Thrown Missile Bug?

[CommonGenius.com]

Forgive me if this is already a known issue, but I couldn't find any information about it.

 

I have been looking through the Windows source code, and I ran into the following code:

 

void fire_missile(location target)

{

...

skill = (overall_mode == 12) ? adven[current_pc].skills[7] : adven[current_pc].skills[8];

...

}

 

"overall_mode == 12" indicates firing a bow; firing a thrown missile is mode 13. So if we're firing a bow, we use skill 7, which is the bows skill. But otherwise (i.e. we're using a thrown missile), we use skill 8? Skill 8 is Defense, as evidenced by the fact that it is referenced in all of the areas that deal with encumbrance and parrying. Thrown Missile skill should be skill 6.

 

So I ran a test. I created a new party, with two human characters each with dexterity 6, A with defense skill of 20 and B with thrown missile skill of 20. I entered VoDT, equipped A and B with darts, and went to the goblin area in the northwest of the vale. I had A and B each fire at the goblins 20 times. A hit all 20 times, though not every hit caused damage. B hit only 7 out of 20 times.

 

Aside from the obvious lesson of using named constants and enumerations instead of numeric literals, does this mean what I think it means? Is the thrown missile skill worthless?

[Lilith]

The Thrown Missile skill would be pretty worthless even if it did work as intended, but good catch anyway.

[Sullust]

Related to this, would it be possible to make bows and arts as useful in BoE as they are in the Avernum series?

[Octavo]

Well, Returning weapons can simulate the usefulness of A4's, I imagine. My higher-level archers never go out without them.

[*i]

Quote:

Originally written by Lt. Sullust:
Related to this, would it be possible to make bows and arts as useful in BoE as they are in the Avernum series?

Yes, but it would break game balance of previous games. It is definitely possible, the question is of should.

[Crynsos]

You sooner or later get a few returning darts, arrows or whatever anyway... or you make something yourself... but this is one of the things (which if not changed) makes Exile a bit more realistic than Avernum generally...

 

Like in Exile, big fireball, big area hurt, no matter which being is in there... (Friendly Fire hurray!)

In Avernum, cast, pick target, pick target, pick target... and never be able to hurt anyone else than your enemies... boring... and unlogical...

[Lazarus.]

How is it more realistic for thrown missiles (And archery really) to be completely useless? You can ruin someone's day with a javelin.

[Randomizer]

The advantage thrown missle have is few AP cost to use. So in hasted mode you get an extra attack over bows. The damage is lower usually so it balances out.

[Robsta]

Another - very important advantage of thrown missiles is the ability (without being hasted)they give you to jump out from behind cover, shoot, and jump back to safety in one round.

As for the uselessness of missiles, in the medievil period, only longbows and crossbows were really able to pierce armour, everything else was fairly useless against armoured foes