Fly an ability?!

[BuBu]

Lately i was think how fly is good (do you already fly? ) and it give very good advantages like go throuth montains, holes, lava, water and deep water and a lot of many things that make a walking unit take many turn to go throuth and in some cases it is imposible to continue.

Don't you think that fly is better than some abilities that already exist, so why not considerate it an ability?

[turin]

Because it's a movement type.

[zookeeper]

Because it's a movement type.

That's an implementation detail.

I wouldn't be opposed to displaying a flying ability on all fliers, but it seems somewhat unnecessary as well.

[irrevenant]

IMO, it would be good to have "Flying" as an ability. That enables things like attacks that do (or don't) work vs flying units.

[Blarumyrran]

IMO, it would be good to have "Flying" as an ability. That enables things like attacks that do (or don't) work vs flying units.

flying units are (with the exception of the bat) standing on ground in their base frames, making them just as vulnerable as land units.

[cool evil]

IMO, it would be good to have "Flying" as an ability. That enables things like attacks that do (or don't) work vs flying units.

That would mean there is a height difference, and if that is taken into the game, then units high on the mountain can be immune to attacks as well.

[BuBu]

That's an implementation detail.

I wouldn't be opposed to displaying a flying ability on all fliers, but it seems somewhat unnecessary as well.

I forgot one thing!

The units doesn't show very clear that the unit fly. Any player that don't play yet with it don't know that it fly (I only discovered after use it).

AND flying units has almost the same moviment on cave like the walking unit. (when it is better than walking on cave).

[Qes]

Having recently gone through this hell:

One can MAKE flying an ability for any faction for any unit, at any time.

One just has to be willing to make sacrifices before the WML alter.
-Qes

[Baufo]

The units doesn't show very clear that the unit fly. Any player that don't play yet with it don't know that it fly (I only discovered after use it).

Well, the game does not have flying as an ability because units actually do not fly. There are, as Turin pointed out, some units with a movement type that enables them to pass terrain which most other units cannot pass and for which to cross one usually needs to be able to fly in our world.

So there is no good reason to emphasize that a unit "flies" - it is just a movement type.

[Elvish Vanquisher]

I forgot one thing!

The units doesn't show very clear that the unit fly. Any player that don't play yet with it don't know that it fly (I only discovered after use it).

AND flying units has almost the same moviment on cave like the walking unit. (when it is better than walking on cave).

You can't fly in a cave! The top of the cave would be too low and there would not be enough space for a gryphon or something to spread it's wings properly. Also if something could fly permently it would be really hard to kill.[/b]

[irrevenant]

IMO, it would be good to have "Flying" as an ability. That enables things like attacks that do (or don't) work vs flying units.

flying units are (with the exception of the bat) standing on ground in their base frames, making them just as vulnerable as land units.

It's arguable whether units actually enter combat in their base frame mode. Realistically, it probably varies from unit to unit (eg. Drakes attack by foot, Bats attack by air) but for simplicity it's as reasonable to say "flyers are flying when they attack" than it is to say the opposite.

[EDIT] In fact, given that flying units have a flat 50% defence regardless of terrains, we can assume that they are flying when they engage in battle.

The point is, making "flying" an ability would serve as a marker that can be used for effects. Many of these effects haven't even been thought of yet. Maybe flying units will take more damage from storms. Maybe some items will only be visible from the air. etc. Making "flying" a checkable tag opens the door for a bunch of stuff.

That would mean there is a height difference, and if that is taken into the game, then units high on the mountain can be immune to attacks as well.

Not really. Units are considered to engage in combat at the border line of their hexes. That's why each defends on their own terrain.

[Sandman]

Well, the game does not have flying as an ability because units actually do not fly.

In this case lets give gryphons "crawl" ability. That would give them better movement and defense in caves. Oh my, but if they don't fly, maybe they don't crawl to?

Seriously I think it is thunderer case. They have a weapon that sounds like a real life gun, but it's a magic staff. It's fantasy world, so why not? But units with wings that don't fly??? They are using them to refrigate themselves?

[Noyga]

Then we would add a "swimming" ability for similar reasons, then probably a "climbing" ability, then it would be a mess...

[Elvish_Pillager]

Maybe flying units will take more damage from storms.

Yeah, because they're somehow unable to land when they see a storm coming...

Maybe some items will only be visible from the air. etc.

Yeah, because spotting items is a really important part of Wesnoth gameplay...

Making "flying" a checkable tag opens the door for a bunch of stuff.

Yeah, like endless debates about whether individual units should get the tag...

KISS.

[irrevenant]

KISS.

What could be more simple than giving units that can fly the "fly" ability?

BTW, another use for the 'fly' ability just came up in the Free Goblins thread - a hot-air balloon unit that can only be engaged in melee by other flying units.