Balancing Babulon's Mantle

[ExplorerBob]

I've had some thoughts regarding the Mantle of Babulon, and how it might be changed to match a more dangerous galaxy.

I think we can all agree that the current item's effects are extreme. It's the only item that can appease two races (Garthans, Urluquai), and it provides free alliances with the two neutral races (Muktians and Zorg). For all purposes, this means that there are only two races that will pose you a threat after you have the Mantle, not counting the main quest monsters.

I've been trying to consider a good weakness for it, and I think I have one, but I can't think of a way to write it into the existing universe. I would like for it to somehow cut off your relations with the Klakar, at least as long as you have it, but I can't work out how that would be realistic. Do y'all have any ideas?

- Bob

[sgqwonkian]

I would like for it to somehow cut off your relations with the Klakar, at least as long as you have it, but I can't work out how that would be realistic. Do y'all have any ideas?

By "realistic", do you mean you're looking for story / in-character ideas justifying the Klakar cutting you off? Or do you mean you're not sure how to code it?

In-character, you could explain it as the Klakar were the ones who got the raw deal in the Siege of Frenobulax (IIRC, that's the name of the big event that Babulon used the cloak at). Perhaps the truce he proposed is what forced them to trade away everything they own. Some sort of vow of poverty kind of thing. Perhaps the terms of their vow/truce/contract/agreement was that it would last until his return. That was a millenium ago. Now that he's back (or rather, now that you're masquerading as him), they are free from what they viewed as a form of slavery.

Out-of-character, you have a couple options, all of which could be set up as quests with the always FLAG.

• You could have the ENMY command rigged to fire when they next encounter the Klakar. I'm not sure if that would trigger when you call them for trade, you'd have to test that. It might only happen if you fly to a planet they're on.
• You could set up the quest to just REMV the Klakar beacon. Flash up a little message, and then zap, the beacon self-destructs. Depending on whether or not you use the endquest ACTN, you can have it to happen just once, or every time they get combine the beacon and the mantle.
• You could do both. The beacon goes away, _and_ they turn against you.
• If that seems too harsh, it might be possible to change the quest that triggers them demanding payment for battle. Perhaps once you have the mantle, they demand payment everytime you summon them for trading. Haven't looked at that quest to see if it's a practical change or not, but it's an interesting idea.

[ExplorerBob]

I was thinking of the in-story excuse (thanks; that's as good a reason as any and I implemented it), but now that I've finally gotten to trying to implement the Mantle restriction, I've bumped into some problems.

Here's how I have it right now; there's two files, the standard Klakar beacon one and a new mantle_klak file.

Originally Posted by mantle_klak

FLAG always

CONDITION 0
TYPE encounter
STR0 klakar
END CONDITION

CONDITION 1
TYPE haveitem
STR0 mantle
END CONDITION

CONDITION 2
TYPE friendly
STR0 klakar
END CONDITION

PAGE 0
REQ0 0
REQ1 1
REQ2 2
ACTN popup endquest
MUSC music/vidcast.ogg
GFXP races/klakar.jpg 0
TITL Klakar Vidcast
TEXT So, Babulon returns. Under the terms of the treaty you forced upon us eons ago, our oath of inadequacy is finished. The honorable services of the exalted Klakar need not be freely given away any longer. As for you, deceiver of our race, never plague our space again.
REMV dv_klakbeacon
ENMY klakar
FLET klakar 0 attack klakar

END PAGE

Originally Posted by Klakar Beacon

FLAG always

CONDITION 0
TYPE encounter
STR0 klakar
END CONDITION

CONDITION 1
TYPE noitem
STR0 mantle
END CONDITION

PAGE 0
REQ0 0
REQ1 1
ACTN popup endquest trade
MUSC music/vidcast.ogg
GFXP races/klakar.jpg 0
TITL Klakar Vidcast
TEXT We, the exalted Klakar, wish to parley with your humble race. We offer worthy goods and services in trade for technology, artifacts and lifeforms. To summon us at any time utilize our trade beacon.
ITEM dv_klakbeacon
END PAGE

The only problem with this is that when I make first contact with the Klakar, after acquiring the Mantle, they...do nothing. I don't get the beacon, but I don't get any response or hostility either.

Haven't tested getting the Mantle after making first contact.

The Mantle item has been configured so that you can't sell it.

[sgqwonkian]

Originally Posted by ExplorerBob

CONDITION 0
TYPE encounter
STR0 klakar
END CONDITION

Try "TYPE preenc" instead. I think that by the time you get to encounter, the game has already decided on their response. TYPE preenc may head them off before that happens.