Vespucci

Join Date 01/2009

Phase missile swarm

two questions

Ok, I figure the modders are the people to ask this, Why isn't phase missile swarm a phase missile attack? Mistake on the programmers' part? intentional?

Question 2. Below I've pasted the entity file for phase missile swarm converted with the convertdata_originalsins proggy. Which are the parameters that specify damage output? (200/400/600 per target) I think i've identified what every line does, and I think I can find every published attribute, but I don't find that.

TXT
entityType "Ability"
buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToTargetsInRadiusWithTravel"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "BuffPhaseMissileSwarm"
targetFilter
    numOwnerships 1
    ownership "Enemy"
    numObjects 3
    object "CapitalShip"
    object "Frigate"
    object "PlanetModule"
    numConstraints 0
range
    Level:0 5000.000000
    Level:1 5000.000000
    Level:2 5000.000000
maxTargetCount
    Level:0 3.000000
    Level:1 5.000000
    Level:2 7.000000
effectInfo
    effectAttachInfo
        attachType "Invalid"
    smallEffectName ""
    largeEffectName ""
    soundID ""
travelSpeed 1000.000000
effectStaggerDelay 0.300000
hasWeaponEffects TRUE
weaponEffectAttachInfo
    attachType "Ability"
    abilityIndex 0
weaponEffectImpactOffsetType "RandomMesh"
canWeaponEffectHitHull TRUE
canWeaponEffectHitShields TRUE
weaponEffectsDef
    weaponType "Missile"
    burstCount 6
    burstDelay 0.100000
    muzzleEffectName ""
    muzzleSoundMinRespawnTime 0.100000
    muzzleSounds
        soundCount 1
        sound ""
    hitEffectName "CapitalAbility_PhaseMissileSwarmImpact"
    hitHullEffectSounds
        soundCount 1
        sound "WEAPONIMPACT_PHASEMISSILEHEAVY_HITGENERIC"
    hitShieldsEffectSounds
        soundCount 1
        sound "WEAPONIMPACT_PHASEMISSILEHEAVY_HITGENERIC"
    missileTravelEffectName "CapitalAbility_PhaseMissileSwarmTravel"
    missileStartTurningDistance 250.000000
    missileSlowTurnRate 0.708997
    missileMaxSlowTurnTime 4.000000
needsToFaceTarget FALSE
canCollideWithTarget TRUE
moveThruTarget FALSE
isUltimateAbility FALSE
maxNumLevels 3
levelSourceType "Intrinsic"
minExperienceLevelRequired
    Level:0 0.000000
    Level:1 2.000000
    Level:2 4.000000
aiUseTime "OnlyInCombat"
aiUseTargetCondition "Any"
isAutoCastAvailable TRUE
isAutoCastOnByDefault TRUE
pickRandomPlanetToExploreForAutoCastTarget FALSE
ignoreNonCombatShipsForAutoCastTarget TRUE
onlyAutoCastWhenDamageTakenExceedsPerc 0.000000
useCostType "AntiMatter"
antiMatterCost
    Level:0 90.000000
    Level:1 90.000000
    Level:2 90.000000
cooldownTime
    Level:0 15.000000
    Level:1 15.000000
    Level:2 15.000000
researchPrerequisites
    NumResearchPrerequisites 0
nameStringID "IDS_ABILITY_PHASEMISSILESWARM_NAME"
descStringID "IDS_ABILITY_PHASEMISSILESWARM_DESCRIPTION"
hudIcon "HUDICON_ABILITY_PHASEMISSILESWARM"
smallHudIcon "HUDICON_ABILITY_PHASEMISSILESWARM"
infoCardIcon ""

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Phase missile swarm does fire phase missiles, they just don't benefit from tech advances, as far as I know. I would assume that's an intentional balance choice, but I really have no idea.

As for the damage value, it isn't in the ability entity, it's in the buff entity. From what I know, values such as damage applied (i.e. the actual effect of the ability) will not be in the ability files. The ability is just a conduit that calls the buff, the buff entity itself is what actually does the work.

TXT
entityType "Buff"
onReapplyDuplicateType "PrioritizeNewBuffs"
buffStackingLimitType "ForAllPlayers"
stackingLimit -1
buffExclusivityForAIType "NotExclusive"
isInterruptable FALSE
isChannelling FALSE
numInstantActions 1
instantAction
    buffInstantActionType "DoDamage"
    instantActionTriggerType "OnDelay"
    delayTime 0.000000
    damage
        Level:0 200.000000
        Level:1 400.000000
        Level:2 600.000000
    damageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"
    damageType "PHYSICAL"
    isDamageShared TRUE
numPeriodicActions 0
numOverTimeActions 0
numEntityModifiers 0
numEntityBoolModifiers 0
numFinishConditions 1
finishCondition
    finishConditionType "AllOnDelayInstantActionsDone"

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Awesome, thank you.

As for them being phase missiles, in the ability entity it says type MISSILE not PHASE MISSILE, which leads me to believe they are just missiles.

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I assume you're looking at this part:

weaponEffectsDef
    weaponType "Missile"
    burstCount 6
    burstDelay 0.100000

It says plain old missile, but I think it's lying I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't have anything to do with the ability's damage type. It's only determining the weapon effects. I assume the damage type is drawn from the only missile hardpoint in the PHASEBATTLESHIP.entity file, and that the damage type is described under damageEnum, and has nothing to do with effects:

Weapon
    WeaponType "Missile"
    damageEnums
        AttackType "CAPITALSHIP"
        DamageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"
        DamageApplyType "BACKLOADED"
        DamageType "PHYSICAL"
        WeaponClassType "PHASEMISSILE"

I don't believe there's anything in the ability entity that determines anything about damagetype, and since there isn't a damageEnum in the buff entity either, my guess is it comes directly from the ship entity. Again, I could be wrong. I'm just pulling this all out of my ass.

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Inserting this

WeaponClassType "PHASEMISSILE"

crashes convertdata and also causes a minidump.

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Immensea is correct that "Missile" determines effects, not damage class.

As far as I know ALL abilities use the CapitalAbility damage class.

For Phase Missile Swarm to do phase damage, the game would either need a method of making any attack phase or a method of changing damagetype on a buff.

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I assume the damage type is drawn from the only missile hardpoint in the PHASEBATTLESHIP.entity file, and that the damage type is described under damageEnum, and has nothing to do with effects:

Weapon

WeaponType "Missile"

damageEnums

AttackType "CAPITALSHIP"

DamageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"

DamageApplyType "BACKLOADED"

DamageType "PHYSICAL"

WeaponClassType "PHASEMISSILE"

I don't believe there's anything in the ability entity that determines anything about damagetype, and since there isn't a damageEnum in the buff entity either, my guess is it comes directly from the ship entity. Again, I could be wrong. I'm just pulling this all out of my ass.

Nothing as complicated as that. All abilities simply use "DoDamage", which is generic, mitigated damage. You were correct that the "missile" was just for the visual particle effect, but it doesn't link to a ship's entity for the damage type at all, just generic damage. You can control somewhat how it's applied (shields and hull, hull only, things like that), but it can always be mitigated.

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Ok. I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around a phase missile swarm that doesn't use phase missiles.

I think I may try changing the ability to deploy a platform for a couple seconds which launches the phase missile salvos. Unless someone knows already that cannot work.

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I think I may try changing the ability to deploy a platform for a couple seconds which launches the phase missile salvos. Unless someone knows already that cannot work.

That can work. If you're using Entrenchment, you can also give it multiple targets so it can also shoot at multiple ships per shot.

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