RPG AMLA Era for 1.10

[masterofshadows]

So we can not remove items because of loss of abilities, traits, weapon specials etc.? If so, I don't blame you, I have looked in some codes from several scenario's and era's and I got completely confused... I'm still more of a designer, I think.
When do you expect to have the era ready?

[Dugi]

It will be complete probably In a week or two.
I used to do much more stuff per day, but this week... I had one problem after another, many things were not working, then the item removal problem... Now it should be way faster, as I have most of the macros ready.
Maybe you misread it, but the problem with item removal took place only if the unit had some abilities by default. But it was only a workaround for something else (that was well-known, but clashed with AMLA), and I figured out another workaround that worked (every single AMLA was altered, but nothing will be visible, except some 300 extra lines through the files; and that Arch-Mages exp bar is purple now, although it behaves like if it was white), so it can be done now.

Btw, if you are a designer, can you give me a helping hand with some units for LotI (and possibly improve existing unit variations for RAE)? I am not really good at graphic art (my technique is frankensteining + zoom, edit 3 pixels, unzoom, check if it looks better or not, repeat the process).

Note about the era: the steadfast ability's maximum resistance cap will have to be removed - it makes armours useless to steadfast units.

[masterofshadows]

Btw. If you are a designer, can you give me a helping hand with some units for LotI (and possibly improve existing unit variations for RAE)? I am not really good at graphic art (my technique is frankensteining + zoom, edit 3 pixels, unzoom, check if it looks better or not, repeat the process.

Well that's usually my method too, although unit images became a lot harder to make/edit when I got a 'new' computer (my old one crashed) and I discovered there was no photoshop on it... I mostly create/balance maps and do some minor edits to units (although that's much harder with just paint). But maybe I can give you a hand. But, you are the only one who knows what the unit has to look like. The only thing I do with coding is correcting some mistakes in the map editor (when you have some tiles that are not in the map editor, usually happens when you try to open a map from 1.9 on 1.8 ).
Talking about unit images, in RPG Amla Era for 1.8, if you advance a lich to ancient lich, or inferno drake to armageddon drake, some of the images in attacking/defending are still images of the original unit, not of the advanced unit.

[Dugi]

To do the art, download an install a program named 'GIMP image editor'. It is completely free, and regarding the features really similar to Photoshop. And its size is only about 20 MiB. I think I don't need new sprites for RPG AMLA Era, as I have no idea what to add, but I need some sprites for LotI (and making a unit usually takes a severely long period of time). I will PM you the details, if you agree. You are right that only I know what do I want, so I can make the baseframe of a unit and you might animate it (and some profiles for the main heroes would come handy too).

About the confused animations: It is possible, I noticed this problem in LotI, and I found the cause and the solution, but I did not remember that there were some more units of this kind on RPG AMLA Era. In fact that is not that some animations belong to the lower unit, but sometimes it uses the animations of the lower unit. So your alert came a bit handy.

[masterofshadows]

Yes, I can remember GIMP, it was on my old Linux computer. Thanks for reminding me!
And, I can help you with correcting some details of your units, but I have never animated an unit. So if you want that to function properly, I would advise you to do it by yourself. About the portraits, I can maybe make something in cartoon style, but I don't know how the Wesnoth devs did the regular unit portraits. Also, I'm a map creator, not very much of an unit creator (in fact, I have never come further than some 'Frankensteining' as you call it: cut, copy, paste, minor corrections). However, if you need some maps or map improvements I'd be happy to help.
For some way I haven't found any image 'mistakes' in LotI, only in RAE!

[Dugi]

I have found the image mistakes in LotI when I was testing new units (the new style Efraim with dark magic), so it was corrected before uploading.
I think you know it, but GIMP is also for Windows (it was exactly the same there as on Linux), just telling...
The portraits in cartoon style - yeeah, that would be helpful, the portraits I have made for it are cartoon style (actually imitating an american animated TV series; looks much more realistic than japan anime), if you haven't seen that (not sure if it was in the first version, and if it wasn't and you have started with it, updating won't change it in your save files). Cartoon style is still very good, it takes ages to paint a portrait that looks like a regular portrait (many of them are hand-drawn, then ported into the computer, coloured and finished).
Animations are not much different from painting units, you just redraw it several times (2-6) in order to make a sequence of images that looks like if the unit was moving. Then you make a .gif file from it, check how it looks, fix inconsistencies until it looks well and then, you edit the unit to make it use the frame pictures (well, I can do the last thing).

I don't need much help with the maps, describing it what should be there would take longer than making the map (however, you may improve the existing maps, most of the maps for chapters 1-3 are not using the additional terrains from 1.10, in some cases it does not look well, but please make sure it won't do damage to the scenario).

Btw, frankensteining is not my term, it is commonly used here as sticking a few body parts of various units together to make a new unit.

[masterofshadows]

Hm. never heard that word before. Maybe (notice the 'maybe' here) I can get some portraits by 'frankensteining' with existing unit portraits. For example, I could make a version of Assassin which has red eyes. More complicated ones like the general with the beard (I think you know which one I mean) are harder, for you have to alter the whole face without totally [censored] up the image (like the effect you get when you cut the eyes from a portrait in a magazine and paste them over the eyes in an other portrait. Don't know if you ever have seen the result, but it's pretty [censored] up). I can try some things out with that this weekend, and send you the results if the attempts are succesful. However I do not guarantee anything, because it will be a lot of work and I'm a bit busy this week. But I can try, if you want.

[Dugi]

Frankensteining the profiles... not sure if it is the best option, it would be quite visible, as the portraits differ in style quite remarkably (I think). Can you better just take a snapshot of a character from a comic/animated something, or even a photo and simply copy the main lines and colour it then? It has shown as the most efficient way to paint for me.

RAE UPDATE:
New weapon special: Pierce: Hits the enemy behind the designed target (Lancer, Paladin, Great Knight)
I have added the swords' shop. This is the list with in-game descriptions and costs. The cost is the number after the description. The prices and stats might need some balancing.
{SHOP_SWORD "Massive Sword (50% more attacks, an offensive attack with it will knock the enemy back" 20
{SHOP_SWORD "Flaming Sword (50% more damage and sets attack type to fire" 30
{SHOP_SWORD "Sharp Sword (50% extra damage, 30% more attacks" 30
{SHOP_SWORD "Old Sword (75% extra damage, sets damage type to impact as it is very blunt" 40
{SHOP_SWORD "Holy Sword (illuminates, grants an aura damaging undead and deals 25% more damage" 80

Those are the axes:
{SHOP_AXE "Silver Axe (40% more damage, 25% more attacks" 20
{SHOP_AXE "Unholy Axe (25% more damage, arcane damage, darkens nearby tiles and does more damage at night" 80
{SHOP_AXE "Icy Axe (20% more damage, 50% more attacks, slows everything nearby" 100
{SHOP_AXE "Axe of Perun (75% extra damage, 25% more attacks, fire damage and slows" 120

Hammers:
{SHOP_HAMMER "Skullsmasher (50% more damage, the enemy will recoil one attack less" 30
{SHOP_HAMMER "Hammer of Thurstagan (50% more damage, 25% more attacks, 20% to physical resistances" 60
{SHOP_HAMMER "The Doombringer (100% more damage, marksman, 5% chance to kill" 120

Maces:
{SHOP_MACE "Heathenbasher (30% more damage, illuminates, stronger during the day" 30
{SHOP_MACE "Tormentor of Light (30% more damage, darkens, 20% more attacks, stronger during the night" 40
{SHOP_MACE "Morgenstern (75% more damage, magical, arcane damage" 90
{SHOP_MACE "Wrath of the Pagan (75% more damage, marksman, 30% more attacks, better during both day and night" 150

Spears:
{SHOP_SPEAR "The Impaler (30% extra damage, hits also the target behind the chosen foe" 20
{SHOP_SPEAR "Explosionlance (30% more attacks, deals 5 additional impact damage" 30
{SHOP_SPEAR "Wicked Spear of Cruelty (50% extra damage, cold damage and plague" 80

Tridents:
{SHOP_TRIDENT "Trident of Storms (adds a new attack, 14-2 fire damage, magical" 30
{SHOP_TRIDENT "Lightbringer's Trident (50% extra damage, 50% more attacks" 80
{SHOP_TRIDENT "The Original Trident of Storms (20% more damage, adds a new attack, 15-5 fire damage, magical" 120

Magic staves:
note - spellcasting units that don't use staves, but their lesser advancements can (like Lich or Elvish Shyde), can be bought these staves too, but they will affect only their magic.
{SHOP_STAFF "Staff of Aimucasur (a new attack, shadow wave, 13-3 arcane damage" 30
(necromancers will get 50% to shadow wave damage instead)
{SHOP_STAFF "Staff of Crelanu (40% more damage by spells" 50
{SHOP_STAFF "Staff of Kerathur (20% more damage by spells, 100% more melee attacks" 80
{SHOP_STAFF "Staff of Sekhmet (adds splash damage; stacks with other sources of it" 200

Bows:
{SHOP_BOW "Poisonous Bow (20% more damage, 20% more attacks, adds poison" 30
{SHOP_BOW "Fine Bow (very precise, 40% more damage" 50
{SHOP_BOW "Dreadful Bow (30% more damage, arcane, drains" 70
{SHOP_BOW "Thunderforce (100% more damage, 30% more attacks, slows, adds some impact damage" 120
If you can imagine some more items, ideas are welcome.

[masterofshadows]

Well that looks just great!
On the other hand, you said it was possible to choose wether to upgrade damage, movement or hp. Can you choose which weapon the damage will affect, or is it for all weapons?

[Dugi]

You can choose between the damage of melee weapons and the damage of ranged weapons/spels. Like the strength or dexterity or vitality in many other games. If you change weapon, these bonuses will not be removed, same with AMLA damage improvements.

One question: If a unit with items dies, should it drop the items on the ground? I cannot guess what would be its impact, but it might allow the enemy to gain really a lot of stuff when he kills your unit, and therefore the death of one unit can possibly make a really huge shift in the battle, although it would be possible to recover the items you spent on a unit and it would be more logical.

[masterofshadows]

Well I think the unit should drop one or two items, but not all. That would make too much mess in the game. All players would fight to get those items, and therefore good strategic battles would become a big messy brawl. But when the slain unit drops one or two (random) items (or an item and an armour), the nearest unit would get them and the battle can continue without becoming a big brawl, where all fighting is done at one spot of the map.

[Dugi]

Hm, I can imagine quite a large brawl even for one of those items, especially if that unit is the last of some veterans, drops a mystic armour, and a load of level 1 units will fight for it (either to get the killer to take the items back, or to get the one who took it), as probably even ten of them is worth the armour. It would also pretty much alter the natural priorities, killing the strongest first, at all costs, it is not supposed to be that killing the boss wins the battle. Probably no item dropping at all would be the best.

[masterofshadows]

Maybe, indeed. Also, it might be a good idea to set an item limit to leaders (like no armours), for they can easily become overpowered when they have too many items.
Something totally else, but what will be the effects of this 'shopping' when you play scenario's like Creep War (where you can also upgrade weapons and armour)? I can imagine that you can then make your unit practically invincible. So maybe it's a good idea to make a version of the era for PRG's and such scenario's too (like the original era, without the shopping)?

[Dugi]

Armours in RAE have some maximum resistances, so you should not be able to become immune to something, and some the weapons you buy in creep war would be upgradeable, but most of them will not. My code is not expecting that you will have another source of attacks and there is no workaround for it swords can have pretty much any properties, so the only way to tell a sword from other weapons is that it is named sword, greatsword, saber or short sword (or war talon, and war blade, I made it consider drakish blades as swords too, they have just exotic handles); and if you get a weapon named sword-arcane, I cannot make it notice that it is a sword). Also the advancements from RAE will affect only some of the items you can buy and upgrade in Creep War. In this case, I suggest you to pick that you will either use only the improvements from Creep War or only from RAE, to prevent wasting gold on things that don't work (in RAE, you won't need to visit a shop to buy stuff, but you cannot improve things there, as you get that from AMLA). I will try how it works together as soon as I finish another phase of RAE.

Anyway, adding a no-shop version for RAE is a matter of a few minutes.

Btw, if everything will go all right, I might possibly release a beta here tonight (no help files, a few visual features missing).

About protecting the leader, he won't be hard to kill as he will not have too much exp and even the best stuff will not make his especially powerful. Weapons and armour stack well with damage and hp gained from AMLA, but without AMLA, items will not be too strong.

Edit: Creep war is clearly not balanced for using RAE, but generally adding an era without items should not be a problem. But many of these items clash with AMLA.

Update:
Halberds:
{SHOP_HALBERD "Sick Halberd (30% more damage, 20% more attacks" 20
{SHOP_HALBERD "Halberd of Execution (80% more damage, 5% chance to kill an enemy" 90

Other items. You can have only one of each kind (one Tome of bards, one Tome of Lichdom, one Ring of Ice, one Ring of Deathaura etc.).
{SHOP_ITEM "Book of Magical Swordplay" "2 extra melee damage" 20
{SHOP_ITEM "Tome of Lichdom" "allows the reader to reanimate himself if he is living" 50
(When a unit with the Tome of Lichdom becomes a lich, all its advancements, traits and items are wiped!)
{SHOP_ITEM "Book of Fireballs" "adds a new attack, fireball 10-4 fire damage" 80
{SHOP_ITEM "Book of Herbal Medicine" "poisons weapons and regenerates 13 hp per turn" 100
{SHOP_ITEM "Tome of Bards" "grants an aura increasing the damage of nearby allies by 33%" 130
{SHOP_ITEM "Ring of Protection from Magic" "20% all resists to magical energy" 100
{SHOP_ITEM "Ring of Unearthly Existence" "40% more attacks, 30% more damage, arcane damage, vulnerability to arcane and blade" 250
{SHOP_ITEM "Ring of Ice" "cold damage on weapon, slows" 140
{SHOP_ITEM "Ring of Deathaura" "deals 11 damage to all adjacent enemies" 100
{SHOP_ITEM "Icy Necklace" "slows all adjacent enemies" 200
{SHOP_ITEM "Dark Necklace" "poisons all adjacent enemies" 200
{SHOP_ITEM "Poison" "adds poison to attacks, poisons also the unit, badly" 15
{SHOP_ITEM "Foul Potion" "the unit loses 2 hp per turn, gains 2 maximum hp per kill, heals 8 hp per kill, will not stack with greater feeding" 40
{SHOP_POTION "Potion of Health (adds 20 to maximum HP" 80
{SHOP_POTION "Potion of Speed (adds 2 to movement and adds 1 extra attack" 300
{SHOP_POTION "Potion of Insane Speed (allows the unit to attack more times per turn" 1000
Potions of health, speed and insane speed can be drank multiple times.

Okay, now it should be complete, can you and please test it in a network/internet game? I cannot try it myself and some things might be different in internet/network games than in local games where I was testing it.

RPG_AMLA_Era.zip

An update, adding crossbows, added on 21 march, 14:00

(1.07 MiB) Downloaded 630 times

[masterofshadows]

I will try asap. Will be tomorrow, I think. Is the add-on available on the server yet?

Anyway, I put the folder you uploaded in my Add-ons folder. It should work this way.