Shapechange?

[Dekent]

The new patch details said shapechange modding has been implemented, but the intructions don't cover it. Has anyone figured out exactally what the different commands do?

[DeathDaemon]

Supposedly the implementation docs for changes and additions in 2.13 are forthcoming.

[Kristoffer O]

Here's some aid:

#shapechange <nbr> - the unit is able to shange into this shape as an order. Used by commanders.
#secondshape <nbr> - the shape a unit will take upon death (example: skinshifter have werewolf nbr)
#firstshape <nbr> - the original shape of the shapechanged unit (example: werewolf have skinshifter nbr)
#secondtmpshape <nbr> - a second shape from which you do not return after battle (example: serpent cataphract have serpent nbr)

[Endoperez]

I quess the elemental-effect of dying-is-just-weaker could be duplicated using #secondtempshape once for every form except the smallest... Is it possible to make units that have #secondshape to a unit that *also* has a #secondshape, but link both to the original unit with #firstshape?

Is there any way to get units in its #secondtmpshape back to its original form? I am thinking in a combination of #firstshape and new tag #timer (or #counter, #turncount, #healtime etc), that is the number of turns it takes to heal back to the original form... I could see serpents finding a new rider. I don't know if there would be actual use for it, but it would bring the MasterOfMagic mod a big step closer.

[Kristoffer O]

Fully possible. Elementals work that way (except for the return to the first form). Be sure not to shapechange into the same form. True immortality is nice, but it has some balance issues

There is no timer function.

[Taqwus]

Hm, interesting.

If there were shapechanging on other actions -- shapechanging right before or after it makes its first melee attack of a battle, say -- one could model even funkier behaviors; e.g. a gargantuan armadillo being nigh-invulnerable until it rears up and starts stomping, thus revealing its somewhat more penetrable underside.

Or even odder things, like seriously irritating flying raiders that charge in, but who get a far lower morale once they've attacked and thus fly away shortly thereafter.

[Dekent]

Mkay.....for the life of me I can't figure out how to get a unit to shape change into something, as a command....and shapechange back....so far the best I have gotton was shape change into something, and then was stuck as it! Any chance I can get a bigger guide on exactally how to use these commands?

[Endoperez]

You have to have two forms that hjave the shapechange-commands linking to each other. So to get back to the original form you have to give the second form the ability to change to the original form. Hard to explain, but quite simple IMO.

[Zen]

What might make shapechange much more of a factor is in the Strategic Unit Commands section. Whereas at current it has one command "Shapechange" it could/should be modified to say "Shapechange [Base]" "Shapechange [Secondary]" so that when scripting you won't have your shapechanged units attack people when they are attacked more than once in a turn/round (Classic example is the Dragon/Sage buff/attack sequence that gets fubared because someone casts a Call of Winds spell, causing the command scripts to go horribly awry.

[Dekent]

Yes I linked two units together, that is how I got one to shapechange orginally....the problem was it couldn't go back even though they both pointed to each other