Sil : targeting

[bron]

I keep screwing up my archery attacks due t a quirk in the way Sil does targeting. Normally, "ff" will shoot and arrow from the first quiver at the nearest enemy. Subsequent "ff"s will continue to target that same enemy as long as it is reachable (even if other enemies have since gotten closer). However, if the original enemy can no longer be targeted, then a new enemy (the closest) is chosen to be shot at. This is all fine and I have no problem with any of that. The problem comes when I deliberately target a square, rather than an enemy. This happens e.g. when "Listen" lets me know that there is an enemy there (I can see a "*"), but I don't hear it well enough to actually know what it is (which seems to be needed in order to target the enemy). If later I try "ff" again, the arrow is shot towards the square I targeted earlier, even if that square is no longer reachable (e.g. it is around the corner, or in another room). This is unlike the enemy-targeting behavior, where a new target is chosen when the old target cannot be reached. This can sometimes take me 2 or 3 arrows to notice my screwup, since at first I think I just missed.

Can this be changed? Or can someone suggest someway I can avoid doing this wrong? Or am I just confused about the whole thing?

[half]

I think you've probably described things right and this is currently suboptimal. Thanks for pointing it out.

It is not so much a new problem with Sil's targetting system as it is an inherited problem from V. I did do a lot to make archery in Sil fairly low-fuss. For example, simple quiver system, not selecting ammo when firing, auto pickup of ammo, auto quivering, auto merging of stacks even when they add to 100 or more, simple command for aiming at current target or closest enemy if no target. I even remembered to stop you firing at enemy targets who are no longer in LOF, but not to stop you firing at locations that are no longer in LOF. I'll make a note of it in the bug list.

[Psi]

I'll add that I've had exactly the same with my archers too.

[bron]

Originally Posted by half

I did do a lot to make archery in Sil fairly low-fuss

Indeed you did, and your efforts are very successful and much appreciated.

remembered to stop you firing at enemy *targets* who are no longer in LOF, but not to stop you firing at *locations* that are no longer in LOF [emphasis added]

Yes, exactly right. Thanks!

[PowerWyrm]

Originally Posted by bron

I keep screwing up my archery attacks due t a quirk in the way Sil does targeting. Normally, "ff" will shoot and arrow from the first quiver at the nearest enemy. Subsequent "ff"s will continue to target that same enemy as long as it is reachable (even if other enemies have since gotten closer). However, if the original enemy can no longer be targeted, then a new enemy (the closest) is chosen to be shot at. This is all fine and I have no problem with any of that. The problem comes when I deliberately target a square, rather than an enemy. This happens e.g. when "Listen" lets me know that there is an enemy there (I can see a "*"), but I don't hear it well enough to actually know what it is (which seems to be needed in order to target the enemy). If later I try "ff" again, the arrow is shot towards the square I targeted earlier, even if that square is no longer reachable (e.g. it is around the corner, or in another room). This is unlike the enemy-targeting behavior, where a new target is chosen when the old target cannot be reached. This can sometimes take me 2 or 3 arrows to notice my screwup, since at first I think I just missed.

Can this be changed? Or can someone suggest someway I can avoid doing this wrong? Or am I just confused about the whole thing?

Is Sil based on actual V code? I reported this misbehavior which is also present in V3.4.1: http://trac.rephial.org/ticket/332#

[debo]

Originally Posted by PowerWyrm

Is Sil based on actual V code? I reported this misbehavior which is also present in V3.4.1: http://trac.rephial.org/ticket/332#

It descends from an old version of NPPAngband. (0.4.1, I believe.)