[Feature requests] Summon Boat adjusting

Quote from this post: http://www.ironfi.st/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6&start=20#p49

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Summon Boat.

To replace the "Summon Boat failed!!!", the spell should not be available in the magic book (grayed) if there is no boat available or if the hero is not at a good position at the edge of the water. And the player can select the square where the boat will be summoned on the water (if possible).

How it work: When the hero casts the Summon Boat spell, the mouse cursor becomes the "boat" mouse cursor and the player can select the square where the boat appears.

Two saves to show problems with the Summon Boat spell.

First save:

http://speedy.sh/z4cbq/a0609-summon-boat-select.GM1

Sir Gallant is located on a Lighthouse.
Sir Gallant casts Summon Boat.
The boat appears in the adjacent top right square, unreachable for Sir Gallant, yet there are other adjacent squares where the boat could have appeared.

Second save:

http://speedy.sh/6R38v/a0888-boat-failed.GM1

Flint has casted Summon Boat and has embarked in the boat.
Kalindra casts Summon Boat, "Summon Boat failed!", yet there are other adjacent squares where the boat could have appeared.

Could you explain again what the issue is in the second case?

Sure, in the same turn, Flint first casts Summon Boat and embarks in the boat generated; then Kalindra casts Summon Boat and no boat is generated ("Summon Boat failed!"), and there are 2 free squares where the boat could have been generated, the square located just at the left of Kalindra position and the square located just above the Kalindra position.

Save for squares locations:

http://speedy.sh/uApxF/a0888-boat-failed-02.GM1

In this save, I have positioned 2 boats in the squares where they could have been generated; and now if Kalindra casts the Summon Boat spell, the boat appears in the new free slot (square located top left position from the Kalindra position).

Uhhh......what's the problem? It sounds like there's no boat to summon, so it failed correctly.

The simple fact that Kalindra can cast the Summon Boat spell with success after the 2 other boats were positionned near Kalindra means there is enough boats on the map for the spell to work. ;-)

In this save, I just moved Mandigal near the coast.

http://speedy.sh/Nj6HB/a0888-boat-failed-03.GM1

Cast four times the Summon Boat spell with Mandigal. Four boats appear near Mandigal.

Then select Kalindra and cast the Summon Boat spell, a fifth boat appears.
So there is enough boats for the spell to success the first time with Kalindra. ;-)

I suggest it work this way.
If there is no boat available on the map (free boat (from scenario start), or player's boat (last controlled by one of player's heroes, or boat built in one of player's castles)), then the Summon Boat spell is grayed in the hero Magic Book (so the hero cannot cast the spell)(and no more need for the "Summon Boat failed!!!" window message).

If the hero is not well positioned at the edge of the water, and if the hero cannot embark in the boat (adjacent ocean square but the hero cannot access it (decors obstacle (ex: tree))), then the Summon Boat spell is grayed in the hero Magic Book.

When the hero casts the Summon Boat spell, the mouse cursor becomes the "boat" mouse cursor.
When the player move the mouse cursor over an eligible square to position the boat, the mouse cursor becomes the "red boat" mouse cursor to indicate that the player can click on the square to position the boat.
If the player click on a not eligible square, a message window is displayed "You must select a location near the coast adjacent to the hero to be able to position the boat!".

The player can cancel the spell, the spell points are restitued to the hero. ;-)

Suggestions.

For the selection of the boat, the Summon Boat spell is supposed to work this way:

"Summons nearest friendly, empty boat to caster’s location."

But it's not really the case, and sometimes the spell summons the boat which another of your heroes will need the next turn, while there is a nearest boat.

For the selection, the free empty neutral boats (neutral at scenario start) should be summoned first, then the empty boats built in player's castles, and then one of the most recent empty boats occupied by one of player's heroes.

**

In the scenario editor, it should be possible to set each free empty neutral boat to a specific player (or neutral), so the boat is considered one of his own.

Also, it should be possible to set a hero directly in a boat, just like the hero in the Jail (POL).

I played a bit with Summon Boat while working on the Dimension Door changes. (I had a bug for a while where you could only dimension door onto water -- yes, having a hero standing on water. Also, did you know that Dimension Door works with boats?)

Anyway, my conclusion: I don't understand how the spell works. I will look into it.

[quote]Also, it should be possible to set a hero directly in a boat, just like the hero in the Jail (POL).
[/quote!

YES!

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Also, did you know that Dimension Door works with boats?

Yes, and it can be really useful in all kinds of conditions. Never tried/used it before?

And generally, the Sorceress hero possesses a lot of spell points (high Knowledge with advancement) and can be truly mobile on water with Dimension Door, coincidence or design?!? ;-)

Town Gate and Town Portal don't work with a hero on a boat, surely by design, as it would have been possible to transfer the hero in a town (without the boat, the boat remaining in place on the ocean).

Also, the Summon Boat spell don't work with a hero on a boat, although that might be useful in some cases.

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Anyway, my conclusion: I don't understand how the spell works. I will look into it.

Some fun and reinvigorating in perspective.

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Also, it should be possible to set a hero directly in a boat, just like the hero in the Jail (POL).

YES!