Github Fork: Ranged Weapons, Monsters follow player and/or flee.

[twirlimp]

You can use settings to aim that way. Can turn it on/off. That's what I know.

Yup. The two modes are "Auto-Aim" vs "Safe Aim".

Safe Aim requires a button and is the default setting.

Auto Aim is the one ace was asking about and can be enabled in game preferences so you can use both at the same time (depending on whether grinding vs. bossing).

There's also a third mode in game preferences, Press Hero to Aim, that's highly experimental.
You press on the hero himself in order to start aiming, although at the moment it's buggy as hell because it's so sensitive.
('ll probably remove it instead of fixing it if no one wants it)

Edit: Here's a picture of the Safe-Aim button.
The button doesn't exist unless you're wielding a range weapon.

Screenshot_2016-01-07-19-43-08.png

You have to re-click it to turn it safe-aiming.

Also note the messages in the message log.
There's also an message for "invalid target" -- if you click on a peaceful person--
but I didn't show it because of the log maximum of 3 entries (perhaps this should be a customizable setting?).

[Zukero]

Disclaimer: I have not yet tested your very latest APK, due to my time being used in testing my own

To be honest, I'm still not completely convinced we can have ranged weapons integrated well-enough in the current gameplay, as I still see some rough edges for which I have not found solutions that fully satisfies me, but I really like where you're going, and am impressed by what you already achieved.
The thread is really active, but so far, only three or four people (including me) have given feedback, so I won't consider it a full community-endorsement yet, but it looks like no one has been screaming "Sacrilege !" either
Let's see where you can take it !

I'm pretty much sold on the fleeing/enraged monster ideas though. Here too, some rough edges remain, but for such a young feature, it's already taking a very good shape, and seeing how much effort, time, and thinking you're seemingly willing to put into it, I'm very confident that we can reach a mainline-merging level of quality pretty soon. What'll be left afterwards will be to create content that use it, and that's no piece of cake either.

[twirlimp]

Disclaimer: I have not yet tested your very latest APK, due to my time being used in testing my own

To be honest, I'm still not completely convinced we can have ranged weapons integrated well-enough in the current gameplay, as I still see some rough edges for which I have not found solutions that fully satisfies me, but I really like where you're going, and am impressed by what you already achieved.
The thread is really active, but so far, only three or four people (including me) have given feedback, so I won't consider it a full community-endorsement yet, but it looks like no one has been screaming "Sacrilege !" either
Let's see where you can take it !

I'm pretty much sold on the fleeing/enraged monster ideas though. Here too, some rough edges remain, but for such a young feature, it's already taking a very good shape, and seeing how much effort, time, and thinking you're seemingly willing to put into it, I'm very confident that we can reach a mainline-merging level of quality pretty soon. What'll be left afterwards will be to create content that use it, and that's no piece of cake either.

Please tell me what rough edges you're thinking of so I can start working on them. XD

Also if the "rare" +5 max range weapon is too much, then we can start with simple +1 and +2 throwing daggers.

Honestly the only unsolved issue on my mind are whether unwalkable tiles should block targeting, but I made it so monsters that can't follow you (i.e can;t find any path towards you) will run away, so it's no problem if you try to snipe them behind a tree to be honest.

And thanks!

[Duke]

Wow, great topic and I love to see some serious activity. I wasn't sold on ranged attacks, but if it can implemented this simply, just to add another small piece of fun to the game, I am all for it. I also like the changes to the monster movement. I will see if I can give this test a trial run.
One question, how does one get a minor stun condition to occur?
Thanks for your work.

[twirlimp]

Wow, great topic and I love to see some serious activity. I wasn't sold on ranged attacks, but if it can implemented this simply, just to add another small piece of fun to the game, I am all for it. I also like the changes to the monster movement. I will see if I can give this test a trial run.
One question, how does one get a minor stun condition to occur?
Thanks for your work.

If you'd like to try it then I suggest you wait a few minutes for the new version.

I just overhauled the entire safe-aiming system

Regarding the minor stun condition, all you have to do is keep shooting.
Sometimes it happens a lot, sometimes it doesn't. That's the random generator for you.

I'll have to tweak the weapon stats eventually but I think right now they're a good balance that encourages turb-based hit-and-run tactics.

But yeah wait a bit till I upload the new files.
Pressing the crosshair (to safe-aim) now automatically enters combat-mode if there are monsters in range.
This way you can pause time and attack the monsters that are following you.

It used to be extremely annoying to aim at them while you're fleeing from them and attacking back.
This update will make things more turn-based and less frantic.

[Duke]

So, is there just a percentage chance for stun? I was thinking that perhaps it would be tied the "hard hit" skill.

[twirlimp]

So, is there just a percentage chance for stun? I was thinking that perhaps it would be tied the "hard hit" skill.

It could be, I guess.

But I think this should be a different skill, something along the lines of "Arrows of DIsable" skill, or "Pinning Shot" l or "Trapping Arrow".

Do you think I should just tie ranged weaponry skills to old skills?

[Duke]

I like the idea of new skills, but worry about having too many skills, so was thinking about adding it to existing skills...but I'd like to hear pros and cons from others.

[twirlimp]

I like the idea of new skills, but worry about having too many skills, so was thinking about adding it to existing skills...but I'd like to hear pros and cons from others.

Yeah we should really ask the others. and also I think it's about time we got a few sorting buttons for skills/inventory items to make life easier.

Tomorrow I'll either try some code to check for obstacles in the arrows path,
or I'll focus on the UI and see if I can add some filters like "quest", "equipable", "usable", and a favorites filter for ease-of-access.

It's unlikely I'll have time for both

...And in other news, and this is for everyone, I uploaded the newest apk!

Aiming is much less horrible now, and hit-and-flee combat no longer requires quick-clicking skills -.-
It's finally properly turn-based.

In this release I made monster fleeing more random and intelligent but slightly stupider than it could still become.
I already have the solution ready that makes them both random & intelligent (enough) but I'd rather test it when I wake up before uploading.

Yeah and there's also the new icon for the aiming button.
I think it's very pretty/

[twirlimp]

How would you guys like it if I made flee chance decrease?

Monsters have a "rage" meter that measures how many tiles they'll follow after you flee, so I was thinking that perhaps when monsters have more range -- they are more angry -- and it will be harder to escape.

This would make "hit and run" slightly less overpowered with distance, and combined with the fact that bows have negative accuracy (which means more wasted turns) and negative block chance (which means if monsters reach you you're dead).

So, your attacks are less accurate, your defense is weaker, and you're less likely to flee.
But you have a big attack range! Yay!