Stendhal Hell Timer

Explanation

A page to show examples and discuss changes to the hell timer implementation.

Currently, a timer is used that randomly marks a player as having been caught and boots them from hell. When a player is marked as having been recently caught the chance of being caught again and booted is substantially higher upon re-entering hell. The marker expires after a period of 7 days.

Why Was a Hell Timer Introduced?

The main reasoning behind having added a timer to hell is to discourage players from camping on the map, creating more opportunity for others to benefit from visiting hell as there are creatures unique to the map (specifically golden death) that cannot be found anywhere else other than Adventure Island.

Why Change How the Timer Works?

Since the institution of the timer there have been some complaints from players as, at times, they are almost immediately booted from hell as soon as they enter, giving them no opportunity to explore or complete tasks. This has triggered some debate on how the timer should work. Following are suggestions to improve or change the current implementation.

Terminology

This page will refer to two types of timers:

• random timer: amount of time to persist is random
• static timer: amount of time to persist is pre-set and guaranteed

Implementation Suggestions

Kika Timer

Like level 7 of Kikareukin, players would have a static time allowed to spend in hell. When the time expires players are booted from hell into the pit area (as is currently done). A cooldown period would follow where players cannot re-enter hell map until cooldown period expires, just as is done in Kikareukin.

Positive

Players are already familiar with this type of timer.

The cooldown period would prevent players from repeatedly re-entering hell to essentially camp.

Negative

Player must be booted out of hell at login for timer reliability.

May require substantial code changes.

Guaranteed Minimum Time

This method builds upon the current implementation by adding a static timer that guarantees the player will be able to persist in hell for at least a specified amount of time. Once the minimum time expires the current timer implementation is triggered of which the duration is random, after which the player is teleported to the pit.

In order to prevent abuse of the minimum time period the new static timer must only be triggered by entering hell via the designated portals and only if the player has not been caught recently. If a player logs out and back in while on the hell map, the minimum guaranteed time must be bypassed and trigger instead the random duration timer (as is done currently).

Positive

Guarantees the player at least a minimum specified amount of time to explore hell.

Maintains a random chance of being booted (after minimum time expires) to encourage players to leave before being booted.

Negative

Players could mark scrolls at the hell entrance and exit after the minimum time has expired in order to re-enter hell without the increased probability of being caught and booted. However, this may still be better than allowing players unmonitored camping as the player must use valuable scrolls and spend time walking in and out of hell.

May require substantial code changes.

Extend Duration After Official's Message

This implementation increases the amount of time between the message given by the official to the point in which the player is teleported to the pit. Currently this period is only a few seconds to simulate subsequent capture and prevent the player from speaking to the Reaper before teleportation.

Positive

In theory, this could give the player a chance to exit hell after receiving the official's message and avoid being marked as having been recently caught.

Might be easier to implement than the previous suggestions.

Negative

Similar to adding a minimum guaranteed time, players can exit hell and use any marked scrolls to immediately re-enter without any increase to the probability of being caught again and booted.

The duration after receiving the message was never meant to give the player an opportunity to exit hell before being teleported to the pit. It is simply a creative way for the engine to notify the player they have been caught instead of immediate teleportation and notifying them after. With the current implementation, increasing the duration between notice and teleport is pointless as upon re-entering hell the player will be recognized as having been recently caught.

Retain Current Implementation

No description necessary.

Positive

Minimal or no adjustments to the code need be made.

Negative

Players may continue to be frustrated by being caught near immediately upon entering hell (not referring to re-entering after having been recently caught).

Karma Influence

The idea has been brought up on karma being a factor affecting the timer in some way. Bad karma means increased chance of being booted sooner. Another idea that may go in line with that would be for karma to be drained while on the hell map.