# \[WIP\] SpellGate

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606>\
**Category:** The Lab\
**Created:** [March 26, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606 "2014-03-26T14:34:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/1 "2014-03-26T14:34:05Z")

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[center][size=14pt]SpellGate[/size][/center]

Overview:  
Inter dimensional portals started to open worldwide and humanity gets under attack by a massive amount of creatures only know in fantasy tales such as dragons, orcs, demons, undead, etc. Surviving human armies band together to fight the new menace, ending only in devastation for both sides. Years have passed after the war and most urban areas are populated mostly by clans of orcs and goblins. Some creatures have formed their own communities or become feral and attack anything on sight. Most humans surviving near the hostile zones have become more barbaric and nomadic, preferring to live by themselves.

Main Changes:  
-Vanilla Zombies have been replaced with Orcs, Goblins and Trolls of different kinds but of the same clan. DONE  
-Some of these sentient creatures might be wearing human clothes so some of their drops will reflect that. IN PROGRESS  
-Some wild animals will be replaced with other creatures, montly Werebeasts and clanless sentient creatures. IN PROGRESS  
-Unique buildings like Prisons, Hospitals and Hotels will be populated by hostile barbaric humans or other creatures. UNKNOWN  
-Orcs and Goblins using guns or other ranged weapons. UNKNOWN

Goblin:  
“Goblins are small, very barbaric and tribal humanoids. They are also curious and clever since some of them try to understand and use human clothes and technology.”  
-Weak and easy to deal with unless found in groups.  
-Lightly armored, use blunt weapons and hit and run tactics.

Goblin Child:  
“Even though the darkborn were created by demons, they are capable of reproduction and this child is the proof of that. It looks harmless and hungry.”  
-They are poor fighters but can bite and will try to grab you.  
-Poorly armored and like to carry junk they find.  
-Killing them makes you feel guilty.

Goblin Mother:  
“Female goblins are thin and with more elongated limbs than males. They seems to be looting mostly food for their children.”  
-They will try to grab you and will scream for help.  
-Lightly armored and carry mostly food items.  
-Killing them makes you feel guilty.

Fat Goblin:  
“Stumbling as it moves, this overweighted goblin seems to be eating anything it finds.”  
-Slow and poor dodgers, they hit hard and have higher health.  
-Lightly armored and carry some food and rag clothes.

Skinny Goblin:  
“This goblin seems to be weak with hunger and is being ignored by the rest of his clan for some reason.”  
-Slow and poor fighters, they will most likely run away from you.  
-Poorly armored and carry rags clothes and junk.

Goblin Fighter:  
“This goblin is taller and better equipped than the usual ones.”  
-A stronger version of Goblins but uses armor and cutting weapons so can cause bleeding.

Goblin Witch:  
“A hunched and deformed female goblin in a hooded tunic. Acid drips from her hands.”  
-Weak melee attacks but throws acid.  
-Lightly armored and carry chemical stuff.

Orc:  
“Orcs are as ugly as goblins but they are more athletic and fearsome creatures. They seem to be more brutish and more interested in claiming buildings for themselves than looting.”  
-Stronger, taller and better fighters than goblins but also slower.  
-Lightly armored, carry blunt weapons and human clothes.

Wild Troll:  
“Trolls are a very large and monstrous humanoids. These ones do not seem to work for the raiding clans but they are still dangerous on their own.”  
-They roam the wilderness alone.  
-Poor dodgers but their attacks pack a punch and can also bite.

This is something I’ve wanted to make a long time ago and now I feel like I could manage to actually do it. I will try to make the new races as unique as I can and I will probably add new items as well. I can provide a download link of the progress if requested but I must warn you it’s too early in development so there might be noticeable issues, specially the creatures’ descriptions.

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/2 "2014-03-26T14:54:54Z")

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Sweet!

An interesting take on the apocalypse.

I hope you add more mutations, too.

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**Author:** ![Sean\_Mirrsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Sean\_Mirrsen](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sean_Mirrsen)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/3 "2014-03-26T15:09:14Z")

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Kinda makes me wonder if there’d be any interest in an apocalypse that’s rather more colorful and quadruped… \>\_\>

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**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/4 "2014-03-26T15:18:44Z")

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Wut… you mean like, Ponyclysm: Frienship is Survival? 😛

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**Author:** ![Sean\_Mirrsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Sean\_Mirrsen](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sean_Mirrsen)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/5 "2014-03-26T15:48:33Z")

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[quote=“Chiko, post:4, topic:5606”]Wut… you mean like, Ponyclysm: Frienship is Survival? :P[/quote]I was thinking more Fallout:Equestria style.

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**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/6 "2014-03-26T15:53:14Z")

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[me=StopSignal]is excited.[/me]

This will be so awesome! You have my total support, both in ideas and in gameplay balance.

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/7 "2014-03-26T16:14:05Z")

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Boy, you know - just thinking about this, it gets cooler and cooler. You could have fantasy monsters appearing on the world. And it could be even MORE horrific then in vanilla CATA … because every monster could once have been a human!

Imagine looking at a giant spider, a giant centipede, a dragon, a medusa, some hideous or beautiful monster out of myth…heck, a cloud of flies…anything from d&d…and knowing they are all the remains of people, whose mind and bodies were warped into some fantastical creation by unseen forces from beyond. I guess that’d be long term. But even the orcs and goblins is pretty cool.

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**Author:** ![Binky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@Binky](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Binky)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/8 "2014-03-26T20:37:30Z")

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I really like the idea!  
However I’d thoroughly encourage you to try to do some pretty extensive changes to core game mechanics rather than just renaming and re-describing things, as I’m not sure how much lasting appeal that would have.

For instance, the Spell Gate could have caused a massive EMP that destroyed all electronics rendering all electronic devices un-buildable and unusable. Or perhaps you only awoke after a great length of time (40 years or something) and now everything is decayed and destroyed, giving you only ruins to fight over.

Both of these would be easily accomplished without too much coding, but I just think this needs something more than just different names and descriptions, as it’s a great idea.

Edit: That’s not to sound patronising or that you weren’t planning on doing a lot more, it just sounded as though you were mainly just renaming a few things from your description.

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**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/9 "2014-03-26T23:16:08Z")

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I got a general idea about the new features I will add next. The only thing keeping me from doing that now is our inability to disable/replace recipes and my lack of experience with some of the externalized json coding.

Imma post some of the things I have in mind so spoilers ahead:

-The dimension these creatures come from is referred only as The Other Side. (I have no idea how to actually call it :P)  
-The dimensional portals not only unleashed creatures wielding conventional gear, but also paranormal phenomena called “magic” by the majority of humanity.  
-Goblins, Orcs and Trolls are all related in their origins (created) and they belong to a race named Darkborn by humans.  
-Goblins are small, weak and cowardly but they are the first ones to learn about humanity and their devices.  
-Orcs are fearsome, brutish and about the size of humans. They were the backbone of the Darkborn legions.  
-Trolls are huge beasts with little intelligence, used mostly as siege weapons in the war. Some of them have become feral.  
-Demons are the overlords and the ones behind the main invasion. They are powerful magic users and necromancers.  
-Werebeasts are not creatures from The Other Side but earthly animals exposed to both magic and radiation from the nuclear weapons used against the portals. They are neutral sentient creatures and only want to live in peace.  
-The war ended years ago so like in any war, both sides developed tech to deal with each other. Humans developed close combat equipment since bullet proof armor proved inefficient against Swords, Axes, etc. and the forces of The Other Side learned to wield guns and human tech.  
-Humans eventually develop the ability to wield magic themselves due to exposure to the areas around the portals or the presence of magic users.  
-Some demons regard humans as superior servants than the darkborn and there are cults protecting and worshiping these demons in demonic cathedrals.  
-Other demons have become obsessed with human science and the creating of human-demon hybrids among other experiments.  
-Sewers and Metro Stations are populated with hostile mutants or the Ratmen, human-rat hybrids of unknown origin.  
-Some pockets of both humans and darkborn have overcome their differences and formed their own communities. A minority of werebeasts have also joined these communities.  
-The portals have closed for unknown reasons, ending the war. By the time the game takes place, most of the world is nothing more than ruins and both humans and darkborn worry only for survival.

Not sure if someone has noticed but this mod is heavily based on the turn based game called SpellCross. 😛

Edit:

> [@Binky](#):
>
> For instance, the Spell Gate could have caused a massive EMP that destroyed all electronics rendering all electronic devices un-buildable and unusable. Or perhaps you only awoke after a great length of time (40 years or something) and now everything is decayed and destroyed, giving you only ruins to fight over.

Interesting idea… So when the portals opened, magic came along with the invasion regardless of the invaders knowing about it. Maybe that pulse of magic unleashed upon the world prevents computers and other electronic devices for functioning, which could explain why humanity had so much trouble dealing with the barbaric and technological inferior darkborn legions, ultimately forcing the development of steam-powered/clockwork tech in the war. It’s the perfect excuse for that post-apocalyptic steampunk setting I always wanted. xD

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/10 "2014-03-27T12:26:12Z")

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Is there a way to make a monster either flee or attack? After a while of fighting goblins, some of them go to tracking even when I keep hitting them. It’s like they forget they are fighting. 😛

This is their code:

`{
        "type" : "MONSTER",
        "id" : "mon_zombie",
    "name": "goblin",
    "species":"DARKBORN",
    "symbol":"g",
    "color":"ltgreen",
    "size":"SMALL",
    "material":"flesh",
    "diff":3,
    "aggression":100,
    "morale":50,
    "speed":70,
    "melee_skill":4,
    "melee_dice":2,
    "melee_dice_sides":3,
    "melee_cut":0,
    "dodge":0,
    "armor_bash":0,
    "armor_cut":0,
    "item_chance":40,
    "luminance":0,
    "hp":80,
    "special_freq":5,
    "death_function":["NORMAL"],
    "special_attack":"NONE",
    "description":"Goblins are small, very barbaric and tribal humanoids. They are also curious and clever since some of them try to understand and use human clothes and technology.",
    "flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "WARM", "BASHES", "POISON", "HIT_AND_RUN", "BLEED", "VIS40"],
    "anger_triggers":["FRIEND_ATTACKED"],
    "fear_triggers":["FRIEND_DIED"],
	"categories":["CLAN"]
    },`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sean\_Mirrsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Sean\_Mirrsen](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sean_Mirrsen)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/11 "2014-03-27T12:41:28Z")

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[quote=“Chiko, post:10, topic:5606”]Is there a way to make a monster either flee or attack? After a while of fighting goblins, some of them go to tracking even when I keep hitting them. It’s like they forget they are fighting. 😛

This is their code:

`{
        "type" : "MONSTER",
        "id" : "mon_zombie",
    "name": "goblin",
    "species":"DARKBORN",
    "symbol":"g",
    "color":"ltgreen",
    "size":"SMALL",
    "material":"flesh",
    "diff":3,
    "aggression":100,
    "morale":50,
    "speed":70,
    "melee_skill":4,
    "melee_dice":2,
    "melee_dice_sides":3,
    "melee_cut":0,
    "dodge":0,
    "armor_bash":0,
    "armor_cut":0,
    "item_chance":40,
    "luminance":0,
    "hp":80,
    "special_freq":5,
    "death_function":["NORMAL"],
    "special_attack":"NONE",
    "description":"Goblins are small, very barbaric and tribal humanoids. They are also curious and clever since some of them try to understand and use human clothes and technology.",
    "flags":["SEES", "HEARS", "SMELLS", "WARM", "BASHES", "POISON", "HIT_AND_RUN", "BLEED", "VIS40"],
    "anger_triggers":["FRIEND_ATTACKED"],
    "fear_triggers":["FRIEND_DIED"],
	"categories":["CLAN"]
    },`[/quote]  
It’s the fear trigger. You are killing the goblins, and the more you kill the more afraid the remaining goblins become, until they decide that attacking you is disadvantageous to their survival.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/12 "2014-03-27T13:01:45Z")

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That sucks. It would be cool if they would just run away from you instead of just stand there and wait to get murdered. 😛  
Imma remove that, then.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/13 "2014-03-28T16:27:07Z")

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I got question about the drop rates…

```auto
{
        "type": "monitems",
        "id": "mon_zombie_crawler",
        "item_groups": [
			["poorgob_head_items", 60],
			["poorgob_hands_items", 55],
			["poorgob_torso_items", 85],
			["poorgob_legs_items", 99],
			["poorgob_feet_items", 65],
            ["trash", 65]
        ]
```

I’m guessing the number next to the item groups are a % chance to be spawned upon the creatures’ death, amirite?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/14 "2014-03-28T18:51:59Z")

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[quote=“Chiko, post:12, topic:5606”]That sucks. It would be cool if they would just run away from you instead of just stand there and wait to get murdered. 😛  
Imma remove that, then.[/quote]

Can’t you use the NPC Flee function?

Also, some ideas:

-Humanoid monsters talking like Mi-Gos, but they should have a lot of sentences, so i guess that if you wanted to do it i could help you with that. Also they should not talk a lot, it would become boring.

-Spawning them in packs (squads)

Dang, i need to leave. I will make another post with the remaining ideas later.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2014, 1:04am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/15 "2014-03-29T01:04:56Z")

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[quote=“StopSignal, post:14, topic:5606”][quote=“Chiko, post:12, topic:5606”]That sucks. It would be cool if they would just run away from you instead of just stand there and wait to get murdered. 😛  
Imma remove that, then.[/quote]  
Can’t you use the NPC Flee function?[/quote]  
I don’t think so. NPCs are like quite different from monsters. I can’t even find their config json files. Another problem I’m seen as monsters is There’s no gun attacks for the special attack. There’s one called SMG but that one just make them go beep beep beep! 😛

[quote=“StopSignal, post:14, topic:5606”]Also, some ideas:

-Humanoid monsters talking like Mi-Gos, but they should have a lot of sentences, so i guess that if you wanted to do it i could help you with that. Also they should not talk a lot, it would become boring.

-Spawning them in packs (squads)

Dang, i need to leave. I will make another post with the remaining ideas later.[/quote]  
The talking thing is a good idea but all of what they will randomly say will make them sound crazy or something. Also, there’s no way to control how often they say things.

Spawning them in packs is a good idea. There could be raiding parties moving around the map and stuff. Would be cool if I also make human squads and see them fighting each other.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/16 "2014-03-29T19:16:22Z")

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> [@Chiko](#):
>
> I don’t think so. NPCs are like quite different from monsters. I can’t even find their config json files. Another problem I’m seen as monsters is There’s no gun attacks for the special attack. There’s one called SMG but that one just make them go beep beep beep! 😛

I remember sawing a mod around here that had a Raider monster, wich shooted with an SMG.

> [@Chiko](#):
>
> The talking thing is a good idea but all of what they will randomly say will make them sound crazy or something. Also, there’s no way to control how often they say things.

I know this is a lot, but could not there be a function to make the orcs scream something when:

1: They spot you (However, this should desactivate the near orcs’s “spot” function, to not make every one of them yell)  
2:They are hurt a lot  
3:They die.

You should have a pool of things to say for them, too. Maybe it could work, but i think it’s a ton of work.

> [@Chiko](#):
>
> Spawning them in packs is a good idea. There could be raiding parties moving around the map and stuff. Would be cool if I also make human squads and see them fighting each other.

So much this. They should try to flee the orcs too, i guess.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/17 "2014-04-02T00:37:03Z")

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Still working on this?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chiko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chiko/32/3238_2.png) [@Chiko](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Chiko)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/wip-spellgate/5606/18 "2014-04-02T00:42:15Z")

</div>

Yup, I haven’t done much other than replace the zombies and change their stats. I have added descriptions to most of them too.

There’s no gun wielding creatures, though. I tried with the SMG attack from the robots but the only thing they do is make a beep beep beep! sound and eventially engage in melee.