Kingpin

Well, gents, I'm going to do some business now, so I won't be available for about three months. I'll update if I can, and check back in periodically. Best of luck to all of you, and see you soon. Kingpin...

The Ordos Great Hall is going to stand in for one of the Super house structures, ORINhall, probably the Landsraad building. It is curious though that the building has a strange anomaly associated with it. It seems that when I built it, it's corners were 'porous' and troops could move indeed through the actual model itself. I wonder if that could be fixed. Then again, I wonder if that could be generalized, whether other buildings could be made 'porous' as well. That could simulate fortifying a building especially if you allowed the building to be built on inf rock. Mainly useful against a human opponent, who would be completely blind to the danger until it was too late. Imagine being able to build 'notional' bunkers or allow current buildings to field troops. One, it would make more room in a base, possibly alleviating the AI blocking itself in. Two, it would surprise most enemies to see fire from within the base itself. Three, it would allow max protection of the base itself by integrating the fields of fire INTO the buildings themselves. Apollyon, could you explore that possibility?

Also is the 20 unit cap refer only to units, or is it really a 20 'new thing' cap that includes turrets, bullets, structures as well as units?

This brings me to my next point; there are only two styles of warfighting. One is Maneuver warfare, where you seek the advantage over the opponent by exploiting his weaknesses and avoiding his strengths. The other is warfare by attrition, where success is usually determined by the losses inflicted on the other. Each Great, Sub, and Super House will empathsize one of these two styles. The only exception to the rule is the Atreides, which will embrace the 'American' style of warfare with massive airpower (three combat aircraft) to back its ground troops. In order to make this happen correctly, I need to know if it is possible to set up the Atreides base differently than the rest, to empathisize this difference, in the AI files.

I'm dropping FOUR units from each of the Great Houses, the light infantry, the engineers, and the scouts, all to be replaced by general purpose commandos (less expensive than engineers, more expensive than infantry. The ATtrike, HKBuzzsaw, ORDeviator are all going, the remaining units are stronger. The Atreides will benefit by having TWO ornithopters (air-superiority/interceptor and attack gunship) and an AC-130 Gunship ADP. The Harkonnen will gain the MRLS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System), an extreme range, though inaccurate, rocket launcher; TurretYAcceptableAim/ TurretXAcceptableAim statements could produce that effect (???). The Ordos will probably just get advanced veterancy stats and be extremely outfitted for manuever warfare.

Also, My assumption is that ADVSard and ADVFremen T/F statements cancel each other out, but could you find out?

Apollyon, could you also investigate to see if it is possible to lay a 'splat' in a straight line? I was thinking a weapon that does continuous damage might be able to leave the splat behind in the direction of firing. Consider the inkvine phenomenon. Say you leave that splat... [inkVineSplat] Size = 3

Apollyon, can you find out if the AdvancedFremen = TRUE statement will neccessarily cancel out any other t/f statement. My idea is to have a commando that can transform between two or three different variations, one being a medical specialist (the other two being combat and infilitration/demolition). I would love to have the unit have Repair = true as part of its code, but I just want to see if that's possible.

I like the CGI script idea, but I'm really clueless without an example to go by. First, what IS CGI script, and how do you use it? Could you send me some examples of the code.

Well, if we can't build the training post, we could make it a preplaced building on custom maps and thus another 'natural resource' to be fought over. It might be worth it in just this way, and in any case it is something rather new. But then again there is always the engineer and the deviator effect that could be explored, both values will change the unit ownership. Also, in the campaign, incidentals will change ownership midgame. Hmmm, just thoughts.

All we have worked on right now is gameplay issues. At least right now, we are trying to build units that work within the limited scheme of the original. That means the Rules, Artlin, and .ini files. Once that is done, we need to work on the AI files to allow the computer to compete as well. Any new music, XBFs, or textures might have to be 'subcontracted' out; I don't know about Apollyon, but I know I do not currently possess the proficiency to make those myself, nor do I have the time. So an initial release will probably be just codes for the above mentioned files. Once those are troubleshot and balanced, we'll start adding new models and such. So the initial release, a 0.1 version, will likely be less than 1 megabyte, and is maybe 3-4 months away, we'll just say January. We'll tweak it, correct errors, until we get it right, and then start importing more spacious files. Since we are still trying new things, and do not know which ideas may work and which ones will not, it will be some time before we can point out specifics about anything.

Oh, by the way, Apollyon, cute signature. ;)

Also, I will adaopt several conventions to describe any unit in its most pertinent qualities, such as speed, firepower and rate of fire, armor, cost, buildtime and health. For speed, for instance, I will set a comparable measure... <4 = Very Slow 5-6 = Slow 7-8 = Moderate 9-10 = High 11-14 = Quick 15-20 = Fast 21-24 = Very Fast 25< = Extreme... to allow useful comparisons on the fly. Firepower will be mostly the bullet damage times the turret firing rate per 1000 'ticks,' noting also where this damage is 'continuous,' uses an XBF salvo, or similiar. Armor is relatively straight forward, and health will be graduated similiar to speed. All of the above will help describe the unit's effectiveness in a shorthand, and be used for balancing issues. It will also help describe AND more accurately apply the veterancy structure.

I've started to create a website to track the progress of my mod, the War of Assassins. While it is very new, and under heavy construction, I invite anyone interested in publishing their units that they have made to send me the data for their units. This should ease the process of reinventing the wheel for would-be modders, and myself. As I said, myself and Apollyon, primarily, as well as my trusty Desert Eagle ;), are working to flesh out the details of the mod's own units, so it may be some time before I can publish anyone else's, but I will publish them in good faith. All I ask is that you email them in this form... Mod Taken from, if applicable. Credits Unit title, e.g. Harkonnen Assault Tank House, e.g. Harkonnen Mission, e.g. Assault, Support, Attack, Anti-infantry, Antivehicle, antiair, etc. Unit Description, including its purpose, special features, liabilities, and any comparison to other similiar units. Unit explanation, if warranted. This is to include any unique attributes. The 'face dancer' unit quickly comes to mind as one that may need a how-to manual with it. Artlin Data Bullet Data Turret Data Unit Data Any other unique data such as new XBFs or .ini data that needs to be published. All of the above is useful information that will allow a modder to quickly incorporate the data into a mod, will allow someone to advertize a mod, or allow someone to try a unit out if they are curious.

No set dates are going to be possible yet, Ethan. I still have a full dance card for the next few months and I'm probably going to be driving Apollyon crazy chasing those pesky wild gooses for the foreseeable future ;). What I am trying to make available though is the code for most of the units that do work so if someone is interested in the basic ideas, they can use whatever units we make for their own mods, and vice versa; if there is a unit that they want to share with the community, they can send it to me and I'll post it on the website. It would be a great way to learn the techniques and technologies of one another, and tease everyone about what else we can make. Still under construction, though and if I don't finsh in the next two weeks, you'll have to wait another two months for the website and any real progress.

Hadn't thought about that little SNAFU, hmmm, maybe it could be circumvented by changing the house to 'incidental,' but I doubt it would be that simple. Maybe you could destroy a structure and leave an object behind that would have those qualities; in a way it is similiar to the 'Amal' idea, the synthetic spice. That way, the structure, object, unit, whatever, left behind has those qualities that are neccessary, yet may not neccessarily be 'yours' and you may be able to use it. As for secrecy, no real need there. Its best to keep most things out in the open so we can be critiqued by our peers, keep an interest out there, and most of all, so people may actually have a clue about how to use any extra features we can come up with.

In any case, if you are interested in testing the units, and capable of troubleshooting as well, email me and I'll let you know the address. Since it pretty much lays out everything there, I don't want to spoil the whole thing for everyone by including it here. Besides its in construction right now anyways and has limited content as of yet.

And so, going over the basics. Remember this is all notional, now, I cannot test much of this out right now at all. 23 new units breaks down to 10 additional for the Subhouses; 1 additional new unit if the Subhouse is present with a Superhouse, another additional if it instead has a Rogue House. So that's ten units. The next ten are from the Super and Rogue Houses (3 Super, 2 Rogue), or two for each of the five additional Houses. 3 are going to be from captured technology trees, the most powerful vehicles in the game. Two additional Turrets need to be implemented. I may give the Atreides another Orni. The Saboteur will be different, more commando-like, less suicidal, so the EITS can be used more tactically as a show of force. I am eyeing some of the other units for extinction as well, such as the buzzsaw and the trike. I'm also thinking about a few things, such as chemical warfare, perhaps biowarfare as well.

Whoa, slow down fellas, I didn't disappear so much as take a bathroom break. Working on a website where I'll post more information, such as the Rule's text, so people can try out and test the units. I have no hope in being able to do that myself for at least two more months...long story...so any help I could get would be worthwhile. I've been able to sort the wheat from the chaff in most of the bullet and turret areas, its much more streamlined now. I will probably be able to include something like 23 all 'new' units, and most of the original ones, modified, with a minimum of fuss. I've taken the liberty in streamlining the Infantry though. The scouts and engineers and light infantry are GONE. In their place are elite commandos, capable of doing all three jobs. That should make more room at the top and also make things much more interesting.

With the new viewer we can at least alter the size and dimensions of some of the units at present. By altering the textures, we could basically simulate a completely new model. I'm deeply impressed with the new viewer, it took Adrian a great deal of time AND effort to make it. If he reads this, thank you.

Curious, it seems the FX section, not offered for edit by the viewer but available to a hex editor, seems to code, not only for textures but also some other functions, such as dying and moving, fighting, deploying, etc. The viewer is very impressive itself; just the mere accomplishment is amazing. I would be very interested in using new models in my mod, of course, and this blows open the door to new possiblilties. I wonder if you changed the values for polygons that are not directly changed by animations, would that transformation keep? In any case, we should be at LEAST able to safely change the size and dimensions of current units for the immediate present. That is revolutionary in itself.

Before we go into new models, what does this mean for the current models? Can we put deployable attributes to any unit? What about the TRUE/FALSE statements? Are those open too?

Awesome, I like it alot. Also, excellent job on the other units. Very nice. I need at least four air units as well. I wanted to have them specialized for ground support (ala AC-130 style), antiarmor ( Apache style), and an air superiority fighter (F-22 style), and an extra, general fighter, but the ball is in your court. Do what you will. Perhaps a wild weasel type of aircraft, specialized against structures, to knock out anitair turrets. Maybe a stealth fighter, but that may be way too high powered. I also need a few new vehicles, basic combat oriented. There must be some niche that needs to be filled in each force that can be better exploited. Maybe a HK MRLS (multiple Rocket Launcher System) that fires dumb rockets at a trajectory, worthless against targeting a nimble opponent, but excellent at area denial and suppression. Maybe a Main Battle Tank that is actually king of the battlefield, ala M1 Abrahms. Etc. Use your imagination.

Lol, went from underwork to overwork? I'm sorting through the tech tree right now, finding what buildings I want to use and trying to put them where I need them. If any or hopefully all of those sound good to you, just let me know which ones you want to do. I'm doing the accountant bit right now, trying to balance the books. The whole concept of the mod centers around the tech tree, and that's the largest single job, so it is important to knock it out right away. After all, what good are the units going to be if there is no place for them. After the tech tree, I need to balance out the bullets and turrets. So the chance for modding even a single unit is slim in the next week or two. As far as I'm concerned, any of the mod's units are yours to work on as you see fit, I can point you in the direction I'm looking, but where you go from there is up to you. I only have maybe eight of the thirty odd new units that I'll need set in stone, about five of them ready to go, the other three, I'll need a bit of time and luck on. Anybody got any ideas for units?

Jacob and Volt's Face Dancer really has me thinking...If two True/False statements cancel each other out, is it possible to simply lateral move your unit to another, more convenient unit? Say for an aerial APC, switch from the Orni=True to APC=True when it lands to release the troops? Or say, my idea for a support Leech, switch it from repairing your units to infecting his? What are the limits to the morphing sequence? Could it be possible to have the Saboteur do the same, switch units, so that we could build real paratroopers? If, after all that, we still have the MCV-class. What are the limits to that, what can we make? Is it possible to build a trojan horse? An MCV that you can transport via ADVCarryall and deploy it into a new type of offensive structure? Picture a combat barracks. Maybe you could build a special unit from there, trade exoribant price per unit, for speed of production. You wouldn't pay 1000 dollars for a grunt to take a hill, but what would you pay to take his construction yard??? Or you could build something totally useless, and sell it, leaving say a plattoon of grunts on the ground. Indeed, while we have an extraordinary amount of restrictions placed on us, we do have quite a bit that we can use.