f13.net

I just started playing Ultima Online for the first time on a whim.

Still learning it, but I find one feature very odd, and I recall seeing it in only one other game (a failed / small 3D MMORPG, I can't recall the name).

- If you turn on  the "Always Attack" checkbox under Options.
- You go into War mode, (using sword and board).
- You target a mob, (say a bunny or a sheep). 
--> The mob aggros you and charges!

How does the bunny know I targeted it?   

Did my character yell at the bunny "HEY RABBIT, NO THE ONE NEXT TO YOU, YEAH YOU!  COME AND FIGHT ME!" ?

In every other game you must first hit the mob (assuming its not aggressive) before it does anything.  Even a misfire won't aggro it.
(Normally a Resist does, since it knows it was attacked.)

In DAOC you could pull with a taunt skill, but it was explicit.

I guess I could pretend my character is tossing a rock at the bunny or something, and the gfx doesn't show it...

I'm pretty sure SWG had that.  And most MUDs as well.

SWG?  I'm pretty sure I could target those butterflies / groundhogs and they would not attack until I hit them with a pistol shot.  That was original SWG, never played the later versions.

The only MUD I played, you could even Examine (means target and look at) a mob and it wouldn't attack until you attacked it, and got the first swing in.  (Even if missed on first swing).

Targetting a mob wouldn't aggro it in SWG, but as soon as you hit Attack you went into "combat mode" and the mob would come after you, even if you missed your first shot, and I think even if you were out of range.  At least that's my recollection.

I remember a couple of the MUDs I played had the same sort of thing, where saying "attack" would begin "combat mode".  In some cases the mob would even get the first attack in after you initiated the combat.

What shard you on?  I'm on a WoW kick at the moment, but my UO account is active and I have characters on Great Lakes and Atlantic.  And what kinda char you making?

I'm on Lake Superior, it had the lowest ping and fewest people on as far as I could tell, so I picked that.   I play very limited and very odd hours, just curious about UO, no plans on getting 'serious' about it.   Will prob go a month after my 14 day trial, since still curious about parts.

Right now going for:  Swordsman, Tactics, Blacksmithing, Healing, Anatomy, Resist, Parry.

Last session I played, I finally noticed one could heal while in combat, without any adverse effects to either.   I used to run off a bit, heal and then go back.  Now I only do that if I'm losing.

I now see why ppl complain about housing all over the place.  I am hunting that swamp North of Trinsic, and its more like hunting in the backyards and gangways of a suburban sprawl than a swamp.

WoW sort of does this, but only in PvP. I notice with my warrior, if a hunter sends his pet towards me, it puts me into combat mode. This really sucks, as I am then unable to charge, even though I have not been hit at all yet; the pet is just being sent in my direction.

You can actually see this happen if you have Target of Target displayed. When I queue up a Starfire (long cast time) my target will auto target me the moment I begin casting. It's a handy thing to have in AV, clear your target to see whats lining you up.

To the OP, I'm betting this takes  imagination. It's a question of the math/gamelogic attempting to simulate a real situation. You have to roleplay through your settings at some point, right?

 Setting your character up this way is akin to walking in a bar with your fists clenched, your teeth gritted and running into the room. Sure, I wouldnt know you were after me, but someone's going to go pre-emptive on yo' ass.