Re: CF: Alchemy Spoiler

[David Andrew Michael Noelle <dave@Straylight.org>]

Raphael Quinet wrote:
> 
> The experience gain is also something that should be fixed.  I just
> had a quick look at the code in server/alchemy.c and I see that the
> experience is given by the square (!) of the number of objects in the
> cauldron times the value of calc_skill_exp(), the latter being based
> on the level of the object and your current level.

    That's not the problem.  Dust of Repelling Undead, which generates
obscene amounts of experience, only has two ingredients, and True Lead,
which requires five ingredients, generates a reasonable or even low amount
of experience.  The problem is that the level of the resulting object is a
major factor in the experience gain, and Dust of Repelling Undead is a level
30 magic item.
    I see no problem with granting experience based on the number of
ingredients, since the difficulty of the formula is based on the number of
ingredients CUBED.

> If I manage to find some spare time to work on CrossFire again (I
> haven't been successful at that in the last two months), I will think
> about including some numbers that could give you an idea of the
> expected experience gain to the output of "crossfire -m9".  That could
> also be helpful for tuning the alchemy stuff.

    That would be quite helpful in balancing the formulas, but I think
paying more attention to the level and exp fields of the results when
writing the formulas would be a good start.
    I recommend that the formula for Dust of Repelling Undead should be
either removed or rewritten with some terribly rare ingredients, like a
unicorn horn and a couple bolts of blessedness.  At least until the
experience gain bug is fixed.
    Perhaps the level of the result should be factored into the difficulty
of the formula.  It should be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a
level 10 alchemist to create level 30 items.  
    A better solution would be for the result of any alchemical formula to
have its level overwritten by the alchemist's skill level.  After all, why
should dust of repelling undead, or anything else for that matter, have the
same strength regardless of the skill of the creator?

-- 
            -Dave Noelle,                 dave@Straylight.org
            -the Villa Straylight,  http://www.straylight.org
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