splash_attack_target_size does not seem to increase size similarly across all units?

[swizzlewizzle]

I'm testing changing the splash_attack_target size to "very_large" on a weapon derived from the slayer's 1h dual wielded axes. However, it seems that the size of the "splash" is still very similar to when it is set to medium, regardless of the splash_attack_max_attacks setting.

Has anyone else encountered behavior? Perhaps the animations for the weapon/entity themselves create the base-line size, and then medium/large/etc... put a multiplier on area from there? Whatever I do, I cannot get my slayer to hit as many targets as a dragon/giant with similar splash settings.

Would like to hear other's experience on this..

[swizzlewizzle]

Wanted to add (couldn't find an edit button), after a few hours of testing it seems that the specific animations set in "man_animation" under Land units table has built-in AOE sizes as well as damage multipliers. To test this, try giving a slayer the two-axe man_animation set (hu3_dwarf_dual_axe_slayer) and you will see that many of the combat animations *only* do knockback against units with more then 1 unit (eg. non-dueling). You will notice that there are a few animations where it looks like the slayer actually hits with his axes... in this case, much of the damage will be done in a very small area directly in front of him, with units off of the ~60 degree frontal cone simply getting knocked back (you will see this happen even with extreme splash damage multipliers (either through the buff or directly through modifying the weapon's splash multiplier and max targets)). However, switch to a 2-handed man_animation set and you will see the AOE get *much* larger, as well as doing full, *real* damage in a larger circular area.

This leads me to believe that most of the weapon animations in man_animations have built-in splash radius's and falloff gradients. I've noticed that if the weapon damage is pumped up to truly ridiculous proportions (IE. 10,000+), even the "knockback" animations kill most units (though some few knockback animations such as the "kick" animation from dual-wield axes still fail to kill everything it hits). These fall-off gradients also selectively apply and do not apply the splash_attack_power_multiplier... so, especially with a 1h weapon set, you could set the splash_attack_power_multiplier to 40+ and you will still see most of your "splash" attacks unable to actually kill things. Specifically, only animations that have attached "splash damage tagged" AOE will benefit from a splash_attack_power_multiplier past 1. Most of the animations that benefit from that multiplier are in large/super large ranged weapons (cannons/etc..), monsters, and 2h weapons.

In conclusion, so far, it looks like there is some built-in splash damage balance-related concerns that need to be taken into account when setting up a hero/unit's weaponry. I haven't seen any raw data about this posted (maybe it's hidden in the actual animation files?), so pretty much the only ones who actually have stats on the *real* splash damage on most animations are CA.

Simply, if you want a hero to do good/large splash damage, you are going to *have* to give him some sort of large 2h weapon animation set on man_animation.

[swizzlewizzle]

Was confirmed by CA that we cannot directly touch splash damage % and multiplier as it's hard-coded to the animation (some animations will give 100% weapon damage across the entire splash, others not, etc..).

Best thing to do for now is just jack of base weapon damage... not ideal but.. only way to increase the splash.

GL fellow modders.