Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - lixiss

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 8
1
General Discussion / Re: random thoughts
« on: 01 February 2023, 20:55:39 »
just what is harder to use in real life? lol. even if you don't have training, you'll still be able to hit what is right next to you with a sword or club. archery on the other hand needs serous training in order to hit your targets. yet in this game, this is the weapon that never misses

i know about crits. i was talking about real life comparisons rather than mechanics

Melee can be considered more harder, as meleing is final question between life or death. This is why all armies of past centuries attempts to not become into melee. 3-5m pike can be considered as melee weapon? Do box of halberders considered as melee? Is, roman centurions considered as melee warriors, when they are equipped with 3 throwing spears (famous pilum), and having own shorty swords as last resort weapons (which works only with shields and in line) [and generally they should be supported with slingers and/or bowmans, usually second-class supporters, often not romans]

Real life is not duels. Surely real life had duels too, but... Bows is not dueling weapon. There is no sense to make comparison, because any bowman can't do point-blank shots in real life, so any bowman in melee will run (most likely) or go into melee (if supported with *dismounted* knights). If knights not dismounted, they run away even before bowmans. Again, good armored knight - almost immune to ANY weapon, and exceptionally it immune to annoying arrow. But main power of knights is again, horse and spear. Sword - is backup weapon, exception if they did not fight against unarmored/light-armored nations (where swords or sabers are good). And yeah, knight's horse should equip "knight sword" which is longer, and other which is more suitable to fight on legs.

So, do melee harder? I think yes. From my experience, my first training when I'm doing just block, wearing wooden shield and wooden sword, drain me completely in about 10-15 seconds. Trainer just kick and kick *in shield* constantly, so just blocking is not a tactics. And I'm had no chance to make any attack at all. Surely, if you not trained, then you died immediately.

So, in that sense, shooting from bow from distance... yep, you should be qualified, to do it efficiently... but in real life, bows working by fire in volleys. Every bowman hold not so many arrows, 15-30? so they discharge in a few minutes. So there is no matter how you good in bow, there is not task to kick apple from head over target for shooting: target is opponent army lines (boxes), and so you just fire somewhere in right area, but not aiming in sense of games. Good archers should be able fire at least 3 arrows per minute. You might oppose me here with hunters, but they are not dueling: they are experienced with bow, as tool to get food, they are was naturally good in armies (no need to pay to training), and they good bowmans in all senses, but there is different tasks, so main advantage of famous English archers with their longbows (which are not better than any other) - is only what they are cheap. You recruit archers and them most likely already are trained.

What is answer to all? Best weapon is arbalest and then firearms. They are easier to use, and both can penetrate armor. (Bow arrows CANT penetrate anything what we name armor - however, there is did not mean what bows was useless - good armors was only on noble knights, and sometimes horses [without full cover]). I'm forget name of king in Europe who was died almost immediately and accidentally, because he take off helmet on battlefield. As for arbalesters there is was famous Genoese mercenaries (arbalists), who wear arbalest and shield. They used big personal shield to cover under while recharging arbalest.

There is was other interesting cases, when noble knight (again forget name) with almost superhuman powers (e.g. history practically did not know other cases), able to fight alone over army, until he did not captured (e.g. stand over >50 soldiers, and soldiers fear to go to him, and...) [Most likely big weapon and no-one can step to him, however, his hit was well known, it was fatal - but this kind man is known as exactly one over past 1000 years] {To be fair, more deep in past - less we know}

And, again, you wear best possible armor, it cost billions, it looks nicely. No one can't confuse and you most likely will survive because most likely you be captured, to get ransom. Not because this knights was so strong. No! You just equipped so anyone can distinguish, so you (as king or very noble knight) can die only by accident or own stupidness, or because your side press enemy so hard, what enemies issue internal order - fight to die, no captures! (Capturing anyone requires escort, but if you have no resources to protect own supply lines, then... so cornered animal usually fight to die, and... history know few samples, when "cornered animal" army win war, just because other side did not let them leave (France lost twice or thrice exactly in this way, while if France army do nothing - they win...)

I'm just saying what there is no better or harder here. Both weapons require lot of training, lot of power. But, they are not comparable in this sense. Famous eastern light cavalry is bowmans on horses! However, this doesn't mean what they can't put bow on back and pick spear or whatever, which kick hard, while riding. And there is another category.

---

Back to game: Grim Dawn offer mechanics over criticals (e.g. attack vs defense) for anything, like in TQ for melee: for any attack, melee or ranged, for every spell and even each DOT do it (and by so - may crit). No matter what you equip, mechanics works in same way. I think this is good, and I feel what TQ was just not finished in this sense.

One unfair thing which remains in GD is famous dual-wielding - is implemented stupidly, and game have some stupid equipment design for sure, and changes in balance (to shield / blocking), what results in same boring thing: more items is better + more items with inherent attack speed bonus => is even better. {By stupid design here I'm mean what except you rely on specific shield with specific props for you build - DW is strictly better, and this is annoying, because there is game of DPS vs surviability vs gear, and there is NO GOOD GEAR for shield, except for some stupid builds, like converting all elemental damage into physical (WHAT?!). No, there is plenty of equip which work or can be choosen, but finally, is ends in very few builds actually without much choice.} [ADD: I'm mean what GD having too many too specialized gear and this is top tier gear: e.g. you collect gear and by so, you "collect" no matter what you want or choose. And choices actually not so many.]

PS: Anyway, if I'm remember, someone important in TQ was immune to any projectiles? (I'm played always with melee + some backup ranged weapon which I'm can summon by famous `W`eapon button, not primary, not top, but having something ranged always nice. In GD same tactics for me works too [it have however even better - pistols+shield, but I'm dislike firearms in games at all, so if game allow to equip bow - I'm use bow. If game offer only firearms - I'm simple did not play. Hm... However, I'm simply did not play at all last years]). :)

2
Modifications / Re: Grant skill Dual Wield to Rogue
« on: 20 January 2022, 20:28:58 »
Are you meaning to wear two shields? I'm almost sure what you will not be able equip them properly. Look at GD - it is possible only to look like you have two shields, but it ends in reality only in visual (so instead of knife in right hand, you got mesh of shield). From mechanic perspective having 2 shields what it means? Do they roll chance to block separately or cumulatively? I guess you can, but... really? This having zero immersion. No one can wield two shields (and making them use), and gods prefer two-handed weapons. Gods not need shileds. ;) :P

PS: As for skills - yes, sorry. I'm was focused on description and ignore some facts. Items can't grant skills or can't grant skill upgrades. Meaning, what if you have skill 1, but not leveled up to get upgrade (batter - and rend armor) - there is impossible to grant upgrade. This generally are also logical, but confusing and limiting. But what's why augmenting exist. But this still not work like we want: i'm want get skill (let's it be batter) and get it's upgrade from other item. There is what exactly impossible and when case tuned down or simplified - there is clear what item granting skills are only controllable by controller (defined by item). Some of them very cool btw, but just in not in this way.

There is exist some workaround (good know) - you add skill to mastery with level >0 (e.g. 1). Skill itself at level 1 don't do anything. But once you level up it (e.g. level 2) - it can add up benefits. And still tricky because we have +to all items, so to no affect this items/skill, you should decide scale of pluses. Efficiently making first ever possible bonus on number higher than +to all possible. E.g. lets say is +20. Then you give actual things on level 20 and your's actual unique item augment to +20. And this still might not properly, but it should. But this is tricky as hell. Listed solutions technically more fair and better - let everyone do it (DW any weapon). However, i'm hate this way, because i'm use shield always and i like switch weapons on right click from inventory. When character DW-enabled it no more work in consistent way, and makes me feel hard. So there is just usability issue (for me), but makes game unplayable. And finally - from mechanic perspective, there is no any reason to use DW, nor weaps, nor 2 shields, when modding. All DW builds follows stupid imbalance, but in TQ you rarely win something valuable just for that. And if you evaluated when is better than 1H+shield - there is pure balancing issue. TQ-like games, like all tick-based games must not have style advantages without downsides. But, to be fair TQ bad in styles - they means zero nothing / zero difference. Not math zero, but not noticeable. Meh. However, I'm done quite interesting experiments, when having shield really make you (and sucky skelly capitans) slower, and hits are largely delayed,and shields block more often with combat equation changes (generaly block in GD feels right - <1 sec to recovery is good). For self my shields absorb dmg whenever they block, ignoring sucky rule below or above damage threshold? You block but you shield is stat holder? No stats? May be drop off shield at all? No greedy bonus for play with empty slot. No...

Well, no-one should follow my way. I'm just point issues and limitations. Once they get included - results (gameplay feelings) are overcome any sucky limitations from which we starts. Solve real issues, which enchance gameplay, rather to attempt unrealistic things (engine is constant, but it is pretty nice even in 2022).

3
Modifications / Re: Grant skill Dual Wield to Rogue
« on: 15 January 2022, 21:04:13 »
I've created an artifact that should (in theory) grant the warfare skill Dual Wield. I've tried setting 'records\skills\warfare\dualweapontraining.dbr' both under 'itemSkillName' and 'augmentSkillName1', but it's not letting the character wield both at all. Both are swords, which should work according to the original dual wield dbr.

augmentSkillNameX is for augmenting existing skills. itemSkillName matches with `itemSkillLevel` property. Assigning itemSkillName to something and did not give skill level (via itemSkillLevel) - is like not assigning skill level at all. There is nothing with AE or IT era.

PS: However there is might be differenced, issue, as it described highly incomplete. This looks like it can't work just at start because you did not assign required properties.

PPS: I'm almost quit of there (due to other things to need to care in real life). I'm might suggest: whenever you want to do some thing - look how similar thing already done in game. That's actually easily. Unpack whole database and use raw search. Use map editor when it you really need. Etc. There is lot of way to gather information. Info really scattered over many sources, including not available sourced today (shutdown sites, dead urls). Mine sources - completely self-learned, for example and i'm have enough dev background to understand many unlogical things bit more easily. But there is another story (because they unlogical - this actually did not make me better). I'm still before reply done quick-recheck over files, rather than game-test. Game test requires lot more time, so i'm let do it for topic starter.

4
Modifications / Re: More masteries?
« on: 22 December 2021, 01:55:42 »
Sorry for delay.

# of masteries and # of skill slots in mastery is different things for sure. So, at this moment is already 10/11 masteries. I agreed, what there is limit, but there is not the end of the world. Since game intended to combine them - you already get more than enough combos which single person can personally try in reasonable time. If there is not enought - there is possible to make few versions of mod which allow different choices.

Skill manager / # of skills in mastery - there is limiting factor. In my taste - it should not be locked to around 30 (?) slots. Not for filling grid, but for implementing hidden bonuses, which might come from items. Similar concept already used in current mods, but number of hidden skills are limited, and them usually becomes generic by this reason. Monster slots also need care. Adding traits to monsters requires (rarely) redesign global passives to fit in limit. As for monster attack pattern it is even more important, as it allow i practice interesting chains, but there is not impossible do anything sensibly / not too repetitive so hard.

DoT stacking is also issue. Basically, instant damage is always win for player, but DoT can help with scaling (so you brand new AoE yet another flash freeze will not disintegrate mobs, and instead, say, let them live few another seconds which is big difference). DoTs in TQ are not used (mostly), and has so hard rules for stacking what no one exactly know and if we speak simply - it stacks only for weapon attacks and passive attack modifiers and procs except truly weapon based skill(s) (in sense where skill uses weapon damage + own bonus: throwing knife and ternion?).

Any way, this simply blocks to use, say frostburn instead of cold for true spells or you should trade, what your frostburn weapon attacks will not stacks. This on one side might add additional layer of challenge, but on another - this makes what you should choose one or another, but not both (exceptionally if possible damage are equally splitted). And this mechanically just unclear to utilize in practice except cases when player can write formulas about game mechanics just from heads, but this kind players is smaller part of mod audiency (and game is not self-explain cases enough).

This ruins possibilities. Imagine if your skills will do only 10% instant damage, and 90% as DoT over 5 seconds. Believe me - game significantly be harder. But this not implementable in a good way in TQ. But there is good scaling knob, but is not available in normal sense, as explained above.

There is exist also issues in how game spawn "proxies". Really, it is random stupid mechanism. The issue, what proxy limited what it can spawn, and if we want to provide better monster levels - there is not possible to limit choice based on PC level. There is exist few knobs, but they might work only in a way of puzzle art. {Also anyone seen what everything is heavily underleveled without PC do any farming, just at warcamp and till to end of act 2, except few creatures}. Is just broken PC progression, but this is also limited spawns issue (not flexible enough). Both can be fixed without engine modification - but titanic work needs here. Help from engine will make this things much easier.

Well. I'm bit going too deep. For me for years main thing what i'm prefer play in melee, but there is absolutely unknown why archers ignore OA/DA mechanics. I mean, as long as you kiting with backup bow, nor your OA nor your DA matters at all, as well as enemy stats. But if you melee - you are must have both to hit things. Ugh. Again, as long as you doesnt focus on phys/pierce damage - you can ignore OA, and keep it at reasonable minimum, because other damage types can't crit. So, best thing which some mod might implement (easy to do) h in favor make more choices equally well - is disable OA/DA mechanics for everyone. :) And this might work. And even be way more hardcore than it now (with fixed crit simulation).

But this kind of balance even in own free to anything mod, this things overally makes me feel creepy. Anyway, I'm feel lot of limits, but never in number of masteries. :)

PS: All of you has good reasons / samples, I'm just attempt to add few alternation. :)

5
Modifications / Re: More masteries?
« on: 07 December 2021, 19:42:55 »
^^^But do they try to fix all the problems, of which there are much, much more than the mentioned above? NOOOO! Let's instead release yet another expansion for a quick cash grab... an expansion, which i have no doubt will add a ton of new problems.

I'm personally completely did not like TQAE balancing (do anyone remember what any health regen affixes and PC base health regen was way much lesser in TQIT? now in TQAE low level char (levels 3..30) in act 1 literally immortable just with yellows, but it never was case in TQIT). However, let be fair: TQAE technically without expansions or with - is great overall improvement, packed with expanded engine limitations, which is also good.

As for fixing things which I'm mentioned: I'm think there is not hard to fix technically, but in that case this will be completely new game with completely new experience (and there is good thing). But bad thing - things which was tested and learned more than over ~10 years - will be almost completely lost. There is just impossible to just fix this things and adjust monsters to follow changes (because no one know how they must be adjusted). There is needs real gameplay tests, however, before this - there is should be automatic "baselining" tests (simulations) (which I'm believe doesn't exists for TQ).

Anyway - there is great, what TQAE still alive. There is great game. It just might be way more better over all this time. And TQ's Act 1 is just universally the best in aesthetics over all ARPG's.

6
Modifications / Re: More masteries?
« on: 06 December 2021, 19:13:53 »
I see. Do you think that developers could raise that cap if we ask them about it?

This likely never happens because there is no reason. You have already designed 20 masteries, so you can't fit them all in your mod? You have real proposition/design for what you asking?

Adding more masteries, without fixing or kmplementing new game mechanics almost nonsense. In case of TQ - every thing is broken. Crits are melee-only, scaling is really hard (there is no weapon% damage, skills are always OP if you invest early or bad later), damage conversion... is also broken and almost not existent. There is lotvof space for improvements, but simply adding more masteries does't looks like needed. Monster's skill manager is way more limiting than it may be.

7
Music / Re: What Music are You Listening to now?
« on: 14 September 2021, 00:49:24 »
Manson...

Best music is silence. I'm played on bass in past with real outdoor performances. But nah. If you want keep thoughts clear - don't listen anything at all.

If you listen because office too loud - is another story. If you maniac in some music (too addicted) - is another story.

When, i'm was young - i'm sleep in headphones by similar music including manson sometimes.

After 10 years of silence: i'm recommend - silence with eventually listening what you really want, never to fill noise. You should hear own thoughts first, and music - is last what you should hear/consider.

There is exist exclusions for me: the kills, and others strange bands: but still - don't trash own head without reason. This music is too aggressive and you never may operate at same level as without.

You can't live without music? Is lie.

PS: Actually music style is no matter.

PPS: Is not offtopic: my choice - SILENCE, even while i'm too addicted to few bands....

8
World Modifications / Re: The Cities Mod Ragnarok version 5
« on: 08 August 2021, 21:11:01 »
     I believe that you are correct.  Dropbox uses a definition of the word "size" not currently in the dictionary, and somehow includes the number of files.  I took your advise and removed the .dbr files so that part one and part two are now smaller in size and in "size."

Thanks! Now looks like all parts 1-9 are downloadable! :) [I'm actually think what dropbox recompress zip's and doing stupidly in fact. Some (mine local) software see one recursive empty named folder, but... well, never seen this before (and this is not your fault). I'm even tried download with dropbox app with sync... but decided personally to never use their service again. It just suck... I'm pressed "save to dropbox"... and what? Once i'm want delete this saved folder from my account it say - there is too much files in folder to delete, lol... what?! :))) ] (i'm did not accept software which doesn't do what i'm request).

There is surely nothing wrong with sharing via dropbox, if you prefer it - it is definitely work, just looks like have few small nuances, which you solved.

I'm will try mod later, but really not sure when this happens, just download and put it in some kind of queue.

PS: Does it work with TQAE 2.9? Readme says about 1.57 or so...?

9
World Modifications / Re: The Cities Mod Ragnarok version 5
« on: 07 August 2021, 22:24:14 »
Hello,

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/omds0ikgld5c1f6/AAChyLZrJFUAIHVtrmMS1bHBa?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kb8fenngg4rfjha/AADgPGH4vHNzLNT0w5uln0fma?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ne0950jzor5yx52/AAANQF-RGUPImiN7fQgo8haNa?dl=0

Nothing of this links works. I'm believe dropbox can't handle so much files (and report it as 'size'). Actually your archives hold all of .dbr files which you used, but end users needs only {name}.arz files (as game never load .dbr, even while ArtManager copy them). So... I'm guess if you will not include .dbr files - this all will make much simplier with this parts, and you ends with much smaller archives.

10
World Modifications / Re: The Cities Mod Ragnarok version 5
« on: 06 August 2021, 19:52:09 »
Hello! Seems like great work. :)

     I will be grateful if someone posts a message to let me know that they downloaded everything and the mod works okay.

I'm doesn't use dropbox long time... however believe, i'm doing everything right. I'm going by first link, and press "download", and it shows error - "The zip file is too large.". Yep, it can browse your's zip archive content, but did not let download it as original file, no matter logged-in I'm or not. May be installing their app might help, but sounds too complex. So, effectively can't download. Same happens with second link, and rest links i'm did not check.

UPD: Huh, parts 3 .. 9 => seems downloadable.

11
Modifications / Re: How to make epic/legendary items enchantable?
« on: 03 August 2021, 13:10:27 »
search of the following sequence:

83 F8 04 74 14 83 F8 03 74 0F

This line does not exist in Game.dll file.

This is for TQAE 2.9 (GoG) at hexadecimal file offset 0x1DE29E .

12
Maybe I should try using negative values. Or deleting the value instead of using a 0. But not today.

Negative values might work or might not work. I'm really hate what this not documented and reversing behaviors need be done, taking hours and returns naturally only few bits of information. (For example monsters from proxypool woth weight 0 can be spawned under some specific (buggy) conditions...) :)

Even if negative values works - they might not work as expected, because... all values in table varied. More simplier way should be raising bothPrefixSuffix to really big value, and suffixOnly/prefixOnly too something smaller. Don't forget what some tables doesnt have weight to have both prefix suffix and from my taste - raising this modifier doesnt take effect in such cases (but somewhy chance to get item with prefix or suffix raised anyway, at least feels like). Also I believe if randomizer table specify not only weight but randomizer chance - then chance should be rolled separately from weight. :)

13
Do you know how could I create such a mod in Atlantis version? Are there specific variables that I can edit in the database?

There exist "Randomizer Weights" section in records/xpack/game/gameengine.dbr where drop weights can be adjusted.
Fields like "noPrefixNoSuffixModifierCommon", "bothPrefixSuffixModifierCommon". I'm don't know how this values exactly work (they might be additive, or multiplicative or so, in my tests they definitely works, but still looks strangely).

However, I think what with case of rings/amulets - main limiting factor is not weights per-se, but what monster's have inherent attribute with chance to equip item slot defined in monster's loot table individually (say - chanceToEquipFinger1), and this chance is usually small (say 1%), so...

14
Flat bonus dmg on weapon or relic should be local to weapon. E.g. when you hit with weapon.

Same applies to shield.

Some bonuses are global, like resistance bonus from shield is global or attack speed bonus is global.

Bonus damage from ring - is global.

Bonus damage from skill is local to skill, but applied for any hit with left or right hand. This leads what buffs like Storm Nimbus have double benefit from attacks with both hands because it is instant damage, but Damage over Time will not be benefit twice (like Envenom Weapon).

Character attacks with right hand and then with left hand (shield or weapon) separately.

So in all your cases you do 2 strikes which separately calculated against armor.

15
No, I have not used Art Manager but I can give it a go. I was under the impression I could simply use notepad to edit the .dbr files (which is possible -- if it works, however, is another question).

Just to clarify: game engine works only with .arz files. In fact game engine even has no chance to parse .dbr files by their ambiguous nature (which resolved by utilizing external metadata (so called "templates")).

Records in mod's database takes precedence and "override" records from base/game database.

---

Game engine can load resource overrides from file system on per-file basis (e.g. meshes, textures, etc, almost everything what stored in .arc (not .arz) files). Them can be landed exactly in game's database folder (i'm guess there is single place for overrides). I'm use this time to time to remove some annoying visual effects without touching game or mod files. :)

For example: I'm put empty file at path <TQAE>\Database\Effects\Default\Buff03.pfx - this file will override resource on virtual path effects/default/buff03.pfx, which normally stored in Resources/Effects.arc.  [buff03.pfx is just Rend Armor's visual effect which my eyes doesn't want to see every 4 seconds]. There is handy to hack/try/altering without touching .arc files, but practically useful only when you are just want to play in existing game or existing mod. Whenever you starts to create custom mod (own .arz + bunch of .arc files) -> there is no more good reason to use this overrides for running mod, except some exceptional corner cases.

Anyway: Standard way is using Art Manager. There is exist other tools too, but there is almost mandatory to get familiar with standard toolset tools first anyway.

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 8

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal