Page 1 of 1

Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:58 pm
by Subutai
This has been something that's bothered me since starting on Arelith. The fields around Cordor and other villages are full of deer and other furry critters that, for reasons unknown, viciously assault anyone who comes near them, rather than running away, or even just staying neutral.

Is there a reason for this, or is it just cause? It would be really nice if most animals (except maybe bears, wolves, and boars?) would run rather than fight or, if that isn't feasible, just not attack. It always feels immersion-breaking to have my character always being mauled by badgers and deer everywhere he goes, like some kind of reverse-druid.

Also related: There are a huge number of rabid animals around Cordor, and while this might answer the aggression question, it doesn't really answer the question as to why there are so many rabid animals around Cordor.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:59 pm
by Durvayas
They're being urged on by druids that oppose the taming of the island.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:16 pm
by Reallylongunneededplayername
Eh, let them run, when hit turn on attack mode.
Makes hunting hides more real and removes the suicide badgers.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:27 pm
by Subutai
I actually wouldn't mind if they'd keep running even on hit, or even get Expeditious Retreat on hit and run. That would make hunting even more interesting. You wouldn't even want to attack until you were sure the prey was in a position where they couldn't escape before they bolt.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:32 pm
by Tarkus the dog
They know what you do in quarters with elves.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:42 pm
by Subutai
I don't know why that's a problem. Humans and elves ain't nothing but mammals.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:09 pm
by CosmicOrderV
Maybe instead of expeditious retreat, make their base-speed insane. 200% insane. These critters can go--at least--twice as fast as any real human can (often faster; things like reindeer can run three-times our tops speeds). Arelith's mechanics are far too limited to be a meaningful hunting simulator, but maybe having lightning fast deer could help sprinkle some of that role-play in.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2019 12:18 am
by Nevrus
They're actually less aggressive towards characters with high Animal Empathy!

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2019 4:23 am
by NauVaseline
Animals, even dangerous ones, like those depicted try to avoid Humans

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:42 pm
by The Kriv
It's the rabies virus. Manifested most obviously in the Wolverines. Clearly, they are aggressive because they are sick. Best kill them and burn the carcasses, asap.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:09 am
by Vrass
Its called nature. Predatory animals hunt and kill prey animals. Don't have to be a druid to know how nature works people.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:53 am
by Mr_Rieper
If Arelith has taught me anything - anything at all - it's that Wolverines are (Snuggybear)-holes.

Seriously though, the real reason they are so aggressive is because proper animal AI would be far too time-consuming to script.
Subutai wrote:
Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:58 pm
Also related: There are a huge number of rabid animals around Cordor, and while this might answer the aggression question, it doesn't really answer the question as to why there are so many rabid animals around Cordor.
And this is because it makes more sense that Cordor is okay with an invasion of animals rather than goblins or orcs. The areas need things to fight.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:09 pm
by The Kriv
It would be a cool feature if a character with epic druid or epic ranger feat could do some sort of mass-calm that would allow a number of wild animals who are attacking could ALL be calmed back to neutral (i.e. going from red-to-blue)

example: an epic druid (or ranger) must pass through a group of [insert pack/group of low-level critters], which they COULD easily kill each one in a single blow of their melee weapon... but for [insert reason here] the [insert low-level critters here] are all attacking. It would make more RP sense that the epic druid/ranger with 20+ levels of Animal Empathy attempts to get through the area WITHOUT killing any of them.

I'm not talking about adventuring druids/rangers trying to pass great snow beasts, or 400+ hp polar bears to avoid a combat they would likely lose. I'm talking about a druid/ranger who could b!tch-slap a group of wild-bore to the dirt in a single blow... choosing -not- to kill them... but can't because they can only calm 1 or 2 of the whole group.

I dunno if that's possible. Also makes for good RP for a high-level druid to come upon a low-level adventurer who is beset by, say, wolves... and is able to 'save' the wolves from being killed by the low-level adventurer... (or save the adventurer from the wolves)


-maybe a 'toggle' feature of Animal Empathy that a successful check does-not 'tame' the animal, but instead turns it neutral; and THEN dismisses it via the *wanders off* or some such... and works on multiple nearby targets.... and costs piety.

Re: Why are animals so aggressive?

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:48 pm
by theCountofMonteCristo
The Kriv wrote:
Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:09 pm
It would be a cool feature if a character with epic druid or epic ranger feat could do some sort of mass-calm that would allow a number of wild animals who are attacking could ALL be calmed back to neutral (i.e. going from red-to-blue)

example: an epic druid (or ranger) must pass through a group of [insert pack/group of low-level critters], which they COULD easily kill each one in a single blow of their melee weapon... but for [insert reason here] the [insert low-level critters here] are all attacking. It would make more RP sense that the epic druid/ranger with 20+ levels of Animal Empathy attempts to get through the area WITHOUT killing any of them.

I'm not talking about adventuring druids/rangers trying to pass great snow beasts, or 400+ hp polar bears to avoid a combat they would likely lose. I'm talking about a druid/ranger who could b!tch-slap a group of wild-bore to the dirt in a single blow... choosing -not- to kill them... but can't because they can only calm 1 or 2 of the whole group.

I dunno if that's possible. Also makes for good RP for a high-level druid to come upon a low-level adventurer who is beset by, say, wolves... and is able to 'save' the wolves from being killed by the low-level adventurer... (or save the adventurer from the wolves)


-maybe a 'toggle' feature of Animal Empathy that a successful check does-not 'tame' the animal, but instead turns it neutral; and THEN dismisses it via the *wanders off* or some such... and works on multiple nearby targets.... and costs piety.
This would be utterly fantastic. I would love if it was a console command, -calm or something. Consumed piety based on number of animals, success/fail based on Animal Empathy. So you could choose when to specifically use it and when not to.