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Rocko- 08-11-2006
I am new to XmlSpawners and the addons, but they look so tempting and promising that I decided I have to learn them and know how to use them.
Maybe a dumb question but here is my first post with a question:
How does the XmlFaction work together with the already existing system where there are only the good/neutrul/evil standings? Or it actually replaces them?
Say if I install this system on a RunUO 2.0 distro, do I still start as a default target for an orc? What controls the starting faction standing, and more important how the aggressive behavior are decided? If I start as default target for orcs, and keep gaining faction standing with orcs, will it be at some point they will stop attacking me? Also will the mobs in the same faction helping each other when they saw one of their "family members" got attacked by someone with already has good standing with them?
I guess I am really curious how different is this fraction system with that of, say, Everquest?
Much thanks to who can share some insights, and thank you Arte for making such a great set of systems!
Rocko
ArteGordon- 08-11-2006

QUOTE (Rocko @ August 11, 2006 09:10 pm)
I am new to XmlSpawners and the addons, but they look so tempting and promising that I decided I have to learn them and know how to use them. Maybe a dumb question but here is my first post with a question: How does the XmlFaction work together with the already existing system where there are only the good/neutrul/evil standings? Or it actually replaces them?
Say if I install this system on a RunUO 2.0 distro, do I still start as a default target for an orc? What controls the starting faction standing, and more important how the aggressive behavior are decided? If I keep gaining faction standing with dragons, will it be at some point they will stop attacking me? Also will the mobs in the same faction helping each other when they saw one of their "family members" got attacked by someone with already has good standing with them?
I guess I am really curious how different is this fraction system with that of, say, Everquest?
Much thanks to who can share some insights, and thank you Arte for making such a great set of systems!
Rocko

The basic system just keeps track of faction standing based upon what you kill.
The optional installation steps allow you to use the faction standing with particular mob groups to change their behavior.
For example, step 5 will make the speed of mobs acquiring players as a target depend on faction, so with high positive standing it will take a long time, and with high negative standing they will instantly attack.
With high enough positive standing they will ignore you and you can walk freely among them (unless you attack them of course).
This is similar to the way in which faction in EQ affected mob aggro (although there is no built in aggro chaining as in EQ in the default RunUO creature AI).
You can also make controlling, taming, and barding creatures depend on your particular faction level with them with the other optional installation steps.
There is nothing stopping you from using faction standing the way that you would use fame or karma to control other things as well.
There is a region controller that is included that allows you to set up regions that can only be entered with high enough faction of a specified type.
A reward system is also added to allow you to track creature kills and gain credits for them, and then exchange those credits for rewards.
Rocko- 08-11-2006
Now that's what I call a QUICK reply and complete answer!!!
Thanks you so much Arte. It's good to know a high positive standing stops the mob to attack eventually. I am thinking about a server where a player could eventually become a family member of a dragon group by keep doing the dragons favor. So this seems totally allow that to happen. Just to double check I understand it correctly, the positive standing will eventually flip the aggro logic, instead of just saturate the aggro time to a very large number right? Which means I could idle among a group of dragon forever and they wont one day realize, ha, there is a piece of meat...
Btw it would be fun to add the chain aggro in the AI.
ArteGordon- 08-11-2006

QUOTE (Rocko @ August 11, 2006 09:28 pm)
Now that's what I call a QUICK reply and complete answer!!! Thanks you so much Arte. It's good to know a high positive standing stops the mob to attack eventually. I am thinking about a server where a player could eventually become a family member of a dragon group by keep doing the dragons favor. So this seems totally allow that to happen. Just to double check I understand it correctly, the positive standing will eventually flip the aggro logic, instead of just saturate the aggro time to a very large number right? Which means I could idle among a group of dragon forever and they wont one day realize, ha, there is a piece of meat...
Btw it would be fun to add the chain aggro in the AI.

yes, that is correct. Past "Untouchable" they will not attack.
You can configure this by setting this variable in xmlmobfactions.cs

CODE
static int maxFaction = 25000; // this sets the faction level above which mobs will no longer acquire the target

I also use a mod that alters loot drops based on faction, so you get better loot by killing mobs with higher faction (better loot from friends). It provides an incentive for turning on them once they trust you
It also penalizes continued farming of mobs from the same faction, although the targeting and barding penalties make it difficult to fight mobs with high negative faction anyway.
I also hand out faction for quests.
Ah yes, just what we need ... UO mob trains