Guide to RTC Structure/Editing (old RTC versions)

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Thu May 08, 2003 8:17 pm

A point about New objects :
You can assign them properties. The only two being WEIGHT and CONVERT_TO

Weight is a floating point number.
CONVERT_TO:ooo, ooo is an object Unique Identifier.
Example

ADD HEAVY_ROCK CLONES=(MISC_BOULDER) PROPERTIES=(WEIGHT:5000) NAME=(ROCK)

Try adding this into a dungeon as an amusing ninja training tool.
Quite easy to kill yourself by throwing it to much.

I haven't experimented with CONVERT_TO - I imagine that this is what
you use to decide what an object does when its charge runs out. (e.g Storm ring)

Post by **Gambit37** » Thu May 08, 2003 8:27 pm

Yep, that's it exactly. And RUST_TO does the same thing for objects that can be rusted; you specify what you want the rusted object to turn into; the default for this is simply a pile of rust.

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Thu May 08, 2003 8:32 pm

The Conduit is STAFF_CONDUIT
I don't know about rusted items.

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Thu May 08, 2003 8:52 pm

Here is a list of attack methods that can be applied to objects/monsters that Gambit posted on the old board:
Others I have discovered follow it.

ATTACK_METHOD_KICK
ATTACK_METHOD_BASH
ATTACK_METHOD_BLOW_HORN
ATTACK_METHOD_WAR_CRY
ATTACK_METHOD_CONFUSE
ATTACK_METHOD_BRANDISH
ATTACK_METHOD_CLIMB_DOWN
ATTACK_METHOD_FLIP
ATTACK_METHOD_SHOOT_ROCK
ATTACK_METHOD_SHOOT_ARROW
ATTACK_METHOD_THROW
ATTACK_METHOD_DISRUPT
ATTACK_METHOD_INVOKE
ATTACK_METHOD_STEAL
ATTACK_METHOD_POISON
ATTACK_METHOD_OPEN_DOOR
ATTACK_METHOD_DISPELL
ATTACK_METHOD_LIGHT
ATTACK_METHOD_SHIELD_FIRE
ATTACK_METHOD_WINDOW
ATTACK_METHOD_SHIELD_SPELL
ATTACK_METHOD_HEAL
ATTACK_METHOD_CALM
ATTACK_METHOD_FUSE
ATTACK_METHOD_FLUX_CAGE
ATTACK_METHOD_FREEZE_LIFE_LONG
ATTACK_METHOD_FREEZE_LIFE_SHORT
ATTACK_METHOD_RUST
ATTACK_METHOD_LIGHTNING_LARGE
ATTACK_METHOD_LIGHTNING_SMALL
ATTACK_METHOD_FIREBALL_LARGE
ATTACK_METHOD_FIREBALL_MEDIUM
ATTACK_METHOD_FIREBALL_SMALL

One's I have found to work are:

ATTACK_METHOD_SWING
ATTACK_METHOD_THRUST
ATTACK_METHOD_CLEAVE
ATTACK_METHOD_BERSERK

(I guess all weapon actions preceded by ATTACK_METHOD_ will work)
And for monsters (and objects is you really want to be that pointless)

ATTACK_METHOD_MONSTER_1
....
ATTACK_METHOD_MONSTER_7

Which appear to do more damage as the number at the end increases.
Thats about all I've discovered I think
I hope my posts are some help for the guide or appendices.

George Gilbert · Post by **George Gilbert** » Fri May 09, 2003 10:17 am

Spot on, I believe all of the above is dead right.

Just out of interest, how did you discover the MONSTER attack methods?

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Fri May 09, 2003 11:53 am

There is an example of that in the Phantom RTC File I think.

Thanks to everyone for the information, you all just made it onto the contributing authors list. Got some more done last night.

Terminoligy
- Introduction to triggers

RTC Text files
- [Layout] section documented

How to..
- Pits
- Doors opened with keys
- Stairs

Im sure I did more but I honestly can't remember.

There is also a new How To... section for doing some advanced stuff. Secrtion headings so far are

- Combination Locks
- Extra long delays

Feel free to suggest any others.

Gonna do the tutorial and tutorial dungeons files this weekend. Its getting there.

Then Ive got to convert it over to HTML so that it looks nicer.

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Fri May 09, 2003 1:40 pm

George : I saw
ATTACK_METHOD_MONSTER_3 from DM_Original.txt.
It contains this line :

[New - Objects]
ADD MONSTER_RUSTER_DM CLONES=(MONSTER_RUSTER) METHODS=(ATTACK_METHOD_MONSTER_3)

After seeing that I did a bit of trial and error to discover that it went
up to 7.
You can give character weapons monster attack methods but they
seem to do very little damage if you do.

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Fri May 09, 2003 1:46 pm

Any Chance of a description of what each one does or roughly how powerful these attacks are. I assume that it the steadily go up from a screamer hitting sqeeking at you to a dragon biting you.

Thanks in advance,

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Fri May 09, 2003 9:02 pm

You assume correctly.
I can't give you figures for them all atm, but they
do increase in damage from 1 upwards.
6 and 7 both do a lot of damage.

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Sun May 11, 2003 4:20 pm

Figures would be great to put in the guide.

Thanks matey

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Sun May 11, 2003 9:21 pm

Posted version 0.02, still nowhere near finished but it is coming along.

Comments and suggestions are welcome as always (either PM me, email
me or post here)

Link is

http://www.freewebs.com/andyboy_uk/rtcEditingGuide2.htm

Ta

chiefy · Post by **chiefy** » Mon May 12, 2003 2:34 pm

Gambit37 wrote:Yep, that's it exactly. And RUST_TO does the same thing for objects that can be rusted; you specify what you want the rusted object to turn into; the default for this is simply a pile of rust.

Gambit is there an example of this in the DM, CSB .txts

sounds fun, could you give a couple of examples please?

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Mon May 12, 2003 2:40 pm

Aye, Can we have an example so I can put it in the guide, Im doing my best to get as much functionality of the RTC engine into this doc as possible.

Im going to start writing a dungeon pretty soon as well. Tutorial ones first.

Any comments/suggestions/additions/feedback on the new version 0.02.

Ta

George Gilbert · Post by **George Gilbert** » Mon May 12, 2003 5:35 pm

I couldn't possibly comment on the dungeon internals and give exact values for each of the damage types ;-)

However, as it's for monsters (and so not giving party gameplay information) I will say that the attack values go roughly as the square of the number. i.e. the ratio of damage between ATTACK_METHOD_MONSTER_3 and ATTACK_METHOD_MONSTER_4 is roughly 9:16 and so on...

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Mon May 12, 2003 5:45 pm

I really have to have a proper play with the cloning things for new monsters.

Im assuming that there must be objects like MONSTER_ATTACK_FIREBALL for spells that are available to monsters, although I havent tried to find them yet. George? Is this right, or are they covered by the MONSTER_ATTACK_1-x

Post by **Gambit37** » Mon May 12, 2003 5:51 pm

You can use some of the attacks from the list I posted above (fireball, lightning, etc). Check out the MODULES/EXAMPLES/PHANTOM.TXT file which shows you how to do it.

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Mon May 12, 2003 5:58 pm

Excellent work Gambit, I will be playing with these a bit later in the week.

Has anyone tested cloning a new monster that has a freeze life attack.

I wonder wheter the party would get stuck but the monsters could carry on attacking?

Anyone tried this?

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Mon May 12, 2003 6:31 pm

I've not tried it but the freeze life attack simply stops all monsters - it's not a targeted effect unless George has snuck a surprise into the engine for us
Interesting though..give a monster an attack that stops it. Add in some giggler speed and that would make such a weird creature. SOme sort of ponderously moving vicious thing...

George Gilbert · Post by **George Gilbert** » Mon May 12, 2003 7:00 pm

There are some attacks that monsters can do but the party can;t (e.g. steal) and some the other way around (freeze life). The vast majority however can be done by both...

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Tue May 13, 2003 2:48 pm

Ok here are some stats for the MONSTER_ATTACK methods.
Averages are over 10 attacks from a dragon cloned and given
one attack method on an unarmoured character with stats (strength, dex etc) all at 55.

MONSTER_ATTACK_1 Ave=5.4 Min=3 Max=8
MONSTER_ATTACK_2 Ave=19 Min=11 Max=25
MONSTER_ATTACK_3 Ave=56 Min=10 Max=88
MONSTER_ATTACK_4 Ave=94 Min=54 Max=144
MONSTER_ATTACK_5 Ave=175 Min=135 Max=238
MONSTER_ATTACK_6 Ave=220 Min=90 Max=331
MONSTER_ATTACK_7 Ave=270 Min=108 Max=422

As you can see there is quite a bit of variance but the averages
come out very close to ratios of the attack method number
squared, as George said.

On a different subject, I tried giving a monster a HEAL
attack. The idea being to maybe use it as a friendly
creature in the dungeon who helps you out, but alas
it did not work. Maybe the monster was healing itself.
I don't know.

George Gilbert · Post by **George Gilbert** » Tue May 13, 2003 3:18 pm

Heal is one of the methods monsters can't use I'm afraid...

friendly monsters are a good idea though - can you put something into the suggestions forum along those lines please and I'll have a look at it when I next get some time?

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Tue May 13, 2003 4:23 pm

So George, any chance of changing the way it works so that everyone can use all methods and just the target of the attack changes.

That way the party could be frosen or healed by a monster or NPC.

Im going to put a couple of suggestions in the other forum

thanks for everyones help on this one (andy also looks at replies and thinks this is going for a thread length record)

Post by **Gambit37** » Tue May 13, 2003 7:45 pm

Andy, here's a couple of other items that are missing from your list:

MONSTER_LORD_CHAOS_REINCARNATE //this is the one in CSB
STAFF_CONDUIT

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Wed May 14, 2003 12:47 pm

Thanks Gambit, they will be added when I next have a crack at the doucment. Im really looking forward to the Cloning Items section of the document now, there have been some really nifty tricks discussed in this thread that are going in.

I haven't done much work on the guide this week but I will be back on the case this weekend I think.

There is so much to this engine, its incredible. Also, I have been devoting some time to getting Dungeon Master II working in windows XP.

I will let you know if I manage it

Post by **cowsmanaut** » Wed May 14, 2003 7:28 pm

andy you will need a dos boot disk. XP does not contain a full set of dos. Some commands do not work the same as they used to. Most likley becuase they didn't like loopholes people foud with them.

If you can get it to run under XP Id be very interested to know. I just don't know how you would do it. It's the same issue with windowsME.

On the DM encyclopedia I think there is a link to makeing a dos disk for playign dm and DMII

moo

Post by **Lunever** » Thu May 15, 2003 9:27 am

If freeze should be added for monsters, what should it do? Freeze the party only, or freeze every creature except those on the tile of the freezer (for that is roughly, what freeze life performed by the party does)?

Hey Mormegil, isn't it somewhat paradox to take on the name of the wearer of the Black Sword and then take a Dragon as Avatar?

andyboy_uk · Post by **andyboy_uk** » Thu May 15, 2003 12:04 pm

Im cheating.

Im using Bochs.

http://bochs.sourceforge.net/

What a nobby little program. Like VMWare, but free

Ive got it booting freedos, and it can run doom, so I think it will be able to hanlde DM2

and you should in theory be able to run it on Linux/Windows/PocketPC/etc.

Its cross platfom PC Emulator.

Very clever indeedy

TheMormegil · Post by **TheMormegil** » Thu May 15, 2003 4:15 pm

Lunever : The pic of the dragon is one I'm planning to slay!

Post by **Lunever** » Thu May 15, 2003 4:48 pm

Black Sword: Right, of course! Nice gif for an Avatar btw!

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Thu May 15, 2003 5:43 pm

Which fantasy does all this come from? I'm intruiged!

Dungeon Master Forum

Guide to RTC Structure/Editing (old RTC versions)

RUST_TO ?