Idea for multiplayer era/scenario: War in the Mines

Post by **Dave** » October 9th, 2005, 2:37 am

I think it'd be cool if we had a special multiplayer era with a set of scenarios that focused on underground warfare.

The primary factions would be dwarves and orcs, and the special feature of this type of play would be the presence of 'miner' units on each side.

The way that 'miner' units work is that they can move on cave wall -- slowly -- and when they do they convert it to cave (i.e. they can build tunnels).

A minor might have 5 moves, but it takes 3 moves to dig through a tile of cave. That means that one miner can progress one hex per turn, but a team of three miners could build a tunnel at a rate of 3 hexes per turn -- nothing faster than this would be possible under this scheme.

I think such a thing would be fairly easy to do in WML at the moment, and would add an interesting new gameplay dynamic. The only real problem with it is that you could see where your enemy is building tunnels in fogged areas. If necessary, we could consider adding a mode of play where fog is treated as shroud, just for use in this type of scenario.

Would anyone be interested in working on this? I would be glad to offer some help with it, though I probably wouldn't have time to do the whole thing myself.

David

ILikeProgramming · Post by **ILikeProgramming** » October 9th, 2005, 2:58 am

what about Dark elves? They live in caves.

scott · Post by **scott** » October 9th, 2005, 5:16 am

Alright, it's on the campaign server.

Features:
- Miners who knock out cavewalls as described
- Northerners, Knalgans, Undead, and Dark Elves
- Add the {ENABLE_MINERS} macro to a scenario to turn on mining
- Add the {IS_A_MINER} macro to a unit config to make it a miner
- Use {SUBTERRANIAN_TIME} rather than underground time. It removes the nighttime bonus since there is no variation in time of day.

Limitations:
- Quick miners can go 2 moves into the cavewall
- 1 sucky map
- Only 1 miner unit and it's in every faction. Thus, the undead can hire a dwarvish miner. Perhaps he has lots of kids to feed.

Room to improve
- More miner units can be built (make sure movement is 4-6)
- More maps can be made
- Adjust the unit miner macro to disallow the quick trait somehow (and possibly enforce movement restrictions)

I'm not interested in maintaining the era. I thought it would be fun to do. If someone really wants to take it over let me know.

Edit: I made mining cost 4 MP. It's simpler

Kane · Post by **Kane** » October 9th, 2005, 11:31 pm

How do you connect to the campaign server..?

scott · Post by **scott** » October 9th, 2005, 11:35 pm

Start the game
Select Campaign
Scroll to the bottom
Select 'Get more Campaigns'

Post by **Dave** » October 9th, 2005, 11:44 pm

scott: cool...looks very nice!

scott · Post by **scott** » October 9th, 2005, 11:59 pm

Hey thanks.

I realize I implemented mining differently than was described.

Which is better?
- mining occurs at the end of a turn (allows undo)
- mining occurs immediately (prevents undo but allows serial tunneling)

I did it the first way. The strategy involved is significantly different, since breakthrough is inherently dangerous the first way... mining puts you on defense rather than on offense. That could moderate the mining ability, but we would need to see what kind of maps come out of it all.

Post by **Dave** » October 10th, 2005, 12:25 am

scott wrote: I realize I implemented mining differently than was described.

Which is better?
- mining occurs at the end of a turn (allows undo)
- mining occurs immediately (prevents undo but allows serial tunneling)

Yeah I noticed that. I'm not sure which is better. Your map (which I actually think was pretty decent) was designed to favor your way.

My concern with the way you implemented it is mostly that it makes mining rather weak, and easy to defend against. Having it the way I described would make it a very offensive ability: one turn everything could look good, but on the enemy's turn, they might burst through and half a dozen dwarves might charge through a newly-created opening.

This might be too powerful though...

We'll have to see...if players start playing the era, anyhow.

David

unsung · Post by **unsung** » October 10th, 2005, 7:41 pm

I'd suggest allowing the other factions for who don't mind losing as lon gas they play as their favorites....

Post by **Noyga** » October 11th, 2005, 1:39 pm

Hello, since Dwarvish miners sounded too alive for me, i've made a Skeleton Digger for the undead faction.
here it is
Feel free to improve it, it's only a quick hack based on the dwarvish miner & skeleton units.
I'm not an artist and i had no great idea for the description.

scott · Post by **scott** » October 11th, 2005, 3:18 pm

That's awesome. Skeleton Digger is IN.

Here are the stats up for comment:

id=Skeleton Digger
name= _ "Skeleton Digger"
race=undead
hitpoints=30
movement_type=undeadfoot
movement=5
level=1
alignment=chaotic
cost=19
usage=fighter

{IS_A_MINER}

unit_description= _ "Skeletons diggers were miners in their previous existence. Raised from the dead, they dig once again galleries in the underground world."

[resistance]
blade=60
pierce=40
impact=120
[/resistance]
[attack]
name=pick
type=pierce
range=short
damage=4
number=2

Post by **Noyga** » October 11th, 2005, 4:42 pm

Well this is nothing but a skeleton with a pick axe, i've just picked the stats from the skeleton & the dwarvish miner.

I found that the AI really loved these units, it recuited a lot of diggers and almost no conventionnal skeletons, so i tested something to see if its works :
I've put "usage=miner" in the stats and added "miner" in the recruitment_patern.
Well it works, now undeads don't make a whole army of diggers.

ILikeProgramming · Post by **ILikeProgramming** » October 14th, 2005, 1:50 am

What about Dark Elf worker?

Post by **Noyga** » October 14th, 2005, 3:05 am

Let's add a Goblin miner then

It's a goblin spearman with a pick axe instead of a spear.

Here are the stats :
[unit]
id=Goblin Miner
name= _ "Goblin Miner"
race=goblin
hitpoints=16
movement_type=orcishfoot
movement=4
experience=22
level=0
alignment=chaotic
cost=12
usage=fighter
{IS_A_MINER}
[attack]
name=pick
type=pierce
range=short
damage=4
number=2
[/attack]
[/unit]

Well i don't know if it is well balanced...

scott · Post by **scott** » October 14th, 2005, 5:02 am

Ok, we have version 0.2. The miners are nominally balanced. The skeleton and goblin miners have an extra movement point to compensate for their slow movement on cave floor.

If anyone wants to take over this era, please do! I'm sure someone who likes to make maps has plenty of creativity to turn the era into something strategic and fun.