Destructable walls
- Thread starter NoelNI
- Start date
Users who are viewing this thread
NoelNI
Recruit
Maybe if you had an item named catapult, or ballista in your inventory, then
before a siege begins, the walls will have maybe a randomised level of damage
done to the wall that is being attacked. This way would not create a requirement
for siege equipment and the fancy mechanics that go along with it to exist
on the map.
before a siege begins, the walls will have maybe a randomised level of damage
done to the wall that is being attacked. This way would not create a requirement
for siege equipment and the fancy mechanics that go along with it to exist
on the map.
That's ironic. I am currently busy with implementing such system of castle destruction. It's fairly easy to do, however requires much work. The problem however is the AI. There is a path, called AI mesh. The AI will follow this path to his enemy, but only if he and the enemy is standing on the AI mesh. If not, he'll walk to the enemy in a straight line. Here's an example of the infamous AI mesh:
* Note that no AI will actually walk through the gate as there is no AI mesh placed there.
This AI mesh is stretched out from the attacker's ground, over the ladders/through siege tower to the walls. The problem is the following:
Let's say the castle's front walls exist in the following manner:
+---+[]---+
+ = tower
- = wall
[] = gate
Let's say the player destroys the second wall from left. It's completely destroyed, but how will the AI know that there's a breach? I can add a script to make them go to the breach, but I need to do that for every wall, tower and gatehouse! + I need to make defenders defend the breach in the wall. But there will still be troops on the walls and towers. So the besiegers will walk against the walls in order to reach them, because there is no AI mesh.
It's a very delicate problem as you see. But I'll do it. Implementing a cannon isn't hard. I use an old script from GetAssista's stone lobbing OSP. Here you can pick a stone and throw 'em away to hurt enemies. Perfect! Simple! And easy to convert to a script for cannon balls or catapult/trebuchet rocks. So I have a script for flying rocks. Animating a breach in the walls isn't really hard as well. However it's all handwork. Every piece needs to be manually and individually modelled and animated and for every wall, tower, house, building, whatever. It's the AI which's the real problem.
* Note that no AI will actually walk through the gate as there is no AI mesh placed there.
This AI mesh is stretched out from the attacker's ground, over the ladders/through siege tower to the walls. The problem is the following:
Let's say the castle's front walls exist in the following manner:
+---+[]---+
+ = tower
- = wall
[] = gate
Let's say the player destroys the second wall from left. It's completely destroyed, but how will the AI know that there's a breach? I can add a script to make them go to the breach, but I need to do that for every wall, tower and gatehouse! + I need to make defenders defend the breach in the wall. But there will still be troops on the walls and towers. So the besiegers will walk against the walls in order to reach them, because there is no AI mesh.
It's a very delicate problem as you see. But I'll do it. Implementing a cannon isn't hard. I use an old script from GetAssista's stone lobbing OSP. Here you can pick a stone and throw 'em away to hurt enemies. Perfect! Simple! And easy to convert to a script for cannon balls or catapult/trebuchet rocks. So I have a script for flying rocks. Animating a breach in the walls isn't really hard as well. However it's all handwork. Every piece needs to be manually and individually modelled and animated and for every wall, tower, house, building, whatever. It's the AI which's the real problem.
Looking forward to it! I just happened across this mod today, but it's really rich with content. You've done a great job!
Thanks a lot! You're welcome. Nova Aetas has lots to offer and is still periodically being updated.
Here's a little video showing my testing results of breaching a wall with cannon balls:
(only included three animations for impact, it'll start from first animation again after fourth impact)
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT a planned feature for Nova Aetas. This is only for testing purposes.
Here's a little video showing my testing results of breaching a wall with cannon balls:
(only included three animations for impact, it'll start from first animation again after fourth impact)
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT a planned feature for Nova Aetas. This is only for testing purposes.
Seems interesting so far. I'm slightly mroe interested in the Cannons though. You say artillery is coming... will you be using the grenade code from With Fire and Sword, and how it takes out an AoE of enemy troops?
Field cannons are included in v4.0 indeed. I won't use their scripts, I have my own as you can see in the video.
Quite excited for that then!
