b0rsuk mod (temporary name)

[I like Serena]

True enough, it is 3 vs 2. It's only that AI usually has a weak or wounded unit as the second defender.

To tell the truth I couldn't find any exact information. I know for sure there's +3 against ranged attacks. But I noticed I had trouble killing the unit in the gate. That's when I started looking for more precise information. I also seem to do surprisingly low damage when attacking through walls with floaters (wraithform) and phantom warriors.

I just reexamined the code, and as far as I can tell there are no conditions for the defense of the walls.
If an attacker outside the walls attacks a defender inside the wall, the defender always gets +1 or +3 shields depending on cover.
I think this even holds true for flyers!
I've always felt this was the case, I had the impression that flyers attacked better from inside the walls than from outside - and they can.

It would be nice if someone could confirm this.
Actually, this might be a nice test case.
If we change byte 99F4Ch in wizards.exe from +3 to for instance +9 we should be able to see the difference.
And since Kyrub did something about this code in Insecticide, it would be useful to check this in Vanilla as well as in Insecticide.

[I like Serena]

In the meantime I've thought up a patch for the code so you can change the +1 bonus as well.
It involves replacing 21 bytes in wizards.exe, and then you can change the +1 bonus at a new location.
I have to test this however before I publish it.

Does anyone have a savegame with city walls and attacking flyers, defending flyers, wraithform units and phantom units? Or a subset thereof?

[b0rsuk]

I don't have a savegame. Are you sure it's +1 shields and not, for example, +1 to hit or Blur-like effect with value of 1 ?

[I like Serena]

I don't know what changes could be relatively simple. Could you check the "Homeless ideas" thread and tell me which changes sound easy ? At this moment I'm resigned to only using the editor.

Ehhhh, the ideas you mention at Homeless ideas are basically out-of-reach for me (for now). I'm more thinking about numbers that you would like to change, but that you cannot find in say Joel's Editors. Like Large Shield bonus, Noble bonus, City wall bonus (protected or unprotected).
I'm even willing to go a little bit further and for instance change the way City Walls work.
For instance I think I can change the defense bonus of the gate, although there's a good chance that Kyrub is already looking into that.

For more advanced stuff, like changing AI, changing game mechanics or changing the user interface, Kyrub is your guy to go to.

Also I'm collecting ideas for my Tweaker program. For now I've listed your idea of customizable opponents, so you can choose for instance their race.
That's something I can make, although I'm not thrilled to do it yet, because it can easily be done with Joel's Editors before you begin playing. So I don't see much added value if I make something for it.
Catwalks request for initial spell selection screens is already more interesting, since that is something that can not easily be done with Joel's Editors, and my Tweaker might be used to limit the options the player can choose, so it isn't cheating, but just a way to reach an alternative and interesting setup.

--ILSe

[b0rsuk]

Okay, I understand. But are you able to change things like hero abilities ? (charmed, might, weaponmaster, mage random, fighter random..) As for the gate bonus, I prefer not to change it until I know exactly what's going on (tests) and have a better idea how much would be appropriate.

I will most likely ask you to modify the experience table, city walls and Nature's Eye vision range.

If you get an impression I'm making slow progress with the mod, it's because I want to finish that Myrran klackon game. I made a point of using hordes of low quality (swordsmen, halberdiers, currently 6/turn with enchanted roads vs paladins, storm giants..) Insecticide fixes help my cause too.

[I like Serena]

Okay, I understand. But are you able to change things like hero abilities ? (charmed, might, weaponmaster, mage random, fighter random..) As for the gate bonus, I prefer not to change it until I know exactly what's going on (tests) and have a better idea how much would be appropriate.

I will most likely ask you to modify the experience table, city walls and Nature's Eye vision range.

Yes, those are things I can do, but I think you can do them too (perhaps not all of them).

If you get an impression I'm making slow progress with the mod, it's because I want to finish that Myrran klackon game. I made a point of using hordes of low quality (swordsmen, halberdiers, currently 6/turn with enchanted roads vs paladins, storm giants..) Insecticide fixes help my cause too.

Hey, since you're playing with Serena as support hero, I don't really feel left out.

--ILSe

[b0rsuk]

Yes, those are things I can do, but I think you can do them too (perhaps not all of them).

How ? I have the tools from Joel Shlecht. Race/building editor, unit editor, and spell editor (3 executables). Unit editor lets me do things like adding unit abilities to heroes (wall crusher, regeneration) but not hero skills. Spell editor has no way of changing saving throws (Boooooo ! One of most important things for many spells !).

[Catwalk]

Joel made a hero editor as well. Don't know where to get it, though.

[kyrub]

There is a mail contact to Joel on this page. I think, if he's asked politely, he will not hesitate to procure the hero editor.


http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/showthr...49&page=44

[b0rsuk]

kyrub:

Thanks, I'll contact him once I have something to show.

=====================

The first version of my mod is now officially out. Check the first post in the thread for link and list of changes. Check the second post if you're interested why these changes are made.

http://www.realmsbeyond.net/forums/showt...php?t=4242

I barely had the time to test it aside from movement changes. I'll be now playing it for some time before I make further changes.