Change window smashing mechanics

[Benedict]

Could we (and would it be a good idea to) change the way window smashing works so that it goes like this:

Smash 1: Jagged glass - 500 move point cost, high chance of causing high damage
Smash 2: Sharp glass - 450 move point cost, normal chance of causing normal damage
Smash 3: Broken glass - 400 move point cost, low chance of causing normal damage

Also: There’s a small chance, based on how high your bashing damage is, to skip a stage.

The normal “clear window” construction option would available for any of these three stages, and would be silent, and take the normal amount of time.

I just think this would add a little flavour to windows, as at the moment there’s little penalty to just smashing one and hopping through - the damage is negligible, and more importantly, it takes just as long to go through a window with sharp glass in it as it does to get through a completely clean frame.

With this new method, players will be able to choose whether they want to just smash a hole big enough to fit through, but take on the penalties of possible high damage, and a slightly higher move cost, or they can choose to remove lots of glass, but this takes more time overall than just jumping straight through, which, if you’re being followed by a hulk, could make all the difference!

[GlyphGryph]

Or they can choose to make a little hole for the sole purpose of shooting through it.

I think the real problem here would be communicating the current state of the window.

[Benedict]

Different colours?

Once players have some time to get used to the various colour/state relationships, it would become second nature.

It’s already the case that we recognise yellow as being a clear window, for example.

[Reservoir]

The problem is when it gets all bloody or puked. You cant difference a clean from a not-clean one

[Hyena_Grin]

Good ideas.

As for communicating, I feel like the game should be prompting the player when they want to move onto a broken window anyway. I don’t know how many times I’ve hurt myself on a broken window because I was defending and accidentally moved onto a window when the zombie died. Or because I thought it was cleared and it wasn’t (broken and cleared windows that get bloody look the same).

So yeah, if you prompt then you can say ‘Do you really want to move onto that <Jagged/Sharp/Broken Glass>?’ Just like it does for traps that would harm you.

Problem solved.

[Benedict]

The problem is when it gets all bloody or puked. You cant difference a clean from a not-clean one

Already the case with sharp/clean windows now, isn’t it?

So yeah, if you prompt then you can say ‘Do you really want to move onto that <Jagged/Sharp/Broken Glass>?’ Just like it does for traps that would harm you.

Hmm. Interesting idea, but I’d like to see it made optional. I personally would find that slightly bothersome, and windows/sharp terrain aren’t as likely to hurt you as traps are.

[vultures]

My idea would be to allow one to leap through solid glass. The remaining square would be cut-free, and it could project much more noise. Character could get really hurt (few chance) or cut more than one limb (say, one in 20 chance). Also, desperate attempts while badly hurt/poisoned/whatever could get fatal.
Though it is hardly imaginable, a real struggle for survival could involve using things like pieces of glass to hamper others’ chances while making it through unharmed, this game has “physics” that allows a much greater and better spread when dealing with greater numbers.

[Morrigi]

Punching windows should also have a high chance of causing injury to an arm unless heavy clothing is worn, such as leather gloves and some kind of arm guard.

[KA101]

It’d be nice to have a break-and-rake action which combines the smashing & the clearing. Having it take a minute or two is fine.

[Benedict]

I guess that could go into the construction menu?

Also “Break-and-rake” xD

[KA101]

Not my saying: got it from SWAT2 (the one that was a 3/4-overhead-view sim, before the FPS ones). Smash the window with a crowbar or something similar (pipe, maybe bats or extendable baton), then just run it around the frame to knock the glass out.

[Morrigi]

Yeah, in reality that probably wouldn’t take more than 30-45 seconds for an unskilled person.

[Benedict]

Yeah. I never quite got why it takes 5 minutes to clear a window. Balance reasons, perhaps?

As long as it takes long enough that a Z can reach you from within eyeshot, I’m sure it’s balanced. 1-2 minutes would suffice.

[KA101]

Maybe something like B&R_TIME=10-((.5*Dex)+Construction) minutes? Would make the Engineering 301 book worthwhile.