Combat Manager is set of scripts in City Overseer 3D to manage and play realistic RPG combats on 3D maps. All this scripts are are written on OverseerScript (extended JScript) and are fully available for users to customize or extend.
Here is an example of Combat Manager use in realistic RPG
session. Party is attacking Undead Keep, but was meet with heavy
resistance. Zombies and Mummies have risen to the Keep defense.
Shortly after beginning of the combat situation looks like this.
At any time user may switch between top overview and party view:
Grid can be turned on and off via Layer Management dialog
First in initiative order is fire-obsessed wizard Yago.
Indifferent to personal danger he wants to incinerate Mummy with his
long-prepared "Fire burst" spell. Double clicking his figure to move
it:
In Combat Manager heroes and monsters are like miniatures
on your virtual table. With Yago already on the cursor, lets
rotate it toward his target.
Now we shall cast the "Fire Burst" spell. Combat Manager
contains hunderds of spell effects, monters, NPCs and items.
Lets select "Spell Effect" collection.
Spell effects are orginized by the energy field...
... and shape...
Lets use "Fire Cone" to represent Yago spell. Effect appears on the
cursor at ground level:
Raising and rotating the effect we link it with Yago hand and target the
Mummy:
Then just scale effect to cover the desired area and click - new effect is created!
This is how Yago magic looks for nearby cleric Jannet:
Jannet act next, and she fells Yago is now vulnerable to Mummies
retaliation.
She decide to move closer to Yago, and cast "Divine Shield" to ward
him from Mummy blows.
Spell Effect: Holy Cylinder creates divine barrier around Yago:
However Undead Keep is far from finished:
DM plays his prize card - a Death Knight steps out from the keep
gates!
To make it happen we go into Monster menu of Combat Manager and
select Death Knight:
To determine DK actions, DM takes a look from DK position. DM decides that DK
has clear line of sight on Yago and Jannet.
However DK has no knowledge yet about relative importance of characters in
player party and he is suspect of Yago divine shield. DK decides to save heavy
firepower for the later, and go with simple "Unholy Stun" spell.
Visually it can be represented by Spell Effect -> Necro ->
Sphere. If Jannet fails her save, we can move the sphere to engulf here
for the spell duration.
In meantime Zombies behind the party do their partial move:
Additionally, buried underground Skeleton Guard is starting to rise.
DM gives them 3
rounds to crawl from the earth, so he places them half buried for now: Skeletons
are created
as Skeleton and Skeleton Warrior from Monsters menu, and
vertically adjusted to be
"pushed" underground.
When Halfling decides to check out that noise behind, the situation looks far
from being pretty :
Thankfully, its time to act for wizard Taras, who planned a research session on
the subject
of is "How Zombies conduct electricity?" Answer was: "Within
acceptable parameters".
Chain Lighting goes online (Effect -> Electricity -> Ray )
Zombies can't withstand Taras onslaught. They blackened and charred remains
drop to the ground:
DM decides to provide players with treasures Zombie had immediately. He
consult his tables and
places few object on the ground near zombie. Well prepared DM may even
invoke treasure
generator script written with OverseerScript or run and process the output of
external application.
Few Combat Manager Item selection dialogs:
Zombie had 2 potions, amulet, rusty 1h axe, and crossbow. Halfling is quick
to take advantage
of the situation under unfriendly glares of skeletons
DM decides Zombies no longer try to hide their weapons. Using same item menu,
he equip
last remaining zombie on the map with shield and 2h axe (Items -> Armour
-> Shield,
medium, Items -> Weapons -> Axe, 2h )
Players and DM review the the current situation in the encounter:
Q: Can i buy or preorder City Overseer 3D right now?
A: No. We still working on it, and there is no final release date. Hoverer
it should be relatively soon.
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Q: Can i learn more about CO3D?
A: Yes, but not much. This page is the only and only right now with latest
info on CO3D. Some screenshots are available here: http://city.overseer3d.com/
However information and screenshots there haven't been updated for a very
long time. Similarly, there is not much info in our forums. Don't expect any
updates or changes before the release - all efforts right now are dedicated
to finishing the software.
Q: OK, but what is this Realm Overseer product you
are selling now? Do i need to buy it to use City Overseer?
A: RO is our first product in Overseer line. RO is dedicated to overview of
large landmasses, like continents and oceans. CO is more dedicated to cities
and tactical-level maps. CO won't replace RO and you don't need RO to use
CO. However CO can and will use RO 3D catalogs and maps. CO and RO together
will give you bigger symbol selection then each product alone.
Q: What computer do I need to run CO3D?
A: Good 3D card is a must. We recommend latest nVidia-based 3D cards:
GeForce2 or GeForce3. Voodoo5 is fine too, Voodoo3
is ok, but a bit weak. Stay away from ATI & Radeon 3D cards! If you plan
to use TV during your RPG session - make sure you 3D video card has
TV output option. Fast computer is also good, like PIII 550 or higher.
However - keep in mind this is not a 3D game. You and your players my
discuss for half an hour the events of one round. Even on slow computer you
will be more then able to move Zombie few squares once in few minutes.