"Autocast" attacks

[Zoythrus]

ok, something simple: when a unit has two attacks (a ranged and a melee), the melee should be able to be set to auto. auto would mean that enemies that come in range would feel the wrath of the melee attack (not the ranged).

this is really needed...

_{Topic moved from MegaGlest board by Ultifd}

[Valetdepik]

Yeeeeaaaaah, Zoythrus  as correct...
Cause it's a bit ennoyin' to say "hey you, you're attacked" if ya see what I mean ^^ ...
The characters are just crazy ^^
             Â±END¤CONNEXION±

[emscape]

indeed I agree

[Mark]

This has something to do with my charge idea, because it involves switching attacks.  If one is implemented, the other is easily implemented as well.

[claymore]

Bump. This would be really useful.

[Little Helper]

I really would see this in Megaglest and just a quick question guys, how do you save your game in MG?

[John.d.h]

I really would see this in Megaglest and just a quick question guys, how do you save your game in MG?

You can't save in MG, only in GAE.

[Zoythrus]

GAE needs this too!

[Little Helper]

Darn I hoped the latest MG would have SG  guess I have to wait. 

[the warlord of the reich]

nope it should hold its ground and shoot like any person with sense. if the enemy'ss a ranged too it should shoot a few and charge.

also how about a mod allows cavalry to dismount or allows units to attack while moving and charging?

would be fun

[titi_son]

what is if the range attack is better then the melee and what is if there are 2 range ( one with range 3 and one with 9 for example ) and one melee?

[Zoythrus]

what is if the range attack is better then the melee and what is if there are 2 range ( one with range 3 and one with 9 for example ) and one melee?

well, im not too sure.....i cant solve everything....

[Omega]

what is if the range attack is better then the melee and what is if there are 2 range ( one with range 3 and one with 9 for example ) and one melee?

well, im not too sure.....i cant solve everything....

The solution would be modder defined priorities. Have a <priority value="1" /> tag in the attack skill, where lower numbers (1 = first priority) would be used over higher numbers. So if there are two ranged skills, one priority 1, and the other priority 2, it will always use the priority 1 until it cannot anymore. If it can't use priority one, but can use priority two (let's say 1 is a ranged attack that has a minimum range, and 2 is dropping a rock, which has no minimum range, but can't fire as far). Finally, when right up to the foe, use the melee attack. Obviously the CPU will not be perfect, a human player may decide to force the use of the range attack on a different unit, based on the situation.

[John.d.h]

The solution would be modder defined priorities. Have a <priority value="1" /> tag in the attack skill, where lower numbers (1 = first priority) would be used over higher numbers. So if there are two ranged skills, one priority 1, and the other priority 2, it will always use the priority 1 until it cannot anymore. If it can't use priority one, but can use priority two (let's say 1 is a ranged attack that has a minimum range, and 2 is dropping a rock, which has no minimum range, but can't fire as far). Finally, when right up to the foe, use the melee attack. Obviously the CPU will not be perfect, a human player may decide to force the use of the range attack on a different unit, based on the situation.

I think an easier syntax would be to prioritize them based on what order they occur in the XML, i.e. first skill listed is first skill used.

[Mr War]

maybe the engine should calculate the most effective (strength & speed) and use whichever is more powerful for a given range. So if they are both in range, it'll chose the more powerful, If both equal, chose first. It think it could ignore attack type (piercing, impact etc) and opponent armor type but those are also variables it could use to make the most effective decision.

[Omega]

maybe the engine should calculate the most effective (strength & speed) and use whichever is more powerful for a given range. So if they are both in range, it'll chose the more powerful, If both equal, chose first. It think it could ignore attack type (piercing, impact etc) and opponent armor type but those are also variables it could use to make the most effective decision.

I think it's better to let the order (as per john) or priority (as per me above) do this. Not only does the engine no longer have to perform a calculation each attack, but the modder probably knows the effectiveness of the attacks better than any AI could calculate, especially if there are other things to take into attribute, such as special effects the attack may have, splash, etc. As well, if the engine stuttered due to pathfinding, who's to say mass calculations during a large scale battle wouldn't do the same?

[Zoythrus]

i think that it should go with Omega's way - set priorities; but John's could be the default behavior (if priorities arent set)

[Mr War]

I agree John's way is simplest and likely to incur least overhead.

the modder probably knows the effectiveness of the attacks better than any AI could calculate, especially if there are other things to take into attribute, such as special effects the attack may have, splash, etc.

hehe, I doubt that man, we're talking math.

[Omega]

I agree John's way is simplest and likely to incur least overhead.

the modder probably knows the effectiveness of the attacks better than any AI could calculate, especially if there are other things to take into attribute, such as special effects the attack may have, splash, etc.

hehe, I doubt that man, we're talking math.

Well, MG is pretty simple, but throw in some GAE effect tags and then things get a bit more complicated. If the priority tag was used, suppose you could have the same priority to two skills, which would cause a calculation? Or if priority isn't specified, it would do the calculation.

Either way really works, and both are inferior to Lua allies so, so badly.

[titi_son]

is this really NEEDED??? I mean won't the gameplay be boring if the units "Autocast" attacks.
This may be included to improve the cpu but not for humans i think 
at the moment there is only the battle_machine right ? (and the ones with air attacks) i think if you have a faction where you only have one unit and you always do upgrades to unlock new attacks (or something like this) the cpu will be very bad!

[Zoythrus]

@PT - you realize that this is for realism, right? the point is that it doesnt make much sense for an archer to attempt to fire at a guy who is an inch away from him! also, many times the melee attack is better than the range, so you'd think that the unit would use their melee if an enemy unit is using melee against them.

[John.d.h]

I think it's also good for flow, too.  There's a balance between being macro-focused and being micro-focused, but sadly you can't please everybody all the time.

[ElimiNator]

@PT - you realize that this is for realism, right? the point is that it doesnt make much sense for an archer to attempt to fire at a guy who is an inch away from him! also, many times the melee attack is better than the range, so you'd think that the unit would use their melee if an enemy unit is using melee against them.

Sure its more realistic, but that's for the player to do. DO NOT automate MG.

[Zoythrus]

I think it's also good for flow, too.  There's a balance between being macro-focused and being micro-focused, but sadly you can't please everybody all the time.

you need a balance, too much in either direction and it's not fun. you really need to have some ability for the units to "think" for themselves. it doesnt make much sense if a unit who can prevent another unit from dying (like, from a poison attack or something) just sits there and doesnt do anything. there's nothing worse than having to babysit a bunch of units when instead you could be preparing for another attack

[ElimiNator]

What you say for them to do, the units should do.