Possible trait(death-triggered effect)

[Fiach Dubh]

I can do that one, I think. The only thing I'm not sure of is how to make the new unit spawn at the location where the old one died (I'm not good with locations in WML)
Oh, and can I keep the same name on the unit by storing its user_description as a variable 'name', then setting the new unit to 'user_description=$name'? Or would there be more to it than that? (I'm not too great with variables either!)

[SkeletonCrew]

First off, you might want to exclude villages as well.

Why not turn them into water villages and castles into sunken castles? This way the advantage still works only won't destroy important terrains.

[edit]
I realize adding all these cases can be a little bit tedious, after merging the new terrain stuff, this might become quite easy. (I need to add the code support but that's easy )
[/edit]

[DraconicBlessing]

I can do that one, I think. The only thing I'm not sure of is how to make the new unit spawn at the location where the old one died (I'm not good with locations in WML)
Oh, and can I keep the same name on the unit by storing its user_description as a variable 'name', then setting the new unit to 'user_description=$name'? Or would there be more to it than that? (I'm not too great with variables either!)

I don't think there'd be a problem with how you described renaming the (new) unit. As for the location, as the unit dies, it'll have its location stored in x1,y1 if you're using an event with a "die" trigger.

[Fiach Dubh]

Code: Select all

#define PSEUDOABILITY_REINCARNATION TYPE
[event]
name=die
[filter]
type={TYPE}
[/filter]
{STORE_UNIT_VAR x1,y1 user_description unit_name}
{STORE_UNIT_VAR x1,y1 side unit_side}
[unit]
type={TYPE}
side=$unit_side
x,y=$x1,$y1
user_description=$unit_name
animate=yes
[/unit]
[/event]
#enddef

I've tested this and it works, just put {PSEUDOABILITY_REINCARNATION (type)} somewhere in the unit file ('type' being the unit's ID)

[Airk]

I admit, the first thing I thought of when I heard the phrase 'death-triggered effect' was an explosion that would damage adjacent units. But that's neither here nor there. The change terrain effect is enormously cool.

As for reincarnation, it seems excessively powerful outside of a campaign NPC unit, unless the unit in question really sucked. As a means of balancing it for 'real' use, how about a reincarnate that only works -some- of the time, ala the Pkunk in Star Control 2 (which would respawn on death 50% of the time).

[Fiach Dubh]

My thought for the Reincarnation ability was actually a unit that has no attacks, or a VERY weak attack - it's very good at delaying an enemy advance, but can't actively do anything. It also can't be used as an immortal guard for a village, since it respawns in an adjacent hex, not the one that it died in (this is unintentional, but actually probably better that way). It could work nicely as an annoyance in a dungeon-type scenario:

Apparition
race=undead
image="units/undead-blackspell.png"
hitpoints=10
movement_type=custom (1 move in any terrain including walls, low defence but 90% resistance to all non-holy attacks)
movement=5
level=1 (so it has a ZOC - also, you can farm it for XP, but it takes so long that it isn't really worth it!)
description= "This minor spirit is not powerful enough to affect the physical world at all. It can, however, project illusions and produce sounds to distract the living. It is almost immune to physical attack, and even if defeated it will soon reappear nearby."
abilities=Reincarnation
no attacks
no advancement (unlikely to come up anyway, since it can only gain XP by being attacked, and loses them when it respawns)

If this were used in a dungeon, you could set up some non-combat-based way to kill them - possibly a moveto event which changes its type to Apparition2 (identical, but without the Reincarnation ability). This would reflect finding the creature's grave or other important location and doing whatever is necessary, after which the Apparitions no longer reincarnate but can be killed normally.

I like this actually, I've been working for a while on an alternative RPG-style advancement system for some scenarios - if I can get that to work, I might do a 'Haunted House' MP scenario!

[ILikeProgramming]

Code: Select all

#define PSEUDOABILITY_REINCARNATION TYPE
[event]
name=die
[filter]
type={TYPE}
[/filter]
{STORE_UNIT_VAR x1,y1 user_description unit_name}
{STORE_UNIT_VAR x1,y1 side unit_side}
[unit]
type={TYPE}
side=$unit_side
x,y=$x1,$y1
user_description=$unit_name
animate=yes
[/unit]
[/event]
#enddef

I've tested this and it works, just put {PSEUDOABILITY_REINCARNATION (type)} somewhere in the unit file ('type' being the unit's ID)

What about:

Code: Select all

#define NEVERDIE UNIT_TYPE 
[event] 
name=die 
[filter] 
type={UNIT_TYPE} 
[/filter] 
[store_unit] 
[filter]
x=$x1 
y=$y1 
[/filter]
variable=neverdie 
kill=yes 
[/store_unit] 
[set_variable] 
name=neverdie.experience 
value=0 
[/set_variable] 
[unstore_unit] 
varaible=neverdie 
[/unstore_unit] 
[/event] 
#enddef 

[governor]

I think that unit death and terrain mod is a neat concept. But too many inconsistencies can occur. For example, there is a keep in the desert. There is no water on the map. For some reason a merman walks 30 tiles with bad land movement to the enemies keep and it turns to water?? In the desert? WT?

Now a more interesting idea would be something like a pillager or fire mage torching a forest to force those pesky elves to grassland or hills. This could be fun because the fire could spread only twice a day forcing a gradual sweep of adjacent forest tiles. Tiles that are burning cannot be occupied. Tiles that were burnt lower every units normal defense percentage by 20% - this makes it risky for everyone. Units that are in a tile as it starts to burn take some damage. Forest tiles that are occupied by enemy units cannot be the ignition point. Only certain 'dieing' forest tiles are ignition points (IE. more dead trees - these also become fierce tactical zones).

As to not give any one faction too much of an advantage hills can burn and grassland can burn giving units in these tiles -10% defense. That way setting fire to a map makes every unit on the map more susceptible to taking damage. Of course mountains, desert, cave and water tiles would be unaffected.

For fire growth - forest can ignite adjacent hills or grassland, hills can ignite grassland, grassland can ignite hills. Forest fires spread x2/day, Grass fires spread x6/day, and hill fires x3/day.

This could make for an interesting scenario in maybe HTTT. Watching the fire slowly burn the whole map would be more than interesting to watch.

- OMG Delfadore the orcs are burning our homes!!
- WT F***. RUN. Konrad. RUN!! to the north west signpost.

[Ken_Oh]

Building stuff is an FPI and I think that changing terrains pretty much falls under that. But, since it's possible via WML, I would love to see someone take the idea and run with it. Imagine an era that allows people to build castles, keeps, divert rivers, chop down trees, cast growth spells, etc. Call it Terrain Era or something.

The reason that it's an FPI is that "the developers feel that the game is not about building things (other than your army)." This is a plenty good reason, but it would be neat to see someone stretch the bounds of the game.

[Airk]

I don't think changing terrain types is the same as "building" stuff - especially if you have to get a unit -killed- to do it (it's not like you could click 'dismiss' and spontaneously change the terrain where the unit was.)

I think it does make sense to prevent units from modifying (creating/destroying) villages and castles/keeps in this fashion though.

[F8 Binds...]

An interesting idea would to create a map with a volcano on it. It would be MP, and use the same idea as the "fire" did. This way, when you set the turn limit, instead of the game ending, it would go into "sudden death mode". during this period the volcano would erupt, and cause changes in terrain on the map. and after a certain time, 2-4 turns for instance, the land would change to a different terrain, and new "rock forms." if possible, the "new rock" would change to grassland, forests would be reborn, etc. then the volcano would explode again, starting a new "cycle".

grassland burns 3/ turn
hills burns 2/ turn
forest burns 2/ turn
mountains would burn 1/ 2 turns
cave ?
water n/a
castle ? (castle ruin? n/a?)
tundra 1/turn
desert 3/ turn
swamp n/a
village ? (pompeii?)