Monsters and how they work.

[Rickstavern]

I need help to get some of my abominable creations to pose more of a challenge.

It seems that no matter what I change, these beasts simply cannot hit my party when using their normal attacks. The default attack that most all monsters have (0x000e0001) just misses 99.9% of the time.

How can I make this work? Raising monster dex seems to do nothing but to insure that they will get in the initial attacks. Raising monster strength didn't do anything either.

If there was a way to add +tohit to this it might work, but with my party sitting at an easy -30AC all around (which can be easily done) they just seem immune to normal attacks.

Anyone have some experience that they can share?

Thanks


Added a few new images.
http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected]

[origen]

My characters are still entry-level (I think 1 may be as high as 7), and their AC's are all still positive. At this point, I am getting hit fairly regularly with my monster attacks. I was actually worries that I made the monsters too difficult, as I have to run and heal after almost every battle.

[Rickstavern]

After speaking with support, it appears that this is a limitation of the current system. It is possible that monsters will be modified so that they are more like player characters, but with the current game engine monsters get no +to-hit.

There are a ouple of ways to skirt around this issue, so I should be able to continue work for now.

[origen]

What ways do you have to work around this issue? Perhaps it can help some other modders.

[Growler]

For better luck (helps +2hit?), how 'bout sending 'em to the temple with lots o' gold in their vest pockets?
(just gotta make sure they tithe properly in 500gp increments rather than eat the priests!)

Or, if you don't trust yer own monsters with loads o' gold & slow-moving monks, then mebe jack their dex? (seems that should help 2 hit).

[origen]

I believe the higher dex only lets them swing first, but they still don't hit anything.

[ShadoKnight]

IIRC (I don't have the code at-hand to check) the to-hit computation is based on the comparitive DX of the monster and the player, modified by the AC. If the AC is low enough, then the DX values really won't matter (this is probably a bug, or imbalance, in the combat system). Basically, once you get to -10 AC, you're very unlikely to be hit by a basic attack, and *certainly* by -20, you're essentially immune to standard bashing. As several have pointed out, DX also determines attack order, so if you have special attacks that can hurt those -20AC folks, a high DX will give you a better chance of getting them off first. And for completeness - damage is based on ST, almost entirely.

SK

[dragonbait]

OK i printed out the monster tutorial. I'm going to try to create some of my own monsters. I got some pictures from the D+D monster manual that I would like to use. Like to create an Otyugh, Gelatinous Cube, + some Doom Guards' as Xoram's minions. Who knows. I'll see what happens.

[dragonbait]

OK I read through the monster tutorial + monster files. Will take a while to get used to. Can someone give a brief run through on what to do to create a monster?

Here is what I have so far.

Code: Select all

Otyugh
Otyughs
#ST IQ WI DX CN CH CO LK AC
11 5 12 10 13 6 1 10 3
5 -5 5 -5 5 -5
4 5 18 5 0
36 0
0 0
100 50
20 10
pics/monsters/otyugh.dat
Otyugh
1 0 2
0x000e0001
random 200 1d3+0
Ruby 500

[Rickstavern]

warning: A complete monster.txt file has never been supplied to us. There are entries missing and creating a new dat file will actually break a couple of game events


Looks like you already have it complete.

This is all pretty straightforward as explained in the tutorial. I'll add in a few extra comments

Code: Select all

Otyugh
Otyughs
#ST IQ WI DX CN CH CO LK AC
11 5 12 10 13 6 1 10 3
# The elements are in the order FIRE, EARTH, AIR, WATER
5 -5 5 -5 5 -5
# attacks, back-damage, monster type, level, gender
4 5 18 5 0
# MaxHP HPVariance
36 0
# MaxSP SPVariance
0 0
# MaxXP XPVariance
100 50
# MaxGP GPVariance
20 10
#pics/monsters/otyugh.dat
Otyugh
# skills, spells, item entries
1 0 2
0x000e0001
# <item_name> <chance &#40;out of 1000&#41;> <count &#40;<x>d<y>+<z>&#41;>
random 200 1d3+0
Ruby 500

It's a low level monster (level 5) but it's number of attacks is 4. That sucker is gonna hit pretty hard.

The line pics/monsters/otyugh.dat needs to be commented or removed. In the above code I commented the line. You just need to reference the name from picindex.dat for the picture that you will use which in this case is 'Otyugh'. If you are planning to use some new pictures then you have to create the entries in the picindex file yourself, but I think you've already done that before.

If you want to give your creation additional skills then you will need to comb through the actions.dat file using the action editor. You can also create new actions, but it's a lot of trouble unless you are really, really serious about it.

I thinks it's better to be a little frugal with the item rewards. The original game just threw tons of junk at you. I thought it was a bit unbalanced, but maybe that's just me.

------

Once you have added this entry into the monsters.txt file (comes with the modding tools) you need to compile a new monsters.dat file. Use the program mtcompile.exe

That's pretty much it. You can now reference the monster by name in any script or monster cfg file.


warning: A complete monster.txt file has never been supplied to us. There are entries missing and creating a new dat file will actually break a couple of game events

[Growler]

Is it just me, or do Townies seem to have an unnatural (preternatural?) ability to keep getting licks in even after yer crew is well-advanced & has low A.C.?!?

Not to suggest they were inflicting much damage, but just their angry-mob-mentality-ability to get licks in.. mebe their pitchforks are +7 to hit.

[Meanwhile]

Monsters and how they work (The short version)

As long as you are out there adventuring, they will be out there trying to kill you. That's what they do! That's all they do!

[dragonbait]

Rick:

i have some more questions concerning monsters. I was able to compile and create a new monsters.dat file OK but I get an error message at the command prompt.

I went in.........
C:\dwtools\tools\monsters>mtcompile monsters.txt monsters.dat

It ran through the list....
Red Dragon - done!
Beholder - done!
Argo - done!
Black Claw Warlock - done!
Giant Spider -done!
Brideck - done!
.........etc. etc.
Inky - done! (included my new creation)
Error <711>: Unexpected EOF on input file <while processing >!


Here is what I have added to the monsters.txt file.

Code: Select all

Inky
Inkys
#ST IQ WI DX CN CH CO LK AC
20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 -15
# The elements are in the order FIRE, EARTH, AIR, WATER
20 -10 20 -10 20 -10 20 -10
# attacks, back-damage, monster type, level, gender
5 25 19 25 2
# MaxHP HPVariance
100 50
# MaxSP SPVariance
400 200
# MaxXP XPVariance
5000 1000
# MaxGP GPVariance
100 50
#pics/monsters/inky.dat
inky
1 2 1
0x000e0001
0x0009000c
0x001f0011
random 200 1d1+0
#
# spell: HEME(heal medium)
# spell: LIST(lightning storm, 4d6 damage)
#

My other question is about the types of attacks. You have said in a previous post that....
"If you want to give your creation additional skills then you will need to comb through the actions.dat file using the action editor."

I see where the actions.dat file is, but where is the action editor? I have been just looking through the monsters.txt file for reference. I figured the
0x000e0001
is the standard attack, but do I need to indicate somewhere where the amount of damage is? as in 2d4+2 or such. or does it do that automatically based on the # of Strength that I have provided?

the
0x0009000c
0x001f0011

are from the black claw warlock monster.
I believe they are as follows...
# spell: HEME(heal medium)
# spell: LIST(lightning storm, 4d6 damage)

[dragonbait]

Well I was able to fight Inky, but there must be something not quite right about it. He always appears at 10 feet away. However I have him listed as starting at 40 feet away in the mon.cfg file. So far I've only seen him attack (using the regular attack) hitting for maybe a maximum of 10-15 or so. Haven't seen him cast either of the 2 spells he has, so i think i missed a step somewhere along the way.

Here is what I have in the mon.cfg file.

Code: Select all

# Xoram's Tower monsters
#0 0
#<number of mon> <frequency of mon>
1 50
#<name> <grp base> <grp variance> <init range> <base occurance> <xtra occur> <entry hr> <leave hr>
Inky 1 3 40 60 20 0 23

[dragonbait]

Interestingly enough, Inky decided he wanted to join my team.

of course though i'm running into the same issue about having too low AC for the evil Inky's to hit me, and my good Inky was not able to hit any of the evil Inky's in battle either.

pic