Complaints about Block

[petros]

The difference between caster B with or without block is that without block player A would have run away at the sight of caster B and he would have had a chance of surviving.

Arcon, I appreciate you taking the time to explain your thoughts. From my perspective though, that's sort of the point of block - that people can now block someone in order use an ability that they normally wouldn't have been able to because people just normally run away.

If caster B would NOT have had a tiring spell or anything similar, player A might have been able to survive if he ran fast as soon as he could break the block.

Yes, if someone blocks you, they can do things like get off a special where they normally couldn't have before. Genesis has many different types of specials. One could make the same argument you make about blinding. You break the block or wimpy out but you can't see in the next room. So now you're a sitting duck and can be killed because you have no idea where to go. We can't introduce block and then say, "hey, you're not allowed to use any ability that will end in someone else's death." What we can say is, "hey, if your ability does exactly the same thing and stacks with block, we will make sure that in the interest of fairness, you only get to keep one, and not both."

Regarding these hypothetical situations though, my point in my responses a few posts ago is simply this: the spells and fatigue effects described don't exist or don't work as assumed, and even if they do, they don't act as true blocks because riding a mount or eating an herb easily overcomes it. Does that make sense?

Armageddon is almost here. So I'm sure after people have had a chance to see it, many of these conversations will go in a completely different direction.

[Rhynox]

Arcon, spellcasters have the advantage of being able to throw a few spells that stay in the room. So, there is not even need for a block, after seeing the character running up there a couple of times, he can easily throw those spells in the path. By the time he realized he has crossed the spells via his trigger he would be exhausted and/or poisoned.

[Ilrahil]

Petros I know youa ren't going to give guild secrets away, but blatantly denying the abilities don't exist when I've had them used on me before just irritates me and makes me want to stop inputting my opinion in them.

This is the classic case of wizards who are out of touch with how things work in the mortal realm in my opinion. How many things have been changed or updated that on paper and in numbers to you have looked perfectly fine, but when introduced to the game do not work as intended. Because off the top of my head in the last year I can count at least 5.

So while you might say the scenario doesn't exist, based on my experience, and what I've seen other's go through it does exist.

[Rhynox]

I wouldn't mind if you added block to all named NPCs, or at least to all those with good equipment (Shale, Kernan, Burzum, Barash-gund, etc). Maybe not a uber block, but a chance for blocking (like the dead knight from Raumdor or Grothaur in Trollshaws).

[petros]

Petros I know youa ren't going to give guild secrets away, but blatantly denying the abilities don't exist when I've had them used on me before just irritates me and makes me want to stop inputting my opinion in them.

This is the classic case of wizards who are out of touch with how things work in the mortal realm in my opinion. How many things have been changed or updated that on paper and in numbers to you have looked perfectly fine, but when introduced to the game do not work as intended. Because off the top of my head in the last year I can count at least 5.

So while you might say the scenario doesn't exist, based on my experience, and what I've seen other's go through it does exist.

Ilrahil, resorting to insults against me or any other wizard doesn't make your statements any more true. I said before, and I'll say again - either the abilities you describe don't exist OR they do not work as you have claimed. And even if they exist AND work as you have claimed, they bear zero relevance to the conversation on block. I have tried to show you that your described abilities operate in a mutually exclusive manner with global block, hence why it doesn't pertain to this conversation. In order for any of this to matter in the conversation on block, they have to stack upon one another in some way, which they don't.

Many people have experiences in the game that are different from reality (eg. earlier in the thread, two conflicting views of how ogre's ability worked). How people choose to interpret information they receive is dependent on their individual situations. Some see a cup half empty, others choose to see it half full, and still others don't see a cup at all. I want you to be clear that I don't think you are lying necessarily. I really don't disagree that you believe very strongly that what you believe is true. All I'm telling you is that you are sadly mistaken.

[Arcon]

The problem, as I see it, with the block is that it gives, for free, casters the time they need to cast a spell on you without you having the chance to run away. No matter what this spell is. No matter your size or how fast you react or how little you want to stay and fight. Other times they needed you to stay and fight or to hunt you to cast the spell, now that is not needed. They just wait and block you, no even starting the fight, and cast the spell while you are trying to run away.

It more or less gives them one or two free spells to cast on you before you can run away. And that more or less means death.

[Rhynox]

We have been testing the block yesterday after it was fixed, and it looks fair. If you are paying attention, you can escape safely (just as you could from the knight's block, something you cannot do when an ogre blocks). I don't think a spellcaster (other than a mage and only if you are small or the mage really huge, or not having equipment on you) can kill you with one block. Two mages could kill you if they trap you (but badies around don't really have to worry about them anyways), true, but not even two priests could do that (having fought Diri, Marduk and others in the past, their most powerful spell doesn't do as much damage to kill you in 5 or 10 seconds). Don't know the output damage of a cleric (it is not that big against someone goodie, so tests aren't perfect) but I doubt they would be able to cast enough spells to make you extremely exhausted or enough damage to kill you before the block lifts.

[Tarax the Terrible]

Not a complaint just some feedback.

It seems like the block command only looks for one word after the block command.
So if for example I try "block climb up" I get the message "block what?"
But if I use "block climb" it works "You move to position yourself to block the climb exit" etc
but you will not stop anyone from leaving.

You cannot block the board or disembarking of ships. Adding block ship to prevent movement on or off would be good.

It is impossible to set up a barricade block.
ie Block an exit from someone before that someone arrives.
I guess most people are happy with this. Would suck to enter a room and have 6 enemies waiting already blocking your return.
But I would think it would be good if some key rooms allowed you to do this.
Choke points in warfare areas etc.
But that would be a new command like man barricade and not blocking so is a bit of a tangent.

[Rhynox]

Block is limited to obvious exits from what I remember (plus hidden exits that are obvious, like "out" and the like). And it is limited because it should be a tool, not the main way of killing others (otherwise we would have dragonfear and the old knight block back).

[petros]

You cannot block the board or disembarking of ships. Adding block ship to prevent movement on or off would be good.
...
It is impossible to set up a barricade block

Both of these limitations were added after initial testing of block code revealed abuses in block that were not in line with what we wanted block to accomplish. As Rhynox mentions in his post, block is meant to be a tool. Allowing it to be used as an i-win button is not something that will be good for the game.

That being said, the idea of barricading an area is a good one, and we should flesh out how it will work in a way that it won't be abused. If we can come up with some way to do it, I'm sure someone would be willing to implement it.