Locational Damage

Author: Visitingnurse

Well, we all should know by now that the Dark engine does not support locational damage that can be user defined. That is,

points on an AI's model that defines how much damage that creature receives when hit in that particular area.

But, like all things, there is usually a way around this. It's actually not at all that hard to make an AI receive

different amounts of damage from being hit in different locations. That is, locational damage. The method and results here

are not quite as fancy as the locational damage featured in other games, but they work enough for the Dark engine.

This tutorial will work for Dromed1 and Dromed2, but a few things mentioned here are a bit buggy for D1. D2 already has

some locational damage, but you can't really change it to suit your needs.

And so, the tutorial begins. First off, you'll need the following things:

An AI.

Any object from the hierarchy that is solid (meaning, you can hit it with your sword, and it won't pass through). You'll

want to keep these objects visible so you know where they are, but make them invisible (by adding the property

Renderer>Transparency> 0.00) before you start boasting that you've got locational damage in your level and everybody

should download it. It also wouldn't hurt to take the sound properties off of them (the noise your sword makes when it

hits the object), either.

Now, with those created, I'll tell you the knowledge you'll need to possess for this tutorial. Not much. Sources and

Receptrons knowledge wouldn't hurt, just remember that there is a bug with D1's S&R (you MUST add a source or receptron,

or it crashes).

It is assumed by now, that you have all the scripts loaded (gen, convict), have computed pathfinding, and everything else

related to general Dromeding.

Continuing on, open up your first solid item's properties. Add a receptron property (Act/React>Receptrons). For tutorial

purposes, I'll tell you what to put there.

Object: (The solid object's number)

Stimulus: WaterStim

Min Intensity: 0

Max Intensity: 10

Effect: Slay Object

Target Object: (Your AI's number)

And that's it. If you don't know much about S&R, then I'll tell you what we are saying to Dromed. This object, when hit by

a Water Arrow, will slay the AI in question. Now, open up the Links box to your AI, and add a new link that looks like

this.

Flavor: CreatureAttachment

From: (Your AI's number)

To: (Your solid object number)

Data: Right Ankle

Going into game mode, you will find that if you shoot the AI in it's right ankle with a water arrow, it will scream and

die a horrible death. Congratulations, you have put locational damage into Thief.

Now, if you know a little more about S&R, you can create other types of effects, including a place on the AI that will

render him unconscious when hit, and more. Attach these markers anywhere you wish, via CreatureAttachment link.