Prevent Lost Soul Smoshing?

[RV-007]

How do I make a bunch of lost soul not hurt each other + turn against one another?
I'm talking about the A_SkullAttack/A_Recoil(-#), and how each lost soul tackles for 3 damage.

What I want to do is to prevent lost souls from (accidently) harming each other. I also want to know how to prevent lost souls from turning against one another and still turn against other monsters different from its species. So far, I only know that the actor flag '+NOINFIGHTING' works.

I will use this code to ensure that a 'Running of the Bulls' stampede (which includes recoiling demons) is done correctly (e.g. map05 of gangsta_grosse.wad). I don't want the demons to hurt each other nor turn against one another.

[Ravick]

I believe there is no way to avoid the LS to hurt each other, unless u remade it's charging attack in other way then the A_SkullAttack.

But, for avoiding them o fight each other, I think the flags DONTHARMSPECIES or DONTHURTSPECIES will do what you want.

[RV-007]

The A_Recoil(-/+ #) statement seems to be a good subsitute for the A_SkullAttack statment (works for player classes as well), but I am not sure of its velocity compared to its A_SkullAttack counterpart. I think that the A_Recoil == A_SkullAttack/2 when it comes to velocity. The A_Recoil statement seems to do pretty well w/o the actor flags DONTHARMSPECIES or DONTHURTSPECIES as if it is the A_SkullAttack w/ the DONTHARMSPECIES or DONTHURTSPECIES (for non-explosion damage). Even with the initial/monster damage set (e.g. Damage 5), the A_Recoil manages to prevent a monster class from dealing damage to its own class.

Also, does anyone know the difference between DONTHARMSPECIES or DONTHURTSPECIES?

[Xaser]

A_Recoil doesn't have vertical thrust. The makeshift souls won't be able to charge at you from above or below.

[RV-007]

I think that the powerup of flight would be good enough, but at best, the lost souls would probably act more like a elevator than an aircraft.
A_Recoil equivalents of a single A_SkullAttack statement might need all three x, y, and z axis.
It was cool to crouch under a storm of lost souls though.

[Xtyfe]

having the same problem as you, I have been thinking of some creative ways of getting around this possibly by changing the attack entirely

[Xtyfe]

I have almost replicated the attack of the lost soul, however I'm having trouble with it's charging bit. I have been using A_ChangeVelocity and A_ScaleVelocity but it will get stuck while trying to charge.

Code: Select all • Expand view

Actor XtLostSoul : LostSoul replaces LostSoul
{
+QUICKTORETALIATE
+DONTHARMSPECIES
+VISIBILITYPULSE
+NOBLOOD
+DONTGIB
-CANUSEWALLS
Species Exploder
RenderStyle Translucent
MaxTargetRange 1024
States
   {
   Spawn:
      SKUL AB 5 Bright A_Look
      Loop
   See:
      SKUL AA 3 Bright A_Chase ("", "")
      SKUL A 3 Bright A_Chase ("Melee", "Missile")
      SKUL BB 3 Bright A_Chase ("", "")
      SKUL B 3 Bright A_Chase ("Melee", "Missile")
      Loop
   Missile:
      SKUL C 10 Bright A_FaceTarget
      TNT1 A 0 A_PlaySound ("skull/melee", CHAN_WEAPON)
      Goto Charge
   Charge:
      SKUL CD 4 Bright A_ScaleVelocity (3)
      Loop
   Melee:
      SKUL C 4
      SKUL D 4 Bright A_CustomMeleeAttack (Random(2,4)*5, "", "", "Kinetic")
      Goto See
   Pain:
      SKUL E 3 Bright
      SKUL E 3 Bright A_Pain
      Goto See
   Death:
      SKUL F 6 Bright
      SKUL G 6 Bright A_Scream
      SKUL H 6 Bright A_CustomMissile ("XtLostSoulExplosion")
      SKUL I 6 Bright A_NoBlocking
      SKUL JK 6
      Stop
   Raise:
      Stop
   }
}

[RV-007]

I tried the A_Blast before but I don't think that works as a A_SkullAttack alternative w/o infighting/species-damage.
I can't say for the lost souls, but I am glad that the demons are charging like a stampede.

[RV-007]

There is also a http://www.zdoom.org/wiki/Actor_flags#SKULLFLY, but that is essentially the same as A_SkullAttack. A_Recoil and +SKULLFLY will make the equivalent of A_SkullAttack with the switch on the charging monster mode. I tried to make demons not infight, but it's nearly impossible b/c +DONTHARMSPECIES will only apply to prevent explosive damage from that monster species group/crew/brethren/brotha.

[printz]

Does damagetype "lostsoul" and damagefactor "lostsoul", 0 (immunity to damage) work to make the lost souls not fight each other? Or will they still react as if it happens (like in classic Doom)?

[RV-007]

I didn't try the class name of the actors yet, but I used a A_CustomMeleeAttack (5,"demon/melee","demon/melee",DemonBite,1), DamageType Demonbite, and DamageFactor Demonbite, 0. The demons looked like they were quarreling/kissing couples.