PK's Rebalancing Mod

Game Talk The Lab
61

50x is insane to begin with :stuck_out_tongue:
The below is with 1.5x spawns. And wanders and static hordes. But I didnt actually play enough for wandering hordes to have much effect. Wandering hordes are reactionary, meaning you have to do things in game for them to spawn/do things back.

Composition is more important to consider than size, since your size is detemrined by you, ultimately.

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Im not sure what TheFlame is murderizing, but theres more zombies in the game than what is shown here. I basically spawned a bunch of gear and debugged the time/location to get these, which likely means minimal Wandering horde impact.

62

I play a very stealthy so hordes are not that much of a problem to me. I loot one building in the course of 4-5 days including raw materials from bullrings and then burn it to make the zombies go there and not bother me. Zombie evolution might be the biggest problem.

63

Theyre harder, in a sense.

Basic zombies first get stronger, then get ranged attacks. - But they dont become spitters or smokers or w.e; they stay ‘basic’.
Brutes get harder, but by the time you see them you should be able to take them 1v1.
Skeletons are imo some of the harder ones. They bleed you a lot, and had very high non-blunt resistance. And they can be hard to shoot
Dog level up some, but 1v1 most of them are easy enough if your combat isnt terrible. Hell hounds are hard imo though.
necros and masters turn into a combined unit, doubling the population of both. Thats endgame stuff, but I nerfed them a little more.

and then shady zoms. I like the idea that they are like humanoid willowisps, they cas see far and are hard to shoot.

So no. Give it a try. Theres not a lot here that can ‘see’ you through walls or anything. Though some may have good hearing/smelling.

64

I have your mod installed but have stayed in an evac shelter gathering food and water by a nearby swamp. I am finally ready to go into the cities.

65

So, working within the constraints of the ants as is.

There are only 4 types of ants. The larva, the Queen, the drone, and the soldier. From these must come anything else. Unless They won’t spawn inside the hive. Because the inside of the hive is organized the way it is, I can’t add new monsters there; but they can ‘upgrade’ after the base models spawn.

With these, and the lack of ‘species’, I have to make a single cohesive group of ants. This is what Ive put down since the last post. The hardest part is making them so they should work together instead of being distinct things. Unlike zombies, or triffids, or fungus. All those things steal other species. The ants are all from the Queen.

This all said, here is what I have

[

{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_larva",
"edit-mode" : "modify",
    "upgrades":{
  "into": "mon_ant_larva_pk",
  "half_life": 10
}
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant",
"edit-mode" : "modify",
"melee_skill":6,
"melee_dice":1,
"melee_dice_sides":8,
"melee_cut":7,
"dodge":1,
"armor_bash":8,
"armor_cut":12,
"armor_acid":2,
"vision_day":5,
"vision_night":5,
    "upgrades":{
  "into": "mon_ant_terminal",
  "half_life": 14
},
"special_attacks":[
    {
        "type" : "bite",
        "cooldown" : 20,
        "accuracy" : 5,
        "damage_max_instance" : [
            {"damage_type" : "stab", "amount" : 7, "armor_multiplier" : 0.8},
            {"damage_type" : "bash", "amount" : 10, "armor_multiplier" : 0.8}
        ]
    },
    ["GRAB", 30]
],
"flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "SWIMS", "CHITIN", "CLIMBS"]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_soldier",
"edit-mode" : "modify",
"aggression":30,
"morale":100,
"speed":105,
"melee_skill":7,
"melee_dice":1,
"melee_dice_sides":12,
"melee_cut":8,
"dodge":2,
"armor_bash":12,
"armor_cut":16,
"armor_acid":3,
"vision_day":5,
"vision_night":5,
    "upgrades":{
  "into": "mon_ant_soldier_terminal",
  "half_life": 14
},
"special_attacks":[
    {
        "type" : "bite",
        "cooldown" : 15,
        "accuracy" : 8,
        "damage_max_instance" : [
            {"damage_type" : "stab", "amount" : 12, "armor_multiplier" : 0.5},
            {"damage_type" : "bash", "amount" : 10, "armor_multiplier" : 0.5}
        ]
    },
    ["GRAB", 60]
],
"flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "SWIMS", "CHITIN", "CLIMBS"]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_queen",
"edit-mode" : "modify",
"special_attacks":[["ANTQUEEN", 3], ["SHRIEK_ALERT", 30]]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_larva_pk",
"name": "ant larvae",
"species":"INSECT",
"default_faction":"ant",
"symbol":"a",
"color":"white",
"size":"SMALL",
"material":"iflesh",
"diff":5,
"aggression":0,
"morale":20,
"speed":25,
"melee_skill":2,
"melee_dice":1,
"melee_dice_sides":8,
"melee_cut":0,
"dodge":2,
"armor_bash":4,
"armor_cut":4,
"hp":15,
"death_function":"NORMAL",
"special_attacks":[["ACID_BARF", 15]],
"description":"A writhing mass of yellowing encased flesh, this little guy has developed a means of expelling stomach contents if distubed.",
"flags":["ACIDPROOF", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "LARVA", "CHITIN"],
"anger_triggers":["HURT", "PLAYER_WEAK"],
"placate_triggers":["MEAT"]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_scrib",
"name": "forager ant",
"species":"INSECT",
"default_faction":"ant",
"symbol":"s",
"color":"ltgray",
"size":"SMALL",
"material":"iflesh",
"diff":7,
"aggression":0,
"morale":60,
"speed":90,
"melee_skill":5,
"melee_dice":1,
"melee_dice_sides":6,
"melee_cut":6,
"dodge":1,
"armor_bash":5,
"armor_cut":10,
"vision_day":5,
"vision_night":5,
"hp":40,
"death_function":"NORMAL",
"special_attacks":[["SHRIEK", 60], ["SHRIEK_STUN", 40]],
"description":"An enormous red ant covered in chitinous plates.  It possesses a pair of wriggling antennae and vicious-looking mandibles.",
"flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "CHITIN", "CLIMBS"],
"anger_triggers":["FRIEND_ATTACKED", "FRIEND_DIED", "HURT", "PLAYER_WEAK"]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_terminal",
"name": "giant ant",
"species":"INSECT",
"default_faction":"ant",
"symbol":"a",
"color":"brown",
"size":"MEDIUM",
"material":"iflesh",
"diff":10,
"aggression":0,
"morale":60,
"speed":105,
"melee_skill":6,
"melee_dice":1,
"melee_dice_sides":12,
"melee_cut":7,
"dodge":2,
"armor_bash":10,
"armor_cut":16,
"vision_day":5,
"vision_night":5,
"hp":65,
"death_function":"NORMAL",
"special_attacks":[
    {
        "type" : "bite",
        "cooldown" : 12,
        "accuracy" : 15,
        "damage_max_instance" : [
            {"damage_type" : "stab", "amount" : 10, "armor_multiplier" : 0.5},
            {"damage_type" : "bash", "amount" : 15, "armor_multiplier" : 0.5}
        ]
    },
    ["GRAB", 20]
],
"description":"An enormous red ant covered in chitinous plates.  It possesses a pair of wriggling antennae and vicious-looking mandibles.  This Earth native is comfortably adapted to its new size.",
"flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "SWIMS", "CHITIN", "CLIMBS"],
"anger_triggers":["FRIEND_ATTACKED", "FRIEND_DIED", "HURT", "PLAYER_WEAK"]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_soldier_terminal",
"name": "soldier ant",
"species":"INSECT",
"default_faction":"ant",
"symbol":"a",
"color":"red",
"size":"MEDIUM",
"material":"iflesh",
"diff":20,
"aggression":30,
"morale":100,
"speed":110,
"melee_skill":8,
"melee_dice":2,
"melee_dice_sides":8,
"melee_cut":10,
"dodge":3,
"armor_bash":14,
"armor_cut":20,
"armor_acid":3,
"vision_day":5,
"vision_night":5,
"hp":90,
"death_function":"NORMAL",
"special_attacks":[
    {
        "type" : "bite",
        "cooldown" : 15,
        "accuracy" : 10,
        "damage_max_instance" : [
            {"damage_type" : "stab", "amount" : 15, "armor_multiplier" : 0.3},
            {"damage_type" : "bash", "amount" : 12, "armor_multiplier" : 0.3}
        ]
    },
    ["GRAB", 60]
],
"description":"A huge and hairy red ant almost twice the size of other giant ants.  Bulging pincers extend from its jaws.  This Earth native is comfortably adapted to its new size.",
"flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "SWIMS", "CHITIN", "CLIMBS"],
"anger_triggers":["FRIEND_ATTACKED", "FRIEND_DIED", "HURT", "PLAYER_CLOSE"]
},{
"type" : "MONSTER",
"id" : "mon_ant_queen_firebug",
"name": "queen ant",
"species":"INSECT",
"default_faction":"ant",
"symbol":"a",
"color":"ltred",
"size":"LARGE",
"material":"iflesh",
"diff":18,
"aggression":0,
"morale":100,
"speed":40,
"melee_skill":4,
"melee_dice":3,
"melee_dice_sides":4,
"melee_cut":4,
"dodge":1,
"armor_bash":16,
"armor_cut":25,
"armor_acid":5,
"hp":120,
"death_function":"NORMAL",
"special_attacks":[["ANTQUEEN", 3], ["FLAMETHROWER", 15], ["SHRIEK_ALERT", 30]],
"description":"A colossal red ant with a bulging, bloated thorax.  It moves slowly and deliberately, tending to nearby eggs and continually laying more.  Its antanee seem almost aesthetic, or at the least not used for sensing . . .",
"flags":["SMELLS", "QUEEN", "CHITIN", "FAT", "CLIMBS", "FIREPROOF"],
"anger_triggers":["FRIEND_ATTACKED", "FRIEND_DIED", "HURT"]
}

]

Some flat upgrades and adding some abilities to existing ants. I havent extensively tested them, but both the originals and the upgrades are more resiliant now. I did test out the shrieking and screeching; it works to piss off any sound-triggered critters. So that is a thing I want. Im wary of adding more sight radius to them. The stuff they have now is to simulate their improved scent-recepting, and a ‘hack’ that highlights how important sight is to the ai.

the scrib forager will try to shriek on you if upset. maybe it works? again, not really done extensive testing. These ants are very armored though. Maybe too much. I want to eventually tweak the stats of all the cirtters to a compromise between player output and mob output. So that the monster infighting will be more interesting.

Speaking of monsters fighting, the increased range of the triffids and fungus have put them into conflict with ants, each other, and zombie more often. I think, I approve. We’ll see.

66

Ants are in, but I havent uploaded anything yet… I havent yet gotten to killing all the ants, but I went to their homes and tested out spawn rates and basic concepts.

I say basic, I mean:

-drone ants cannot hear, but soldiers and queens can.
-Most ants have only a 5-tile vison radius, to help them wth finding you once you piss them off.
-basic soldier ants are no longer immediately hostle to you, but will very quickly become so if you encroach.
-the queen and the ‘foragers’ will shriek and wail, drawing in any ant who can hear. They can also stun you.
-‘jack’ ants will jump after you and attempt to drag you back to the hive. Their jaws are stronger than a normal soldier.
-the larvae will now acid barf on you should you be pissing them off. Its really your own fault if this happens.
-Queen ants will use a flamethrower attack, in some kind of homage to fallout3.
-‘Young queen ants’ will spawn topside during the spring, looking for a place to make their nest. This happens all over the place. They can raise ants on the spot.
-‘kwama ants’, are ants with a funky mutation. they can see far and use electrity to stun you. Although they are very sloppy and not actually immune to electricity themselves.

So yea. Theyre harder, and the basic models will upgrade. Ive killed them with what I consider a midgame character, but like all the other factions, number really make the difference. I am a little concerned about their population density not being enough for them to take advantage of their new abilities, but they should work. I might bump up the daytime vision radus a little to compensate.

I am actually quite pleased with the sound based defense system. The drones cant hear, so they can be hostile but not charging at you. But all the soldiers in the damn colony will get upset with you if you attack th queen.

67

Okay. Im satisfied.

Update to 0.70

The changes include:

-Ants got reworked. I think given how there were only 4 to begin with, I did alright.
-Fungus saw a few more tweaks. Im noticing that fungaloids spread too fast. So a small nerfing there.
-Added the subfaction ‘finfected’, and tweaked thir behavior to other factions.
-Changed some range values for the overmap specials. It didnt occur to me that -1 mean ‘wherever’ until I thought about it.

Hopefully I can get some ideas for things like spiders or whatever. I want to work around to migoes, believe it or not. Id like to see bands of migos instrad of 1 or 2.

68

By the by, this is me, driving into a town for the first time and seeing suprise blob pit. Theyre much much more nerfed. I mght un-nerf that a bit actually.

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69

I think I want to reduce much of the armor for many critters. Not only do they not exactly sync with survivor armor but this happens on occassion. Although the tardigrade would have armor too tough for kiddie zoms no matter what. So at some point I plan on buffing the hp of several monsters while taking down their armor some. A compromise between challenging for the survivor and fun to watch fighting with other ai.

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In other news, Ive decided to test this. The group ‘says’ 10% chance of zombie spawns. idk if that will translate to a 1/10 lmoe being zombied or the population being reduced by 90%. the pop is only going to be 0 - 20 to test it, but I would like to actually spawn NPCs in it, or thugs. Or suprises. Free guns? bah.

{
“type” : “overmap_special”,
“id” : “LMOE Shelter”,
“overmaps” :
[
{ “point”:[0,0,0], “overmap”: “lmoe”},
{ “point”:[0,0,-1], “overmap”: “lmoe_under”}
],
“locations” : [ “wilderness” ],
“city_distance” : [20, -1],
“city_sizes” : [4, 12],
“occurrences” : [0, 3],
“rotate” : false,
“spawns” : { “group” : “GROUP_MAYBE_ZOMBIE”, “population”:[0,20], “radius”:[1,3] },
“flags” : [ “CLASSIC” ]
}

-I actually almost made a pull request with a chance for spawns, but then it occured that the topside is probs hardcoded :roll:

70

Hello. Is it normal when some types of special zombies (like shadies or feral runners) spawns in group about 5-7 entities or it’s a bug, nor feature?

71

Runners and shady zoms can spawn in large groups of up to 7 and 8. Childrens can spawn in groups of up to 12. At least for the early game.

In the default game the runners would spawn up to 4 in a pack and the shadies up to 6.

72

Update

It says .75 on it instead of .7, but really the amount of stuff added to the game that doesnt require manual debugging to access is small. I buffed the shocker brutes to be an issue, and I have all the DOOM stuff in here since I do intend to add them as a late game faction. Something you stay the Hell away from (geddit) until you are sure you want to mess with them.

I hope to make some armor that wont fit mutated BPs and perhaps wont stand up well to melee combat. Megaarmor, oc. Doomy things. But stuff that makes the admittedly powerful group a little less OP.
But really, you should be using guns there. A lot of them only get stronger at melee range. I also dont want power armor to be the only viable means of fighting them. In fact, I wish power armor was less useful in combat. but thats me and my silly ideas of balance. I know, i know, once guns and NPCs with power armor happen, once factions take off, then maybe.

Until then, enjoy this and eventually hellspawns that are hard.

I do want, however, to add stimpacks for sure, and maybe see if I cant make armor that would be neat for a beserker pack. Maybe some light power armor that cant be refilled.

I keep putting off MMR, but Ill get him, I promise. I gotta check out the sewerrahnas, but the sewer gator can be added as a rarer spawn. Something like a shady swimmer with moderate health and armor.

73

Stimpacks? Don’t we already have RX11 and RX12? Also, looking forward to taking on hell on its own turf and winning.

Don’t worry about taking a long time on MMR, I figured the marloss men were more of a gag than an actual thing.

74

PK,

Have you tested your latest version of the mod with the most current experimentals?

It drops a a dozen error messages upon starting a new game.

regards

75

So now true and false are invalid values? 0.o

76

Update to 0.75, for realsies.

This update come with 1 rarely spawning ‘Hell Spire’, home of the Demons. Whether they nfested a cathedral or corrupted the ground they landed upon, the hell spire is a fairly massive underground comeplex that hopefully challenges you. It is a little rushed to take care of updated code that obsoleted an attack, but ohrwise should be good. Im interested in monster density and item density. I hope both are adequate.

At the bottom of the spire I have put a few military-grade goodies, including an increased chance of spawning a basic power armor helmet :o

The demons themselves are reminicent of Doom Monsters.

The weakest ones can be defeated easily in melee combat. The demons, imps; and to a lesser extent, the lost souls are all lesser monsters whose impact on a well-armored survivior is minimal.

The next tier, the caccordemons and revenants, will be harder to melee. The revenant tends to spawn its rockets, which gleefully blow up in your face for a lot of damage. Shoot them down to lessen their damage output. The caccodemons attack is lightning and plasma, and will easily shred up an unprepared survivor.

The hell knights and baron are perhaps ‘uninteresting’ when compared to the abilities of their comrades. But that doesnt mean they are not a hard hitting plasma wielding brute.

The arachnotrons use laser carbines, and can use a burst firing mechanism in the sunlight. They are perhaps the most deviant incarnations, but they were too powerful otherwise.

The mancubus is an infantrymans worst nightmare. The napalm from its cannons will shred through you. I was so bad that I had to to remove its immunity to fire and give it high-tolerence instead. And even then its still a beast. It seems to either decide to not fire its cannons at you and close or to fire and melt you. The napalm is hot enough to melt your car.

The cyberdemon is the cyberdemon. Well-armored, well-endowed, high health brute with a large 3 burst rocket launcher. I dont, for the record, recommend trying to melee it to death. In fact, I suggest you just stay away. Its accuracy is a little poor, but at close range it can pepper the ground and make hamburger out of you.

77

Hotfix to fix a thing where rotation of the spire caused each individual maptile to rotate along its own axis instead of all rotating relative to each other.

I also buffed up the spawns inside the citadel some, and removed the attackmon from several weaker critters do to an exploit I found.

78

I just submitted the first portions of the mod for inclusion into the mainstream game. This will mean that anybody who has the interest can try to mod the mod, and that there is a reason for tile-set makers to include the special critters of the mod into their sets should they desire. I looked briefly into that, and if only it were so easy for me.

https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/15707 <<-- This is it. If/when it gets approved, it will be only a portion of the mod. Therefore Ill still be maintaining this dropbox version of it until the rest are shuffled over piecemeal.

So far the zombies and blobs files are over. The spawnlists are not.

79

I got the first pieces of the mod into the core game.

Now, its not all there, and in fact most of it is not, so I still recommend that you delete the file in the mods folder that comes with the game and replace it with the one you got here. For the time being at least. Ive got to package and add the mod piecemeal and in seperately viable pieces.

For instance I added zombies critters. I had to curtail their evolution because I wasnt able to add the evolution files or spawn lists. I cant add those because they reference all the other added critters, and they are their own files that need seperate reviews and the whole thing is a pain.

More merging coming but a heads up.

80

Nice to see your stuff in experimental! I haven’t tried out your content yet but I’m looking forward to it!