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| Thread: Hard coded abilities or just not in DefaultStats.xdb by default? (+other queries) | |
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Endelite
Hired Hero
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posted December 18, 2011 01:20 PM |
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Edited by Endelite at 16:01, 20 Feb 2012.
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Hard coded abilities or just not in DefaultStats.xdb by default? (+other queries)
So there are numerous abilities that naturally would have coefficients/floating point variables to determine the bonus granted by them that are not in defaultstats.xdb and it seems as if there is no way to edit them, but you would really think, with very similar sorts of bonuses for other skills and perks that grant bonuses, that there are actually specific programmed command lines (correct term?) to edit the other skill variables.
I type this without much hope as I've never come across any of the information I was after in my searches, but perhaps someone knows more than I have found.
The sorts of things I was looking for were, as well as a few other questions I have:
EDIT: I just realised I did end up posting a shorter list of these last year (completely forgot  ), but you never know, maybe in 16 months, someone may have found something. You'd think someone with all their knowledge, maybe in the French or Russian communities instead, would have found a way to fiddle with the EXE or something found hidden commands from testing obvious names/codes.
Main modding queries:
¤ Is there a way to increase the number of creatures in each wild stack that spawns as a result of it being their Laichzeit?
Rammstein reference, their Week of Spawning, I was referring to, such as Week of the Imp.
I found some lines that I had thought were related either to monthly spawn amounts or otherwise to guard strength based on number based on weekly growth, but I thought I found that I found it affected neither.
Under the <Respawn> tag:
<MonstersMin>2</MonstersMin>
<MonstersMax>3</MonstersMax>
Changing it to 4 and 5 didn't seem to change Monster Week spawn amounts.
¤ Is there a way to change the amount of experience that Stronghold heroes get from visiting shrines? 1000/2000/3000 is far too strong for any map that has a reasonable number of them! 250/500/750 or 125/250/500 might be appropriate!
¤ Is there a way to make the WhiteKnight_PrayerMultiplier and DarkEissary_DeathScreamMultiplier affect Initiative OR attack&defence/morale&luck (by, for example, 5% of the base amount per level, i.e. a total of 15% initiative reduction at level 10, 20% at level 20 etc.)?
Currently, the level of the hero only increases the spell's duration, through PrayerLevelMultiplier and DeathScreamPrayerLevelMultiplierby setting the abilities' duration each (individually) to hero level×0.25.
It would be nice if someone could figure out a way to fix the first two parameters/command lines (you can tell me which term I should be using for these) so that the specialised heroes, Deirdre and Godric can improve some of, ANY of the other effects through achieving higher levels. This task though, I'd have thought, would require messing around with the executable or something like that, whereas other changes would at least seem like they'd have not yet entered commands programmed already. Was Ubisoft so lazy that they only added commands when they needed them? I seem to recall patch 3.1 of TotE only added the patch .pak files, so if that's right and I'm not just forgetting it changing the executable as well, it doesn't seem like they did it on the spot, but rather that the commands already were hard-coded and they only just added changes to defaultstats.xdb when necessary.
¤ Protection should really provide 20% Magic Protection, not 15%. Chilling Bones' damage increase command line is there, the Attack and Defence skill level increases are there, the Evasion and Archery perks are there, similar others like Fog Veil and Storm Wind are there, one would think that there would be equivalents for Protection, Boneward, Cold Steel and Fiery Wrath, but there are not any in defaultstats.xdb.
Just on the off chance, I tried <Protection_DamageReduce>0.9</Protection_DamageReduce> to see if having the skill would suddenly grant 90% protection, but it doesn't work, unless the ability reduces damage only from enemy spells, as I used my own Stone Spikes to test the damage.
Surely there are some! SURELY! Get in here NOW Ubisoft and contribute to your community! NOW!
¤ Is there any way to change the Refresh Rune ability so that, like the original description, it does only use half of a hero's turn? I'd prefer it that way, or at least like to test it (but I see no command line!).
¤ Nature's Wrath (FOREST_RAGE) is worse than its prerequisite, Battle Frenzy. Does anyone know a way to change it to either +2 maximum damage, +1 initiative or +5% or 10% maximum damage?
¤ Does anyone have any idea how to modify (to improve) Ultimate Runelord or (any level of) Avenger?
¤ I'd like to change the level of the weakening effect of Spectral Dragons, but there is currently only the entry for Sorrow Strike of Ghost Dragons and their HorrorofDeath ability ('Death Stare' non-HOMM3 style).
¤ Is there a way to add certain spells to those affected by certain perks?
Master of Earthblood adds +4 Spellpower to Fire Trap and Earthquake (damage to units when using tremors only, not the vs building damage) but also to Arcane Crystal and Blade Barrier, which were not initially included in the description. I've changed my text files, I don't know about you! That leads me to the following though...
Master of Conjuration adds +4 Spellpower to Summon Elementals and Conjure Phoenix but not to anything else and I'd like to add Wasp Swarm and Summon Hive to that list.
Master of Life only adds its +4 to Fist of Wrath and Raise Dead and I'd like it to also add to Arcane Armour.
Has anyone found some little way to add spells to spellpower Perk benefit lists?
¤ I'd like to improve Yrbeth's specialisation so that Dark Ritual regenerates an extra 3 Manamana dodooododoodoo per level instead of 2.
Her specialisation is not in DefaultStats.xdb! <.<
¤ I want to change the Lizard Breeder specialisation (Sorgal [Ferigl]) bonus so that it not only changes the base changes Lizard Bite from 0.5 to 1.1 but improves the increase per level by 0.02 rather than 0.005. Strangely, none of these variables are in DefaultStats.xdb. ~_~
¤ Logistics - Too powerful on larger maps, I'd like to make it either 8%, 16%, 24% OR
7.5%, 15%, 22.5% OR
10%, 15%, 20%
and I don't understand how I missed putting this one up here originally...
¤ Dark Revelation - Worse than useless other than for Primary Attribute abuse with the help of a Memory Mentor. A variable to give some small additional bonus to this would be nice, such as just a +1 to Knowledge permanently or something like that. Need the command line.
¤ Is there a way to change the unit that Naadir creates from the dead enemy stacks? I was hoping to change it from Ghosts to Spectres.
¤ Is there a way to change the Library of Enlightenment level prerequisite? - I'd change it from 10 to 15 or 20 if possible.
¤ Having two Death's Embrace artefacts as Necropolis actually DOES NOT increase the initiative reduction (it supposedly doubles it)!
Does someone know a way to fix this? Until then...
Correcting the displayed effect in the description and combat string:
<Necromancers_2Necromancer_BansheeWhail_DeInitiativeMultiplier>1</Necromancers_2Necromancer_BansheeWhail_DeInitiativeMultiplier> (was 2).
Also had to change a CombatLog string, of course.
¤ Wands and Scrolls - do they only give the hero the spell at unskilled level for everyone else? I think these are both claimed to add the spell at Advanced level, but at least one of the two ALWAYS give the skill at unskilled level instead for me. Is there a way to change this?
If either of them normally are at something other than unskilled for other people, please tell me which.
¤ You can actually change the default names of colours for players to start as, like Turquoise or light blue instead of calling the light blue (with a very slight greenish tinge at times) "Teal", which is really a much darker sort of turquoise colour. Even without using this though, the names like "Purple Player" can still go over the "maximum" 10 letters a player can name oneself. Is there a way to change the maximum for custom names, to say 15 or 20?
¤ Regarding sacrificial altars, how can I change the experience gained from sacrificing creatures at Inferno?
The external altars can be changed with these two lines: <SacrificialAltar_ArtifactCostOfGoldToExpCoef>0.5</SacrificialAltar_ArtifactCostOfGoldToExpCoef> <SacrificialAltar_CreatureHitsToExpCoef>3</SacrificialAltar_CreatureHitsToExpCoef>
but, contrary to the description in the description file for the Infernal sacrificial altar¹, it actually only gives 1 experience point for every hit point sacrificed! I expect this was for strategic balance (so that Infernal heroes could not achieve too high levels too quickly by sacrificing useless horned demons before the grunt upgrade existed), but at 1×hp, it's pathetic. Back to 3×hp, I say. So, as it is clearly already separate from the external versions, is there a way to change ONLY the inferno altar individually to 3×hp?
¹ This is because the description is for ALL Sacrifical Altars, but if they have different EXP rates, then the description in this file should really be changed to reflect that.
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Text mistakes I can't find how to fix:
¤ Spectre draining (Mana Drain) has a blank line after it (in the battle message log) - yet combatLog file does not appear to. Solution? I'm sure I checked all related files and could not find the cause.
¤In the combat log, Life Drain seems to have/cause a similar issue to the one above. I remember noticing it after a Vampire Lord or Prince was taunted by a Warmonger but I think it seemed to happen with Life Drain on other occasions too.
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Just questions:
¤ Does Soldier's Luck apply to any of the following?:
Swarming Gate
Magic Mirror
Helmar's Sacred Hammer
Unicorn's Aura of Magic Resistance
(re. Greater Rune, from DefaultStats.xdb):<StrongRune_2ndUseCostMultiplier>2</StrongRune_2ndUseCostMultiplier>
Is it double or triple the cost? This makes it seem like double, but Skillwheel and the Fan Manual state that it costs triple.
¤ Does Force Arrow stun by the same amount as Warding Arrows? (or does it knock them down by 0.5 ATB, or even the entire turn, like a ranged version of Bash or Paw Strike?)
¤ Dampen Magic's description seems vague to me.
Does the 'Dampen Magic' ability of Battle Mages just shield adjacent stacks from the PHYSICAL attack of other mages, archmagi and battle magi?
Or do they actually take reduced/no damage from magical attacks?
Dampen Magic (Pegasi and Silver Pegasi in HOMMIII) caused enemy spells to cost 2 more points of Mana, so is this the effect in this game?
¤ Does Rider Charge work against Armoured foes? Armoured foes normally cannot have their defence score reduced, but effects like that of Force Arrow and Rider Charge only ignore certain amounts of defence, so I'd have thought they still worked, but then maybe Armoured is also meant to prevent having defence ignored.
Rider Charge, I believe, uses the wording 'lowers', but I think that is simply wording rather than accurate description.
¤ Mana is shared evenly (or as evenly as possibly) among allied stacks when allied Quasits siphon mana, correct?
¤ Can Magic Mirror reflect Divine Vengeance?
¤ Can Arch Demons' ability Teleport Other CAN be used infinite times in a battle?
¤ Does Foul Hydra's acid splash ability hurt allies?
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*Lightning strikes!*
.....
*Cumulonimbus gather*
"Darkness will befall those who fall over around midnight."
*The World is stunned by the power of the mysterious anticlimax*
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted December 18, 2011 09:27 PM |
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Quote:
Does Force Arrow stun by the same amount as Warding Arrows? (or does it knock them down by 0.5 ATB, or even the entire turn, like a ranged version of Bash or Paw Strike?)
last time I tried, it seemed to not stun at all. units were pushed one tile back and would still play immediately after. but I wasn't using arcane archers
Quote:
¤ Dampen Magic's description seems vague to me.
Does the 'Dampen Magic' ability of Battle Mages just shield adjacent stacks from the PHYSICAL attack of other mages, archmagi and battle magi?
Or do they actually take reduced/no damage from magical attacks?
Dampen Magic (Pegasi and Silver Pegasi in HOMMIII) caused enemy spells to cost 2 more points of Mana, so is this the effect in this game?
first thing you said I think.
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¤ Does Rider Charge work against Armoured foes? Armoured foes normally cannot have their defence score reduced, but effects like that of Force Arrow and Rider Charge only ignore certain amounts of defence, so I'd have thought they still worked, but then maybe Armoured is also meant to prevent having defence ignored.
Rider Charge, I believe, uses the wording 'lowers', but I think that is simply wording rather than accurate description.
force arrow works against armoured opponents but not rider charge. most likely a glitch. if I remember well, one of the 2 zombies ability works fine too, but I don't remember which one.
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¤ Can Arch Demons' ability Teleport Other CAN be used infinite times in a battle?
most likely
Quote:
¤ Does Foul Hydra's acid splash ability hurt allies?
yes.
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flonembourg
Known Hero
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posted January 25, 2012 09:41 PM |
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Like Endelite i would love someone answer at all these questions?
how to modifiate chillin bones, master of "life conjuration earthblood", cold steel, fiery wrath, protection, resistance......
Where are all these data?
not in defaults.stat but where?
is it possible to have an explanation?
AND finally sorry for my English, he is awful, I'm french nobody's perfect....
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flonembourg
Known Hero
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posted January 28, 2012 04:49 AM |
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Nobody can answers to all these questions?
how to edit chillin bones?
How to edit nature wrath?
How to edit fiery wrath?
How to edit protection?
how to edit vitalty?
How to edit an army for every hero in the game , is it only possible?
Thanks to reply... or tey to reply lol.
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flonembourg
Known Hero
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posted January 28, 2012 03:21 PM |
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another questions....
is tere a way to mod:
1)hauted mines?
2)scholar
3) dark revelation
4) arcane exaltation
5)basic, advanced, expert logistic
6)Dead man's curse
7) chilling bones ( again and again)
8)sap magic
9) protection
10) last stand
11) Estates
12)recruitment
13) magic insight
where are the files to edit? i don't find them in data->game mechanichs-> RPGSTATS->Defaultstats.....
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Endelite
Hired Hero
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posted February 20, 2012 04:11 PM |
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Edited by Endelite at 16:12, 20 Feb 2012.
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Plenty of things are not in DefaultStats.xdb but are elsewhere, in other editable files in data.pak but most of the ones you asked about are things I asked about and most of the others are things that you also don't seem to be able to do (but I hadn't asked about), some that I've thought of adding though, like Arcane Exaltation.
Chilling bones is in DefaultStats.xdb though...
<ChillingBones_Damage_Multiplier>0.08</ChillingBones_Damage_Multiplier>
Normally 5%, I have it at 8%.
I'm pretty sure we're stuck with these unless one of the game designers or someone else who can edit the executable (or whatever other normally unmodifiable files that contain the desired variable/functions) comes along and offers a helping hand.
They're probably all too busy working on that so far utter rubbish follow up, sadly.
____________
*Lightning strikes!*
.....
*Cumulonimbus gather*
"Darkness will befall those who fall over around midnight."
*The World is stunned by the power of the mysterious anticlimax*
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted February 20, 2012 04:47 PM |
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what? I've never seen it in defaulstats 
which version of the game?
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flonembourg
Known Hero
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posted February 20, 2012 09:28 PM |
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Like Fauch I haven't got chilin bones in defaults stats.xdb....
Which version? please
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Endelite
Hired Hero
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posted March 05, 2012 07:13 AM |
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Oh, bummer! Sorry, guys, I might be letting you down. 
Having looked at the programmed names of files in files like types.xml, I had once tried adding a few abilities based on name that seemed to make sense and fit in with their naming conventions. I thought I had originally found that out of Fiery Wrath, Chilling Bones, Cold Iron/Steel (whatever it is) and some other similar abilities, one of them had a listed value in DefaultStats.xdb, but it seems Imade a mistake there and none of them actually were.
ChillingBones was one ability I had meant to test (I think I still haven't, unless I left it due to finding it DID work, which I hope but doubt), but and have obviously left it there without having confirmed that it does/does not work.
Sorry to get your hopes up, that was my addition to the file and it likely doesn't work (although I'll bump the thread if I find it actually does).
I had based trying the names on a combination of types.xml type ability names and things like
<SkillDefence>
<BasicDamageReduce>0.1</BasicDamageReduce>
<AdvancedDamageReduce>0.2</AdvancedDamageReduce>
<ExpertDamageReduce>0.3</ExpertDamageReduce>
<Evasion_DamageReduce>0.2</Evasion_DamageReduce>
</SkillDefence>
<SkillOffence>
<BasicDamageBonus>0.05</BasicDamageBonus>
<AdvancedDamageBonus>0.1</AdvancedDamageBonus>
<ExpertDamageBonus>0.15</ExpertDamageBonus>
<Archery_DamageBonus>0.2</Archery_DamageBonus>
</SkillOffence>
and
<SunFireDamagePerHeroLevel>10</SunFireDamagePerHeroLevel>
<SoilBurnDamagePerHeroLevel>3</SoilBurnDamagePerHeroLevel>
<StormWind_InitiativePenalty>0.1</StormWind_InitiativePenalty>
<StormWind_SpeedPenalty>1</StormWind_SpeedPenalty>
<FogVeil_InitiativePenalty>0.1</FogVeil_InitiativePenalty>
<FogVeil_DamageDecrease>0.1</FogVeil_DamageDecrease>
or perhaps even more like
<PackDive_DamageMultiplier>0.75</PackDive_DamageMultiplier> <MarkOfFire_FireDamageMultiplier>2</MarkOfFire_FireDamageMultiplier>
<Flamestrike_DamageMultipiler>1.2</Flamestrike_DamageMultipiler>
and I think with these two in mind
<FireShield_Damage_Multiplier>0.2</FireShield_Damage_Multiplier>
<MagmaShield_Damage_Multiplier>0.4</MagmaShield_Damage_Multiplier>
which make it seem like Chilling Bones, which is effectively an Ice Shield, could be added simply with the same name, assuming that the developers had added the coefficients/variables/modifiers and simply not included them in the DefaultStats.xdb file (as unchanged stats would simply seem like clutter), but sadly it seems that they couldn't be bothered adding the functionality. :'(
So bummer.
____________
*Lightning strikes!*
.....
*Cumulonimbus gather*
"Darkness will befall those who fall over around midnight."
*The World is stunned by the power of the mysterious anticlimax*
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted March 05, 2012 02:30 PM |
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you can't just add a random name and hope it works. it has to be a variable that is already used in the code source.
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Warmonger
Promising
Legendary Hero
fallen artist
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posted March 05, 2012 02:54 PM |
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Not only that. These names need to be parsed by program in first place and assigned to specific values. If certain part of code doesn't use that option, it simply won't.
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The future of Heroes 3 is here!
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Falconian
Adventuring Hero
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posted March 05, 2012 07:38 PM |
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I second the request on logistics.
I can find all the other skills and perks BUT logistics.
No reference in defaultstats.xdb or anywhere else either :/
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Endelite
Hired Hero
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posted March 07, 2012 07:09 AM |
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Edited by Endelite at 07:41, 07 Mar 2012.
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Kinda daft responses just then. -_-
<Item>SPELL_SKILL_CHILLING_BONES</Item>
<Item>HERO_SKILL_CHILLING_STEEL</Item>
Not "guessing", I'm using, as I said, the exact skill name used. Of course I don't know the exact command you would hope to use, but I used the only one you could hope could be right, given the combination of FireShield_Damage_Multiplier>0.2</FireShield_Damage_Multiplier and the name for Chilling Bones. If they had it programmed and simply not listed in defaultstats.xdb (because it would have only stated the same as whatever the default, hard-coded option already was), you would certainly expect it to have that name based on their naming system and the exact effect the skill has (like Fire Shield only cold and exactly 5%).
"These names need to be parsed by program in first place and assigned to specific values. If certain part of code doesn't use that option, it simply won't."
Well duh, the point is that the company could have been bothered to assign all of these in advance so that it would all be set up for them in future should they wish to change anything (and it would also support modders, though I suppose they don't care about that). It seems, as we all expected, that they instead took the lazy way out and just left programming them for when problems came up. One reason it's a bad approach is because they actually have to set up all of these names when they want to bother to make balance changes, which encourages them not to bother doing it if avoidable. -_-
Now if either of you happen to have some idea of how to do all the programming for them, that they could not be bothered doing, feel free to share, but please do bother to read responses properly and add something to the conversation, instead of stating the obvious and already discussed as if I'm just 'guessing'.
I suppose the entire HoMM¹ V development team has moved on from it all, yes? Zero chance of any further work on the game?
¹ On a side note, why the blazes did they remove the (or pointlessly reorder) "Heroes of" part from the name of a much-loved series?
EDIT: Fauch, as well as your first reply consisting almost entirely of "I guess" kind of answers with 0 certainty, you stated the following, which I wasn't sure how to interpret:
"last time I tried, it seemed to not stun at all. units were pushed one tile back and would still play immediately after. but I wasn't using arcane archers"
Force Arrow stuns. It pushes them back so long as nothing stops them from being pushed back, such as an obstacle or another creature behind them, or the target being in the back/a side row/column already (i.e. edge of the playing field).
"but I wasn't using arcane archers"
... erm...you were trying with Master Hunters instead, you mean or..?
You gave another creature (new mod creature or not) the Force Arrow ability? As long as you put it in the creature file, it should (I think, see next line) work, because the effect applies with the shot.
It is possible that, by not having linked the spell animation, something in the game could screw up and it won't work, but more likely, the ability would work but the game would crash because it's not used to having no animation linked to the Force Arrow hitting.
I say that because I've tried giving spells to creatures without adding spell animations and had crashes occasionally exactly after the goblins strike their Jesus pose (for having no animation assigned when the ability expects one) and no such error would occur when using the creature normally.
Did you mean you used Paw Strike or Bash and they didn't stun?
All of them can stun in my games.
If I understand what you're saying correctly (that Force Arrow didn't seem to stun), I can point out two possible causes/solutions, you may have thought of them already though.
1 - Other mods are stuffing it up and/or you assigned an incorrectly named skill to the creature OR assigned only the new skill descriptions etc. and accidentally missed adding the
2 - The target you shot was about to have its turn at the end of "a turn", so its numeric value was very close to 1.0 (on the initiative scale from 0.0-1.0) while all units after it had no more turns from around that time (had all acted earlier and were having their next turns much later, say 0.2 or less for example) so the Force Arrow simply didn't delay the unit's turn by enough to make it actually its its turn.
The stun does not necessarily take away its turn as Paw Strike and Bash does, I always took it to be the same as Warding Arrows and I could have sworn this is what I had witnessed, units getting their ATB pushed back, not flattened.
The description claims "in addition to normal damage, there's a chance they might stun the enemy and
delay their turn.", but 'stun' doesn't have to mean they have their ATB multiplied by 0 (all accumulated initiative removed).
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Fauch
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted March 07, 2012 03:21 PM |
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Edited by Fauch at 15:24, 07 Mar 2012.
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Quote:
Force Arrow stuns. It pushes them back so long as nothing stops them from being pushed back, such as an obstacle or another creature behind them, or the target being in the back/a side row/column already (i.e. edge of the playing field).
it pushed them back yes. but it didn't seem to delay their action at all.
Quote:
... erm...you were trying with Master Hunters instead, you mean or..?
It was a melee unit I think
Quote:
It is possible that, by not having linked the spell animation, something in the game could screw up and it won't work, but more likely, the ability would work but the game would crash because it's not used to having no animation linked to the Force Arrow hitting.
of course no, you just give the ability to the creature and it works exactly like it should, just like when you give a spell to a hero. you don't have to link all the animations, it would make no sense.
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I say that because I've tried giving spells to creatures without adding spell animations and had crashes occasionally exactly after the goblins strike their Jesus pose (for having no animation assigned when the ability expects one) and no such error would occur when using the creature normally.
it has nothing to do with the spell. you just forgot to tell the goblins what animation to use when they cast spells. and that alone doesn't make the game crash. something possible is you tried giving them land mines. the game is likely to crash if a creature casts that spell.
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Did you mean you used Paw Strike or Bash and they didn't stun?
All of them can stun in my games.
no. force arrow
Quote:
If I understand what you're saying correctly (that Force Arrow didn't seem to stun), I can point out two possible causes/solutions, you may have thought of them already though.
1 - Other mods are stuffing it up and/or you assigned an incorrectly named skill to the creature OR assigned only the new skill descriptions etc.
other mods can't mess with the stunning part because there is now way to mod it. it was the right name, since apart from stunning, it did what it was expected to do. I know how to have an ability without description, but never saw the contrary.
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The stun does not necessarily take away its turn as Paw Strike and Bash does, I always took it to be the same as Warding Arrows and I could have sworn this is what I had witnessed, units getting their ATB pushed back, not flattened.
The description claims "in addition to normal damage, there's a chance they might stun the enemy and
delay their turn.", but 'stun' doesn't have to mean they have their ATB multiplied by 0 (all accumulated initiative removed).
possible. maybe it's just very weak, because even the effect of warding arrows is usually noticeable.
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