In 0.7.3, I have HOs on the plan, so let's iron out the details. I'm going to suggest the first iteration of this simply be Solo player HO chains, because no one really groups in Emu and that seems a lot more complex... but, we'll keep the group/raid(?) HO design in mind as we progress. Maybe it won't actually be any different.

Wikia: http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Heroic_Opportunities Not sure how accurate Wikia is anymore, but I don't think HOs have changed much (?)

The Progression:
Starter Ability - player starts the HO

• New LUA Function: StartHeroicOpportunity()
• It is probably here that determines what the Complete Starter Chain ability will be based on class(es) (?)

Complete Starter Chain - player identifies the suggested ability to finish the starter chain

• Solo player sees the flashing ability in the Wheel
• And also the icon flashes on their hotbar
• For groups, the wheel and chain ability needs to appear and flash their icons too
  
  - Question: Do Starter Chain abilities get bonuses too, or just the final chain ability?

Complete Finishing Chain - player then identifies the ability to conclude the chain

• Approximately 10 to 12 seconds is available to complete the finishing chain or else the opportunity expires to no effect;
• the outer circle has blue-filled portions that turn black to count down the remaining time.
• Scouts can shift any opportunity by using a Coin symbol spell or combat art. This rerolls the triggered effect from the starting chain and restarts the finishing chain.

The End - the enhanced ability gets fired.

• The potency of effects scale with group members' potency (possibly their level, attributes or other statistics).

Notes:

• The effects available include more powerful and difficult ones with more archetypes in the group.
• Advancing chains is done by using spells and combat arts with particular opportunity symbols and sometimes in particular orders
• If the wheel has a clockwise-traveling arrow in the center the symbols must be matched in clockwise order beginning from the top, otherwise there will be arrows pointing at every wheel space and the symbols can be matched freely in any order.
• Heroic opportunities cannot be started in PVP.
  • Thank you Xinux for luring me to my DEATH to collect this in a /duel!!!

Code and Database:
For code there will need to be a LUA Function to start Heroic Opportunity chain. I believe anything after the starter could be normal spell processing + bonuses (?)
For Database, we may need a new table to hold the combinations and stats/bonuses for outcome
Do we need additional LUA scripting in each eligible spell script to process HO-related events?


As with all things EQ2Emulator - always consider:

• 1. customization when adding new features - ie., what can we do better than SOE within the constraints of our client?
  2. where Rule System options can be applied - minimize hard-coded values - so admins can tweak their HO systems to their personal needs.

Discuss.

I'm fairly sure the heroic opportunity chain is indeed based on the class that starts it. I remember there was a raid mob in SF where you were forced to complete a full heroic opportunity started by a scout to disable a damage shield and continue the fight.

http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Heroic_Opportunities

John Adams wrote:Wikia: http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Heroic_Opportunities Not sure how accurate Wikia is anymore, but I don't think HOs have changed much (?)

alfa wrote:http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Heroic_Opportunities

Lol, sorry, just back from hollydays Wikia seem to be ok for Fighters

Here are packets for a HO from a scout, this is an older log but I don't think HO's have changed much in recent years, also this is from before xinux was working on the collector opcodes so ignore the wrong opcode names The first packet is after the "starter" ability is used, the second is after it was advanced to the final stage, the second is also 1 byte longer.

I made a struct for the HO packet wheel_type = what is shown, 4 for starter flashing icons 0 for the wheel
order = how the final stage needs to be completed, 0 is any order, 1 is clockwise, 2 is counter clockwise
shift_icon = the icon outside the wheel on the final stage (the coin to reroll the ho)
starter_icon = icon of the starter ability
icon1 - icon6 = icons of abilities used to advance the HO
countered1 - countered6 = only used on the final stage for the abilities already used

interesting, can't say I ever used HOs that much in-game other than on required raid fights but would be a cool feature eventually

I never used them much either. The only thing I haven't figure out in the packet is how to make the inner portion flash red when you fail to complete in the given time.

Ok got the flashing center, wheel_type = 2 and unkwon = 1 for flashing red or unknown = 2 for green

EDIT: Forgot to add that this will also make the window close after a short time (~1 sec)

As an anti-social gamer, I used the living crap out of HO's for the added bonus damage and buffs... however, mechanically? I never really got into the details of just how they work - when the flashy icons blinked, slam them. I never cared which So while I used them, I probably never used them properly lol

Happy to see this feature coming along. As we invent more robust content, players will probably need this, along with their new pets to stay alive.

I am going to need clarification on how HO's work, I have an assumption but not sure it is right, will just use priest starter as an example The starter ability will always be the same and have the icons from the first table (hammer and coin for a priest) when one of those is completed it randomly chooses the HO and the wheel shows So I assume if a hammer is used after the starter HO's 1-3 are your options, if a coin 4-7 are your options.

Now for a more complicated one If a scout starts it there will be a coin, boot, horn, cup on the window that pops up, if the boot is used the next will only be a cup, if a cup is used then the wheel will show up for one of the random HO's. If a horn was used right after the starter then it would be an option of lightning and moon, lightning would give you the wheel while moon would need a flame after it before the wheel appeared.

Is all of that correct?

Yes, that sounds about right... from what I recall, if you want a specific outcome to fire, you have to work with others in your group/raid to ensure the right "next option" is triggered. I remember Scout's having the ability to change the starter chain completely, though I can't say I ever used it (intentionally).

HO is fairly complex, but pretty bad ass when you think about it. Hopefully Zcoretri will chime in, I think he has the most experience playing EQ2 in group/raid scenarios (??)

John Adams wrote:Yes, that sounds about right... from what I recall, if you want a specific outcome to fire, you have to work with others in your group/raid to ensure the right "next option" is triggered. I remember Scout's having the ability to change the starter chain completely, though I can't say I ever used it (intentionally).

HO is fairly complex, but pretty bad ass when you think about it. Hopefully Zcoretri will chime in, I think he has the most experience playing EQ2 in group/raid scenarios (??)

That's how it works, but it's not something that has been used for years because the buffs/damage are so meh. I could see back at launch it was probably a bigger deal because combat was much more passive than it is now with all the power regen.

thefoof wrote:but it's not something that has been used for years because the buffs/damage are so meh.

Stupid SOE. Why ruin such a unique, cool thing? Oh that's right, because whiney entitled carebear players want everything free.