The Orb - a free, balanced, universal, private combat system with OOC mode designed for the star wars community, and open to suggestions from the community. A suggestion group has been created that will vote on balance issues. The Orb is a small, unobtrusive floating orb whose color changes depending on your health.
Currently finished and undergoing final testing. Designed by Furia Freeloader.
Goals[]
Free of charge - allows universal usage. I am not doing this to make money, nor will I release any item which will give me any special ability to develop for this system compared to anyone else (currently untrue for DCS2 and RCS). This system is Furia Freeloader's gift to the community with no strings attached.
Balanced - no favoritism for melee/jedi versus ranged weapons. Limitations on rate of damage of any kind prevent usage of abusive weapons... if an attacker does damage at an excessive rate, they are penalized. Any time you take damage from any source, you will be informed via personal messages. Death in under less than 10 seconds from a single individual is not possible (and this time cap may be raised as well).
Universal - Relies on physical damage for maximum universality. All users are on equal ground, no favoritism for any kind of weapon or class. Melee weapons using standard controls will be supported. Any developer can develop force powers using dedicated developer channels. No special scripts required for weapons to function.
Private - Your exact health is nobody's business! This system allows you and you only to know your exact health and stamina, but gives others a general sense of your well being (using the orb color). While you are taking damage or using stamina, your Orb will update you with personal messages periodically of changes in health. When you die, your orb turns black, death animation ensues, and your orb will announce your death to everyone. Health can be reset, but, the user of the Orb is forced into a 10 minute OOC period and the fact that they have reset is announced to all Orb users in the region. This is intended to discourage abuse of the reset option. Further restrictions on resetting may be implemented by the community.
OOC mode support - This system will permit the user to enter OOC mode. This cannot be done during combat (cannot be done while health and stamina are less than maximum). If you enter OOC mode you may not leave OOC mode for 10 minutes, and it is announced to all within 100 meters. OOC mode changes your orb to a texture that reads "OOC". This 10 minute period is currently shortened to 6 seconds for testing purposes... A training orb will be available as well that has no required OOC time. Attacking while dead or OOC alerts all orb users in the sim that rules have been breached.
Community - Suggestions for balance issues will be voted on within a community group for Orb balance issues. Orb group administrators will be chosen from leaders in the community, these individuals will have the power to invite members to the Orb group, as well as the ability to make proposals. Of course if the proposal is not feasible within the scripting of SL it will not be implemented, but if it is possible, it will be implemented within a reasonable timescale.. The Orb group exists and is called Orb Users Community Group and is open join.