Re: Monster slaying cost
Posted: March 31st, 2013, 6:28 pmI've been at it some more with the math, so time to errata the underlined statement. Hope I'm right this time.
The combined MSC for multiple monsters targeting a single Hero, which represents the total damage against the Hero before all of the monsters are eliminated, appears to be governed by an ascending sequence 1, 3, 6, 10.... Since attacks from the monsters of the main system are only possible from 4 adjacent squares, it then tops out, adding 4 for each additional monster: ...14, 18, 22.... Some diagrams to illustrate:
For other MSCs other than 1, multiply the appropriate ascending sequence number by the MSC to be used. For example, a Hero with 2 AD and 2 DD facing a single Goblin uses a MSC of 0.6, so the MSC of 4 Goblins attacking the Hero at once would be 10 x 0.6 = 6.0.
Should a Hero manage to reduce his facing, then the top-out principle can be applied with less than 4 opponents. For example, fighting from a corner, a Hero can only be attacked by 2 monsters. Using the same Hero and 4 Goblins from the expample above, the MSC would come to 2 Goblins x 0.6 for the first 2 turns, or 2.4. The last 2 turns has all (2) Goblins adjacent, so use the ascending sequence number of 3 x .6 = 1.8. Totaling the 2 sets of turns, the full MSC is 4.2. Fighting the same Goblins from a doorway would shrink the MSC down to 2.4 (0.6 for 4 turns).
The diagrams can also be applied to a Hero facing different monsters at once. Assume the most dangerous monster is attacked before a weaker one. To illustrate, the same Hero from above is used (2 AD, 2 DD), but 2 Orcs (1.3 MSC) and 2 Goblins (0.6 MSC) are substituted as the opponents. First figure the MSC of the Orcs seperately: 3 x 1.3 = 3.9. Temporarily ignored, the Goblins count as 2 x .6 = 1.2 for those 2 turns, or 2.4 total. When the Hero has finished the Orcs, he then uses the Goblins ascending sequence value of 3 x 0.6 = 1.8 to determine the last 2 turns of combat. Totaling all the values gives 3.9 + 2.4 + 1.8 = 8.1 as the final MSC.
Daedalus wrote:Exposed facing also affects the actual threat to Heroes quite a bit, but that can't be regularly modeled due to the variables of combat. Two (or more) monsters attacking a Hero on the same turn are more dangerous than two (or more) monsters that may only attack in single file. Until one of the monsters is killed, the extra monster adds it's MSC twice for each turn it out-numbers a Hero and attacks. Likewise, if two Heroes attack a single Chaos Warrrior, it will be killed that much quicker. I guess halving it's avereged MSC would account for this if it alternated attacks between the two Heroes. The program only accounts for 1 monster in combat with one Hero. -[edit] This limits the application of the model to actual combat, but judging things in a simplistic fasion still has some level of usefulness when judging the difficulty of a Quest. A Quest designer should try to account for likely number of attacks the Heroes will encounter in a room or corridor when figuring the difficulty.
The combined MSC for multiple monsters targeting a single Hero, which represents the total damage against the Hero before all of the monsters are eliminated, appears to be governed by an ascending sequence 1, 3, 6, 10.... Since attacks from the monsters of the main system are only possible from 4 adjacent squares, it then tops out, adding 4 for each additional monster: ...14, 18, 22.... Some diagrams to illustrate:
- Code: Select all
M = monster H = hero MSC of 1.0 M M M M M
M
M M H M M H M
M M H M
M H M M M
H M M Turn 1: 4.0
H M Turn 1: 4.0 Turn 2: 4.0
Turn 1: 4.0 Turn 2: 4.0 Turn 3: 4.0
Turn 1: 3.0 Turn 2: 3.0 Turn 3: 3.0 Turn 4: 3.0
Turn 1: 2.0 Turn 2: 2.0 Turn 3: 2.0 Turn 4: 2.0 Turn 5: 2.0
Turn 1: 1.0 Turn 2: 1.0 Turn 3: 1.0 Turn 4: 1.0 Turn 5: 1.0 Turn 6: 1.0
Total = 1.0 Total = 3.0 Total = 6.0 Total = 10.0 Total = 14.0 Total = 18.0
For other MSCs other than 1, multiply the appropriate ascending sequence number by the MSC to be used. For example, a Hero with 2 AD and 2 DD facing a single Goblin uses a MSC of 0.6, so the MSC of 4 Goblins attacking the Hero at once would be 10 x 0.6 = 6.0.
Should a Hero manage to reduce his facing, then the top-out principle can be applied with less than 4 opponents. For example, fighting from a corner, a Hero can only be attacked by 2 monsters. Using the same Hero and 4 Goblins from the expample above, the MSC would come to 2 Goblins x 0.6 for the first 2 turns, or 2.4. The last 2 turns has all (2) Goblins adjacent, so use the ascending sequence number of 3 x .6 = 1.8. Totaling the 2 sets of turns, the full MSC is 4.2. Fighting the same Goblins from a doorway would shrink the MSC down to 2.4 (0.6 for 4 turns).
The diagrams can also be applied to a Hero facing different monsters at once. Assume the most dangerous monster is attacked before a weaker one. To illustrate, the same Hero from above is used (2 AD, 2 DD), but 2 Orcs (1.3 MSC) and 2 Goblins (0.6 MSC) are substituted as the opponents. First figure the MSC of the Orcs seperately: 3 x 1.3 = 3.9. Temporarily ignored, the Goblins count as 2 x .6 = 1.2 for those 2 turns, or 2.4 total. When the Hero has finished the Orcs, he then uses the Goblins ascending sequence value of 3 x 0.6 = 1.8 to determine the last 2 turns of combat. Totaling all the values gives 3.9 + 2.4 + 1.8 = 8.1 as the final MSC.
The truth is that the msc for Goblins, Skeletons, and Zombies do not become totally identical, they still differ on maybe the third or fourth digit, but we cannot see that in the tables as the numbers here do not have that many digits. Another point is that, in order to have enough precision for more digits, the calculations would have to run an extra many million times.
Gimme that Talisman of Lore and lift something heavy, you egghead!- 
