Interrupted!

[John Adams]

Now that spells have been implemented into the server, players are using the hell out of them (woot!) and reporting the same thing; too much interruptions! I tested this myself and at level 4 with 5/5 "Focus", I am nearly killed to death by a level 1 small crab due to interruptions (if not meleeing, just casting).
After looking at the code for CheckInterruptSpell(), I see there is a base of 30% chance for interrupt, and some math to consider a players "Focus" skills. Some questions on this:
1) Should 30% really be the base, or was that an arbitrary number used before spells were really implemented?
2) Why isn't my focus going above 5/5 (should it be 5 points per level, or am I stuck in EQ1?)
3) What can I do to eliminate Interruptions, since setting the spells "interruptable" flag to FALSE is ignored?
(the latter being an actual bug heh)
I could hack out interruptions completely on my local server just to get better spells testing, but wanted to run it passed you first. Any thoughts?
Edit: By the time it took the website to save that post, I was able to find Focus skill for my toon and jacked the stats to 25/25 and I definitely am not getting interrupted anymore. So perhaps the issue is that skills like this are not rising?

[LethalEncounter]

Now that spells have been implemented into the server, players are using the hell out of them (woot!) and reporting the same thing; too much interruptions! I tested this myself and at level 4 with 5/5 "Focus", I am nearly killed to death by a level 1 small crab due to interruptions (if not meleeing, just casting).
After looking at the code for CheckInterruptSpell(), I see there is a base of 30% chance for interrupt, and some math to consider a players "Focus" skills. Some questions on this:
1) Should 30% really be the base, or was that an arbitrary number used before spells were really implemented?
2) Why isn't my focus going above 5/5 (should it be 5 points per level, or am I stuck in EQ1?)
3) What can I do to eliminate Interruptions, since setting the spells "interruptable" flag to FALSE is ignored?
(the latter being an actual bug heh)
I could hack out interruptions completely on my local server just to get better spells testing, but wanted to run it passed you first. Any thoughts?
Edit: By the time it took the website to save that post, I was able to find Focus skill for my toon and jacked the stats to 25/25 and I definitely am not getting interrupted anymore. So perhaps the issue is that skills like this are not rising?

1. Dunno, I think I made up that number for a lack of a better one. We can definitely reduce it to something more reasonable.
2. This is the problem with all skills right now. I need to determine the correct way to do skill caps. I could increase the cap by 5 every level if the cap is greater than 1, but I think that some skills use a different skill cap function. If someone could verify the way skill caps work on live I'll fully implement it.
3. Really? It will get fixed.
Edit: btw the base chance is a 30% chance to CONTINUE casting, (or a 70% chance to fail).

[John Adams]

Edit: btw the base chance is a 30% chance to CONTINUE casting, (or a 70% chance to fail).

I am confident in reporting this statistic is accurate.
Perhaps this is a variable best set in configs so admins can adjust it?

[Zcoretri]

Edit: btw the base chance is a 30% chance to CONTINUE casting, (or a 70% chance to fail).

I am confident in reporting this statistic is accurate.
Perhaps this is a variable best set in configs so admins can adjust it?

Yeah, I meant to bring this up before my little hiatus.
That number is slightly over the top for interrupts hehe, and believe me, with my main on live being a Templar, I know first hand about freaking interrupts. But since SOE implemented an AA line that virtually negates interrupts for the Templar/Inquisitor its not so bad.

[LethalEncounter]

OK, well let me know what a good starting value is. Obviously it has to be crappy enough that the player will notice an improvement as their focus skill levels.

[John Adams]

LE, can you clarify what the `spells.interruptable` value really means? Is it:

a) Incoming attacks have a chance to interrupt the casting of the spell, aside from the focus skill?

b) When I move, I can still cast this spell (al la Buffs / Combat Arts vs Spells)?

Thanks


As for this bug, depending on changes I thought SOE made, spell interruptions via incoming attacks is moot?

[LethalEncounter]

A is the correct answer. Moving will still interrupt the spell.

[John Adams]

Gotcha. Is there currently a setting for those castables to prevent interruption by movement? I think Zcoretri brought that up the other night in his spell development - some things you can move while casting (like Pathfinder buff)

[Bion]

those are not spells per`say all ca's can be casted on the go and the only general ability that i remember that can be interrupted by moving was call's and pets other then god pets. but then again the chars i played the most are 2 melee classes think also buffs are not interruptable think they were at first for casters then got changed to be more in line with scouts and other melee since they can buff on the go but not 100% sure as to what spells work that way

[ZexisStryfe]

All spell based buffs are now uninterruptable by movement as well.

[LethalEncounter]

All spell based buffs are now uninterruptable by movement as well.

What? That is really stupid. So I can cast 30 second buffs while I am running around? Why even have a cast time then?

[Zcoretri]

Not all of them have changed that way. From what I recall before my sub lapsed was I could cast my Group Buffs, and single target buffs while moving. But something like Call of Qeynos, a heal, a rez, a damage spell, a debuff will get interrupted if you move.

[John Adams]

What? That is really stupid. So I can cast 30 second buffs while I am running around? Why even have a cast time then?

It adds suspense?

[Scatman]

Well I know on the pvp server is benefits us a lot to have uninterruptable buff casting. For example, when you're running around in a 6 person group and get rolled by another group, you all die, and revive at the same spot (usually). Well people would get so mad they'd just run off after a few seconds to try to find the group again, thinking everyone was done buffing but the druids and mages who have 2183719 buffs would get left behind casting their 5 minute long buffs, etc. It is stupid because why doesn't the group just stay together? But, I'm certainly positive that was one of the reasons for the change. Also, I think mages and healers complained because scouts and fighters have always been able to cast their buffs on the move (since they are technically combat arts).

[ZexisStryfe]

It is only the buffs that do not have a max duration (the ones that are in effect until your cancel them or die).