I’ve got your precious random events right here

Published on August 30, 2012 By Frogboy In Elemental Dev Journals

Fallen Enchantress has random events. It’s just that there aren’t many and the odds of one showing up in a given turn are in 1/10,000.

So as we get ready for Beta 5, which is all about bug fixing, polish, and balance, we are finally starting to add a lot of new random events.

This is the part I should probably mention that any monkey can make a quest. You do need the powerful tool known as notepad. That’s how I’m doing it. It’s just XML and it’s pretty straight forward to make a fairly simple quest or random event (i.e. kill fooz or fetch me a holy hand grenade or escort my goat, etc.). But there’s nothing stopping you from making a massive, epic quest.

In this random event, I set it so that after turn 50 there is a 0.1% chance of the event being triggered each turn. So odds are, you will rarely get this event (maybe once every 4 or 5 games). But in addition to spawning a nasty cave with these nasty monsters in it, I also had it spam the world with a bunch of escaped darklings.

What’s nice about this is that modders (and guys like me) can control the “experience” of the game through the use of the turn trigger.

I’m thinking about coding in a power based trigger. That is, if the player is just dominating (or alternatively, getting really hurt) I could have the game trigger some interesting events to whoever is winning (or losing) to mix things up. I did this with Galactic Civilizations with quite a bit of success in keeping things moving.

Of course, with GalCiv, only I could make this stuff. With Fallen Enchantress, not only can a stupid monkey like myself crank this out, but you guys could too.

Below is the complete XML for this particular quest (90% of which is copy and paste):

   1:   <QuestDef InternalName="RandomEvent_AdventureProblem_2">

   2:      <DisplayName>Troublesome Adventerers</DisplayName>

   3:      <Description>

   4:        Into the throne room comes three very sad looking adventurers. They explain, at considerable length, that they met at a local pub and decided to go on a quest together. Unfortunately, this quest brought them to the ancient dungeon of Orilinor, Curgen's jailer.

5:

   6:        This dungeon was thought to be lost and, frankly, it would have been better had it stayed lost because upon opening it, a couple centuries worth of monster breeding has now been unleashed into the country side.

7:

   8:        "And, a demon known as Anithan is still there," he says.

9:

  10:        What do you want to do?

  11:      </Description>

  12:      <ShortTextAccept>Sigh. Can't you people get real jobs? You'll be helping clean up this mess.</ShortTextAccept>

  13:      <AllowQuestRejection>0</AllowQuestRejection>

  14:      <RewardText>Book of Demon Summoning</RewardText>

  15:      <RewardImage>Tech_Third_Book.png</RewardImage>

  16:      <SuccessText>

  17:        Anithan is defeated and the book is yours. Using the books of your private study to translate the runes in the book, you are able to summon a demon to do your bidding. Unfortunately, the book disintegrates upon use.

  18:      </SuccessText>

  19:      <QuestClass>Minor</QuestClass>

  20:      <Repeatable>0</Repeatable>

  21:      <TriggerType>TurnNumber</TriggerType>

  22:      <TriggerData>50</TriggerData>

  23:      <TriggerChance>10</TriggerChance>

  24:      <PostTriggerChance>10</PostTriggerChance>

  25:      <SpawnRating>1</SpawnRating>

  26:      <Image>BG18_Dark.png</Image>

  27:      <Treasure>

  28:        <GameModifier InternalName="Reward1">

  29:          <ModType>Unit</ModType>

  30:          <Attribute>GiveExperience</Attribute>

  31:          <Value>30</Value>

  32:        </GameModifier>

  33:      </Treasure>

  34:      <Treasure>

  35:        <GameModifier InternalName="Reward2">

  36:          <ModType>Unit</ModType>

  37:          <Attribute>UnitJoinArmy</Attribute>

  38:          <StrVal>DeathDemon</StrVal>

  39:          <StrVal2>Pox the Demon</StrVal2>

  40:          <UnitClass>Unit</UnitClass>

  41:        </GameModifier>

  42:      </Treasure>

  43:      <QuestObjectiveDef>

  44:        <ObjectiveID>0</ObjectiveID>

  45:        <NextObjectiveID>1</NextObjectiveID>

  46:        <Description>Find and defeat Anithan.</Description>

  47:        <Treasure>

  48:          <GameModifier>

  49:            <ModType>Map</ModType>

  50:            <Attribute>CreateGoodieHut</Attribute>

  51:            <StrVal>Orilinor's Dungeon</StrVal>

  52:            <Unitclass>GH_Quest_Cave</Unitclass>

  53:            <Radius>12</Radius>

  54:          </GameModifier>

  55:          <GameModifier>

  56:            <ModType>Map</ModType>

  57:            <Attribute>SpawnMonster</Attribute>

  58:            <Value>24</Value>

  59:            <Unitclass>Darkling</Unitclass>

  60:            <StrVal>Escaped Darklings</StrVal>

  61:            <Radius>12</Radius>

  62:          </GameModifier>

  63:          <GameModifier InternalName="Join">

  64:            <ModType>Unit</ModType>

  65:            <Attribute>UnitJoinArmy</Attribute>

  66:            <StrVal>Iru</StrVal>

  67:            <StrVal2>Amanda</StrVal2>

  68:            <UnitClass>Unit</UnitClass>

  69:            <Level>6</Level>

  70:          </GameModifier>

  71:          <GameModifier InternalName="Join">

  72:            <ModType>Unit</ModType>

  73:            <Attribute>UnitJoinArmy</Attribute>

  74:            <StrVal>Syndicate_SpyMaster</StrVal>

  75:            <StrVal2>Lucila</StrVal2>

  76:            <UnitClass>Unit</UnitClass>

  77:            <Level>6</Level>

  78:          </GameModifier>

  79:          <GameModifier InternalName="Join">

  80:            <ModType>Unit</ModType>

  81:            <Attribute>UnitJoinArmy</Attribute>

  82:            <StrVal>Mercenary</StrVal>

  83:            <StrVal2>Kelen</StrVal2>

  84:            <UnitClass>Unit</UnitClass>

  85:            <Level>6</Level>

  86:          </GameModifier>

  87:        </Treasure>

  88:        <QuestConditionDef>

  89:          <Objective>

  90:            <Icon>Mana_32.png</Icon>

  91:            <Text>Find the cave that leads to the dungeon, defeat Anithan.</Text>

  92:            <IsOptional>0</IsOptional>

  93:          </Objective>

  94:          <Class>Success</Class>

  95:          <Type>ClearGoodieHut</Type>

  96:          <TextData>GH_Quest_Cave</TextData>

  97:          <Flag>RevealTarget</Flag>

  98:        </QuestConditionDef>

  99:        <ChoiceText>You manage to cause a cave in, sealing off the entrance to the vast lambrynth underneath but not before Anithan and his servants confront you.</ChoiceText>

 100:        <ChoiceMedallion>F_Domination_Full.png</ChoiceMedallion>

 101:        <ChoiceMedallionFrame>Medallion_Frame_17.png</ChoiceMedallionFrame>

 102:        <QuestChoiceDef>

 103:          <Description>Defeat Anithan</Description>

 104:          <NextObjectiveID>1</NextObjectiveID>

 105:          <Encounter>

 106:            <Liklihood>100</Liklihood>

 107:            <BattleIdentifier>Anithan</BattleIdentifier>

 108:            <WillRespawn>0</WillRespawn>

 109:            <WanderingRadius>0</WanderingRadius>

 110:            <UnitInstance>

 111:              <UnitType>DeathDemon</UnitType>

 112:              <UnitName>Anithan</UnitName>

 113:              <Level>1</Level>

 114:            </UnitInstance>

 115:            <UnitInstance>

 116:              <UnitType>Juggernaut_Escaped</UnitType>

 117:              <UnitName>Failed prototype</UnitName>

 118:              <Level>1</Level>

 119:            </UnitInstance>

 120:            <UnitInstance>

 121:              <UnitType>DarklingWarrior</UnitType>

 122:              <UnitName>Darkling Horde</UnitName>

 123:              <UnitGroupingType>UnitGroupingType_Squad</UnitGroupingType>

 124:              <Level>1</Level>

 125:            </UnitInstance>

 126:          </Encounter>

 127:        </QuestChoiceDef>

 128:        <QuestChoiceDef>

 129:          <Description>Ah. Yes...well..quite. We will just be leaving you to your cave.</Description>

 130:          <NextObjectiveID>0</NextObjectiveID>

 131:        </QuestChoiceDef>

 132:      </QuestObjectiveDef>

 133:      <QuestObjectiveDef>

 134:        <ObjectiveID>1</ObjectiveID>

 135:        <NextObjectiveID>2</NextObjectiveID>

 136:        <PopupObjectiveMsg>0</PopupObjectiveMsg>

 137:        <QuestConditionDef>

 138:          <Objective>

 139:            <Icon>Mana_32.png</Icon>

 140:            <Text>Defeat Anithan</Text>

 141:            <IsOptional>0</IsOptional>

 142:          </Objective>

 143:          <Class>Success</Class>

 144:          <Type>BattleFinished</Type>

 145:          <TextData>Anithan</TextData>

 146:          <MoreTextData>Victory</MoreTextData>

 147:        </QuestConditionDef>

 148:        <QuestConditionDef>

 149:          <Objective>

 150:            <Icon></Icon>

 151:            <Text>Battle Lost</Text>

 152:            <IsOptional>0</IsOptional>

 153:          </Objective>

 154:          <Class>Failure</Class>

 155:          <Type>BattleFinished</Type>

 156:          <TextData>Anithan</TextData>

 157:          <MoreTextData>Defeat</MoreTextData>

 158:        </QuestConditionDef>

 159:      </QuestObjectiveDef>

 160:      <QuestObjectiveDef>

 161:        <ObjectiveID>2</ObjectiveID>

 162:        <NextObjectiveID>3</NextObjectiveID>

 163:        <Description>Return to your capital with the untranslated book of demons.</Description>

 164:        <QuestConditionDef>

 165:          <Objective>

 166:            <Icon>Mana_32.png</Icon>

 167:            <Text>Return to the capital with the untranslated book of demon summoning.</Text>

 168:            <IsOptional>0</IsOptional>

 169:          </Objective>

 170:          <Class>Success</Class>

 171:          <Type>UnitEntersCapital</Type>

 172:        </QuestConditionDef>

 173:      </QuestObjectiveDef>

 174:      <QuestObjectiveDef>

 175:        <ObjectiveID>3</ObjectiveID>

 176:        <QuestEnd>1</QuestEnd>

 177:      </QuestObjectiveDef>

 178:    </QuestDef>

Comments (Page 2)

Tohron

on Aug 30, 2012

With regards to random events that trigger when they player is dominating - it seems like the wrong approach to simply punish the player for doing well (maybe I'm reading too much into the OP, but these are my thoughts anyway).

Perhaps a good compromise would be to spawn something that is a dangerous threat, but which helps end the game faster if you surmount it (access to a powerful spell, a powerful item, a powerful hero who assisted you in defeating the threat, etc.)

seanw3

on Aug 30, 2012

Part of the reason the endgame is so boring is that the leader player is not ganged upon by the weaker factions. This needs to be added at least as a possibility.

From a long time quest maker for Elemental I would just like to thank all the devs for listening to feedback about many quest features. The ability to create a goodie hut from a random event was previously bugged. Nice to see that it is now possible. I also like that quests can be linked by items. We can make an item like Altar's quest map as a reward at the end of a quest. That map can then initiate a new quest. It can even be a specified quest. Quests really feel like they have reached their full potential in the game. This is a wonderful improvement. Maybe another quest competition is in order?

Oh, and it's Labyrinth, not Lambrynth.

jackswift85

on Aug 30, 2012

seanw3

reply 18

Oh, and it's Labyrinth, not Lambrynth.

seanw3

on Aug 30, 2012

AlLanMandragoran

on Aug 30, 2012

This is getting good!

parrottmath

on Aug 30, 2012

Tohron

reply 17

I don't consider this punishment. If a player is dominating there needs to be a boost in difficulty a challenge for that player. So the idea is similar to what a good dungeon master would do when the player party is dominating the dungeon, put something that will slow them down or give them a challenge. Make the game more interesting for the player.

That doesn't go to say that this could be a punishment, especially if the event is too strong for even the dominating player to handle, then this would be a punishment to the dominating player with which I do not agree.

Mtn_Man

on Aug 30, 2012

I like the general idea of random events, but I hate the idea of suddenly losing a game because 5 dragons unexpectedly spawned outside my capital.

DsRaider

on Aug 30, 2012

Just curious if many players have been getting random events so far. I think I got the Meteor Shower one but the actual painting never showed.

AlLanMandragoran

on Aug 30, 2012

I got one recently where all monsters increased two levels.

leeboy26

on Aug 31, 2012

Excellent. Is there a thread where we can suggest events or are we too late for that?

seanw3

on Aug 31, 2012

The FE is coming to steam thread asks for new random event suggestions.

OrionM42

on Aug 31, 2012

leeboy26

reply 26

Excellent. Is there a thread where we can suggest events or are we too late for that?

Frogboy's Original Post (OP) of Aug. 23, 2012, entitled: "Coming Soon: Fallen Enchantress on Steam" included a list of 15 questions (well ... 15 numbered paragraphs ... not every one was literally a question) including a Question #5, which requested ideas for Random Events. You can find the OP here:

https://forums.elementalgame.com/429972

This would be a logical place to post your ideas. Several folks have already come up with some great suggestions, including whole lists of them, in a couple of cases. (See, for example: geekanarchy's reply #115, DsRaider's reply #6, and Jean=A=Luc's reply #26.) The only problem is, that there are already about 160 Replies (addressing some or all of the 15 questions) in response to the OP. So, I suppose there is a risk that your suggestions might get lost in the crowd ... but, Good Luck !

tid242

on Aug 31, 2012

quoting post

Of course, with GalCiv, only I could make this stuff. With Fallen Enchantress, not only can a stupid monkey like myself crank this out, but you guys could too.

And one of the things that annoyed me with the limited ability to mod Galciv2 content was my inability to trigger random events, principally though the tech tree.

At the time (actually, I still want to do this...) I had wanted to create an introverted race/faction that had a predilection for researching techs that made life difficult for all of the other races (plagues that limited pop growth, space-time manipulators that reduced ship travel, etc, etc with each other race being able to research countermeasures) with the intent of buying more time to research more.... In short, add a dimension of an actual research race, as opposed to using research simply as an input feed into economic/war_machine arms races...

Take this allegory as you may, but modding this sort of thing in FE would be neat to be able to do.

Intending to sit down and play this game sometime now that b4 is out. I haven't played any since beta 2...

cheers,

-tid242

Heavenfall

on Aug 31, 2012

Please keep events random and not as a result of the player dominating. It is way too gamey have such mechanics in the game.

"Oh, you're winning? Have some dragons to make the game harder. Where did they come from? They just appeared, cause fuck you."

You might as well spawn extra units for the AI if they are losing. I mean, what happened to the enemy competing on even terms?

More events sound great. The more gamechanging the better.

Ratatosk7

on Aug 31, 2012

Those seem a bit more like random quests? At any rate there needs to be a third option for quests. Right now there is #1 Fight, a battle of unknown strength unless you have fought them before or #2 Leave, and the quest disappears completely and the NPCs may or not still be around and roam.

I take it back, instead of having a third option they should just be completely overhauled so the player has some idea of the strength of the enemy (deadly, strong, epic ratings are basically useless and not very informative) and a way of delaying the quest acceptance that doesn't cause it to despawn. It would also be nice if stronger monsters and quests slowly appeared mid and late game. I mean, as fun as save scumming is and all

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