Hi all
Apologies in advance for the length of this email. I've been working
on an update to my demon invasion map that I released several months
ago to fix balance issues and add more strategies players can use. I'm
having trouble with the odd behavior of the AI when I made a map with
2 units that are controlled by the player and the sole enemy unit
being the boss mob.
These are the following skills that it had:
greater_healing_touch annihilation ground earthen_shroud aqua_ring
fire_shield thunder_wave ice_imprison eruption plague mass_plague
vulnerability corruption desecration move //skills
This is what happens on a test map.
Turn changed: The forces of evil
the evil archmage eldrin uses ground on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on the evil archmage eldrin
Round: 2
It appears to process the fact that ground is a buff correctly and
cast it only once. However, when I advance the game into the second
turn onwards, it will cast only earthen shroud as many times as it can
and ignore other buffs or attack skills. This is the skill and effect
files for ground and earthen shroud.
Skill
2 // Parser version
Causes a thin film of electricity to grow around the target increasing
their resistance to electrical attacks by 30 for 5 rounds. Costs 15
mana and 1 AP, range 3. Key G
friendly
ai_buff
effects=ground
mana_cost=15
actions_cost=1
range=3
key=g
sound=ground
Effect
1 // Parser version
Reduces electric damage taken by 30 for 5 rounds.
unit
health_protect=30|electric
duration=5
Skill
2 // Parser version
Causes a protective coating of earth to grow around the target
increasing their resistance to physical and earth attacks by 15 for 5
rounds. Costs 15 mana and 1 AP, range 3. Key S
friendly
ai_buff
effects=earthen_shroud
mana_cost=15
actions_cost=1
range=3
key=s
sound=earthen_shroud
Effect
1 // Parser version
Reduces earth and physical damage taken by 15 for 5 rounds.
unit
health_protect=15|earth,15|physical
duration=5
I removed the earthen shroud skill so the next skill after ground
would be aqua ring. Sure enough, it casted ground properly but then
got stuck and would only cast aqua ring. I tried to work around this
by removing these buff skills and creating a passive skill called the
robes of the archmage that would provide him the buffs he would get
from casting earthen shroud, fire shield, aqua ring and ground
separately. After doing that, the skills for this unit looks like this:
greater_healing_touch annihilation thunder_wave ice_imprison eruption
plague mass_plague vulnerability corruption desecration move
robes_of_the_archmage //
Unfortunately when I reloaded the map, it then proceeded to use
thunder wave, which is a curse skill, on only 1 target. It would do so
repeatedly like above and not switch to another target on the same
tile. The skill and effect file for thunder wave follows.
Skill
2 // Parser version
Delivers a powerful electric shock to the nervous system. The pain
from the shock makes it more difficult to perform actions. Increases
the AP cost of all actions by 2 for 3 rounds. Lightning demons and
demonic giants are immune. Costs 20 mana and 2 AP, range 3. Key T
enemy
ai_curse
effects=thunder_wave
not_useable_on=lightning_demon,archmage_eldrin,demonic_giant,aeromancer
mana_cost=20
actions_cost=2
range=3
sound=thunder_wave
key=t
Effect
1 // Parser version
increases AP cost of all actions the target performs by 2 for 3 turns
unit
announce
actions_cost_mod=2
duration=3
I'm extremely perplexed by the odd behavior of the AI. Does anyone
have any clues on what might be causing it? My work in progress map
pack, if anyone wants to recreate the problem, can be downloaded from
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2138237/demon%20wars%20cycle.zip
The map I used for testing is called test.
BTW Ian, can you update the listing for my maps on the tactical battle
site so that it is called the demon wars cycle, points to this link
and says that it is by Victorious? I will probably use a different
email for this list soon and go by the name Victorious as that is what
most people know me as online and will help to avoid future confusion.
Thanks
Dickson
