I'm getting somewhere. Attached to this post is a demo-room with Hydra in it.
Please feel free to play around with it and test the behaviour if you're bored.
Go and break it if you can! That's the type of feedback I need from you
A couple of remarks:
1 Behaviour is pretty much as I like it, however, it's not possible to get the Hydra to do exactly as I want. The remaining stuff is bugging me, but considering what I managed to make the hydra
do, I can live with the things it
doesn't.
1a Briar is done at the end of the turn, so updating the graphics to incorporate briar interaction is fundamentally broken (I believe it's impossible to repair).
1b Similarly: releasing buttons to turn off fire traps will not work. The Hydra will burn on a fire trap, even it has just been switched off by depressing a plate. Normal snakes would not be burned.
1c Speed potions have no effect on the hydra. Seems to be difficult to change.
1d Stealth is not yet implemented, but that seems to be relatively easy, so I'll try to do that at some later time.
2 Graphics are temporary. Need to start on that now. Actually, I would like to use the existing snakes as a basis for the design. Anyone know whom I should ask about this for permission?
3 Hydra: it's a cool name, but I believe Xindaris coined this for one of his projects. Can I use that name?
4 Movement: I've chosen for simple movement: the head moves towards Beethro. When tied, preference is N,S,W,E. So vertical first, NW over SE preference. Wait is only used when no other move is possible.
Also: because the body segments get in the way, the hydra is surprisingly 'intelligent' when persuing Beethro.
5 I'm still struggling with getting the Hydra to act as 'required target'. I know that I need other monsters in the room for it to work, but still no luck. Anyone having experience with that?
This is getting quite a big project
Would be very happy with your feedback.
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Autocorrect is
not my friend. Apologies for the typos.