely fatal, shiver fever produces crippling lifelong disability. Within days of infection victims will begin to shake and spasm uncontrollably, rendering them unable to hold a weapon or even feed themselves. With regular care, however, some victims have been known to live for several years. - This could be a very nice script effect that affects the damage you do with weapons and fists and might involve visible shaking of the PC's limbs, if possible.
  
• LIMB-ROT - A nightmare-spawned suppurating pestilence, this infection can convert a healthy limb to blackened sludge over weeks. Once it is detected, immediate amputation of the limb is essential to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the body. - I'm not sure how this one would work...unless it's possible to blacken a PC's limb or remove an arm from an NPC but I can't see it being an active disease in-game.
  
• SPORE COUGH - This is among the most dreaded of Black Marsh diseases, for it is highly contagious and can decimate an army or city in days. Victims are assailed by uncontrollable coughing fits, belching out clouds of greenish spores which will infect anyone unfortunate enough to be downwind. - Could be a really cool script effect with spore effects acting similarly to the firefly effects which can emerge intermiittently, resulting in being outcast from settlements and possibly arrested if any guards see you. You would then need to pay for treatment from a shaman....kind of like infectious criminality.
  
• BLIND WORM - The horror of this creature is best left to the imagination, for no description can do it justice. As a result of its slow, inexorable progress, the victim will slowly and progressively go blind over a period of several days. - There should be a cure for this but a series of script effects might well assist in showing this degradation of eyesight and options such as nightsight should be disabled.
  
• FLU PARASITE - This insidious beast subtly infects its victim over several days and causes them to have terrible fevered hallucinations. Delusions of being attacked by nightmarish creatures and of hearing powerful drumming sounds are common. Attacks will subside after a few hours, but may well recur lifelong. - Could be an absolute blast for a talented scripter...
  
• SKIN WORM - It is a reflection of the vileness of Black Marsh that a man infected by Skin Worm can count himself lucky that he is not victim to a greater evil, even though in any other country it would be considered a terrible affliction. This disease eventually stops of its own accord, after fifteen days, soon after the parasites implanted by insect bites hatch and leave the victim's body. - Well, you'd love to have animated insects running around under the PC's skin, wouldn't you? Sadly, I think the only way of implementing this would be to have pock-marks and a reduction in charm and agility.
  
• FIELD PARASITE - Vile little creatures, these insects insert themselves through the skin into major blood vessels and sap the player's speed, endurance and fatigue constantly. - Self-explanatory.
  
• FLUID BLEED - A true mystery, this disease appears to be entirely magical in nature, leading to speculation that it may be a spell or curse of some kind gone awry. It progressively leaches the life from its victim, though the means by which it latches onto its target it unknown. Powerful dispel enchantments can slow or even halt its progress, but it has never successfully been removed entirely. - Interesting - I wonder if it could be possible to 'pass on' diseases. If so, this might be a little like playing 'lurgy' where, at any one time, at least one NPC or PC has it. And this throws up other ideas of shackling the disease and transmitting it by magical means through the knowledge of a shaman, perhaps.
  
• INTESTINAL ROT - According to the Empire's finest mages, this is some kind of amoebic dysentery. The victim will have the uncontrollable urge to vomit, accompanied by the gruesome sounds of their liquifying guts. - Probably best with sound FX... ...I'm not sure about the actual in-game FX though.
  
• FOOT WORM - This burrowing creature lurks under the water for the exposed feet of passing adventurers to latch onto. It can be burnt off with strong magical fire, but even survivors are rendered lame for life. Though Argonians are naturally immune and may wander the swamps freely without footwear, other races must NEVER place their naked feet in any body of water in Argonia, no matter how clean it may seem. - Leeches then, basically. I guess this could reduce you to a walk, which could prove slightly irritating for some players so it might be best to implement it rarely or on those rare occasions when a PC is stupid enough not to wear decent footwear....or doesn't wear the right sort of footwear.
  

This all sounds ever-so-sweet... =)....some of it may be too ambitious as the old team were strong on ideas but short on realising them. However, it should be noted that there is a large range of potions available ready to treat these conditions. Likewise, at the time of writing, no ingredient/flora effects have been defined...

[llamaranger]

we want to be careful that catching one of these doesn't ruin the game completely. they should all be cureable (with the exception of Khanaten Flu, but the old team had some other ideas about that, I'll pm you ), but many requiring quests. Once cured it may still be possible to catch them again but a lesser form that can be cured with a basic potion.

x

edd

[Ibsen's Ghost]

:check: Noted. I was just editing the part about potential cures in the bit below.

[InsanitySorrow]

SHIVER-FEVER - Although rarely fatal, shiver fever produces crippling lifelong disability. Within days of infection victims will begin to shake and spasm uncontrollably, rendering them unable to hold a weapon or even feed themselves. With regular care, however, some victims have been known to live for several years. - This could be a very nice script effect that affects the damage you do with weapons and fists and might involve visible shaking of the PC's limbs, if possible.

Ok well Shiver-Fever could be passed on like normal diseases and can be a scripted ability. So while the player has such disease you can use a variable to determine the passing time, say every 2 - 3 days the disease gets worse. What you would do is appluy other abilities to the player that are penalties, so for example:

Uncontrollable Spasms - Drops weapon skills down to 0 or there abouts.

Same could be done for other effects, the great thing with abilities is that once removed the players stats return to normal. I am unsure how to shake ones limbs but you could apply a screen shader effect, say the damage shader. And as the effects get worse so could this.

To cure it you would script a potion or something that removes all added abilties that were used for the disease.

The hardest bit I would say is getting the timing right and applying the penalties.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Originally posted by InsanitySorrow
....The hardest bit I would say is getting the timing right and applying the penalties....

Yes, I imagined this would be the tricky part as you don't want to completely screw up the gameplay. Additionally, we would have to predetermine the areas in which contracting the disease is possible. We have mosquitoes now and will have plenty of creatures so we can equip them with a particular disease and put them in the best places to contract it. However, as you say, it would need to gameplay-tested but would it be possible to go back and tweak these details once the disease itself is fully scripted?

And do you fancy taking this on as a claim or are your hands full right now? It's not an urgent priority but it would be nice to have ready when we need to use them.

[InsanitySorrow]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost

Yes, I imagined this would be the tricky part as you don't want to completely screw up the gameplay. Additionally, we would have to predetermine the areas in which contracting the disease is possible. We have mosquitoes now and will have plenty of creatures so we can equip them with a particular disease and put them in the best places to contract it. However, as you say, it would need to gameplay-tested but would it be possible to go back and tweak these details once the disease itself is fully scripted?

And do you fancy taking this on as a claim or are your hands full right now? It's not an urgent priority but it would be nice to have ready when we need to use them.

Yup balancing is the issue but thats trial and error. Giving the disease to certain creatures is the best way to ensure it only appears in certain areas.

It will be possible to tweak the details once scripted, mostly the script will control when the next effects from the disease kick in, I was thinking of using days for this, so say after a day of having it the first effects kick in, after the second day more effects etc. Each effect would be small but as the time passes the player will become more effected by these.

Well I am usually busy, got both the signs to finish and the AI [Which I have not started yet], But.....I already have a basic script working for this disease already, so all we need to do is get the details down about the effects and how many days pass before the next effect kicks in and we are good to go.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Okay, well focus on what you're doing for the time being and we'll just piece this stuff together gradually. This is where we can base most of the decisions: (I can't get the url to work properly here so just Google 'UESP Oblivion Disease'). I'll certainly be wanting to rename some of these diseases anyway. Some of them don't sound anywhere near as interesting as they should do, this one included. How about renaming it to 'Lumpett's Pleuritic Ague'?

Some useful info can be found here on disease names: http://www.homeoint.org/cazalet/oldnames.htm .

Here's the suggested effects: Drain Strength 5pts, Drain Fatigue 5pts, Drain Speed 5pts. This is Stage 1. Stage 2 increases the effects to 10pts each. Stage 3 increases it to 15pts. The time between each stage should be about 2 days. Or do you think 3 would be kinder?

[InsanitySorrow]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
Okay, well focus on what you're doing for the time being and we'll just piece this stuff together gradually. This is where we can base most of the decisions: (I can't get the url to work properly here so just Google 'UESP Oblivion Disease'). I'll certainly be wanting to rename some of these diseases anyway. Some of them don't sound anywhere near as interesting as they should do, this one included. How about renaming it to 'Lumpett's Pleuritic Ague'?

Some useful info can be found here on disease names: http://www.homeoint.org/cazalet/oldnames.htm .

Here's the suggested effects: Drain Strength 5pts, Drain Fatigue 5pts, Drain Speed 5pts. This is Stage 1. Stage 2 increases the effects to 10pts each. Stage 3 increases it to 15pts. The time between each stage should be about 2 days. Or do you think 3 would be kinder?

I can rename it with out any problems, the new name sounds better , ok the effects sound good and are in 3 stages which is what I was thinking, so every 2 days would mean the player has to find a cure before 4 days otherwise tey get the harshest penalties for this disease. Sounds good to me