item system

[hls]

Can you make items that you can pick up, then you can use them to improve your attributes?

[wyvern]

I don't think so, unless its in GAE

[John.d.h]

I don't think so, unless its in GAE

Take a look at what board you're on.

[wyvern]

I know but my wording was very very poor, I meant unless its already implemented in GAE

[ultifd]

Well, I think hls was asking for this...not asking if it was already implemented, etc.... nevermind
I guess we can, but...how would this really fit? Also, I thought GAE is more to a bug fixing release, or...like adding the features that was already announced...

hmm.

[-Archmage-]

Enemies could drop health packs, or potions or something? Might be kinda hard to implement though........

[John.d.h]

I remember there was some talk about this a long time ago from Daniel, regarding having items you could carry, drop, use, etc., á la Warcraft 3.  I don't know if any of the framework was laid down for it, though, or if that's something the community wants.  Thoughts?

[Omega]

Personally, I'm not so sure it'd be a good thing. It'd be very complex, as well it would have to be techtree dependant. Plus, it just seems out of place in a game like glest.

[John.d.h]

I guess it depends on how RPG-ish we want to make it, and how we can accomplish that without becoming an Age of Battle for Commandcraft clone.

[ChupaReaper]

GAE could become more of an RPG tactics game rather than a full blown rts (take away building things and focus more on a party, etc) this would require a different game mode with maps that allow units to be specifically placed but would be an interesting twist on the engine.
For an RTS dropping items isn't too important though good for scenarios, random items could spawn on the map so ruins could be placed with items scattered about offering a boost of stone supplies or something.

[John.d.h]

GAE could become more of an RPG tactics game rather than a full blown rts (take away building things and focus more on a party, etc) this would require a different game mode with maps that allow units to be specifically placed but would be an interesting twist on the engine.

Most of that can already be (and has already been) done via custom scenarios and custom tech trees.  There's nothing saying that a faction has to have buildings or has to be able to produce units.  Take a look at Omega's Labyrinth mod for an example.  The only thing we're missing is the ability to place units with Lua (currently in the works, I believe), and more people willing and able to make scenarios.

For an RTS dropping items isn't too important though good for scenarios, random items could spawn on the map so ruins could be placed with items scattered about offering a boost of stone supplies or something.

I think dropping items is pretty much a staple of RPG games, and strategy games with strong RPG elements.

Maybe we need to refine what kind of items we're talking about.  The way I see it, I can think of a few different kinds.

• 1. Equipment - Pick it up, carry it around, and it provides a constant change to your stats (e.g. a ring that gives +50 max hp).
• 2. Consumables - Pick it up and it disappears when you use it, providing some one-time bonus (e.g. a potion that gives +100 current HP).
• 3. Instants - Pick it up and it immediately takes effect (e.g. Mario picks up a mushroom and gets really big).
• 4. Luggage - Pick it up, carry it around, and it does nothing except what's dictated in the scenario (e.g. escort item A to location B to trigger event C).  Presumably this is useful for escort missions and "capture the flag" scenarios.
• 5. Relics - Á la "Age of..." games, these take effect when you deliver them somewhere (e.g. take the Box of Loathing to your Mage Tower to get +5 attack for all your Battle Mages).
  

Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

<things-i-only-pretend-to-understand>
While instants seems like it would be the easiest to code overall, I think we already have some of the framework for equipment, since they're basically just a unit that you carry (and we've got transports coming soon) that provides a constant effect (like an emanation).  Luggage would be even simpler, since it's just a transportable unit.
</things-i-only-pretend-to-understand>

[silnarm]

My initial thought was, too RPG.  But the usefulness for scenarios is very appealing... I remember carrying that chrysalis across the map ... (apologies to you sad people who never played starcraft  )

<things-i-only-pretend-to-understand>
While instants seems like it would be the easiest to code overall, I think we already have some of the framework for equipment, since they're basically just a unit that you carry (and we've got transports coming soon) that provides a constant effect (like an emanation).  Luggage would be even simpler, since it's just a transportable unit.
</things-i-only-pretend-to-understand>

Good point, though transported units 'emanating' is not at all handled properly atm... Should be an easy fix though

[wyvern]

Actually it would also be interesting if for example when you want a swordman you have to produce a sword trainy then the blacksmith must produce a sword and if you want to give him armor or something you can have the blacksmith produce shields hauberks and helmets then their could be limited ammo that must be reloaded by a specific unit if its physical for example arrows or catapults. Also when a unit is slain its equipment would automatically be dropped for, also weapons and armor would have to be repaired, but for example a horde of stickfighters kills a tech guard they then can take his equipment for example one takes his shield to increase his armor the other his armor to get improved and metal armor and another one his sword to improve his attack. However indians wouldn't have repair facilities so they wouldn't be able to keep the equipment infinitely. cuz it would fall apart eventually. also catapults could be captured by just killing the crew. is this clear or am I really confusing

[John.d.h]

Actually it would also be interesting if for example
<snip />

Uh... I think you're really looking for a different kind of game here.  That sounds like the most complicated combat/unit/equipment system I've ever heard of.

[wyvern]

I know (and noone has to take it seriously and no game has this I just think it would be really cool and am trying to implement some of this in WW1 with Gabbes permission. The artillery and planes will have limited ammo forcing planes to land to reload and artillery has to have lorries to bring in ammunition.

[John.d.h]

The artillery and planes will have limited ammo forcing planes to land to reload and artillery has to have lorries to bring in ammunition.

That part is already doable, I think.

[Omega]

The only thing we're missing is the ability to place units with Lua (currently in the works, I believe), and more people willing and able to make scenarios.

Oh that can be done in GAE, by means of {x, y} (though if you were refering specifically to Labyrinth, it was created long before GAE had such a feature).

One thing that would be interesting is reloading. Rather than limiting ammo, which could be troublesome and complicated (for the player), we could shoot x projectiles before having to reload, which is just another skill that could take x seconds and would display its own model (and be capable of sound effects). Using energy for this doesn't really work, because you'd "empty a clip" and then you'd have the equivilent of shooting one bullet at a time, not to mention no reload model, sound, etc;

[wyvern]

technically a skill like that could be in the units xml with some thing like reload but this would require too much micromanagement

[John.d.h]

Wyvern kinda beat me to the punch as I was typing this out, but I'll explain in more detail.

Oh that can be done in GAE, by means of {x, y} (though if you were refering specifically to Labyrinth, it was created long before GAE had such a feature).

I stand corrected.  I'm not really current on all the new Lua functions.

One thing that would be interesting is reloading. Rather than limiting ammo, which could be troublesome and complicated (for the player), we could shoot x projectiles before having to reload, which is just another skill that could take x seconds and would display its own model (and be capable of sound effects). Using energy for this doesn't really work, because you'd "empty a clip" and then you'd have the equivilent of shooting one bullet at a time, not to mention no reload model, sound, etc;

I believe this can already be done with creative use of XML.  Let's suppose you have a guy with a 12-round magazine, so he gets 12 ep and each of his attacks costs 1 ep.  When he exhausts his ep, he can use a special attack called "reload", which does no damage but restores all of his ep (ep regen +12, duration 1).

[silnarm]

Oh that can be done in GAE, by means of {x, y} (though if you were refering specifically to Labyrinth, it was created long before GAE had such a feature).

Actually, this is not a GAE feature, and was always possible, and is possible in Vanilla Glest too. It was just that no one knew

The startLocation() function returns an array with two elements, so anywhere this was being used in a givePositionCommand() or setCameraPosition() etc, could be replaced with your own array {x, y}

[Omega]

I believe this can already be done with creative use of XML.  Let's suppose you have a guy with a 12-round magazine, so he gets 12 ep and each of his attacks costs 1 ep.  When he exhausts his ep, he can use a special attack called "reload", which does no damage but restores all of his ep (ep regen +12, duration 1).

Meh, that'd be a lot of micromanagement though. I would prefer a skill that automatically comes in when the ammo is empty (thus, weapons that don't need reloading such as machine gun turrets could have a bit more advantage, and slower reloading weapons could be pushed back a bit behind the larger clipped automatic weapons). Though, it'd really be a bit more of a 'for looks' thing than a huge gameplay change.

Oh that can be done in GAE, by means of {x, y} (though if you were refering specifically to Labyrinth, it was created long before GAE had such a feature).

Actually, this is not a GAE feature, and was always possible, and is possible in Vanilla Glest too. It was just that no one knew

The startLocation() function returns an array with two elements, so anywhere this was being used in a givePositionCommand() or setCameraPosition() etc, could be replaced with your own array {x, y}

When I think about it, I realize that you are correct. After all, startLocation(x) just returns an array containing

• the x and y value, [1] the x value, and [2] the y value. Of course, GAE helped popularize it, plus a variety of other totally awesome functions. Though I must admit, I never actually thought about that...

[wyvern]

mg turrets do need ammo they could just have a ton of it like 250 rounds instead of the 30 in a lot of assault rifles

[Omega]

Well, I'm no expert, but what about those strips of bullets that can be ran through? I'm not refering to a handheld machine gun after all, but a very large mounted turret. Oftentimes, in videogames, mounted turrets have 'unlimited' ammo, so perhaps I'm just stereotyping it in...

[wyvern]

In reality most modern day mgs mounted as defenses have anywhere between 100-500 round magazines.

[Gabbe]

Items that contains upgrades for all of that soldier type?