Familiar Revision

[Salk]

Hello!

 

What about taking a look at Rabain's own revision for Familiars?

 

There are many things that I like about it:

 

* Portrait and Sound for familiars

 

* Familiars are now 9 (spider is added) and that would seem better when there are 9 alignments

 

* A script makes the familiar automatically jump back in the backpack when their HP value is under 25% - This might be a good idea to make familiars be more on the field and not just become practically a way to gain some HPs for the caster

 

Might you take a look here and tell me what you think, Demivrgvs?

 

There are of course some aspects I am not so fond of (like stats beefing up and meddling with their abilities) and some others that I am not so sure about (choice among 3 different familiars instead of being assigned one - still bound to alignment though).

 

Let me know what you think. I am sure Rabain would have no objections to let SR borrow some idea and even code.

 

Keep it up!

[Gorilym]

Looks cool. Though I don't understand the reasoning behind moving the cat from CN to CG familiar and placing the spider at CN. Would have been better to keep the cat at CN and find a more appropriate animal/creature for CG (IMO of course).

[Demivrgvs]

I've given a quick look at it. I haven't posted them but SR already have an Improved Familiars component, though at the moment it's pratically the same one which was implemented by ADPack. Familiars surely deserve more attention, and they offer great potential imo. I'll do something about them in the future (at the moment I'm still busy with IR and I'd really like to start a Kit Revisions, not to mention real life takes some time too!! ).

Looks cool. Though I don't understand the reasoning behind moving the cat from CN to CG familiar and placing the spider at CN. Would have been better to keep the cat at CN and find a more appropriate animal/creature for CG (IMO of course).

I do agree. Personally I would have chosen True Neutral for the Spider, and moved the Rabbit to CG. We'll discuss every change together anyway.

[Salk]

Moving the Spider to TN and the Rabbit to CG seems fine to me as well.

 

By the way,

 

in my ideal take about familiars, I would make a deep change in the way it works now.

 

The familiar should level up AS the Master does. Starting with few Hit Points and weak abilities and slowly and regularly improve them for each level up of the Master.

 

The way it is now, it's unbalanced. In BGT, a familiar boost the HP of the summoner of a almost ridicolous amount (in proportion to the starting HP range for a wizard). Also, their starting abilities are too powerful.

 

So my idea is to make them become stronger and more useful as the Master becomes stronger.

 

It would make much more sense to me. But perhaps it's difficult/impossible to code?

[Demivrgvs]

I agree with eveything, and it's all doable, though with all the things I'm currently working on, and a few exams approaching, I really don't know when I'll have the time to focus on this component in particular.

 

At the moment the only coder who's helping me out is Mike1072 (and thanks god he does!), let's say that if anyone is willing to code this component I'm more than willing to start thinking what has to be done. Same goes for my next work, Kit Revisions.

[Salk]

I am very happy that we both agree about this new revision about Familairs!

 

And I am very well aware of your former commitments.

 

One name that I might suggest you for coding things up is Miloch: he is really nice and skilled.

 

For Cursed Items, Nythrun is helping me but I only got one email from her in the latest month because she must be having serious Internet problems.

[Icendoan]

If I wasn't also tied up, I would help.

 

I have a ton of work for Silm (at SHS).

 

Icen

[Salk]

Dear Demivrgvs,

 

could we try and work the Familiars thing out before you release version 2?

 

I'd be very appreciated.

[Demivrgvs]

could we try and work the Familiars thing out before you release version 2?

Actually I was going to send everything to cmorgan today... There are things I'd like to do yet, and Improved Familiars is surely one of the most important, but this component in particular would take at least a weak imo (especially if we opt for adding to them a level up routine via scripts), and I'm not even sure I'll be available a week from now, probably out of country.

 

I may add some features if I slightly delay V2 (e.g. adding the gaseous form ability to genies would probably take only a day) but the one you're asking for deserves much more attention imo. Furthermore v1.5 had the annoying Call Woodland Being problem and I'd like to have online a polished release as soon as possible.

[Salk]

I perfectly understand!

 

Better not rush things out. We will wait untill you are back from your vacation.

 

In the meantime I posted my suggested changes over to the Forum of WTP Familiars. There is not much activity there but I will keep an eye open for Rabain's reply. Who knows? It might even be possible that the "imported code" might be more finished than you think then.

[Salk]

I can't seem to be able to download the file SR_V2_Hotfixes.rar from the link at the first page.

(UPDATE: It was just a temporary server problem)

 

Said that, I am wondering If we might find the time to "tackle" together the Summon Familiar spell?

 

There shouldn't be so much conceptual work after all that has been said in another topic opened by me several weeks ago.

 

I am really longing to see this implemented in Spell Revisions 3!

[Demivrgvs]

I moved your post here...I hope you don't mind.

 

Yeah, I was thinking about it yesterday and I've downloaded WTP to see what it exactly accomplishes...though I haven't had a single minute to look at it by then (RL always manages to obstacle my modding activity! ).

 

This component would probably be the most noticeable improvement over V2, and I hope to have a little help from Mike to accomplish it.

 

I already have plenty ideas about familiars, not to mention I dreamt about having it extended to druids and Beast Masters (animal companions) for an eventual Kit Revisions. For now let's focus on what can be down within SR.

[Salk]

Sounds great!

 

I actually thought that it would have not been a big load of work since quite much of the code could be "borrowed" from WTP (I am sure Rabain would not mind - there has been no activity for months at Border Kingdoms (the last post is still mine - August and before mine there was one made in April).

 

I think I have already put down my vision about the Spell but if you want some more feedback just ask away!

 

And no, of course I don't mind you moving my posts wherever you like!

 

Keep it up!

[Salk]

Well,

 

trusting on DavidW's "in a few days" ETA about the next SCS version (which should grant better compatibility with SR), I'd be about to set sail...

 

Still, I wouldn't mind waiting some time if SR v3 was around the corner.

 

But I suppose it's not though, or...?

[Demivrgvs]

trusting on DavidW's "in a few days" ETA about the next SCS version (which should grant better compatibility with SR), I'd be about to set sail...

With the temporarily 5th component of SR there shouldn't be any compatibility issue at all between SCS and SR.

 

Still, I wouldn't mind waiting some time if SR v3 was around the corner.

Unfortunately I'm quite busy in these days...thus it won't happen anytime soon...