Bullets with status effects, effect-less moves & friendly fire moves

[Moss_Jones]

So I have a question(or 2) about (possibly) somewhat advanced techniques, if they’re already in the game and if they can be emulated or replicated.

My first question is about attaching status effects to “guns” (as in the weapon’s or ammo gives a status effect to whom it shot, with a rusty nailgun and getting tetanus a fallout gamma gun and getting irradiated(effect) for example). Is this even possible or in theory something that can be replicated in a json?

My second question is about “no effect moves” or “turn wasting moves” exp. (“The
zombie hulk yells in confusion and scratches it’s head!”) Without using snippets is this still possible? I seen that the wolf has a [ “HOWL” ] special attack that does nothing but make a bit of noise so surely it can be replicated minus the sound emit right?

[TheMurderUnicorn]

I don’t see why you couldn’t create a special move that deals 0 or 1 damage and has the character yell a specific line. You couldn’t have the line randomized, I don’t think, but you could make them say a specific thing.

Here’s something I’d made when I was working on putting a college in the game. It’s a reference to Revenge of the Nerds. It’s set to 1 damage, but it might accept 0 damage?

{
    "type": "monster_attack",
    "attack_type": "melee",
    "id": "nerds",
    "cooldown": 7,
    "move_cost": 100,
    "damage_max_instance": [
      {
        "damage_type": "bash",
        "amount": 1
      }
    ],
    "body_parts": [ [ "FOOT_L", 2 ],[ "FOOT_R", 2 ], [ "LEG_L", 3 ], [ "LEG_R", 3 ], [ "HAND_L", 2 ], [ "HAND_R", 2 ], [ "HEAD", 3 ], [ "EYES", 2 ], [ "MOUTH", 1 ], [ "ARM_L", 3 ], [ "ARM_R", 3 ], [ "TORSO", 4 ] ],
    "hit_dmg_u": "Ogre punches you and screams 'Nerd'!",
    "hit_dmg_npc": "Ogre punches <npcname> and calls them a nerd!",
    "no_dmg_msg_u": "Ogre swings at you and screams 'Neeeerd'!",
    "no_dmg_msg_npc": "Ogre misses <npcname>, but calls them a nerd anyway!"
  }

It’s not talking, exactly, but it accomplishes the same thing.

[Moss_Jones]

Yea I know, I’ve done something similar but it still seems to damage clothing and make pain sounds. It only seems like a decent workaround at best.

Edit: Also lol nerd punching ogres XD

[TheMurderUnicorn]

Well, it IS a workaround, I suppose. Without coding everything is a work around x_x.

If you try setting the attack type to “gun”, it will probably remove the damage dealt to clothing. My guess would be that a melee attack is being made at the same time your special attack is triggering. If you make the special attack ranged, it would probably trigger at a distance without risking the attack actually doing damage to clothing.

There may be a ranged sound effect, however, though I’m not sure.

All just guess work. I haven’t tried this.

[Krisu]

Tetanus isn’t necessarily caused by rusty nails.

[Moss_Jones]

Tetanus isn’t necessarily caused by rusty nails.

Sigh, I just knew someone was going to mention that and yet I still kept the example.

[Axema]

wolf has a [ “HOWL” ] special attack that does nothing but make a bit of noise

Because it’s hardcoded in C++

[Krisu]

Lol, my bad. I couldn’t help it!

[Axema]

{
    "id": "mon_mi_go",
    "type": "MONSTER",
    "name": "mi-go",
    "description": "This is an alien creature of uncertain origin.  Its shapeless pink body bears numerous sets of paired appendages of unknown function, and a pair of ribbed, membranous wings which seem to be quite useless.  Its odd, vaguely pyramid-shaped head bristles with numerous wavering antennae, and simply gazing upon the unnatural beast fills you with primordial dread.",
    "default_faction": "nether",
    "bodytype": "migo",
    "species": [ "NETHER" ],
    "volume": "92500 ml",
    "weight": 120000,
    "hp": 210,
    "speed": 120,
    "material": [ "flesh" ],
    "symbol": "&",
    "color": "pink",
    "aggression": 20,
    "morale": 30,
    "melee_skill": 7,
    "melee_dice": 4,
    "melee_dice_sides": 6,
    "melee_cut": 6,
    "dodge": 4,
    "armor_bash": 4,
    "armor_cut": 12,
    "vision_day": 50,
    "harvest": "zombie_meatslug",
    "path_settings": { "max_dist": 50 },
    "special_attacks": [
      [ "PARROT", 0 ],
      { "id": "scratch", "damage_max_instance": [ { "damage_type": "cut", "amount": 23, "armor_multiplier": 0.8 } ] }
    ],
    "death_function": [ "NORMAL" ],
    "flags": [
      "SEES",
      "SMELLS",
      "HEARS",
      "WARM",
      "BASHES",
      "POISON",
      "NO_BREATHE",
      "ARTHROPOD_BLOOD",
      "PATH_AVOID_DANGER_2",
      "PRIORITIZE_TARGETS"
    ]
  }

{
        "type" : "speech",
        "speaker" : "mon_mi_go",
        "sound" : "\"You are nerd, kid!\"",
        "volume" : 40
    }

"PARROT" special attack would be your best bet for the json format

[Moss_Jones]

Crap! That’s no good, it may be nigh-impossible to replicate those effects without changing the games core code then . There has to be another way to have special attack that doesn’t do anything but create text prompts like “The zombie pooped itself a little!”

[Moss_Jones]

Hmm yea im going to take a look at the files and see all that parrot does.

[Axema]

Sorry about that… I didn’t mention it earlier

[Moss_Jones]

No worries, i’m just surprised no one knows if its possible to attach status effects to ammo.