Possible bug with lifedrain attacks? - developers please read

[Norfleet]

Were you being attacked by other enemies as well? Being attacked by multiple enemies reduces your effective defense in ways that aren't displayed and I don't recall. Were any other fatigue-inducing effects present on the battlefield, such as heat auras, cold auras, or flying lightning bolts?

[Stormbinder]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Were you being attacked by other enemies as well? Being attacked by multiple enemies reduces your effective defense in ways that aren't displayed and I don't recall. Were any other fatigue-inducing effects present on the battlefield, such as heat auras, cold auras, or flying lightning bolts?

Norfleet, I am not newbie.

Both times it was one on one battle. No auras, and I was monitoring units before and after every sword hit for fatique. The only explanations to this is either what I suggested (2nd lifedrain-related bug with mirror images) or that both times I was very unlucky.


In any case, if the above quote from developers is true and that is how lifedrain is supposed to work (fixed percentage from damage inflicted), than all lifedrain type attacks in game are currently broken, there can be no doubts about it - your own observations as well as mine confirm it.

The only question if this is broken in 1 or 2 ways.


EDIT: As for formula for the reduced defense, IIRC each additional attacker reduces effective defense by one.

[ May 14, 2004, 04:58: Message edited by: Stormbinder ]

[Kristoffer O]

PvK: There are different categories. Poison only affects those wounded, while flames might affect the target regardless of a hit. I'm not sure which attacks are this way, but there are some.


I'm starting to believe that the mirror image is the problem and not the life drain (poison and wraith sword affecting units).

It is quite possible that after a hit (with effects) the mirror has a chance of removing the damage. Fatigue and poison not affected.

Have you experienced the same effects with poison and (nonmagic weapons) and ethereal or is it only the mirror image that is a problem?

[PvK]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
PvK: There are different categories. Poison only affects those wounded, while flames might affect the target regardless of a hit. I'm not sure which attacks are this way, but there are some.
...

Cool. That's what I figured, but thanks for the confirmation.

PvK

[Stormbinder]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
I'm starting to believe that the mirror image is the problem and not the life drain (poison and wraith sword affecting units).

It is quite possible that after a hit (with effects) the mirror has a chance of removing the damage. Fatigue and poison not affected.

Have you experienced the same effects with poison and (nonmagic weapons) and ethereal or is it only the mirror image that is a problem? [/QB]

I see. Yes, it is indeed possible as well just as you siad - if you have in your code check for the morror image _after_ damage/fatique calculations.


It's funny, because if this is so, than being protected by mirror image may as well be currently worse than not being protected by it, when you under attack by life-draining weapon, depending where you have check for target's protection. It feels alsmot as if your immages are draining the life from you by themself...


Another possible thing to consider while you would be looking in it in the code is to check how mirrorimage works with mistform. According to the "fixed percentage" formula that I assume to be a "correct one", since you didn't object to it , while target is protected by mistform and/or mirror image the worst thing that could happen is -1 or even zero fatique drain/gain (depending which way you round down the numbers), unless mistform is broken. But I am reasonably sure that it wasn't broken on that Air Queen, since Ice Devil wielding Hell sword wasn't actully hiting her the first place. Therefore if mirrorimage indeed accidently removes the damage but not fatique, as you suggested, it may do it without taking mistform into account, and therefore assigning a "full" damage instead of just 1 hitpoint as it should with mirrorimage spell. Just a programmer's guess, since I don't have your code in front of me.

Unfortunately I can not give you much info about poison or astral weapons with mirrorimages - I am much more often attacked by lifestealing weapons than by poison ones in my MP games.