Modding Tutorial - Adding an Ability to Apply after a Unit's Attack

[MattCaspermeyer]

Originally Posted by jukeey

Thank you very much for detailed advices.

Info_chesspiece.ui opening only on main window as infobox, when right click on unit in hero army.
All other cases the dlg_chesspiece.ui opening when click on unit, as dialog form.

Ui files easy editable, i wrote a program which can read this files, and show me visually with names and coordinates, no problem (i adjusted some ui files and png interface-textures for better appearance).

Wow - you wouldn't have this available for other people to use would you?

I've actually been updating my HOMM3 Babies (H3B) mod to extend the spirit upgrade UI and have been doing it by hand. I've been making some changes and I was running out of room and so decided to start fiddling with the interface - your mod that did this helped me out, although when I replied to you at first I didn't realize you were the one who created this mod.

Originally Posted by jukeey

But resistances:
I think, the first "gen_unit_res" function maybe a trash, only the second works.
Your advices was my first idea, Tried and failed. Maybe i did something wrong; but i think, its simply dont work.

Was it giving you an error with the AU library? It seems like you should be able to display whatever you want on these info cards, although maybe the limitation is that you have to use CPI parameters. Hmmm...

Originally Posted by jukeey

My second idea: creating 6 global variables, and including to loop in "gen_unit_res" this:
if i==0 then fiz=res end
if i==1 then mer=res end
if i==2 then mag=res end
if i==3 then tuz=res end
if i==4 then fag=res end
if i==5 then ast=res end

function gen_unit_res(data)
local text=""
local res_count=AU.rescount()
for i=0,res_count-1 do
local res = AU.resistance( data, i )
if res>95 then res = 95 end
local t=""
if res> 0 then t="<label=cpi_defense_res_D>" end
if res< 0 then t="<label=cpi_defense_res_U>" end
if i==0 then fiz=res end
if i==1 then mer=res end
if i==2 then mag=res end
if i==3 then tuz=res end
if i==4 then fag=res end
if i==5 then ast=res end

text=text.."<br> -<label=cpi_defense_res_"..(i+1)..">: "..res.."% "..t
end

if Game.LocIsArena() then
if Attack.act_feature(data, "humanoid") then
local count = Attack.val_restore(data,"contrstrike")
if count~=nil and count~="" then
text = text.."<br><br>Îňâĺňíűő ŕňŕę îńňŕëîńü: "..count
end
end
end

return text
end

This is work, new variables got the correct resistance values, when function execute, but problems:
This function execute when hint appear (onmouseover event on gui_object_name "defense" on chesspiece dialog).
So not enough to open the dialog, must move the cursor over "defense" text.
I can adjust this invisible object over cursor, or fullscreen
Variables got the values, but new texts not refreshed actually, only when opening next time the dialog...
Events and other essential things seems absolutely unavailable. Its serious?

Hmmm... I wonder if this is once again because of the CPI values. I think I'll experiment with this and see if I can provide any new insight into the problem. Maybe if we put our heads together we can figure it out...

I know that a lot of stuff in TL is hard coded, but when they went to AP and beyond they opened stuff up.

Case in point, I'm still working on my H3B mod for TL and have made a change to the Ice Thorns ability where not only do they block passage, but they also hit and damage units if they are within the fall radius (the hexes surrouding the triad of 3, i.e. if the unit wasn't there a thorn would be created in that hex).

I've been able to get everything working except having the damage hint show up correctly. It seems like to get it to calculate the cells properly, you have to use Attack.multiselect(3), but when you do that, if you turn on hints, the units have to be within the multiselect triad to have damage displayed even though the calccells function selects the cells surrounding that triad.

So it is silly - the highlighted hexes will be the ones where the thorns go and are around the triad, but I have to place the triad on top of units (where the thorns don't go) to get it to display the damage hint, which is not correct.

I haven't given up, yet, but I know what you mean when it comes to dealing with limitations of the game engine / system. If you look at Fishes and Rage Drain, though, these abilities don't show the damage either and so I think that it is most likely a limitation of TL or it was too convoluted to implement so I might give up soon and have it not display the hint just like Fishes and Rage Drain (although if I figure out how to do it for Ice Thorns, then maybe I can try to do it for these two as well).

/C\/C\

[saroumana]

Hello matt,

You're the most advanced modder for KB (except may be russian one ). I have a question for you : it's possible to transfert new addition for warrior of the north to armored princess ? I mean : new unit, new skill, new spell and new ability. Rage system of WotN is crap like his campaign.

There so many change in LUA files that it's not realistic to transfert them one by one, only if we can import whole files....and what files ? LUA, .TXT, all loc_ses ok but how to integrate them into the Armored princess campaign with Amelie for Hero ?

My question is ridiculous, no one know.

[MattCaspermeyer]

Originally Posted by saroumana

Hello matt,

You're the most advanced modder for KB (except may be russian one )

The only reason why that is, is because I can't ask them any questions!

Seriously, I'm sure there are quite a few good ones on the board here, but thanks!

Originally Posted by saroumana

I have a question for you : it's possible to transfert new addition for warrior of the north to armored princess ? I mean : new unit, new skill, new spell and new ability.

The big question is whether or not it uses the exact same engine. If it does, then you may be able to port whole files, but most likely not since everything is intertwined.

I'm in the throws right now of making my H3T mod for AP and CW and I wish I could easily port stuff over from my H3B mod for TL and be done, but it is much more involved than that.

I've been striving to create a common set of files between my AP and CW H3T mods and so far it is doable, but time consuming. Then the CW variant will have a superset of the files that are different, and then if I happen to still be wanting to mod this game, the WotN files would be another superset...

I'm also still working on my H3B mod for TL and have a big update coming...

The point is that you're most likely right in that it'd be really time consuming, but it is doable so long as my comment about the engine being the same is true.

Originally Posted by saroumana

Rage system of WotN is crap like his campaign.

Tell me about it - I actually started playing WotN, but then when I saw how buggy it was, I figured I'd shelve it and wait 6 months for it to be fixed.

I bet Jukeey could update the Rage Ability UI and make room for another set of abilities around the core 9 (i.e. another 16 new abilities) for a total of 25 - 4 each for the 5 Valkyries and then 5 for your hero (or something like that). Would be cool!

Anyway...

Originally Posted by saroumana

There so many change in LUA files that it's not realistic to transfert them one by one, only if we can import whole files....and what files ? LUA, .TXT, all loc_ses ok but how to integrate them into the Armored princess campaign with Amelie for Hero ?

My question is ridiculous, no one know.

Unfortunately, this may be the only way. You know, I tried to port TL to AP (or maybe it was vice versa) by simply copying the *.kfs files and it totally bombed when I launched the game. You could try this, though, and see what happens - it won't hurt anything. If it doesn't work, then you can just restore all the AP files.

You could also go the other way, and try the AP files with the WotN engine - that might be the better idea, actually, since AP should have at least everything that WotN has. You would not to have to worry about the engine being different, either. It also might be easier, then, to splice in the AP maps, quests, etc. into the WotN *.kfs files.

Most likely, though, you're in for quite a long project.

For the skills, you might be able to simply replace the SKILLS.TXT in AP with the one for WotN, but you'll have to follow a similar process as above with respect to finding all the functions used by the skills (most likely in SKILLS.LUA), the skill picture icons (they may be in a TEX*.DDS file), and then editing HERO.TXT to include the skills for each class to start with (amongst other tasks).

There are quite a few users on the forums with knowledge modding WotN (i.e. the BugFixes thread) - maybe you can get one of them to help you? Probably would be a better use of their talents since Katauri / 1C are the ones who are supposed to fixing the game (we gave them money after all), although, I whole-hearted appreciate their efforts!

/C\/C\

[saroumana]

The big question is whether or not it uses the exact same engine. If it does, then you may be able to port whole files, but most likely not since everything is intertwined.

I'm in the throws right now of making my H3T mod for AP and CW and I wish I could easily port stuff over from my H3B mod for TL and be done, but it is much more involved than that.

I've been striving to create a common set of files between my AP and CW H3T mods and so far it is doable, but time consuming. Then the CW variant will have a superset of the files that are different, and then if I happen to still be wanting to mod this game, the WotN files would be another superset...

I'm also still working on my H3B mod for TL and have a big update coming...

The point is that you're most likely right in that it'd be really time consuming, but it is doable so long as my comment about the engine being the same is true.

The engine is different, they upgraded it for steam. But i don't think they make change to script or to many LUA function (although it's possible :/).

In fact i tried to use Wotn into a new campaign for crossworld, but it don't work, also in the editor, so yeah unfortunately there are some portability problem.

Tell me about it - I actually started playing WotN, but then when I saw how buggy it was, I figured I'd shelve it and wait 6 months for it to be fixed.

I bet Jukeey could update the Rage Ability UI and make room for another set of abilities around the core 9 (i.e. another 16 new abilities) for a total of 25 - 4 each for the 5 Valkyries and then 5 for your hero (or something like that). Would be cool!

Anyway...

It's a sage decision, Wotn is actualy full of bug. When i mod my new unit, i don't always know if it's my bugs or theirs.

And yes it would be cool to have new ability for valkyries but animation and rage skill are pretty hard to mod.

Unfortunately, this may be the only way. You know, I tried to port TL to AP (or maybe it was vice versa) by simply copying the *.kfs files and it totally bombed when I launched the game. You could try this, though, and see what happens - it won't hurt anything. If it doesn't work, then you can just restore all the AP files.

You could also go the other way, and try the AP files with the WotN engine - that might be the better idea, actually, since AP should have at least everything that WotN has. You would not to have to worry about the engine being different, either. It also might be easier, then, to splice in the AP maps, quests, etc. into the WotN *.kfs files.

Most likely, though, you're in for quite a long project.

For the skills, you might be able to simply replace the SKILLS.TXT in AP with the one for WotN, but you'll have to follow a similar process as above with respect to finding all the functions used by the skills (most likely in SKILLS.LUA), the skill picture icons (they may be in a TEX*.DDS file), and then editing HERO.TXT to include the skills for each class to start with (amongst other tasks).

There are quite a few users on the forums with knowledge modding WotN (i.e. the BugFixes thread) - maybe you can get one of them to help you? Probably would be a better use of their talents since Katauri / 1C are the ones who are supposed to fixing the game (we gave them money after all), although, I whole-hearted appreciate their efforts!

They changed nearly all functions ! Most spell,skill and ability ! That why there are so many bugs in wotn.
I would prefer to grad all LUA,TXT and loc_ses and found inside how to make amelie the hero inside wotn files. After find what Armored princess engine don't like into them....hard job, yup, but may be doable.