Indep grimoire slightly improved - Page 2

MaxWilson · #11 July 27th, 2007, 10:43 PM

Well, you're already keeping track of two concepts here:

1.) The spells you really have access to (defined by your research level), and

2.) the spells you can cast.

Right now #2 is just a cache of #1, regenerated every round, but if you allowed disabling spells by clicking on a toggle or something you just remove them from #2 (and put them on a list of "restricted" spells to remove every time you regenerate #2 from #1). The combat AI doesn't have to change at all, and since it's purely subtractive there's no worry about bugs that "enable" spells you haven't actually researched yet. I'm presuming that the Dom2 way would have necessitated adding *and* subtracting spells to/from the list as they were enabled/disabled.

Of course, maybe it's not as simple as that. For one thing, you have to also encode the "restricted" list as part of the .2h file for PBEM games.

-Max

Kristoffer O · #12 July 28th, 2007, 06:10 AM

Uhu, I have no idea. You might be right.

Gandalf Parker · #13 July 28th, 2007, 11:21 AM

From the look of the game logs it appears that the list doesnt have any "no use" but it does use a weighted system with just a touch of random thrown in. It might be possible to examine a game log and make suggestions on changing the order that choices are made.

The problem would appear to be that there isnt any "if I am Ermor" or "if I am undead" type of thinking involved. So any suggestion would need to be balanced between its worth in removing it from a bad-use situation while also removing from all other nations use.

Just a small part of the thinking for one mage looks like this in the logs.....
com Aziakos cast spell (favspell Swarm) (mayusegems 1)
est. choices 66
best spell so far Flying Shards (score17)
best spell so far Call Ancestor (score18)
best spell so far Wrath of the Ancestors (score578)
best spell so far Stoneskin (score7197)
best spell so far Ironskin (score12730)
best spell so far Swarm (score100697)
castspell: cnr765 spl365 (Swarm) vis2 x18 y10 spldmg591
Get an order for 5543 Dragonfly, ord 0
Closest enemy (for unr 5543)

The AI code was all added into the game late. Its pretty linear and generic to all nations and conditions. Any suggestions would probably have to be also unless the AI code got a massive rewrite from scratch.

MaxWilson · #14 July 28th, 2007, 05:35 PM

When you say "removing it from a bad-use situation while also removing it from all other nations' use," it seems like you're talking about a mod, which is as good as we can do at the moment, but I meant that the Dom3 change to spell lists was conducive to adding a new feature (probably tied into the GUI) for forbidding one's OWN mages from casting a particular spell. E.g. Touch of Madness, or Conjure Earth Elemental (waste of gems), or Phantasmal Warrior (if my PD Vanherses keep casting that instead of Orb lightning), or whatever spell is annoying me.

-Max

Gandalf Parker · #15 July 28th, 2007, 06:52 PM

No I meant in the game itself. The AI player or our unscripted mages.

As far as tweaking your own scripted mages actions that usually takes hard consideration on why they did or didnt cast.

And Im fairly sure that a gui menu feature for excluding spells would be a sizeable project so I wouldnt expect that anytime soon.

Ragnarok-X · #16 July 28th, 2007, 08:31 PM

I think there is more important stuff to do. Like fixing stuff instead of introducing more potential bugs and imbalances

Kristoffer O · #17 July 29th, 2007, 11:21 AM

Fixing stuff is partly made by me, but mostly by JK, since he is the programmer. JK is in India atm. I would gladly fix important stuff (whatever that is

) if I could. Since what I do, mainly concern adding stuff, I do that.

Edi · #18 July 29th, 2007, 11:39 AM

We're already getting quite a few fixes for minor (and some not so minor, from some nations' perspective) stuff in this patch, things that do not require pulling out big bits of code and doing complicated forensics on them.

A lot of polishing, making things shiny and better-looking, but a lot of stuff that has been in the list for a long time but which has been on the backburner, which allows them to be greenlighted out and leaves the bigger stuff left. I'm VERY impressed with the stuff that has appeared on the progress page since the start of July.

Gandalf Parker · #19 July 29th, 2007, 11:45 AM

Yes, you are definately on a roll Kristoffer.
I hope I didnt jinx it by saying that (knock on virtual wood) but Im smiling at seeing all of the touchups.

And I consider it very important to the game to get some of the balances worked on. And filling in some of the national specific items (castles, spells, bonuses). You are doing a great job.

NTJedi · #20 July 29th, 2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Gandalf Parker said:
Yes, you are definately on a roll Kristoffer.
I hope I didnt jinx it by saying that (knock on virtual wood) but Im smiling at seeing all of the touchups.

And I consider it very important to the game to get some of the balances worked on. And filling in some of the national specific items (castles, spells, bonuses). You are doing a great job.

I completely agree!! Kristoffer has been doing wonderful improvements/fixes.

Hopefully JK will be fully charged and ready to do his share of fixes upon returning from vacation.