Ability Templates

Abilities belong to the "ability_templates" folder in Data.

Ability templates are, as the name suggests, a base for different abilities to be created off of. Because each ability template corrosponds to a internal "class" which actually codes the movement or action, templates are merely a set of stats for the class that determine how the most basic version of the movement or action should go, usually giving it a cost, target, and damage_instance. Each of these are tables that contain variables belonging to them. This article, then, means moreover to show users both the internal stats of each ability template, as well as how one should use the ability template when making their own ability.

Overall Structure

Ability templates are found in the data folder ability_templates in a .gon file the same name. Here is a example of the first, and most basic, ability template.

Example Ability

Here is a broken down example ability. It uses the most common template of abilities, damaging abilities.

template_melee_attack { // name of the template. When writing a ability, this is the enum used in the "template" variable.
  class MeleeAttackAbility // the class. These are hardcoded "actions" of the game, but require inputs to proceed.
  graphics { // graphics. gives the animation, speed, and some data for projectile anims, and can be overwritten.
      animation Default
  }

  cost { // the cost of the move for the game. Does it use up your action or movement stat? 
      move_points 0
      act_points 1
  }
  // note that, unlike graphics or target, this and an ability's cost are different. An ability's cost tells the game it's mana and such, while the ability_template cost only tells the game which of the two stats are being used up - or both or neither.

  target {  // target tells the game what tiles are available. stats such as "mov" are the player's speed stat.
      target_mode direction  //tile, direction, none

      aoe_mode line //standard, line, cross, custom
      min_aoe 1
      max_aoe 1

      aoe_considers_character_size true
      aoe_excludes_self true

      knockback_mode character_to_tile
  }

  damage_instance { // most attacking moves use this. 
      damage 5+bonus_melee_damage
      type melee
      incidentally_collects_pickups true
  }
}

Setup

Here are the enums of a ability template. You'll notice, it is extremely similar to abilities.

Info

When a string is put in brackets, it indicates the variable supports multiple strings within a required bracket.

Example Code

tags [summon musical]

Field Name	Input Type	Description
Class	string	Ability class, mostly used when making a template [check ablity_template.gon for classes]
meta	table	Contains the informations about the ability
graphics	table	Contains the graphical properties of the ability
cost	table	Contains the costs and requirements of the ability
target	table	Contains the targetting properties of the ability
damage_instance	table	Contains the damage properties of the ability
spawn	table	Used for spawning abilities, contains the spawn properties of the ability

Variables

Anywhere iside the ability structure variables can be used to make certain stats of the ability change based on different factors.

Variable Name	Type	Description
bonus_range	int	Bonus range value based on the character's dexterity
bonus_ranged_damage	int	Bonus ranged damage value based on the character's dexterity
bonus_meele_range	int
bonus_meele_damage	int	Bonus melee damage value based on the character's strenght
bonus_basic_spell_damage	int
level	int	The level of the ability
str	int	The character's strenght
spd	int	The character's speed
int	int	The character's intelligence
cha	int	The character's charisma
con	int	The character's constitution
dex	int	The character's dexterity
lck	int	The character's luck
X	int	Value based on what is put in X_is

This is a subsection of ability_templates.

Ability Templates

template_move ()

Basic template for moving to a tile.

template_move Code

    template_move {
        class MoveAbility

        meta {
            type_icon "movement"
            is_move true
        }

        cost {
            move_points 1
            act_points 0
        }

        graphics {
            use_super_armor false
        }

        target { 
            target_mode tile  //tile, direction, none

            range_mode ground_move
            min_range 0
            max_range mov

            aoe_mode occupied_tiles
            min_aoe 0
            max_aoe 0

            range_display_include_character_size true

            restrictions [must_be_moveable must_move]
        }

    }

template_teleport ()

Basic template for teleporting to a tile.

template_teleport Code

    template_teleport {
        class TeleportAbility

        meta {
            type_icon "movement"
            is_move auto
        }

        cost {
            move_points 1
            act_points 0
        }

        graphics {
            use_super_armor false
        }

        target { 
            target_mode tile  //tile, direction, none

            range_mode standard
            min_range 1
            max_range mov

            aoe_mode occupied_tiles
            min_aoe 0
            max_aoe 0

            range_display_include_character_size true

            restrictions must_be_moveable
        }
    }

template_swap ()

Basic template for swapping with an entity on a tile.

template_swap Code

    template_swap {
        class SwapperAbility

        meta {
            type_icon "movement"
        }

        cost {
            move_points 1
            act_points 0
        }

        graphics {
            use_super_armor false
        }

        target { 
            target_mode tile  //tile, direction, none

            range_mode standard
            min_range 1
            max_range mov

            aoe_mode occupied_tiles
            min_aoe 0
            max_aoe 0

            range_display_include_character_size true

            restrictions must_be_swappable
        }

    }

template_melee_attack ()

Basic template for attacking a tile.

???- example "template_melee_attack Cod"e

    template_melee_attack {
        class MeleeAttackAbility
        graphics {
            animation Default
        }

        cost {
            move_points 0
            act_points 1
        }

        target { 
            target_mode direction  //tile, direction, none

            aoe_mode line //standard, line, cross, custom
            min_aoe 1
            max_aoe 1

            aoe_considers_character_size true
            aoe_excludes_self true

            knockback_mode character_to_tile
        }

        damage_instance {
            damage 5+bonus_melee_damage
            type melee
            incidentally_collects_pickups true
        }
    }