Auras

[sanderd17]

I'm working on implementing auras, but there are still a lot of heroes without aura defined (see the list I made here: http://trac.wildfire...com/ticket/2048).

The current implementation allows altering the template statistics (f.e. hack attack value) of certain classes of units (f.e. all cavalry) in a certain range of the unit with an aura, of certain player classes (f.e. self, or all enemies).

This means some things are not seen as an aura with the current code. F.e.:

• Reducing the cost of a unit (a queued unit isn't in range of the unit with the aura)
  
• Altering stats of all units on the field (again, this has no range definition)
  

The second one could still be done with an infinite range, so if it's wanted, I could add it. But the first one is more difficult, as you pay before the unit is in the world, so it's even outside an infinite range. IMO, these things should be technologies which are automatically unlocked by the hero, or which can be unlocked after you made the hero.

I'd like to discuss how you guys see it.

Next to that, as there are so many heroes with undefined auras left, I'd like to invite everyone to give suggestions about auras. Preferable they have something to do with the history of the hero (and some nice dramatic names for in the tooltip).

LIST

I'll maintain a list of proposed auras here, and propose some myself too.

• Cart: Hamilcar: The ability to buy peace from his enemies. All enemy units in range fight less hard, -2 attack.
  
• Cart: Hannibal: Tactical master in the alps. All ranged units get 20 elevation advantage
  

Edited August 6, 2013 by sanderd17

[alpha123]

At least some auras should be implemented in terms of reversible technologies (i.e. techs that can be "unresearched"). So the tech is automatically researched when the hero is made and automatically unresearched when the hero dies.

One thing that complicates things a bit is that some auras (such as the female +gathering aura) should be range-based but most hero auras probably going to apply to all the units in that hero's formation. I don't think we ever decided on whether hero auras are going to be range-based or formation-based but I think we were leaning toward formation-based. Even more complicated, range-based auras probably shouldn't stack.

So basically we have 3 main types of auras:

• Reversible techs (decreasing the cost of a unit, increasing ship speed, etc)
  
• Range auras (increase gathering, demotivate nearby enemy units, etc)
  
• Formation auras (increased attack, increased speed, etc)
  

On top of that, we have some auras that don't quite fit into the above categories. For example, the ship a hero is garrisoned in moving faster or getting 5 metal for every enemy killed (those are actual hero auras, IIRC from the Athenians and Britons or Gauls).

Here's how I'm currently thinking this should be implemented:

Most of the latter two types of auras should be implemented in terms of techs that can be restricted to a certain range of influence. That could either be an actual range or a formation. As an example, the female aura should just be a tech that only applies to units within her range. This would be a reversible tech that would be researched when the first female is spawned and unresearched when the last female dies. This nicely solves the stacking problem. Then, the tech manager would, instead of applying the tech effect globally, only apply it to the areas within range of a female.

Auras should just have one component, but at least two to reflect the great variety here. Reversible techs in particular should be its own component, since that will likely be reused for wonders. The range- and formation-based auras could be built on top of the reversible tech component and range-restricted techs.

[sanderd17]

At least some auras should be implemented in terms of reversible technologies (i.e. techs that can be "unresearched"). So the tech is automatically researched when the hero is made and automatically unresearched when the hero dies.

One thing that complicates things a bit is that some auras (such as the female +gathering aura) should be range-based but most hero auras probably going to apply to all the units in that hero's formation. I don't think we ever decided on whether hero auras are going to be range-based or formation-based but I think we were leaning toward formation-based. Even more complicated, range-based auras probably shouldn't stack.

What do you mean with "Shouldn't stack"? I understand that, if there are 2 females around one citizensoldier, that soldier would only get the bonus once, but OTOH, what if there is a female around, and a hero with a different but similar aura?

So basically we have 3 main types of auras:

• Reversible techs (decreasing the cost of a unit, increasing ship speed, etc)
  
• Range auras (increase gathering, demotivate nearby enemy units, etc)
  
• Formation auras (increased attack, increased speed, etc)
  

On top of that, we have some auras that don't quite fit into the above categories. For example, the ship a hero is garrisoned in moving faster or getting 5 metal for every enemy killed (those are actual hero auras, IIRC from the Athenians and Britons or Gauls).

Here's how I'm currently thinking this should be implemented:

Most of the latter two types of auras should be implemented in terms of techs that can be restricted to a certain range of influence. That could either be an actual range or a formation. As an example, the female aura should just be a tech that only applies to units within her range. This would be a reversible tech that would be researched when the first female is spawned and unresearched when the last female dies. This nicely solves the stacking problem. Then, the tech manager would, instead of applying the tech effect globally, only apply it to the areas within range of a female.

Do you want to remove the "Auras" component and extend the technology component to make range and formation based techs possible?

Auras should just have one component, but at least two to reflect the great variety here. Reversible techs in particular should be its own component, since that will likely be reused for wonders. The range- and formation-based auras could be built on top of the reversible tech component and range-restricted techs.

[Pureon]

Thanks for working on auras Sander, they're an important addition that'll help make this game unique and interesting to play

An infinite range aura will probably be needed at some stage, so it'll be good if you could add that.

[alpha123]

What do you mean with "Shouldn't stack"? I understand that, if there are 2 females around one citizensoldier, that soldier would only get the bonus once, but OTOH, what if there is a female around, and a hero with a different but similar aura?

Sorry, that was rather ambiguous. Only the same aura shouldn't be applied more than once, multiple range-based auras should be able to be applied simultaneously.

Do you want to remove the "Auras" component and extend the technology component to make range and formation based techs possible?

I think we could keep the Aura component as an abstraction over range and formation restricted techs.

[sanderd17]

It looks like non-stacking auras works now. Every aura gets a key (which depends on the template name and name of the aura). If the keys are the same, the values should be the same too, so it's only applied once. If the keys are different, the auras are stacked.

I also implemented formation based auras, although it's funny a formation only exists as long as the units are walking. So it can't be used for attack modifications.

[alpha123]

It looks like non-stacking auras works now. Every aura gets a key (which depends on the template name and name of the aura). If the keys are the same, the values should be the same too, so it's only applied once. If the keys are different, the auras are stacked.

Cool. Is this implemented in terms of techs, or did you use some other solution?

I also implemented formation based auras, although it's funny a formation only exists as long as the units are walking. So it can't be used for attack modifications.

That will get fixed automatically when we implement formations properly, so I wouldn't worry about that.

[sanderd17]

Cool. Is this implemented in terms of techs, or did you use some other solution?

I used parts of the technology code (for broadcasting the changes), and did the rest from the component itself.

[Nolanjoker]

what happening to the auras? how you doing with that?

[sanderd17]

the code is almost finished, but as it won't be in A14, I postponed development a bit. there is still alot of work to be done for imagining new auras, and balancing them .

[Thorfinn the Shallow Minded]

Sanderd: for the hero auras of Hamilcar and Hannibal, I propose the following. Hamilcar, mercenaries are more effectictive around him (Hamilcar Barca was a crucial leader in crushing the mercenary revolts.). Hannibal could increase the rate that soldiers move at while in the column formation and could partly cloak soldiers from enemy line of sight until x distance to simulate his wily battle mannerisms.