Improved Combat log showing details of shields and stealth.
Moderator: Oberlus
Improved Combat log showing details of shields and stealth.
This PR adds expandable details to the combat log. The point is to make the specific rules governing combat available immediately in the combat log, in particular the interaction of shields and stealth. It creates a framework for other events and writing the combat log in a more narrative structure.
Please comment on this idea and/or the implementation.
The motivation is in questions from beginners (like myself) on the forum. Two often repeated questions are: Why was my massive fleet with mass drivers unable to damage the enemy?; Why did my stealth fleet suddenly get wiped out in round 2? The answer is usually read the manual. This tries to provide the answer right where the player is already looking.
Below I've included two partially expanded combat logs, showing shields preventing damage and a ship being destroyed in round 2 after it has been decloaked. Note that damage is grouped by attacker.
In the shield case the details show attack strength, shield strength and final damage implying that 9 strength - 3 shield = 6 damage.
In the cloaking case, the details show which (friendly) planets and ships are cloaked at the start of combat and which ones decloaked and why. It does not list enemy cloaked ships or planets.
Please comment on this idea and/or the implementation.
The motivation is in questions from beginners (like myself) on the forum. Two often repeated questions are: Why was my massive fleet with mass drivers unable to damage the enemy?; Why did my stealth fleet suddenly get wiped out in round 2? The answer is usually read the manual. This tries to provide the answer right where the player is already looking.
Below I've included two partially expanded combat logs, showing shields preventing damage and a ship being destroyed in round 2 after it has been decloaked. Note that damage is grouped by attacker.
In the shield case the details show attack strength, shield strength and final damage implying that 9 strength - 3 shield = 6 damage.
In the cloaking case, the details show which (friendly) planets and ships are cloaked at the start of combat and which ones decloaked and why. It does not list enemy cloaked ships or planets.
Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
Oh, I approve of this idea, yes, having it displayed like this is far preferable to trying to work out a way to describe it in a Pedia entry. Assuming it doesn't massively increase turn processing turn I'm very much in favour, but the code is beyond me.
I especially like the cloak/decloak effect, I might quibble with wording (sometimes you're not cloaked, you're just hidden in some way, ships reveal themselves when shooting even if it was Ion Sotrm or Asteroid Belt that they hid in) but the basic setup and display is a very good idea.
I especially like the cloak/decloak effect, I might quibble with wording (sometimes you're not cloaked, you're just hidden in some way, ships reveal themselves when shooting even if it was Ion Sotrm or Asteroid Belt that they hid in) but the basic setup and display is a very good idea.
Mat Bowles
Any code or patches in anything posted here is released under the CC and GPL licences in use for the FO project.
Any code or patches in anything posted here is released under the CC and GPL licences in use for the FO project.
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Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
Very nice!
Only issue I noticed is the intial log layout. When first opening a combat log the lines are spaced far apart.
Causing an update (resize or expanding a node) corrects the layout for that report.
Only issue I noticed is the intial log layout. When first opening a combat log the lines are spaced far apart.
Causing an update (resize or expanding a node) corrects the layout for that report.
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- Cpeosphoros
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Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
Just loved it. Many thanks.
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- The Silent One
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Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
Totally awesome. Great job!
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Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
Thanks everyone for the encouragement.
dbenage-cx, the layout sometimes doesn't reflow correctly on initial setup. It also sometimes doesn't reflow correctly if you expand and then collapse a branch. I couldn't fix the problem immediately and decided to ask for feedback before spending more time chasing down a solution. I'll keep trying.
MatGB, the combat logs are only floats and integers. I tried to minimize the computation during combat processing. The XML generation only occurs during combat log display.
All of the strings are in en.txt, so you can fiddle as you please. I tried using the expression "detected", which is more accurate. It felt clinical and formal. "Decloaked" feels more evocative, although less accurate. Maybe "spotted" might work?
dbenage-cx, the layout sometimes doesn't reflow correctly on initial setup. It also sometimes doesn't reflow correctly if you expand and then collapse a branch. I couldn't fix the problem immediately and decided to ask for feedback before spending more time chasing down a solution. I'll keep trying.
MatGB, the combat logs are only floats and integers. I tried to minimize the computation during combat processing. The XML generation only occurs during combat log display.
All of the strings are in en.txt, so you can fiddle as you please. I tried using the expression "detected", which is more accurate. It felt clinical and formal. "Decloaked" feels more evocative, although less accurate. Maybe "spotted" might work?
- UnifiedStars
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Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
That's an awesome feature!
On a related note, is there a possibility of creating a probability tree/distribution for combat? Sometimes I would like to know how a large/long battle will turn out, and I can't really guess when there's 10+ ships fighting, other than the side with more probably wins.
If a program or calculator already exists, then where would I go about finding it?
On a related note, is there a possibility of creating a probability tree/distribution for combat? Sometimes I would like to know how a large/long battle will turn out, and I can't really guess when there's 10+ ships fighting, other than the side with more probably wins.
If a program or calculator already exists, then where would I go about finding it?
- Geoff the Medio
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Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
"detected" seems fine to me, and"revealed" could also work.LGM-Doyle wrote:I tried using the expression "detected", which is more accurate. It felt clinical and formal. "Decloaked" feels more evocative, although less accurate. Maybe "spotted" might work?
Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
wow, this is great!
I didn't try it but from images maybe to put in >first image> round 2 >"Pike damages the Akerbeltz for X damage" where X is total damage in that round, so you don't have to click arrow for details and calculate damage... I just noticing it, and i know it is nickpicking
Cheers!
I didn't try it but from images maybe to put in >first image> round 2 >"Pike damages the Akerbeltz for X damage" where X is total damage in that round, so you don't have to click arrow for details and calculate damage... I just noticing it, and i know it is nickpicking
Cheers!
Re: Improved Combat log showing details of shields and steal
I've updated the PR with the requested text changes.
decloaks -> detects
<attacker> damages <target> for X damage.
I think that the reflow on the initial tab change is correct now. It is certainly better than before.
decloaks -> detects
<attacker> damages <target> for X damage.
I think that the reflow on the initial tab change is correct now. It is certainly better than before.