Hmm. In black & white how could you represent stats... Why not just not display them? Perhaps you could go to various oracles to get hints about what they are, but otherwise learn through experience. Maybe just display them when you walk through the entrance and that's it....

I understood about diminishing returns. I'm just saying AR had a non-creature specific version built in. I also wonder if you got better with a specific weapon the longer you used it.

Actually, on second thought, one of the good things about AR is the built-in goal system it inherited from D&D - levels & stats. One of the reasons you wan't to play is that you can watch your character get more powerful & stats are a great way to represent that.

I'd like to suggest a neural network for keeping track of things... everything you keep track of has *some* affect on everything else. An empty stomach could hold you back in battle, and in negotiations, but not as much as being wounded. On the other hand, not having showered has a minor affect on battle, but a major affect on negotiations. Not having showered will negatively affect your surprise rating, and may give you an advantage against noblemen, but ghouls and ghasts won't be affected by it.... phew too many variables.

Similarly, you could keep a health-meter that's influenced by a lot of things that are non hit-point related, but you won't know what... health-meter goes down and you scroll to another screen... upset stomach. okay, why.. bad food? wandering through the sewers too much? diseased? Of course, too few clues, or too repetitive actions could cause the game to become boring. It's a delicate balance.

This is sort of like real life, but in real life you either go to a doctor or sweat through it.... you rarely die from an upset stomach.

Mark


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