Random Encounters - xopherdeep/do-it-for-the-xp GitHub Wiki

Random Encounters

Random Encounters are the spontaneous battles that occur as you navigate the World Map in Do It For The XP. They represent the day-to-day tasks that pop up unexpectedly in your life and require immediate attention.

Encounter Mechanics

Triggering Random Encounters

Random encounters can be triggered by:

  • Moving between locations on the World Map
  • Time-based events (scheduled tasks becoming due)
  • Environmental factors (seasonal or location-specific tasks)
  • System notifications (reminders or recurring tasks)

Encounter Rate

The frequency of random encounters is determined by:

  1. Active Time: How long you've been active in the app
  2. Terrain Type: Some terrains have higher encounter rates
  3. Player Settings: User preferences for encounter frequency
  4. Task Backlog: More pending tasks increase encounter rate
  5. Time of Day: Encounter rates may vary throughout the day

Encounter Types

Spontaneous Tasks

These represent truly random tasks that weren't previously planned:

  • A spill that needs cleaning
  • An unexpected phone call
  • A request from family/roommate

Scheduled Tasks

These are planned tasks that appear randomly when their time comes due:

  • Daily chores appearing at their scheduled time
  • Calendar events becoming active
  • Recurring tasks reappearing after their cycle

Reminder Tasks

Previously postponed or snoozed tasks that reappear:

  • "Deal with this later" items
  • Snoozed notifications
  • Follow-ups from previous tasks

Battle Flow for Random Encounters

flowchart TB
  A[Player Travels World Map] --> B{Random Encounter?}
  B -- No --> A
  B -- Yes --> C[Encounter Animation]
  C --> D[Beast Appears]
  D --> E{Player Choice}
  E -- Fight --> F[Enter Battle System]
  E -- Flee --> G[Take HP Penalty]
  G --> H[Return to Map]
  F --> I{Battle Outcome}
  I -- Win --> J[Collect Rewards]
  I -- Lose --> K[Go to Hospital]
  J --> H
  K --> H
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Difficulty of Random Encounters (Fibonacci Scale)

Random encounters are typically lower-difficulty battles on the Fibonacci scale:

  • Common (70%): Levels 1-2 (Trivial to Simple)
  • Uncommon (20%): Level 3 (Easy)
  • Rare (8%): Level 5 (Moderate)
  • Very Rare (2%): Level 8 (Challenging)

Higher-difficulty beasts (levels 13-144) almost never appear as random encounters, being reserved for temple battles instead.

Strategic Considerations

Preparation

  • Maintain HP/MP reserves for unexpected encounters
  • Carry utility items for different encounter types
  • Consider terrain difficulty before travel

Avoidance

  • Some items or abilities can reduce encounter rate
  • Fast travel can bypass some random encounters
  • Completing tasks promptly reduces backlog encounters

Rewards

While individual random encounters offer modest rewards, they add up over time:

  • Consistent XP: Small but frequent XP gains based on Fibonacci value
  • Item Drops: Common but occasionally valuable items
  • Skill Practice: Opportunities to use and level abilities
  • Task Reduction: Keeps task backlog manageable

Random Encounter Examples by Terrain

Terrain Beast Real-World Task Fibonacci Value Difficulty Name
Plains Dust Bunny Quick surface dusting 1 Trivial
Plains Laundry Lizard Small load of laundry 2 Simple
Forest Leaf Lurker Rake small pile of leaves 1 Trivial
Forest Tangle Vine Trim overgrown bush 3 Easy
Islands Dirty Dish Dragon Clean a few dishes 2 Simple
Islands Pantry Pixie Organize one shelf 3 Easy
Swamps Soap Scum Sprite Clean sink 2 Simple
Swamps Toilet Troll Clean toilet 5 Moderate
Mountains Email Elemental Answer 3 emails 3 Easy
Mountains Meeting Minotaur Prepare for meeting 5 Moderate
Sands Receipt Wraith Organize receipts 3 Easy
Sands Budget Basilisk Review spending 5 Moderate
Clouds Call Cyclops Make a quick call 2 Simple
Clouds RSVP Raptor Respond to invitation 3 Easy
World-Ice Stretching Snowman Quick exercise 3 Easy
World-Ice Vitamin Vulture Take supplements 2 Simple
The-Moon Password Phoenix Update password 3 Easy
The-Moon Download Dragon Install updates 5 Moderate

Interface Elements

When a random encounter occurs, the interface provides:

  1. Alert Animation: Visual/audio indication of encounter
  2. Beast Preview: Image and name of the encountered beast
  3. Difficulty Indicator: Color-coded Fibonacci difficulty level
  4. Task Details: Brief description of the real-world task
  5. Action Buttons: Fight or Flee options
  6. Estimated Time: Approximate time to complete the task
  7. Reward Preview: XP, GP, AP values based on Fibonacci difficulty
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