Hi

I was the last weeks very busy with the project work.
Alot work was done in the website and increasing the
level of awareness of Daimonin. I think everyone noted
the increased traffic we have and that will stay on that
level.

On the coding front, we finished alot work needed to Beta 4.

I added an Auto-Updater to the client, which will automatically
fetch updates & patches for the client from our project webspace
and applies them also automatically before you play. This will
allow ALOT things:
- to add small patches without we must fear people has to download
  the full xxMB package over and over
- we can apply special content to the client
- we can disable for the main server the server sided picture
  transfer mode. This will save alot bandwith for the server and
  can lead to a better connection
- we can easily syychronize all clients for one server

I added to "linked mobs". Who ever played DaoC or Everquest or one
other of the modern 2nd or 3rd generation MMORPG will know them.

In short terms - you pull one mob but instead of the single one always
all 3 staying there will come because they are linked. That a very logical
thing: 3 Bandits stay on a fire and you start kill one but the other 2 stay
there and just look?

The idea of that linked mobs is to create tactical maps. Of course not all
will be linked. But its nice to link special mobs or quests.

Don't confuse "linked mobs" with "social mobs" who are part of our AI (look for that to Gecko's work).
Thats a higher mode - like mobs who start running around and alarm on random the surrounding.

As many noted, i finished the /mute command and added a auto-mute
system. That was the last base thing for community control that needed
to be finished. That area is now finished.

Most other work was related to a big rework of the mob & NPC settings and how the treasure
generation worked. After B4, map making will be ALOT easier and better to understand.

I will not list here now all the minor things i added. For that interested
people should join the daimonin-cvs list, where you get an info about
whats put in the cvs (means the game code) daily. You will find the list
 int he development area of this website - look for the mailing lists.

How exactly are mobs linked? Using an arch attribute connecting them to each other in groups, like the connected attribute? Or automatically by the server linking mobs to the closest mobs within a specific range?

You link mobs with their spawn points.
There is a tab "linked".
You enter a link tag - just a number.

The server links the spawn points with the same numbers and send
signal through them. ATM is only "if one of us is attacked, assign to
all the attacker as enemy".

The linked mobs must be atm at the same map. So, the same link tag
on different maps will not connect over maps.

But i have plans for global links. We need to handle that different.

What would happen with linked mobs if someone else attacked one?

eg. I attack a linked mob and it's friends come after me too. I call out for help and someone comes up and attacks one that I am not attacking. Wouldn't, once the mob being attacked by the other person realises what is happening, they all start attacking the other person?

edit: Grammar errors... :S

Mmmm, well, it *could* do anything, since it is not implemented yet. I'm thinking there are 3 outcomes (they have optionary things, but 3 main ones) which seem sensable:

1) Attacking one from a linked group of mobs attacking a player will make all mobs attack you/make all mobs but the mob/s aggrivated by player attack you

2) Attacking one from a linked group of mobs will have that mob retaliate, but follow the other mobs to the player/mob breaks from the group to attack or follow you while other mobs follow player, once it looses you or kills you, it goes back to what is left of the group or group area.

3) Attacking one from a linked group of mobs will make the group split in two equal parties(or parties depending on level of player and you) until one party has lost or killed its target, then they go back to the group or group area

Consider that "attacking" means aggrivating a mob (as in, you hit it and it aggrivates the mob--not getting in its sensing range. Sensing range is not applied when attacking/following). To re-aggrivate the mob, you would have to run away some steps (like a screen) and come back + attack again. This eliminates the "mobs in the middle" sort of thing.

Consider "player" meaning original attacker

Consider "you" being the second attacker who attacks one of the group of mobs attacking player.

What do you think would be best? It should be pretty simple.

Cheers,
Unislash

yes, it depends on the implementation. I even don't know how far i was - i have
to look in the source.

The basic idea is, that if you pull one member of a linked group, all will come over you.

Senseful use: A by 3 guards guarded door. Its really strange, you pull one and kill it just
in front of the 2 other and they don't do anything. You can of course add a AI who examines
for every mob the surrounding and analyze it - but this is performance AND a coding nightmare.

The final idea is, that AFTER the initial puller is dead, every member of the group checks all
enemies of all group member (if they don't have one itself). IF there is one, they go on it too.
If every member without an living enemy, all go back to start spot.

There is one possible exception which had for example Dark Age of Camelot: IF you pull 2
group members and the third was still not spawned - then this 3rd member don't add
to the fight when it spawns. Also: When someone else pulls that mob AND the other 2 comes
back - they don't join in.

Thats just a game play thingy to avoid you pull a single mob (which is part of a group) because
you think its alone and then come from the back 2 others who has just run beneath a player
who run around. That will avoid the possible abuse that you run through a dungeon and pull
all mobs to lure them on other players.