Biological & Computer Virus Warfare

[lpalgarvio[IS]]

hey

reading [url="https://forum.enb-emulator.com/index.php?/topic/4458-add-path-warping-traveling/page__view__findpost__p__36041"]tien's comment[/url] on warp path topic, i came up with another idea - one that has for sure been around multiple times and i think also did a brief appearance on EnB live - the notion of [b]VIRUSES[/b].

[size="3"][b]Types of Viruses:[/b][/size]
[list][*]there could be epidemics / pandemics of [b]biological [/b]viruses, affecting organic mobs, making them stronger/weaker or more/less aggressive.[*]there could also be [b]computer [/b]viruses affecting mechanical mobs and player ships, with random effects, like failure to use skills or equipment, or random ship behavior.[*]biological viruses could also affect NPCs and players, with changes of mood, speech, talk trees and such.[/list]-
the[b] viruses would activate sporadically, or periodically, or be triggered[/b] by an event, and would occur in a random location (or fixed location, if set in motion manually as part of content changes), then spreading around infecting other locations, like navs, stations or whole sectors or systems. they would last a given amount of time, and then go inactive again.

a set of rules would have to be created to limit the effect of the virus, how far they spread, how fast they spread, and how long they remain active.

certain mobs, npcs and players could be [b]more resistant or even imune[/b] to these viruses.[b]
[size="3"]Examples of rules:[/size][/b]
[list][*]high level players/mobs could have more resistance[*]high level hull upgrades could also have more resistance[*]players/mobs with high resist psionic could have more resistance[*]progen players/mobs could be more resistant to biological viruses, but less resistant to computer viruses[*]jenquai players/mobs could be less resistant to biological viruses, but more resistant to computer viruses[*]terran players/mobs could be equally resistant to both types of viruses (the middle field)[*]voltoi, zenrei, onis could be imune to it, as they look strong "psi" users[*]v'rix, bogerils, free spacers and ten-gu could also be imune or highly resistant to these viruses[*]psionics and mordana could not be imune (they were affected by poison back in live storyline, remember p3889?)[/list]-
[size="3"][b]On the player defense...[/b][/size]
[list][*][b]special Explorer skills[/b], like Environment Shield (JE), Nullfactor field (TS), Repulsor Field (PS) could add and extra HIGH defense against these viruses, therefore making certain classes (all 3 explorers) more useful.[*][b]other special skills[/b] could add or not temporary immunity, like Impervious Haven (TT), Illusion (TS) and Turtle/Quickfire (PP/PW). of these, Haven is of the most significance.[*][b]some skills[/b] could also add resistance, though lesser: Rally (TE, adds Psi resist), Shield Charging (TT, adds Psi resist), Psionic Shield (JD, adds an extra shield), etc, because these mess around with Psi resists (except Psi shield i think).[*][b]and devices[/b] that add Psionic resistance would work the same as above - less impact on virus resistance.[/list]
(consult [url="https://forum.enb-emulator.com/index.php?/topic/4454-affiliation-skills/page__view__findpost__p__35472"]here[/url] a skill list i made from several sources)

[size="3"][b]On the player offense...[/b][/size]
[list][*]the [b]Analise Weakness[/b] (possible TE skill) could also play a role on this, by attempting to discover vulnerabilities, which could then be [b]amplified [/b]by Bio-repression (add biological virus) and Hacking (add computer virus) - so Analise Weakness would act as a Catalyst/Debuffer/Amplifier of these skills.[*][b]Weaken Psionic[/b] could also be used in the formula, before Analise Weakness, as a means to improve the chain of events, making the Terran Traders more valuable.[*]and to go with the flow, why not [b]2 lines of devices meant to be used as virus injecting tools[/b]? one for biological, one for mechanical, to be used by a single class of characters, like Traders (any race). these would have less effect than TE skills, less chance of success, and less duration, and could or not be added up (replaced) by the TE skills when activated.[*][b]player injected viruses[/b], such as those by bio-repression and hacking, would not be able to spread to navs, other players, sectors or systems, but instead, just to the local area of effect (and for a limited time), just like Hacking and Bio-repression are meant to work.[*]another thought as crosses my mind - [b]make such player devices use consumable goods[/b], which specify or not the virus effect. TE skills (Bio-repression and Hacking) could work about the same way - got consumables? added virus bonus. no consumables? no bonus, skills work just as before.[*]the consumables could be or not [b]tied up to the Skill or device level[/b].[/list]
[b][size="3"]last thoughts...[/size][/b]
i think of Psionic and Viruses are a bit closely related... Psionic and TE skills might even be what the original devs thought as viruses usable by players, while virus event could be totally different thing.

probably many more ideas can follow this.

a side note - this idea is even harder to implement (and harder to like) than my previous ones hehehe

[lpalgarvio[IS]]

another idea - enough infection of certain class of virus (rare), could cause stronger mutations on mobs, causing a new mob to spawn and replace the older ones.

like the halloween mobs.

[ajsb1986]

You are a veritable fount of ideas, LPCA. And a interesting individual.

[lpalgarvio[IS]]

thanks
reformatted the text to be more readable / sectioned.