ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

I've noticed that each creature now has a size_category value, with 3 being Medium/the default.

However, it doesn't (yet) have any in-game mechanical effect.

Is it ever going to? Are smaller creatures going to be harder to hit, for example? Or could it make a difference for wearing armour and wielding weapons?

If so, I'd expect player character races to be given proper size categories -
Hobbits could be size 2(small), dwarves I think should be kept at 3(medium) since they are significantly stockier/broader and trolls(if/when they are fully implemented) should be big/size 4.

Yeah it will be, some creatures/players will get talents to "crush" smaller actors, autokilling them.
Like worm masses

darkgod wrote:Like worm masses

Even with the limitation on breeding/multiplyng, I HATE worm masses, so that's great news.

I love that mob tooltips now also have their race/subrace shown. Now all we need is how much exp they are worth.

Exp worthiness is usualy just a function of the level alone, so all creatures of the same level have the same worth, with exceptions obviously

This would really bring it home:


(Yes, I know that's not a simple thing, but it's been bugging me since Moria )

nice one!

I somewhat agree, though, always wondered how gigantic creatures like wyrms were able to chase me through tiny corridors... It would seem more realistic if they were waiting for you in the halls and sending their darn hatchlings to hunt you in the tighter passages.

Quatl wrote:This would really bring it home...

This remainds me of something: http://angband.calamarain.net/view.php?date=2006-02-27

So, about hobbits...Are they going to be kept at size 3? Just wondering.

Also, I think iit could be interesting if Rogues had a few talents that worked *better* on targets bigger than themselves - something like 'The bigger they are, the harder they fall' For the little guy going up against the gigantic troll, basically...

@Quatl:

Thats something thats always bothered me and something I always wanted to get right. Theres 2 things that TE4 offer that might make it possible tho...

Shaders: Its very easy to 'stretch' or warp tiles using vertex shaders. In fact, thats what its there for. Without changing ANYTHING else in your rendering you can have stretched or shrunk entities.

Particle Engine: TE4's particle engine can theoretically be repurposed to allow the rendering of entities, not just effects. Abit more work than just adding a vertex shader, but has several advantages, allowing arbitrary sized entities as well as the ability to move entities with per pixel precision, as opposed to 'teleporting' from tile to tile.

So... if the possibility is there with relatively few changes, why not?

Simple, pathfinding/collisions of arbitrary sized entities is not a trivial task. Not to mention the maps aren't designed for this. If the dragon can't dig, makes it very easy to kill by hiding behind a doorway. Will need a rebalancing of the mobs and talents, as well as modify the map gen to allow multi-tile pathways. Or just give big mobs the dig ability (kinda makes sense in forests, dragons just trampling trees.)

Still... if this was sorted out, I see no reason why your screenshot can't become reality. Perhaps an idea for a proof of concept Module...

Also: How would a 'large' player work?

Antagonist wrote:So... if the possibility is there with relatively few changes, why not?

Simple, pathfinding/collisions of arbitrary sized entities is not a trivial task. Not to mention the maps aren't designed for this. If the dragon can't dig, makes it very easy to kill by hiding behind a doorway. Will need a rebalancing of the mobs and talents, as well as modify the map gen to allow multi-tile pathways. Or just give big mobs the dig ability (kinda makes sense in forests, dragons just trampling trees.)

Ehr, and you think of them as "relatively few changes"?
I fear introducing such elements would imply another year of beta stage for the module...

Antagonist wrote: Also: How would a 'large' player work?

Funny, I'd never thought of that before, and it would actually be immensely interesting. You could have small enemies that do little damage but are faster and can escape down small tunnels (that you'd have to spend time digging through). Would make for a much different style of gameplay.

I doubt this is ever going in but - maybe large creatures could 'squeeze'decreasing their size 1 category temporarily(so from 2x2 squares to 1x1) BUT taking heavy penalties?

Feanor.81 wrote: nice one!

I somewhat agree, though, always wondered how gigantic creatures like wyrms were able to chase me through tiny corridors... It would seem more realistic if they were waiting for you in the halls and sending their darn hatchlings to hunt you in the tighter passages.

Or breathing down them, dragon breath in an open space tends towards a 5x5 cone, breathed down a straight corridor it would be more like 20x1 at double damage and heavy knockback

Also I added for the hell of it extra size catagories Collossal and Titanic above gargantuan.

I added the Behemoth Hide which enlarges you by 1 size category. :D