Hello folks,
Today I'm here to talk about a certain topic which has been more important than ever since TFS 1.x series came out.
As TFS 1.x keeps evolving and getting better and better with every update, it still keeps slacking behind when it comes to modularity.
Why do I think so? well that's certainly easily explained.
XML as a config for our events and such is restricting us in such a big way you can't even imagine at the first look.
Every developer who has worked on a really custom server before knows exactly what I'm talking about, for those who don't there is a certain issue on github which can explain most of it... https://github.com/otland/forgottenserver/issues/1057
I've been working towards that topic in the past already regarding monsters beeing solely scripted in lua, no XML files needed, drag and drop installation.
Yet you might think, what "real" benefits do we get out of this, if it's just drag and drop installation then it's certainly nothing special...
1) We can customize monsters through lua commands on the fly without the need to reload all monsters.
2) We can even create new monsters while the server is running
Those are just 2 prime examples of what benefits it brings.
Now let me show you how an example script of a monster would look like
You stil might be thinking "what's so special about it?"
Here's some funny examples.
Give your monster everytime you start your server another looktype without doing basicly anything.
Same can be done with basicly everything experience / health and all that stuff, making monsters less predictable.
Here's the link to my old branch containing the changes (it's messy and I havn't worked on it for quite a while) https://github.com/EvilHero90/forgottenserver
However monsters are not the only topic which limit us, basicly everything involved with xml still holds us back and I'd really would love to have some feedback regarding this topic as it's for me one of the most important and depending on the outcome I might work more towards it.
Today I'm here to talk about a certain topic which has been more important than ever since TFS 1.x series came out.
As TFS 1.x keeps evolving and getting better and better with every update, it still keeps slacking behind when it comes to modularity.
Why do I think so? well that's certainly easily explained.
XML as a config for our events and such is restricting us in such a big way you can't even imagine at the first look.
Every developer who has worked on a really custom server before knows exactly what I'm talking about, for those who don't there is a certain issue on github which can explain most of it... https://github.com/otland/forgottenserver/issues/1057
I've been working towards that topic in the past already regarding monsters beeing solely scripted in lua, no XML files needed, drag and drop installation.
Yet you might think, what "real" benefits do we get out of this, if it's just drag and drop installation then it's certainly nothing special...
1) We can customize monsters through lua commands on the fly without the need to reload all monsters.
2) We can even create new monsters while the server is running
Those are just 2 prime examples of what benefits it brings.
Now let me show you how an example script of a monster would look like
Code:
local mType = Game.createMonsterType("Demon")
local monster = {}
monster.description = "a demon"
monster.experience = 6000
monster.outfit = {
lookType = 35
}
monster.health = 8200
monster.maxHealth = monster.health
monster.race = "fire"
monster.corpse = 5995
monster.speed = 280
monster.maxSummons = 1
monster.changeTarget = {
interval = 4*1000,
chance = 20
}
monster.flags = {
summonable = false,
attackable = true,
hostile = true,
convinceable = false,
illusionable = false,
canPushItems = true,
canPushCreatures = true,
targetDistance = 1,
staticAttack = 70
}
monster.summons = {
{name = "fire elemental", chance = 10, interval = 2*1000}
}
monster.voices = {
interval = 5000,
chance = 10,
{text = "Your soul will be mine!", yell = false},
{text = "MUHAHAHAHA!", yell = false},
{text = "CHAMEK ATH UTHUL ARAK!", yell = false},
{text = "I SMELL FEEEEAAAAAR!", yell = false},
{text = "Your resistance is futile!", yell = false}
}
monster.loot = {
{id = "gold coin", chance = 60000, maxCount = 100},
{id = "gold coin", chance = 60000, maxCount = 99},
{id = "platinum coin", chance = 100000, maxCount = 6},
{id = "fire mushroom", chance = 20740, maxCount = 6},
{id = 8473, chance = 20000, maxCount = 3},
{id = 7590, chance = 14285, maxCount = 3},
{id = "double axe", chance = 14285},
{id = "small emerald", chance = 10000},
{id = "assassin star", chance = 5263, maxCount = 5},
{id = "fire axe", chance = 3703},
{id = "talon", chance = 3571},
{id = "orb", chance = 2854},
{id = "giant sword", chance = 2000},
{id = "golden sickle", chance = 1428},
{id = "stealth ring", chance = 1333},
{id = "devil helmet", chance = 1204},
{id = "purple tome", chance = 1190},
{id = "gold ring", chance = 1010},
{id = "platinum amulet", chance = 813},
{id = "ice rapier", chance = 666},
{id = "demon shield", chance = 649},
{id = "ring of healing", chance = 473},
{id = "demon horn", chance = 467},
{id = "golden legs", chance = 413},
{id = "mastermind shield", chance = 389},
{id = "might ring", chance = 170},
{id = "demon trophy", chance = 100},
{id = "demonrage sword", chance = 80},
{id = "magic plate armor", chance = 70}
}
monster.attacks = {
{name = "melee", attack = 130, skill = 70, effect = CONST_ME_DRAWBLOOD, interval = 2*1000},
{name = "energy strike", range = 1, chance = 10, interval = 2*1000, minDamage = -210, maxDamage = -300, target = true},
{name = "combat", type = COMBAT_MANADRAIN, chance = 10, interval = 2*1000, minDamage = 0, maxDamage = -120, target = true, range = 7, effect = CONST_ME_MAGIC_BLUE},
{name = "combat", type = COMBAT_FIREDAMAGE, chance = 20, interval = 2*1000, minDamage = -150, maxDamage = -250, radius = 1, target = true, effect = CONST_ME_FIREAREA, shootEffect = CONST_ANI_FIRE},
{name = "speed", chance = 15, interval = 2*1000, speed = -700, radius = 1, target = true, duration = 30*1000, effect = CONST_ME_MAGIC_RED},
{name = "firefield", chance = 10, interval = 2*1000, range = 7, radius = 1, target = true, shootEffect = CONST_ANI_FIRE},
{name = "combat", type = COMBAT_LIFEDRAIN, chance = 10, interval = 2*1000, length = 8, spread = 0, minDamage = -300, maxDamage = -490, effect = CONST_ME_PURPLEENERGY}
}
monster.defenses = {
defense = 55,
armor = 55,
{name = "combat", type = COMBAT_HEALING, chance = 15, interval = 2*1000, minDamage = 180, maxDamage = 250, effect = CONST_ME_MAGIC_BLUE},
{name = "speed", chance = 15, interval = 2*1000, speed = 320, effect = CONST_ME_MAGIC_RED}
}
monster.elements = {
{type = COMBAT_PHYSICALDAMAGE, percent = 30},
{type = COMBAT_DEATHDAMAGE, percent = 30},
{type = COMBAT_ENERGYDAMAGE, percent = 50},
{type = COMBAT_EARTHDAMAGE, percent = 40},
{type = COMBAT_ICEDAMAGE, percent = -10},
{type = COMBAT_HOLYDAMAGE, percent = -10}
}
monster.immunities = {
{type = "fire", combat = true, condition = true},
{type = "drown", condition = true},
{type = "lifedrain", combat = true},
{type = "paralyze", condition = true},
{type = "invisible", condition = true}
}
mType:register(monster)You stil might be thinking "what's so special about it?"
Here's some funny examples.
Code:
monster.outfit = {
lookType = math.random(35,120)
}Same can be done with basicly everything experience / health and all that stuff, making monsters less predictable.
Here's the link to my old branch containing the changes (it's messy and I havn't worked on it for quite a while) https://github.com/EvilHero90/forgottenserver
However monsters are not the only topic which limit us, basicly everything involved with xml still holds us back and I'd really would love to have some feedback regarding this topic as it's for me one of the most important and depending on the outcome I might work more towards it.
