Climbing skill usage

[Darkshine]

I know this has probably been touched on before, but it has been so long I just wanted to bring it up again, that and after being gone for a while I have tweaked a couple of functionality aspects of it.

Okay so the most obvious function of the climbing is to remove the need for the adventuring items. This is mostly still a novelty skill, but it is the easiest to implement into the game, to make modifications on later.

The second idea is that on the map, although invisible to players, each square is assigned a height value. (assuming this is in place already)
The height value is the amount of climbing skill needed x 5 or x 10 to pass this object. Otherwise, you get to find your way around an area, which eventually leads you straight to the static point of the boss mob. ( In some areas I realize this won't apply as there is only one possible path)

Additionally, with adding in values to height on the map squares, you can create shortcuts across the mountain ranges (which I envision what was the inital point of it) which are not normally transversable unless you have the proper climbing skill to take that shortcut.

Finally, you can add whole new sections to the map where the ONLY access is by climbing, at quite a high level, to give something for high level players to do. Of course, the mobs on this treacherous terrain are equally as lethal, and equally as good at climbing.

Please feel free to expound on this idea everyone, I think this would be a really neat, and easy thing to implement into live gameplay, and will have the high end players chomping at the bit to use the high level of climbing skill they no doubt have as a result of a day's work of boredome, to gain access to a brand spanking new area.

If you need an idea for a climbing access only area, perhaps consider creating a fortress named Darkspire. Let's see if I can use words to give birth to the vision.

It is surrounded by a pit of lava barely tolerable to be close to without magical protection, with only a few broken chunks of what once was a great stone bridge remain. After a climb down into the pit, and a tedious crossing over chunks of uneven stone, you find yourself looking up at 'almost' a sheer cliff, where the lava lies below, awaiting the foolhardy. The tower seemingly stands outside the realm of the normal world, high atop this rock pedastool, black as the darkest night.

Legends tell of treasures and artifacts beyond the imagination inside, which has driven many brave adventurers before you mad unto their death, whether by lava, or by the Dark Guardians of this fortress. Even now you see the small sillouetted outlines of the circling sentry demons, hovering above, and hear their shrieks of outrage and challenge.

Although you are no stranger to rock walls, you know that this will be the most difficult cliff you have ever faced, as this time you not only climb, but fight for your life simulataneously. Spreading some rock dust on your hands, the sweat disappears, created by the almost intolerable heat of the lava. You grip your first handfull of rock face, rope and weapon at the ready, with the prize at the end in mind as well..... Access to Fortress Darkspire.

And then of course there is a dungeon, but that really doesn't have much to do climbing on the inside. You could probably even make this place like a separate realm if you wanted to, kinda like a non traditional raiding zone. Basically this area would be a bragging rights for either individuals and/or clans.

But easily a staging point for setting up clan competitions, group only mobs, etc, as well as making fine use of the climbing skill. I realize that the image I just painted will take a LONG time to create just on the outside, but it would be neat I think to maybe go to a separate mini map, where you first cross the lava pool, then begin a climb upward, with static bosses of course, and then eventually get into the fortress.

To add to the difficulty, you could make climbing checks on the way up.. very similar to the exploration skill, except after you move up/forward one space, fight a battle (if you get one), you then have a climbing check. If you fail, you fall back to your previous space, and must climb again, with another possiblity of fighting, and another chance at falling back again.

Obviously the higher your climbing skill is, the better chance you have at not falling back, but there will still always be a small chance you will, even at max level.

You could use this general format for not just the high players either, but for all ranges of players. (I.E. I still don't think you should be able to just get to a volcano top in 3 squares, it's a tad bit more difficult than that, even an inactive one. Go to Maui or Hawaii sometime, take a tour. The hike sucks. It's out of this world, but the hike still sucks.)

I know I probably just made the Jeff, all the level players, and everyone else involved in programming and high end playing give me the finger, but please discuss. I would like to hear some feedback, I have seen this fortress in my dreams many times, just never knew what it was for, nor where it fit into reality. Even if you think I am the devil, etc. it's all good, I would just like someone else's opinion. I just happened to be thinking about climbing skill(s), and it all kinda wrapped together neatly with a bow in my head.

TTYAL.

Darkshine.