[Question] Would This work? Monster Evolution

from Elemental Forums

Alright here is the theory.

Make a specific trait to a specific monster type say a young ogre.  Then make a spell that is autounlocked for that unit once a unit with the young ogre trait reaches level 10.  Make the spell have a 1 million AI rating so the AI will definitely use it.  Have the spell consume 1000 hp, which kills the unit, and have the effect be summon Bone Ogre level 5.  So that you level a young ogre you recruited and once it hits level 10 it can become a bone ogre.

Alright critique away.

7,844 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

It's worth trying. The same trick was used in Dominions 3 sometimes to achieve the same effect.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds doable. Two thoughts which you can easily try in-game:

1) If the summoner is destroyed, doesn't all summons he called forth vanish as well?

2) Will the summon still appear in the spell list? What happens if you dispel?

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

I was wondering if this would cause the troops to become a summoned creature which in effect would give each evolved unit a severe penalty.  Let me look at some tags and see if I can figure this one out.  Also I am going to have to sit down and make a test map with a test goodie hut so I can test variables like this with ease.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Alright that was a failed attempt at a static spawn map.  Am I missing something on how to only have two starting locations that have a signs of bear next to them and that is it?

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I like this idea, but would also be concerned about the summoning aspect.

I've always liked the idea of lairs that evolved.   Early in the game there are more "level 1" lairs sprinkled with higher levels.  At some point these lairs "upgrade" - both the mobs (either level or next tier of type) and loot.   This might happen 3 or 4 times in a game so if an area was not cleared it would become very dangerous.

Another aspect of this would be to have monsters be on different factions and have them be able to patrol a bit (pretty sure one of the mods had this, MA I think) - then later in the game when the mobs are high level they get a larger patrol radius and they also clear each other up a bit.

That's been my own desire, so while related I hope it doesn't hijack.

Could you do the same thing with a random lair, something like a darkling lair.  If you claim it, the mobs produced match your armor rating (leather, chain, plate, etc) or some other research or time based trigger - so as the game progresses the units are worth it. 

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

The different monster factions can already be done in game look at the Stormworld mod Heavenfall made.  Monster factions that hate different monster factions would be interesting.  The base factions I could think of would be Wolves, Bears, Spiders, Syndicate/Bandits, Darklings, and whatever else.  The problem comes from the cities/lairs and how you would handle them.  Would they produce stuff like a normal faction or randomly create patrols like current goodie huts?  This is a great idea in theory but a LOT of work for each faction you would have to create.

For the other part I have not yet figured out if I summon a unit by this method whether or not it gets the summoned tag.  I would prefer a create unit tag so that it does not get that but not sure if one exists.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Alright after messing with this for a bit it seems like this should work and not have the summoned tag.  The only thing that really counts in the game as summoned, Stormworld excluded, are Elementals.  So when a weapon says it does bonus damage to summoned units it just refers to Elementals.  Now I just need to figure out a test map with bear cubs to test this theory.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Alright here is my test code I added and it did not work, any guesses as to why it might not have triggered for the spell to cast?

Ability

Code: xml
  3. <AbilityBonus InternalName="BearCubEnduranceAbility">
  4. <AbilityBonusType>Unit_Level</AbilityBonusType>
  5. <AbilityBonusOption InternalName="BearCubEndurance">
  6. <DisplayName>Bear Cub's Endurance</DisplayName>
  7. <Description>+1 Hit Point per Level</Description>
  8. <Icon>Ability_EnduranceI_Icon.png</Icon>
  9. <PerkTreePosX>1</PerkTreePosX>
  10. <PerkTreePosY>2</PerkTreePosY>
  11. <GameModifier>
  12. <ModType>Unit</ModType>
  13. <Attribute>AdjustUnitStat</Attribute>
  14. <StrVal>UnitStat_HitPoints</StrVal>
  15. <Value>1</Value>
  16. <PerLevel>1</PerLevel>
  17. <Provides>+1 Hit Point per Level</Provides>
  18. </GameModifier>
  19. <GameModifier>
  20. <ModType>Unit</ModType>
  21. <Attribute>GiveExperience</Attribute>
  22. <Value>1</Value>
  23. <PerTurn>1</PerTurn>
  24. </GameModifier>
  25. <HideWhenUpgraded>1</HideWhenUpgraded>
  26. <Type>Defensive</Type>
  27. <AIData AIPersonality="AI_General">
  28. <AIPriority>5</AIPriority>
  29. </AIData>
  30. </AbilityBonusOption>
  31. </AbilityBonus>

And the spell

Code: xml
  3. <SpellDef InternalName="Evolve_CubtoBear">
  4. <DisplayName></DisplayName>
  5. <Description></Description>
  6. <Image>S_CharmMonster_Painting.png</Image>
  7. <IconFG>S_CharmMonster_Icon.png</IconFG>
  8. <AutoUnlock>1</AutoUnlock>
  9. <CanStack>0</CanStack>
  10. <SpellBookSortCategory>Summon</SpellBookSortCategory>
  11. <SpellBookSortSubCategory>Summon</SpellBookSortSubCategory>
  12. <SpellType>Strategic</SpellType>
  13. <SpellClass>Defensive</SpellClass>
  14. <SpellSubClass>Summon</SpellSubClass>
  15. <SpellTargetType>Self</SpellTargetType>
  16. <Range>1</Range>
  17. <Prereq>
  18. <Type>AbilityBonusOption</Type>
  19. <Attribute>BearCubEndurance</Attribute>
  20. </Prereq>
  21. <Prereq>
  22. <Type>UnitStat_Level</Type>
  23. <Attribute>3</Attribute>
  24. </Prereq>
  25. <GameModifier>
  26. <ModType>Unit</ModType>
  27. <Attribute>CurHealth</Attribute>
  28. <Value>-10000</Value>
  29. </GameModifier>
  30. <GameModifier>
  31. <ModType>Unit</ModType>
  32. <Attribute>SummonUnit</Attribute>
  33. <Value>3</Value>
  34. <UnitClass>Bear</UnitClass>
  35. <Duration>-1</Duration>
  36. </GameModifier>
  37. <AIData AIPersonality="AI_General">
  38. <AIPriority>1000</AIPriority>
  39. </AIData>
  40. <HitSoundFX>Spell_NaturesCall_01</HitSoundFX>
  41. <SpellDefEffect>
  42. <EffectName>S_SummonEarthElemental_Particle</EffectName>
  43. <LocalPosition>0,0,0</LocalPosition>
  44. <EffectScale>0.5</EffectScale>
  45. <EffectDelay>0</EffectDelay>
  46. <SnapToTerrain>1</SnapToTerrain>
  47. </SpellDefEffect>
  48. </SpellDef>

I then added the ability to the bear cub in the monster unit xml and set the spawn rating increase to 100 so that I could watch he XP tick up.  The xp increased at 2 per turn, not sure why, and then the cub leveled to 3 and nothing happened.  Let me know what you guys think.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Monster faction doesn't cast strategic spells, this would be for AI and player factions only.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

What about using the level milestone tags? I mean the "L1" "L2" etc. Maybe if you change the monster name inside the L10 tag it could work. 

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

So it should work if someone had the unit tamed but in the wild it would not work.  Nuts for making independently evolving units except through upgraded goodie huts but glad I made something potentially useful for player/npc built units.  So how could it be modified to make it that this triggers at a specific point besides making it a strategic spell?

I don' know if an event can be triggered for a specific unit or not so not sure if that is a valid line of thought.  Any ideas?

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

Does anyone know what the <TriggerType> 's are?  the only ones I have found so far are quest and turn number.  Basically is there a way to set it up to be count based off the level and class of a unit type.  This would allow for a spell to be triggered strategically for monster units.  Other than this it appears to only be triggerable from manual use for players or npc's.