Collapsing Bridges (formerly Swimming Skill Implementation)

[ffordesoon]

While I believe Wasteland 2 should have a swimming skill, I think the implementation of the skill in Wasteland 1 left a lot to be desired, particularly on the overworld map. Your entire party slipping and falling into a river every other time you crossed a water tile was fine, but I don't think crossing a bridge should have suffered the same issue, necessarily. Certainly, a bridge could collapse or otherwise fall apart, but the way it was done, you honestly weren't sure what was happening until it was too late to avoid it.

My proposal, then, is for a couple of changes to the system that make it feel less arbitrary without changing it drastically. Some bridges should still be collapsible (some won't be, because they might have been properly reconstructed or whatever), but I don't think the Swimming stat should be used to calculate that. Instead, a Perception/Traps/Hazards check should be the governing stat, and if one of your party members sees the weak points in the bridge, they should be highlighted somehow. Then we should be able to skillfully maneuver the characters across the bridge and past the traps. Assuming we fail at that, then the Swimming stat should kick in. Or perhaps the Climbing stat should kick in first ("Mraculously, Dave manages to catch a firm hold and pull himself up!"), then Swimming.

What do you guys think? I am ready for the inevitable dissection.

[Lucius]

I don't remember ever having problems crossing the bridge on the overworld map...

[ffordesoon]

I don't remember ever having problems crossing the bridge on the overworld map...

Really? There have been plenty of times where I've fallen off the bridge.

I think.

Well, goddammit, now you're making me doubt myself. Bah.

[Drool]

Yeah, the bridge was safe, unless you walked off it. Of course, once everyone's Swim hit 7 or so, you didn't need the bridges any more.

[ffordesoon]

Yeah, the bridge was safe, unless you walked off it.

I am not a smart man about things like this, so it's possible I did it without thinking.

Um.

Well, what if there were collapsible bridges in part of Wasteland 2? And, um, all that other shit I said?

[GodComplex]

It would be kind of fun to nuke a bridge as an enemy is crossing and having them drown.