IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Discuss anything in general about the IceBlink Engine + Toolset project (or anything else) here.
youngneil1
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

A bug in the save file would be equally severe (or more actually). It would be great if you could send me an affected save file - then I could try to debug it with the visual editor tools and also have look directly in the text of the savefile... maybe some state of music/sound player is saved incorretcly or some such...
youngneil1
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

On another note I am currently implementing the same mouse over functionality that exists for pc/creatures also for triggers, props and lingering effects (think poison cloud spell) on the battelfield. Especially the triggers and props are quite unqiue for IB (compared to many other D&D adaptions out there; they can be anything from healing pools to higher ground sqaures with to hit boni while on them) and I would like to tie them in as effectively as I can. They play along greatly woith our design decision to have battles take place on separate encounter areas. This allows to set up riddle like battles without interfering with a believable world structure.

What worries me a bit is that all encounters are stored in one megafile (in contrast to areas that use a separate file for each area). I hope we will not hit a limitation here in the long run. Time will tell...
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slowdive
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by slowdive »

When and if we get to that point, we could add a tool in a menu for “import encounters file” that will convert an encounter file into separate files and then start treating them the same way we do areas and conversation files.
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Dorateen
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by Dorateen »

youngneil1 wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2020 12:24 pm A bug in the save file would be equally severe (or more actually). It would be great if you could send me an affected save file - then I could try to debug it with the visual editor tools and also have look directly in the text of the savefile... maybe some state of music/sound player is saved incorretcly or some such...
I can confirm that it is probably the save file. I now had a chance to test on a different computer, using a save with higher level characters, and there was no issue with combat sounds.
youngneil1
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Thank you for the continued feedback, Dorateen :) . Plrase keep us in the loop if you encounter this issue again.
youngneil1
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

I am currently tryind to add these values to combat triggers (and props later on):

private System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox chkTrigHidden;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigFindingTraitTag;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigFindingDC;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigSpawningTraitTag;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigSpawningDC;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigDespawningTraitTag;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigDespawningDC;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigDisablingTraitTag;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigDisbalingDC;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigEnablingTraitTag;
private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox txtTrigEnablingDC;
private System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox chkTrigEnableOnFinding;

The idea here is that harmful triggers can be prevented (despawn, on succeess: set to disbabled and hidden) or beneficial created (spawn, on succees: set to enabeld and not hidden) prior to battle, eg by trait check of the party leader (maybe a ranger is good for this).

Furthermore, there can be hidden, but enabled triggers on the battlefield now (eg traps, as triggers have no graphical representation in this case all props on top which may have been used to flag them would be hidden). A character with right trait (a thief maybe) can walk near them - maybe one or two squares distance - to uncover them (remove hidden state, find trait and find dc). The trap would still be dangerous though and requires using a trait on its square as disarm attempt (disable and disbale dc). There might also be benefficial squares that require a trait usage to enbale them (maybe a summon circle to spawn an ally, enable and enbale dlc, a party wizard could shine here). Other beneficial squares might start working once found (controlled via EnableOnFinding property: finding those enbales them at the same time).

The triggers themselves can make use of the already existing gcTrue and gcFalse system for event 2 and 3. So an author can set up a requirement in event 1 (gc script). This way you can create eg traps that only affect male characters or healing pools that only work for elves. Basically an author's imagination is the limit here.

What I woudl also like to get in is rewards on the battlefield itself with a time limit for claiming. Like a treasure chest that vanishes after ten rounds. This might encourage some nice risk vs reward gameplay situations.
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slowdive
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by slowdive »

tying triggers and later props to traits and possibly spells is a great addition and will add much to combat tactics and challenge. It'll also make certain classes more useful.
youngneil1
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Yeah , i can really feel the potential of this as I try to hammer it into the code. This will take some time though (so much for the smaller commit I planned :roll: ).
zach_holbrook
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by zach_holbrook »

The monster info system is great. I'd just put something far more clunky into Malkin to give players info about monsters in a battle, but this is way better. Is there any way modders could tweak the info here? I'd like to hide some of the info below "Type" (AI, onDeath script, etc.) from players -- though it's very useful for me while testing.
youngneil1
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Re: IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

Post by youngneil1 »

Thank you, Zach :) .

I will make any entry optional (and also optionally tied to a trait check or global value, this will just take some time...).

Edit: Speaking of time... RL is rather unpleasant right now here. A part of the owner/landlord familiy tries to legally force us out of our beloved, rent appartment. This makes me spend much time preparing for an upcoming legal battle as well as for studying the appartment/house market full force. And prices there are just crazy... well once my million selling IB campaign will be out in 216 years this will be peanuts in hindsight, of course :lol: .
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