Warcraft III Damage Tutorial

Eric

Informations

• Publié par: Thiwyar
• Nombre de lectures: 60
• Langue: English

Extrait

Vers. 1.0 (09-22-04) WARCRAFT III DAMAGE TUTORIAL BACKGROUND This tutorial will discuss the amount of damage sustained by a unit from a given attack and the parameters that can be changed in the WE that influence the amount of damage sustained.This information is useful to achieve the best balance between units in any map.I will also discuss which factors do not appear to have any influence on the amount of damage sustained, but would at first appear to do so based on their WE name. I will not discuss in detail the parameters that influence the attack damage value (i.e. the amount of the attack such as 5-10) of any unit, and only generally discuss the types of attacks (i.e., Pierce, Chaos, Siege, etc.) to the extent they affect the amount of damage inflicted.I will also not discuss area-of-effect or other attack-related parameters that modify the initial damage value that could be inflicted on a unit.Rather, I focus here on the defensive factors that increase or reduce this initial value.I hope to look at other attack factors in a later tutorial. Most of the information I present has been obtained through trial-and-error play testing and experimentally verified.I welcome any comments, suggestions, or corrections to this information as there are some idiosyncrasies that I have discovered and cannot explain. DEFENSE BASICS Each unit in WC3 includes a number of parameters that affect the amount of damage that is sustained by the unit when attacked.These parameters are set in the Object Editor module of the WE, and includeCombat - Defense Base;Combat - Defense type; andCombat - Defense Upgrade Bonus. Eachis discussed in more detail below. Combat - Defense Base This parameter sets what is commonly known as the “Armor” of the unit.When selecting a unit in a WC3 game, the number entered here is shown under Armor in the bottom center display (Figure 1), directly adjacent to an icon indicating the Armor Type (set using theCombat - Defense TypeIn game, if youdiscussed below). Parameter mouse-over the icon, a dialog pops-up showing the Armor value, the Armor Type, a Damage Reduction Percentage, and a short narrative about how various attacks react with the Armor Type (Figure 2). Fi ure1 Figure2

Vers. 1.0 (09-22-04) The Figures above also illustrate one inconsistency in the game that could result in confusion.As described in more detail below, the selected Armor Type of “Normal” is recognized as a valid Armor Type (Figure 2, showing “Type:Normal”), but the narrative refers to “Medium armor.”In fact, as described in detail below, “Normal Armor” does not behave the same as medium armor and is a unique Armor Type that receives 100% damage from all Attack Types.It is unclear if the narrative referring to medium armor is a programming error or if “Normal Armor” is an unused armor type left in the game during development.I was not able to find any standard unit that uses Normal armor. The Relationship between Armor Value and Damage Reduction Percentage Heres where things get a little mathematically complex.Obviously, more armor reduces the damage sustained by a unit.Thus, it is critical to understand the relationship between the two.TheDamage Reduction Percentagewith increases increasing armor and asymptotically approaches 100%.By creating a unit having a given armor value and then reviewing the pop-up dialog (Figure 2, above) for each, the following relationship is found: Armor Value and Damage Reduction Percentages as displayed in game pop-up dialog Damage Damage Damage Damage Reduction Reduction Reduction Reduction Armor Armor Armor Armor Percentage Percentage Percentage Percentage Value Value Value Value shown inshown inshown inshown in Dialog Dialog Dialog Dialog 0 0%20 55% 40 71% 60 78% 1 6%21 56% 41 71% 61 79% 2 11%22 57% 42 72% 62 79% 3 15%23 58% 43 72% 63 79% 4 19%24 59% 44 73% 64 79% 5 23%25 60% 45 73% 65 80% 6 26%26 61% 46 73% 66 80% 7 30%27 62% 47 74% 67 80% 8 32%28 63% 48 74% 68 80% 9 35%29 64% 49 75% 69 81% 10 38% 30 64% 50 75% 70 81% 11 40% 31 65% 51 75% 71 81% 12 42% 32 66% 52 76% 72 81% 13 44% 33 66% 53 76% 73 81% 14 46% 34 67% 54 76% 74 82% 15 47% 35 68% 55 77% 75 82% 16 49% 36 68% 56 77% 76 82% 17 50% 37 69% 57 77% 77 82% 18 52% 38 70% 58 78% 78 82% 19 53% 39 70% 59 78% 79 83% First, it should be noted that this is the percentage by which damage isreduced. Therefore, to determine the damage that will beinflicted, the percentage shown should be subtracted from 1.For example, a unit having an Armor value of 22 will have its base damage reduced by 57% and thus will receive only 1-.57 = .43, or 43% of the base damage. Attempts to experimentally verify these numbers, however, show that the Damage Reductions Percentagesnot integers, but rather floating point numbers are

Vers. 1.0 (09-22-04) that are rounded when displayed in-game.To confirm these percentages, a unit for each armor value having 10,000 HP was attacked with an attack doing 10,000 of Chaos damage (which negates the armor type as described below).The resulting remaining hit points were then recorded and aDamage Reduction Percentagewas calculated to 2 decimal places for each armor value.As can be seen in the Table below, theDamage Reduction Percentageshown in the dialog is merely the more precise value determined during play testing rounded to the closest integer. Armor Value and Damage Reduction Percentages as determined from play testing and differences with Percentages displayed in game pop-up dialog Damage DamageDamage Damage Reduction ReductionReduction Reduction Armor Armor Percentage Percentage Difference PercentagePercentage Difference Value Value shown infrom Playshown infrom Play Dialog TestingDialog Testing 0 0%0.00% 0.00%20 55%54.55% -0.45% 1 6%5.67% -0.33%21 56%55.76% -0.24% 2 11%10.72% -0.28%22 57%56.90% -0.10% 3 15%15.26% 0.26%23 58%57.99% -0.01% 4 19%19.36% 0.36%24 59%59.02% 0.02% 5 23%23.08% 0.08%25 60%60.00% 0.00% 6 26%26.48% 0.48%26 61%60.94% -0.06% 7 30%29.58% -0.42%27 62%61.84% -0.16% 8 32%32.44% 0.44%28 63%62.69% -0.31% 9 35%35.07% 0.07%29 64%63.51% -0.49% 10 38%37.51% -0.49%30 64%64.29% 0.29% 11 40%39.76% -0.24%31 65%65.04% 0.04% 12 42%41.87% -0.13%32 66%65.76% -0.24% 13 44%43.83% -0.17%33 66%66.45% 0.45% 14 46%45.66% -0.34%34 67%67.11% 0.11% 15 47%47.37% 0.37%35 68%67.75% -0.25% 16 49%48.98% -0.02%36 68%68.36% 0.36% 17 50%50.50% 0.50%37 69%68.95% -0.05% 18 52%51.93% -0.07%38 70%69.52% -0.48% 19 53%53.28% 0.28%39 70%70.06% 0.06% The next question is what mathematical relationship exists between the armor value and theDamage Reduction Percentage? Asfurther discussed below, the answer can be found in part under the Gameplay Constants (in the WE menu, Advanced | Gameplay Constants - Figure 3 below) the parameter entitledCombat - Armor Damage Reduction MultiplierThe default value for this parameter is 0.06., abbreviated ADRM. After a little trial and error, the mathematical relationship can be found to be: 1 Damage_reduction_percentage=1− 1+(Armor) * (ADRM) I further modified the value in the Gameplay Constants and confirmed that the above relationship appears to hold true.

Fi ure3 - Gamela ConstantsWindow

Vers. 1.0 (09-22-04)

Combat - Defense Type This parameter sets the Armor Type, as shown in the pop-up dialog (Figure 2, above). Thereare eight choices and in the WE, your options are Unarmored, Normal, Small, Medium, Large, Fortified, Hero, and Divine.These are reflected in the game identically, expect that “Small” is called “Light” when viewed in-game. Each Armor Type suffers different damage depending on the type of attack that it receives. Inthe WE, the parameterCombat - Attack Typecan be set to None, Normal, Pierce, Siege, Spells, Chaos, Magic, and Hero.In the same way you can mouse-over the armor icon in the game to receive a pop-up dialog, you can also mouse-over the attack icon (Figure 4) and receive a pop-up dialog with information about the attack (Figure 5). Figure 4Fi ure5

Comparing Figure 2 and Figure 5 shows parity between the narratives for Armor Type and Attack Type.That is, Figure 2 makes clear that Medium armor reduces damage from piercing attacks and Figure 5 similarly shows that Piercing attacks do reduced damage to medium armor.What is not shown from these narratives, however, is how much the damage is reduced or increased.These values are, however, set globally in the Gameplay Constants.The default values are shown in the following table with the percentage increase (red) or decrease (green) for any attack/armor combination.

Vers. 1.0 (09-22-04)

 DefenseType  UnarmoredNormal SmallMedium Large FortifiedHero Divine None 100%100% 100%100% 100% 100%75% 5% Normal 100%100% 100%150% 100%70% 100%5% Pierce 150%100% 200%75% 100% 35%50% 5% Siege 150%100% 100%50% 100%150% 50% 5% Hero 100%100% 100%100% 100%50% 100%5% Chaos 100%100% 100%100% 100% 100% 100%100% Magic 100%100% 125%75% 200% 35%50% 5% Spells 100%100% 100%100% 100% 100%75% 5% There are some points worth noting.First, the Attack Types “Spells” and “None” will show in-game in the Attack narrative window (as in Figure 5) as “Normal.” However, the default damage reduction percentages when attacking Hero and Divine Armor Types differ from any other Attack Type.Therefore, it is again unclear if these Attack Types were simply not removed during development or what their purpose is.I was not able to find their use in any standard unit in the game. Also, it should be noted that Divine Armor, which is asserted to only take damage from Chaos Type attacks (See Figure 6 below), in fact suffers 5% damage from all other attacks. Thus,while the armor is strong, it is not impenetrable when using the default values. Fi ure6

As noted above, these values can be changed in the Gameplay Constants as noted above, See Figure 3.The Gameplay Constants in a parameter for Combat - Damage Bonus Table for each type of attack.Following those numbers are a series of percentages, separated by commas, which define the percentage increase or decrease for each attack/armor type combination.It is important to note that the order of armor types in this list is small (light), medium, large, fortified, normal, hero, divine, and unarmored. Thus,the default data shown in the chart above can be changed in the Gameplay Constants as desired.It is not clear that the parameter for “ethereal” has any effect. Combat - Defense Upgrade Bonus This parameter appears to have no direct effect on the damage received by a unit, but is used instead when Armor is upgraded, for example by researching Iron Plating in the game.As shown above in Figure 4, when an attack or armor upgrade is available, it is shown in-game with a small level number in the lower right corner. Researching the appropriate upgrade results in an increase in armor by theDefense

Vers. 1.0 (09-22-04) Upgrade Bonus value.This is set by selectingData - Effect 1 (SeeObject Editor | Upgrades) to equal “Apply Defense Upgrade Bonus.” What doesnt have an effect: Combat - Armor Type? There are certain parameters in the WE that I at first thought would have an influence on the damage suffered by a unit.TheCombat - Armor Typeparameter is an example. Thisparameter can be set to one of five settings - Ethereal; Flesh; Metal; Stone; or Wood.It does not appear, however, that this setting has any affect whatsoever on the amount of damage suffered during an attack.The only difference appears to be the sound set used when the unit is attacked.That is, the sound effect is altered based on the setting to “thunk” against wood, “clink” against metal, and “scrape” against stone.Be careful not to confuseCombat - Armor TypewithCombat - Defense Type, discussed above. Summary - Putting it All Together From the above, I have found that there are 2 primary factors that affect the amount of damage a unit will sustain when attacked.The first parameter is its armor, set using theCombat - Defense Baseand the second factor is the Armor Type set using the parameterCombat - Defense Type. Thetotal damage to be inflicted in any given attack/armor type clash can be found by multiplying these two percentages and increasing or decreasing the base damage by this amount.Consider a unit having an armor value of 9.This would result in a nominal default damage reduction percentage of 35%.If this unit further has an armor type of small (light, when shown in-game) and is attacked by Piercing Attack, the attack will be increased by 200%.If the attacker inflicts 90 base damage, then the total damage would be 90 * (1-0.35) * 2.00 = 117 damage.