V0.22 - File formats and "Global Hall of Champions"

[George Gilbert]

Lots of bugs fixed this weekend so nearly there...

Unfortunately several of them (in particular making doors bash/fireball-able on an individual basis and adding the option for triggers to be operated by items only on, only over or on-and-over) have meant radically changing the file format so the next version of RTC won't be backwardsly compatible.

As a result I've also implemented loads of other fixes that have required major changes to the file format. This includes over-hauling the "points" scoring system for the Hall of Champions after completing a game. The structure now allows the creation of a "global" Hall of Champions; after completing a game you will be able to simply send me a copy of your RTC file and I'll construct a Hall of Champions based on the merged set of all players! In addition, it will enable me to create ranking lists of all the other internal statistics (e.g. fastest times to complete the dungeon).

To try and keep the number of times the file format changes down to the absolute minimum, I'd like to implement anything similar (or radically different!) now, rather than wait for a later version. If there's anything else you can think of that you'd like to see, or any other comments on the above, please speak now!

[Lunever]

I don't know, whether you intend to give monsters values for Mana or for regeneration speed, but if you want to, you might do so now (Maybe only having room in the format of the monsters that are set to infinite/zero as default).
<p>Komm zur bunten Seite der Macht! </p>

[Gambit37]

Hey, that's cool that you've fixed the floor trigger functionality, and the door properties! Thank you very, very much indeed. I promise I will stop whinging now!

As you're thinking about other functionality at this stage, what do you think of the suggestions in these threads:

Active objects behaviour (currently it's still a little odd!)
<a href="http://pub50.ezboard.com/freturntochaos ... 2.topic</a>
<a href="http://pub50.ezboard.com/freturntochaos ... 3.topic</a>

Ambient Sounds:
<a href="http://pub50.ezboard.com/freturntochaos ... 8.topic</a>

[billgus]

Some OPBY options for items:

FLOOR - on a tile
TILE - + OVER a tile - flying
STEAL - + in hand
VISIBLE - +wear/cursor
ACCESSABLE - +pouch/quiver
PACK - + backpack (excluding in a chest)
ANY - + includes inside a chest

Example: OPBY(WAND_TRIDENT,VISIBLE)

Note that this DOESN’T include the FTL Firestaff ‘bug’

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For monsters:

UNIQUE – Lord Chaos, etc
GENERIC – not Lord Chaos, etc
FLOATS – immune to pits
GROUNDED – pits work
MATERIAL - …
NONMATERIAL – Ghost/Rive, etc.

Example: OPBY(GROUNDED)

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I saw a note in the forums that RELAY only accepts ACTIVATE messages. This makes CONSTANT_WEIGHT through a RELAY hard or impossible. Perhaps RELAY should have a OPBY for DEACTIVATE (and TOGGLE).

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I saw a note in the forums that monsters have only hit-points and ‘afraid’ attributes. Shouldn't poisoned be there too, for poison blob hits?

Per monster:
HP (from generator)
Afraid (starts at zero)
Poisoned (starts at zero)
Recharge (starts at zero)

Per monster type:
Unique (currently, only Lord Chaos, but for boss monsters)
Speed-move (Flame = never, etc.)
Speed-action (from rare to machine-gun)
Tactic: enter (DM2 pit/haze), melee, either, snipe, avoid (DM2 chest)
Can Teleport 2 spaces (ala Lord Chaos)
Can cast fireball (power)
Can cast lightning (power)
Can cast (poison/acid) cloud (power)
Can cast Posion blob (power)
Can cast dispell (power)
Can cast ZO (power?)
Can steal (power?)
Can melee (power) and type of damage: point, edge, blunt, touch
Affected by fire
Affected by lightning
Affected by (poison/acid) cloud
Affected by being poisoned
Affected by dispell
Affected by ZO
Affected by Flux Cage
Affected by pointed attack
Affected by edged attack
Affected by blunt attack
Affected by door attack
Affected by falling

Affect levels:
negative - heals/adds to HP
immune - no effect
slight - reduced damage or change to be effected
some - less than full
full - normal damage (same as party member)
extra - more than party
bane - very badly effected

[billgus]

These are more engine questions/additions.

If monster casts dispell on party, does it remove shielding spells and/or potion boosts?

Can stairs and pits be targeted - for non-Euclidion use?

Altimeter item - tells level (signed, please)
Homing device - like compass, but points to some location
Distance varient - shows how far from location
Naming scroll for rooms
Hint scroll - instead of oracle

[Lunever]

Oracle scroll! Cool idea!
<p>Komm zur bunten Seite der Macht! </p>

[beowuuf]

Yup, since you have the information already there for the hint oracle, transfering it to a scroll might be an idea
Have a secondary variable as an option in the hints part, for range to scroll
You might only apply it to areas instead
Or you could have a seperate creature scroll, hint scroll etc

[Gambit37]

Not sure about the scroll for the hint oracle. It'll make things too easy.

The reason FTL designed it as a separate app, is because they didn't want you to rely on it too much. Making it on a separate disk which required a reboot, meant you'd think twice about using it as it would take a while to go through the process of finding the hint, then relaoding the game and getting back to where you were.

[Lunever]

The hints do not contain that much information. There are still enough places in CSB where the hints won't help you too much.
At least it would be good to have a hint scroll in the engine for future use in new dungeons (I would like to have it also in DM/CSB, besides).
<p>Komm zur bunten Seite der Macht! </p>

[Lunever]

George, how are the scores of the HoC calculated? I must admit, that I do nor understand their values at the first glance.
<p>Komm zur bunten Seite der Macht! </p>

[beowuuf]

I agree that if we were discussing an in-game hint oracle it would be too much


I'm assuming also two levels of hints - so there are things that show up on the scroll and oracle and thigns that show up in the hint oracle only

it might be good if you think something is obscure, or worse yet soemthign that replies on previous game knowledge (i rememebr when i wouldn't have thought ever about using ZOKATHRA on RA locks) then you have a way to level the playing field

[Solkann]

Any ETA on release ? <p>Thoorne Darkmagi
61 Archmage
Master of the Elements</p>

[George Gilbert]

Day after tomorrow probably!

I should have some time on Wednesday to finish off the last couple of fixes; once that's done, then it's ready to go...