Wound Treatment Issues Discussion
Hey guys, let's dive into a discussion about some issues spotted in the recent updates, specifically concerning wound treatment and surgery mechanics. This came about after digging through the code and doing some in-game testing following the implementation of #4883. There are a few key areas where things aren't quite working as expected, and I wanted to break them down so we can get some clarity and hopefully find solutions. So, buckle up, and let's get into the nitty-gritty of these assorted wound issues!
Cryoxadone/Pyroxadone Ineffectiveness
So, first up, we have the cryoxadone and pyroxadone issue. These medications are proving to be significantly less effective than they were intended to be, which is a major bummer for those relying on them in critical situations. The problem lies in how the maximum power is calculated. Currently, it's capped at 3, which, in effect, limits the medication's ability to reduce blood flow effectively. To give you a clearer picture, the intended functionality was for the power to represent the minimum, not the maximum. This drastically changes the medication's impact on blood flow reduction.
To illustrate, the code snippet blood_flow -= 0.03 * power indicates that the reduction in blood flow is directly proportional to the power of the medication. The comment // i think it's like a minimum of 3 power, so .09 blood_flow reduction per tick is pretty good for 0 effort further highlights the original intention. With a minimum power of 3, the blood flow reduction per tick should be around 0.09, which is quite substantial and makes these medications a viable option for managing blood loss. However, with the power capped at 3, the actual reduction is far less, rendering the medications less useful.
The implications of this are pretty significant. In scenarios where rapid blood loss control is crucial, players might find these medications failing to provide the necessary support. This can lead to increased player deaths and a general sense of frustration with the medical system. Imagine you're in a high-stakes situation, relying on cryoxadone to stabilize a patient, only to find it barely making a dent in their blood loss. That's not a good feeling, right?
To fix this, we need to revisit the power calculation and ensure it reflects the intended minimum power rather than a maximum cap. This adjustment would bring cryoxadone and pyroxadone back in line with their intended effectiveness, making them reliable tools in the medical arsenal. It’s a crucial fix that will impact gameplay significantly, especially in intense, emergency situations where every little bit of blood flow reduction counts.
Splint Effectiveness Reversal
Moving on, there's a quirky issue with splint effectiveness, specifically concerning piercing wounds. It appears that the effectiveness of splints is currently reversed for this type of injury. This means that, oddly enough, improvised splints are proving to be more effective than regular splints when dealing with piercing wounds. Yeah, you read that right – duct tape and some scrap metal might just be better than a proper medical splint in this case. Talk about immersion breaking!
The code snippet wounding_dmg *= (1 - limb.current_splint.splint_factor) is where we see this reversal in action. The splint_factor determines the degree to which the splint reduces wounding damage. A higher splint_factor should logically mean better protection, but the current implementation flips this expectation on its head for piercing wounds.
Think about it: you've got a serious piercing wound, and you slap on a medical-grade splint, expecting it to do its job. But, surprise! The makeshift splint crafted from whatever you could find in a pinch actually provides better protection. This not only undermines the value of medical supplies but also creates a weird gameplay dynamic where players are incentivized to use inferior equipment. This can lead to confusion and frustration, especially for newer players who might not understand why their proper splint isn't working as expected.
To address this, we need to re-evaluate the logic behind the splint_factor and how it's applied to piercing wounds. The goal is to ensure that regular splints provide superior protection compared to improvised ones, as you'd naturally expect. This fix is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the medical system and ensuring that players are rewarded for using the correct tools for the job. It's about making sure the game logic aligns with common sense and player expectations.
Wound Treatment Priority Over Surgery
Another significant issue that's come to light is the priority of wound treatment over surgery steps. This means that when you're in the middle of a surgical procedure, the game might prioritize a simple wound treatment (like applying a bandage) over the critical steps of the surgery itself. Imagine trying to meticulously repair a complex fracture, only to have the game interrupt you to bandage a minor burn. Talk about frustrating!
Specifically, the "bandage burns" option tends to treat the wound with gauze rather than progressing with the surgery unless there's already gauze applied to the limb. This can derail surgical procedures, making them unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming. The priority should ideally be on completing the surgery first, then addressing minor wounds afterward. This ensures that critical procedures aren't interrupted by less urgent needs.
This issue creates a significant hurdle for surgeons, who need to carefully manage the steps they take to avoid being pulled away from the core procedure. It also diminishes the flow of the game, making what should be a smooth and strategic process feel clunky and disjointed. Think about the tension of a critical surgery – you're racing against the clock, trying to save a life, and then the game throws a wrench in the works by prioritizing a bandage. It's a real mood killer.
To resolve this, we need to adjust the priority system so that surgical steps take precedence over simple wound treatments. This would allow surgeons to focus on the task at hand without unnecessary interruptions. By ensuring that the most critical procedures are completed first, we can streamline the surgical process and make it a more engaging and rewarding experience for players. This is about ensuring that the game supports the player's actions in a logical and intuitive way.
Surgery Step QDel Issue
Now, let's talk about a particularly problematic bug related to certain surgical steps. It turns out that the "repair hairline fracture," "reset compound fracture," and "repair compound fracture" steps all qdel the wound. For those not familiar, "qdel" is essentially a command that deletes an object from the game. In this case, it means that performing these steps effectively removes the wound from the game entirely.
This is a major problem because it makes the rest of the surgery completely unnecessary. Once the wound is deleted, the game sees the surgical procedure as automatically completed, regardless of whether you've actually finished all the necessary steps. It's like saying you've baked a cake after only mixing the ingredients – you've skipped all the important parts!
This bug undermines the entire surgical mechanic for these types of fractures. Players who encounter this issue might find themselves confused and frustrated, as the game essentially shortcuts the process, leaving them with a false sense of completion. Imagine meticulously preparing for a complex fracture repair, only to have the game declare victory after the first step. It's incredibly anticlimactic.
To fix this, we need to remove the qdel command from these surgical steps. The goal is to ensure that the wound persists until the entire surgical procedure is completed correctly. This will restore the intended challenge and reward associated with complex fracture repairs, making the surgical process meaningful and engaging. It's a crucial fix for maintaining the integrity of the game's medical mechanics.
