Difficulty
From Neverend
While grouping against powerful monsters is fun, there are always issues of realism in most games. If you're fighting a high level rabbit, shouldn't you still be able to defeat it easily? The only "real" indicator would be if it were visually faster, dodged moves more often, or had a "vorpal bunny" attack that really was deadly, rather than simply having tons of hitpoints and attack points.
Realistically, you should be able to kill an animal with a gun in one or two shots. An arrow might rake 2-5 (or 1 for a head shot), a sword might take 1-4 strokes to kill something.
Some monsters might not even be able to harm you. A squirrel wouldn't do much, or a rabbit, or a rat. In an RPG you'd be taking 0-1 HP in damage. But for some reason an MMORPG makes creatures take several minutes to kill with several attacks from several different players. Again, a high level MMORPG rabbit is just a rabbit with enough hit points and damage to equal a player in armor with a sword.
What is challenging about monsters? Sure, a raging behemoth, bull, or mad horse would be a challenge to a skilled swordfighter. What about an elephant? Do you need a tribe of spearthrowers or can you stab at it and drink healing potions the whole time?
Of course, realism isn't necessarily fun. No one likes a game where anything can kill you in three hits. Think of a single player game where you have to save and reload constantly for each enemy just because it can kill you "realistically."
The cinematic approach works well, where creatures snarl and threaten, where attacks are based on intimidation and dodging until the fatal blow is delivered. Monsters in movies die a lot quicker than their RPG counterparts, generally do to a weak spot, fatal blow, or skill of the attacker. The "battle" would be mostly dodging, parrying, avoiding, blocking, rolling, ducking, deflecting, countering, or a power struggle.
Let's say you have a real sword, bow and arrow, spear, and hand gun. Ten feet away is a wolf, bear, deer, raptor. How does it react to you, and how do you react to it?
maybe you could simulate this by using two types of hit points, one measures how well your defense is up and is reduced before taking physical damage, maybe you can raise your defense value with side effects, for instance skills or just by hitting the enemy yourself, it would also rise with time if not hit again the second would be the classical hit points, this can be fairly low now since you wont take much hits on your body anymore
draw from the FF series where you develop your character in numerous ways, you know the drill,strength,defense,abilties, magic,clothing,armor yada yada. Also though not only have the game itself raise these values,through skill or training, but to as well allow you to select one of these item that you wish to see grow to a point and then if you wish, select another item to assist in it's growth.So now you have the game itself moving your abilties up, but you yourself are assisting.
Drawing from the FF series,the ability to attack certain monsters and defeat them could depend on your overall abilties(a combination of your strength,armor,character,magic)and depending on the monster that attacks back, will depend on the effects that monster will have on you and what of your abilties will decrease as the attack continues.Also having to consider if the monster is your average forest thug or a boss.Also maybe having to consider the location,I can't see all monsters being a Level 35 monster,but can see certain areas in a town or in a forest where only the strongest and bravest of players may venture,maybe to complete their training in a skill or to complete a quest for a "special" item,thusly allowing other semi-skilled players to as well venture near these areas,but to allow them the choice to either avoid or enter at their risk.
[edit] Auto-difficulty
Dungeons and caves will automatically adjust difficulty to match the estimated power level of the player or players in the area. Difficulty will be in proximity to the player, so that weak monsters will be close to weak players and strong monsters will be near strong monsters. Monsters will attempt to be agressive towards an evenly matched player or the player with the closest power level.
If a monster is too weak, it will group with nearby weaker monsters until cumulative challenge level is matched. Weak monsters will attack in groups while trying to find new members.
If a monster is too strong, it will stay back, especially when in a group. This monster will act like a "boss" in that it will take a group of players to defeat. Other strong monsters will watch and spectate unless they are attacked, or if the monsters target a player or group of players with acceptable challenge level. The "boss" monster may choose to taunt, use dialogue, make threats or demands, laugh, ignore the players, issue a challenge, refuse to fight unless attacked, ask for payment, ask for begging or grovelling, or prepare spells and defensive abilities before engaging. The disparity between the monster challenge level and the player or players challenge level will determine one or more different actions chosen at random. For example, a twenty level disparity can be any number of actions indicating disdain or pity. Other monsters may engage in conversation, or refuse to attack unless provoked. Some monsters may even ignore weak attacks and insult the player, depending on the script for the monster. An example is Smaug from the Hobbit, who taunts her victim and waits while being fully capable of attack.
