Limit Breaks

I have added an almost fully functional (how I envisioned it) Limit Breaks system to CVS.

This is based on Continuum's idea and in some parts on his code, but I recoded the files largely from scratch.

There are three files involved:
AbilityLimitBreak.uc
LimitBreakInv.uc
LimitBreakMessage.uc

Currently, the ability costs 7 points and has one level, but as Limit Breaks do have varying levels, that can change easily. And it should probably cost a lot more than 7 points per level.

Since this is real time and not turn based, I decided to combine how several different versions of the Final Fantasy Limit Breaks system functioned.

Our system, as it now stands, employs a Limit Points bar that fills up as the player is damaged. When full (default 1000 points), the next time the player drops to critical health (default 25%), they receive the Limit.

The real time system led me to another change to the true Limit Break system: I found I would often die anyway once the Limit activated. Therefore, it's a two stage system.

Stage one (5 seconds default)
-Player receives invulnerability and double damage

Stage two (15 seconds default)
-Player loses invulnerability and gains some health back (50 default)

End
-Player loses double damage

Obviously, this is highly configurable for multiple levels, different classes and abilities (medic full heal, anyone?). Or maybe berserk, or maybe regen, or...an Ultima, or whatever we want!

Players are granted Limit Points based on several factors. Currently, the system takes the raw damage delivered to the player, as long as it is not self damage. Then it shaves off a percentage based on XP needed for level up (currently .00007% per XP, or 70% for the 10k club). Then, it shaves off a percentage for the player's level (default disabled). Then, it shaves off a percentage for the player's health at full health, dwindling to almost 0% for almost dead (default 50% at full health).

Unfortunately, I fear that finding acceptable percentages for the point system will take a ton of subjective testing.

STILL TO DO (also known as Code Things That Escape Moof's Grasp):
-Interaction system for the points bar (Szlat, you did the Engineer point bar...)
-Effects and/or shaders for the Limit Break. I envision a bright gold, highly visible glow that bathes the player and everything around them in its light for the duration plus sparkly stars for stage 1.
-Message color - I can't get the different colors for the LocalMessage to work.
-INIfy the variables in LimitBreakInv

Please let me know what you think!

No one letted me know what they thinked!

It sounds interesting. When it's ready for testing, let me know and we'll look at rolling it out

Thanks, Dru. That's what I needed to hear to continue work

I've worked all I'm going to on it this weekend.

Left to do, pretty much, is the class specific limits. Everything else is done.

Let me rehash the ability, since I've changed some major stuff and fine tuned a bunch:

3 level limit break system

Level 1 only gives you stage 1 (3x damage plus invulnerability, default 5 sec)
Level 2 adds stage 2 (health bump and 2x damage, default 100 health and 15 sec)
Level 3 - not completed yet: class specific break

Changes next weekend for level 2 (input welcome!):
A: gets speed
W: gets berserk
M: gets booster
E: gets ...what?

Proposal for level 3 (input welcome!):
A: Max adren + ultima
W: Max ammo + ultima
M: Max health (as if healed by medic) + healing blast
E: Max shield + ...something?

Players undergoing a limit break now bathe the area in golden light. There is also a points bar - thanks to Szlat for gutting Mysterial's XP bar code for us for this and future uses!

I axed the LocalMessage. The points bar takes care of that info, anyway.

The following variables are now controllable via INI:
Code:

 int LimitPointsForLimitBreak (1000)
 float LimitBreakHealthPercentMax (0.25, the percentage of max health under which limit break activates)
 
 int LimitStage1Seconds (5)
 int LimitStage2Seconds (15)
 (Stage 3 doesn't have a time since it only has immediate actions)
 
 int LimitStage2HealthBonus (100)
 
 float LimitPointsXPFactor (0.00007, knock off 70% for the 10k club)
 float LimitPointsLevelFactor (0.00, disabled - knocks off a % for higher levels)
 float LimitPointsHealthFactor (0.40, knock off 40% at full health or higher, dwindling to knock off almost nothing at almost dead)

TODO to close out alpha:
Finish level 3
Add class specific combo to level 2, if player has a class
Add sanity check to cost to ensure players buying level 3 have a class
Ensure 3x/2x DamageScaling is working correctly (not yet tested)
Possibly add a PreventDeath to activate Limit Break on death once earned

Hay guise. Obviously, "next weekend" is now two months later, and the time and energy I had to expend toward coding has been greatly shifted over to my life. Heck, I'm not really playing too much right now.

This ability is extremely complex, and not only is there still some work to do, there are a few bugs. Engineers are far more important, and the code for them is largely above my head since I've spent so little time on them.

I'll walk away from Limit Breaks for now. I'm committing its current form. It compiles, so it won't break anything.