XmlMobFactions

[ArteGordon]

XmlMobFactions
v1.06
updated 2/1/05
ArteGordon


Summary:

A system that keeps track of a players faction with user-definable mob groups. Faction can be gained and lost by killing mobs that are allied or opposed to each faction group. Additional scripts that are included provide additional features such as giving out faction for completing quests, making equipment that requires faction to equip, or weapons that have damage bonuses based upon faction levels with certain groups. By following the recommended installation steps, additional faction-dependent features can be added such as making mob taming, control, and how long it takes for mobs to acquire a player as a target dependent on faction standing with a given mobs group.
Also supports mob faction rewards that can be purchased using mob kill Credits.


Recent Updates

New to version 1.06
update 2/1/05

- added a new MobFactionRegion feature that allows you to define a region which restricts entry based upon a minimum mob faction level. This could be placed in front of dungeons, or buildings, for example, to limit access to those with sufficient mob faction.
Players that try to recall, gate, or teleport into the region will be automatically ejected to a location that can be specified via props. By default, this location is the location of the MobFactionRegionStone that controls the region, but it can be set to anywhere.
Desired faction type and faction level can be set via [props along with some other properties.
Note, if this is placed within existing regions, you may have to raise the MobFactionRegion priority via the MobFactionRegionStone in order for it to function.

- added a MobFactionRegionStone that allows staff to define MobFactionRegions. It can either be setup as a simple single rectangular region by double clicking the flag and defining a bounding box, or you can give it the name of an existing region in the CopyRegion property and it will copy that regions bounding areas. That way you can use other tools to make more complicated regions and then just put the MobFactionRegion on top of them. Note, this doesnt have any effect on the region that you copy.
For example, if you wanted to make the Britain Graveyard accessible only to players with sufficient Undead faction, you would just set the CopyRegion to "Britain Graveyard", the FactionType to "Undead", and the FactionLevel to whatever you wanted.

New to Version 1.05a
update 1/29/05

- added optional installation step 8 that allows you to make barding dependent on mob faction.

New to Version 1.05
updated 1/22/05

- updated the installation instructions for 1.0.0



Description:

This system makes use of the XmlSpawner2 attachment system and the XmlSpawner2 package must be installed to support it. You dont need to use the xmlspawners themselves, and it doesnt matter whether you use the standard distribution spawners or any other spawning system but you do need the XmlSpawner2 package installed.


Because the attachment system neither requires nor makes any changes to serialization/deserializations on any item or mobile, it can be safely added and removed at any time, now or in the future, without interfering with any other systems that you might have installed.

Note, this has nothing to do with the upcoming release of the official player faction system and will not interfere with that system in any way.

Commands supported:

[addallmobfactions - this command will add the mob factions attachment to all current players and can only be run by an administrator.

[removeallmobfactions - this command will remove the mob factions attachment from all current players and can only be run by an administrator.

[checkmobfactions - this command can be run by players to report their current standing with all existing mob factions (this is the same as using the item identification skill on themselves if the optional installation step 8 of the XmlSpawner2 package has been followed).

[verbosemobfactions true/false - this command can be run by players to toggle the verbose reporting of faction gained and lost for the mobs they kill.


The system comes configured with a set of default factions based around the slayer opponent groups with some modifications. These include

Player,
Humanoid,
Undead,
Reptilian,
Arachnid,
Elemental,
Abyss,
DragonLords,
NecroMasters,
Fairie,
Plant,
Underworld


Killing a mob that belongs to one of these factions will cause a loss in faction with that group and its allies (the amount can be scaled for each ally), and a gain in faction with the groups opponents (the amount can be scaled for each opponent).
Additionally, factions such as the DragonLords or NecroMasters which dont have any default members can be set up as quest factions, or can have members dynamically assigned by using the XmlDynamicFaction attachment to assign/spawn a mob into that faction.

For example, here are some of the ally/opponent relationships for a few of the default groups

Player: Allies=Player, Fairies: Opponents=Arachnid, Humanoid, Undead, Reptilian, Elemental, Abyss
Humanoid: Allies=Humanoid: Opponents=Undead, Player, Plant
Undead: Allies=Undead, Abyss: Opponents=Humanoid, Player, Fairie

The groups, their members, allies, and opponents can be configured in the XmlMobFactions.cs file and new factions, such as the Fairie, and Plant factions can be easily added into the faction group definitions in that script. The groups also do not have to remain static. They can be changed and new factions can be added transparently at any time after the system is installed and they will be automatically reflected in each players faction list.


Installation:
For 1.0.0

STEP 1:
Install the latest XmlSpawner2 package (must be at least version 2.67. You can find it here XmlSpawner2). Make sure that you perform installation steps 2 and 6, and optionally steps 8 and 9, from that thread. If you decide not to perform XmlSpawner2 installation step 9, everything in the system will work except for the XmlFactionEquip attachment. If you decide not to perform XmlSpawner2 installation step 8, everything in the system will work except for the ability to use the Item Identification skill on yourself to open your faction window or to view any faction-dependent bonuses on items.

STEP 2:
Place the scripts in this package into your custom scripts directory, or into the XmlAttachments directory of your XmlSpawner2 installation. Place the optional .xml examples in the top level of your RunUO installation directory.

STEP 3:
Add mob faction support to all existing players while ingame using the command "[addallmobfactions". If you change your mind and decide to remove it, you can use the "[removeallmobfactions" command. If you would just like to try it out on one player you can use the "[addatt xmlmobfactions" command and target a player.

STEP 4:
To automatically add mob faction support to newly created characters, add the following line to the end of the EventSink_CharacterCreated method in CharacterCreation.cs

around line 664 of Scripts/Misc/CharacterCreation.cs change

	new WelcomeTimer( newChar ).Start();

to

	new WelcomeTimer( newChar ).Start();

	// mod to attach the MobFactions attachment automatically to new chars
	XmlAttach.AttachTo(newChar, new XmlMobFactions());

also at the top of the file add the line

using Server.Engines.XmlSpawner2;

STEP 5: (optional)
To make the speed with which mobs acquire players as combat targets depend on the players faction with that mobs group, make the following changes

around line 2387 of Scripts/Engines/AI/AI/BaseAI.cs in the AquireFocusMobmethod, change

	//
	// Basic check
	//
	if ( ( bPlayerOnly && m.Player ) || !bPlayerOnly )
	{
		if ( m.AccessLevel == AccessLevel.Player && m.Alive && !m.Blessed && !m.Deleted && m != m_Mobile && m_Mobile.CanSee( m ) )
		{
			bCheckIt = true;
		}
	}

to

	if ( ( bPlayerOnly && m.Player ) || !bPlayerOnly )
	{
		if ( m.AccessLevel == AccessLevel.Player && m.Alive && !m.Blessed && !m.Deleted && m != m_Mobile && m_Mobile.CanSee( m ) 
		&& XmlMobFactions.CheckAcquire(m_Mobile, m))
		{
			bCheckIt = true;
		}
	}

and at the top of the file add

using Server.Engines.XmlSpawner2;

around line 3932 of Scripts/Engines/AI/Creature/BaseCreature.cs change

public virtual TimeSpan ReaquireDelay{ get{ return TimeSpan.FromSeconds( 10.0 ); } }

to

public virtual TimeSpan ReaquireDelay{ get{ return TimeSpan.FromSeconds( 2.0 ); } }

You can set it to whatever you like, but 2 seconds is a good value to start with. See the CheckAcquire method XmlMobFactions.cs for more details.


STEP 6: (optional)
To make the chance of controlling a creature depend on the players faction with that creatures group, make the following change to BaseCreature.cs

around line 673 of Scripts/Engines/AI/Creature/BaseCreature.cs at the end of the GetControlChance method, change

	return ( (double)chance / 10 );

to

	// faction mod for mob control.  This will add +- 25% chance for control over a range of +-25K faction.
	// using a positive scaling factor means that positive faction will increase control chance
	chance += (int)XmlMobFactions.GetScaledFaction(m, this, -250, 250, 0.001);

	return ( (double)chance / 10 );

and at the top of the file add

using Server.Engines.XmlSpawner2;

STEP 7: (optional)
To make the chance of taming a creature depend on the players faction with that creatures group, make the following change to AnimalTaming.cs

around line 308 of Scripts/Skills/AnimalTaming.cs in the OnTick method, change

	minSkill += 24.9;

to

	minSkill += 24.9;
						
	// faction mod for taming change.  This will modify min taming skill required by +-25 over a range of +-25K faction.
	// using a negative scaling factor means that positive faction will reduce skill requirement
	minSkill += XmlMobFactions.GetScaledFaction(m_Tamer, m_Creature, -25, 25, -0.001);

and at the top of the file add

using Server.Engines.XmlSpawner2;

STEP 8: (optional)
To make the chance of barding a creature depend on the players faction with that creatures group, make the following changes to Peacemaking.cs, Discordance.cs, and Provocation.cs. You dont have to do them all if you dont want to. For instance, if you just wanted to mod peacemaking, that would be fine.

around line 142 of Scripts/Skills/Peacemaking.cs in the OnTarget method, change

	double diff = m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( targ ) - 10.0;
	double music = from.Skills[SkillName.Musicianship].Value;

to

	double diff = m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( targ ) - 10.0;
	double music = from.Skills[SkillName.Musicianship].Value;
							
	// Adjust min peacemaking skill required by +-25 over a range of +-25K faction.
	// using a negative scaling factor means that positive faction will reduce skill requirement (make it easier)
	diff += XmlMobFactions.GetScaledFaction(from, targ, -25, 25, -0.001);

around line 100 of Scripts/Skills/Provocation.cs in the OnTarget method, change

	double diff = ((m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( m_Creature ) + m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( creature )) * 0.5) - 5.0;
	double music = from.Skills[SkillName.Musicianship].Value;

to

	double diff = ((m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( m_Creature ) + m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( creature )) * 0.5) - 5.0;
	double music = from.Skills[SkillName.Musicianship].Value;

	// Adjust min provocation skill required by +-25 over a range of +-25K faction.
	// using a negative scaling factor means that positive faction will reduce skill requirement (make it easier)
	diff += (XmlMobFactions.GetScaledFaction(from, m_Creature, -25, 25, -0.001) + XmlMobFactions.GetScaledFaction(from, creature, -25, 25, -0.001))*0.5;

around line 141 of Scripts/Skills/Discordance.cs in the OnTarget method, change

	double diff = m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( targ ) - 10.0;
	double music = from.Skills[SkillName.Musicianship].Value;

to

	double diff = m_Instrument.GetDifficultyFor( targ ) - 10.0;
	double music = from.Skills[SkillName.Musicianship].Value;
						
	// Adjust min discordance skill required by +-25 over a range of +-25K faction.
	// using a negative scaling factor means that positive faction will reduce skill requirement (make it easier)
	diff += XmlMobFactions.GetScaledFaction(from, targ, -25, 25, -0.001);

and at the top of each of the files add

using Server.Engines.XmlSpawner2;

Changelog:

Version 1.04
updated 1/14/05
- added page scrolling buttons to the faction rewards gump.

- a few minor modifications to the default factions lists.

Version 1.03
updated 12/04/04
- minor display change on mouseover for items with XmlFactionMastery attachment. The properties will no longer attempt to display the %damage increase (which it could not do because it did not know who the player was performing the mouseover). The correct damage information will still be displayed when using the Item Identification skill.

- added a checkbox to the mob factions gump to toggle the verbosemobfactions setting that can be used instead of the "[verbosemobfactions true/false"command.

New to Version 1.02
updated 11/13/04

- modified [addallmobfactions command to ignore players that already have XmlMobFactions attachments instead of resetting them.

- added several significant performance optimizations.

- modified some of the default factions.

Version 1.01
updated 11/09/04

- added kill Credits that are added for each kill and can be use to purchase items from the MobFactionsRewardStone. The m_CreditScale factor determines how many credits are gained per kill based on the fame of the mob (default 0.1%).

- added the MobFactionsRewardStone that can be used to purchase rewards using kill Credits. Just "[add MobFactionsRewardStone to place it. Rewards can have specific faction requirements as well as Credit requirements. (see the examples of rewards in XmlMobFactionsRewards.cs)

- added the XmlMobFactionsRewards class that lets you specify the rewards their costs and optionally, minimum faction requirements. Items, Mobiles, and Attachments can be specified as rewards.

- added the static methods int XmlMobFactions.GetCredits(Mobile m), bool XmlMobFactions.TakeCredits(Mobile m, int credits), and bool XmlMobFactions.HasCredits(Mobile m, int credits) which external scripts can use to interface with the Credits system. Note, if a negative credits argument is passed to TakeCredits, it will add to the players Credit total. HasCredits and TakeCredits return a bool depending on whether player has sufficient credits.

- modified the mob factions gump to report available kill Credits.

Version 1.0
updated 11/06/04

- added the XmlMobFactions attachment. This is the main attachment that supports mob factions.

- added the XmlFactionMastery attachment that will increase damage of a weapon or player with this attachment by the some percentage when members of the specified faction are hit. The percentage increase depends on the owners total faction with opponents of the target faction. For example, attaching Undead XmlFactionMastery to a weapon (e.g. [addatt XmlFactionMastery Undead) will cause it to do bonus damage against any mob in the undead faction depending on the owners faction with its opponents (e.g. Humanoid). As faction level changes, the bonus will also change and so it can become weaker or more powerful depending on use. Using the ItemIdentification skill on the weapon will reveal the current bonus level. This can be attached to mobiles or weapons. If attached directly to a player, then the bonus will apply to any weapon the player uses.
This can also be added directly to a weapon in its constructor (just as any other attachment can) by including a line like

XmlAttach.AttachTo(this, new XmlFactionMastery("Undead"));

in the weapons script. (note, you will also have to add a "using Server.Engines.XmlSpawner2;" to the top of the script). Other overloads are available as well that allow you to specify the damage bonus, duration of effect, etc. in addition to the faction type.

Faction Opponents and Allies can be modified by the user in the XmlMobFactions.cs script.
An example of spawning a weapon with this attachment is given in factionmastery.xml (place the .xml file in the top level of your RunUO installation and use the "[xmlloadhere factionmastery.xml" command to load the .xml spawner file)


- added the XmlDynamicFaction attachment that allows you to place any mob (or player) into the specified faction. Added an example of spawning a mob with a specified faction in factionspawn.xml (place the .xml file in the top level of your RunUO installation and use the "[xmlloadhere factionspawn.xml" command to load the .xml spawner file).

- added the XmlAddFaction attachment that can be used to give a specified amount of faction to a player. If attached directly to a player it gives the faction immediately. It can be also used to give faction as a quest reward by specifying it as the AttachmentString in a questholder or questnote. If attached to a mob, then that faction will be given to the player when the mob is killed (in addition to any faction that is normally given for killing the mob). Added an example of spawning a quest with a specified faction in questfaction.xml (place the .xml file in the top level of your RunUO installation and use the "[xmlloadhere questfaction.xml" command to load the .xml spawner file).

- added the XmlFactionEquip attachment that can be applied to weapons, jewelry, or armor to add a minimum mob faction requirement to equip. This allows you to make faction-dependent weapons/armor (must go through XmlSpawner2 installation step 9 in order to take advantage of this). Added an example of spawning a weapon with a specified faction requirement in equipfaction.xml (place the .xml file in the top level of your RunUO installation and use the "[xmlloadhere equipfaction.xml" command to load the .xml spawner file). Note, using the Item Identification skill on an item with this attachment will display the faction requirement.

[ArteGordon]

updated to version 1.05

from the changelog

New to Version 1.05
updated 1/22/05

- updated the installation instructions for 1.0.0

[ArteGordon]

updated to version 1.05a

from the changelog

New to Version 1.05a
updated 1/29/05

- added optional installation step 8 that allows you to make barding dependent on mob faction.
This will have the effect of making successful barding of a creature much easier if you have positive faction with that creature, and much harder if you have negative faction.

[ArteGordon]

updated to version 1.06

from the changelog

New to version 1.06
update 2/1/05

- added a new MobFactionRegion feature that allows you to define a region which restricts entry based upon a minimum mob faction level. This could be placed in front of dungeons, or buildings, for example, to limit access to those with sufficient mob faction.
Players that try to recall, gate, or teleport into the region will be automatically ejected to a location that can be specified via props. By default, this location is the location of the MobFactionRegionStone that controls the region, but it can be set to anywhere.
Desired faction type and faction level can be set via [props along with some other properties.
Note, if this is placed within existing regions, you may have to raise the MobFactionRegion priority via the MobFactionRegionStone in order for it to function.

- added a MobFactionRegionStone that allows staff to define MobFactionRegions. It can either be setup as a simple single rectangular region by double clicking the flag and defining a bounding box, or you can give it the name of an existing region in the CopyRegion property and it will copy that regions bounding areas. That way you can use other tools to make more complicated regions and then just put the MobFactionRegion on top of them. Note, this doesnt have any effect on the region that you copy.
For example, if you wanted to make the Britain Graveyard accessible only to players with sufficient Undead faction, you would just set the CopyRegion to "Britain Graveyard", the FactionType to "Undead", and the FactionLevel to whatever you wanted.

[thegrandmystic]

Wow, these two updates are exactly what I was thinking of doing! Thanks a lot!

[ArteGordon]

Originally Posted by thegrandmystic

Wow, these two updates are exactly what I was thinking of doing! Thanks a lot!

ah, that would be my aluminum foil hat that allows me to receive various brainwave transmissions (or did I have it set to broadcast? Have to check when I get it back from the shop for re-foiling)

[Darkness_PR]

so how it works is by killing a mostner u will win the faction from the opostite side of the mosnter ur killing?

[ArteGordon]

Originally Posted by Darkness_PR

so how it works is by killing a mostner u will win the faction from the opostite side of the mosnter ur killing?

yes, and lose faction with any allies of the monster you killed.

[Darkness_PR]

okay that nice might get broing in a shard with hardly no players lol, then take ur anger into mobiles hehehe

[ArteGordon]

if you add in the mod for making target acquisition speed depend on faction it can make a big difference in PvM.
I have players that will start working on a spawn area because they find that it is easy with decent loot (like bloods), and they eventually cant work it any more because it just gets too hard as groups of mobs aggro faster and faster.

On my shared I provide other ways of gaining faction as well, such as quests, and trading in items to certain groups for faction. (e.g. giving up minor arties to certain mob groups to gain favor with them).
I added into the XmlSockets system a way to gain faction by transmuting certain rare-drop runes for example.

If you dont add in some of those other things then overall faction will just keep going down as the default scalings mean that there will always be a net faction loss for killing (with every kill you lose more faction with the mob and its allies than you gain with their opponents on balance)

[jaketheman]

Nice. as always

[Tark]

heheh, just like Freelancer

[ArteGordon]

Originally Posted by Tark

heheh, just like Freelancer

yeah, very similar. I like the idea of bribable npcs for gaining faction the way it was done in Freelancer. When you would bribe someone it would raise faction with that group and lower it with enemy groups.

[Lumberman]

Hello Arte,

I have a question to the relation between the XMLMOBFACTIONS and the XMLPOINTS. I like both systems. My wish is, that the pvp-duelling challenges have no impact at killing the opponent in the pvp-challenges to the MOBFACTION points from our players.

Where must I script/customized this switch off? Have you a fast idea for me? I have searched, but nothing found here.

Many thanks to you! Your systems are great!

[ArteGordon]

Originally Posted by Lumberman

Hello Arte,

I have a question to the relation between the XMLMOBFACTIONS and the XMLPOINTS. I like both systems. My wish is, that the pvp-duelling challenges have no impact at killing the opponent in the pvp-challenges to the MOBFACTION points from our players.

Where must I script/customized this switch off? Have you a fast idea for me? I have searched, but nothing found here.

Many thanks to you! Your systems are great!

The way to do it would be to simply check in the OnKill method of XmlMobFaction attachment to see whether the killer and killed mobs were in a duel.
It becomes tricky because the XmlPoints attachment also handles the OnKill method and in that method it clears the challenger status when it is done.

What I need to do is to add support for an OnBeforeKill method, then the mob factions attachment could make the simple challenger check without worrying about having challenger status cleared before it got to check it.

That requires an update to the base attachment system in XmlSpawner2. It is a simple mod so I'll put it in and let you know.

(edit)

this will be the edit you have to make to XmlMobFactions.cs. You will need to get the new version of XmlSpawner2 (it will be version 3.02, I havent posted it yet). Just add the stuff in red.

		private bool m_ChallengeStatus = false;

		public override void OnBeforeKill(Mobile killed, Mobile killer )
		{
			// if you have XmlPoints installed and wish to prevent challenge games and duels from affecting
			// faction points then uncomment the following line
			m_ChallengeStatus = XmlPoints.AreChallengers(killer, killed);

		}

		public override void OnKill(Mobile killed, Mobile killer )
		{
		    base.OnKill(killed, killer);

			// supports ignoring XmlPoints challenges
			if(m_ChallengeStatus)
			{
				m_ChallengeStatus = false;
				return;
			}

		    if(killed == null || killer == null || killer == killed) return;

[twig]

great idea! I have been loving all the XML systems more and more each day it seems.. hehe

[Noxih]

now will this affect the osi factions at all

[ArteGordon]

Originally Posted by Noxih

now will this affect the osi factions at all

no. It is a completely separate system. It keeps track of the faction levels for the your custom defined creature factions based on the creatures that you kill.
You can determine how you want those levels to affect gameplay. I added a few suggestions, such as adjusting the time it takes mobs to acquire the player as a target, or barding difficulty, taming/controlling difficulty etc. but you can really use them any way that you like.

There are also some additional things that you can set up such as faction-dependent regions that restrict access based on faction level (sort of like the osi faction regions), and weapons that do extra damage based on faction levels, or that can only be equipped with certain faction levels.

I also added some things that allow you to give out faction for things other than just kills, such as quests.

[Lumberman]

Originally Posted by ArteGordon

That requires an update to the base attachment system in XmlSpawner2. It is a simple mod so I'll put it in and let you know.

Many thanks to you! I wait for your newest XMLSpawner.

Edit: Yeah! All right, it works! Many thanks again to you!

[ArteGordon]

Originally Posted by Lumberman

Many thanks to you! I wait for your newest XMLSpawner.

Edit: Yeah! All right, it works! Many thanks again to you!

glad to hear it. handy little mod, thanks.