ranged attacks

[Dapher]

While attempting to shoot an arrow to the adjacent room, targeting a hill giant it said there was no target. Wielding a dwarven throwing axe, I attempted to throw the axe at the same hill giant and the same response. So I then proceeded to the howling peaks where I knew there were plenty of targets, and there was no way that there was a distance issue. I had the same issues, could not shoot or throw anyting. I had combamode +ranged on, I also have the thrown projectiles trained. After speaking with Ketlic about it, he was having the same issues with thrown projectiles, same axe and everything. Both of us have the weapon trained.

[Raona]

I just successfully shot an arrow at an NPC target one room away, on the game port. If this is still a problem, it must apply only to certain circumstances.

Is anyone currently having trouble with ranged weapons? If so, please give me the adjective of the weapon (and the ammunition, if applicable), the terrain type you and it were in, and the adjective of the target. Thanks!

[Aveline]

The only thing I can think of is that perhaps there may have been some darkness around the mob. That is also an echo you get if you know the mob is there but you can't see it.

[Dapher]

Still not working. It is 5pm, and I am in Ardeep forest.

I typed: shoot west gnoll
and this is what I get.

You see The Spine of the Ridge.
a gnoll sentry is nearby west from here.
You cannot find your target.


( 6) a pine arrow fletched with a brown and blue feather (perfect)
a metal tipped arrow (perfect)
( 3) a pine arrow fletched with a brown and red feather (perfect)
(37) a white feathered arrow (perfect)

<both hands> a delicate weirwood composite bow (perfect)
A bow laying here appears to be grown not carved of the weirwood.
It holds the a pattern of leaves surrounding a small silver arrow.
It is a composite bow in the clubs category of weapons.
It can be picked up, held, held in both hands.
It cannot be worn with any other armour.
It is medium in size.
It is made of wood and weighs about 3 pounds.

My bow is classified as a club even though I have ALL the bow feats, and bows trained as a ranger should.
Weapons for Rangers:
bows (Str,Dex) apprentice

I even checked my combat mode to ensure that was not the issue
[ Keyword ] Option
[+DEFENSIVE ] You fight defensively.
[-power attack ] You do not fight using the 'power attack' feat.
[+RANGED ] You use ranged/melee weapons as melee weapons in combat.

[Lirith]

Is the room you're trying to shoot into dark even if where you are isn't?

[Raona]

I was able to have problems similar to what you describe when I didn't have any arrows fit for a composite bow in my quiver. Your white feathered arrow is made for a longbow, and can not be used for a composite bow. I can't readily check the other two types, but could you examine them and see if they are "made for a composite bow"?

We need a more explanatory echo for when there is no appropriate ammo available. This may be the same problem messing up thrown weapon attacks, actually; the symptoms look similar.

[Hrosskell]

Was testing this with thrown weapons about a week ago. I noticed when wielding weapons that can usually be thrown there was no longer the echo that said "When used in melee" or something like that.

Maybe the bit designating them as thrown weapons has been broken, and they aren't considered ammo anymore?

[Dapher]

Yes, I have two quivers full of arrows. I only showed a small portion of what I have. Roughly 250 of my arrows are made for a composite bow. But what I am interested in is why is it classified as a club? I have my ranged cm + which should make it a bow.

As for thrown objects, I had two short blades in sheaths, and both that I pulled out and tried to throw were not throwable. It gave me an echo along the lines of:
You need a throwable weapon to do that

I had an elkhorn knife the first time, and a skinning knife the second time. Both are classed as short blades when I am holding them.

[Gwain]

Most of the daggers that can be thrown will not currently be thrown. I've tried with several different ones. The system recognizes targets and direction, but just pauses for a moment when you make an attempt. It initiates combat though, as your pulse goes up and you cannot quit until you are calm again.

[Xryon]

The same is true for throwing axes. If you throw at a target in the room with you it initiates combat normally, but if they're a room away it pauses and does nothing

[Lathander]

I recently noticed the same thing but was told the solution. There was, evidently, a change to the config code. To use a ranged weapon, set yourself to "-ranged", to use a melee weapon set it to "+ranged" - although counterintuitive, these seemed to work for me.

[Raona]

The one thing I am consistently finding with launchers is that if you do not have the correct ammunition, SHOOT returns no error message and does nothing...but it does work with the correct ammunition, combatmode RANGED set on or off.

Something does seem amiss with THROW, even at close quarters the melee skill is used and the weapon not thrown, whatever COMBATMODE DEFENSE is set to.

No matter what, the weapon wielded will show its weapontype when used in melee combat, but at least bows and slings seem to use the correct skill.

This is helpful discussion, but I don't yet have it pinned down enough for a good bug report. I'm troubled by Dapher's situation of a bow with the correct ammunition not working. Dapher, can you make a pointed attempt to SHOOT your bow again by the light of day?

[Zorinar]

I have the same problem with ranged spells, Daphner. For me it happens when its dark and even though I can see the mobs in the next room when I look in the direction, its apparently too dark to cast at them. I would guess that if you tried it during the day time, it would work.

[Dapher]

ok, I took Lathander's advise and I have config + ranged for my attacks. The time is 8:00 am FK time. I am in Ardeep, northern part along the rocky ridge.

The sun rises in the east.
You see The Spine of the Ridge.
a gnoll sentry is nearby west from here.
shoot west gnoll
You cannot find your target.
You cannot find your target.
a buckskin quiver contains:
( 2) an elven arrow (perfect)
(89) a white and gold fletched arrow (perfect)
an ash arrow fletched with a brown and grey feather (very good)
( an ash arrow fletched with a brown and grey feather (superb)
(16) an ash arrow fletched with a brown and grey feather (perfect)
( 2) a sheaf arrow (very good)
(23) a sheaf arrow (superb)
(22) a sheaf arrow (perfect)
a leather belt quiver contains:
( 6) a pine arrow fletched with a brown and blue feather (perfect)
a metal tipped arrow (perfect)
( 3) a pine arrow fletched with a brown and red feather (perfect)
(37) a white feathered arrow (perfect)
( 5) a broadhead arrow fletched with parchment. (perfect)
(12) a white feathered arrow (superb)
a pine arrow fletched with a brown and blue feather (superb)
a pine arrow fletched with a brown and red feather (very good)
( a hunting arrow (perfect)
(88) a sheaf arrow (perfect)
( 5) a sheaf arrow (superb)
( 2) a sheaf arrow (very good)

<both hands> a delicate weirwood composite bow (perfect)

A bow laying here appears to be grown not carved of the weirwood.
It holds the a pattern of leaves surrounding a small silver arrow.
It is a composite bow in the clubs category of weapons.
It can be picked up, held, held in both hands.
It cannot be worn with any other armour.
It is medium in size.
It is made of wood and weighs about 3 pounds.

[ Keyword ] Option
[+DEFENSIVE ] You fight defensively.
[-power attack ] You do not fight using the 'power attack' feat.
[+RANGED ] You use ranged/melee weapons as melee weapons in combat.

I thought that maybe it was the diffrence in rooms and that it the room may be permanently dark. So, I walked into the room to find out. I am wearing a light

<floating around> a blue and white globe of light (perfect)

And here is what happened when I walked in.

The sky is rainy and a warm southerly breeze blows.
A gnoll sentry peers into the shadows nervously.
a gnoll sentry yells 'Kpstvffqt!'
You duck under a gnoll sentry's slashing attack.
With a bonecrunching sound your crush violently smashes a gnoll sentry's chest.
a gnoll sentry has a few small cuts.
You duck under a gnoll sentry's slashing attack.
Your crush deftly shreds a gnoll sentry's left arm.
a gnoll sentry is badly bruised.
With a bonecrunching sound your crush violently smashes a gnoll sentry's chest.
a gnoll sentry has a couple of severe gashes.
A gnoll sentry evades your crushing attack.

I start attacking but, I am still using the bow like a club. The lighting in the room created by me is not even fixing the problem.

point blank shot *

I even have the feat trained for point blank shot, so that is not the problem in this case either. It is light out, I am holding my bow, I have PLENTY of arrows that are made for a composite bow. I have no clue what else to try. The gnoll is directly west of me, the sun JUST rose. I am at a loss. I did the config mode, and that did not change it.

[Raona]

Ok, first a correction/clarification:

In the past the status indicator echo for the RANGED combatmode was reversed, but it is now straightened out: the verbal indication after "RANGED" when you type COMBATMODE is now correct! As Lathander states above, "-ranged" will have you firing your ranged weapon with its ammunition even in melee, for as long as your ammunition holds out. (It should only work provided you have the point blank shot feat or are in the back row of a group, but it seems that needs a looking at. I stripped my test PC of the feat and he still used arrows in melee until his ammunition gave out.) +RANGED will have you switch to using your launcher weapon as a melee weapon (most likely a club) as soon as your opponent advances to melee (point blank) range.

As to your specific case, Dapher, that specific area seems to have some kind of special darkness applied to it. Even by the light of day, I can only see targets there when I move a light into the room with them. You seem to have everything else right; have you tried firing arrows anywhere else, such as at the target in the shooting range in Ardeep?

If you (or anyone else) sets COMBATMODE -RANGED, you should find you continue to shoot arrows even while in melee, so long as your ammunition holds out. You set +RANGED, though, so using the weapon as a club in melee is what should happen.

Bug investigation status: Weapons with ammunition seem to work, but Point Blank Shot is broken. Thrown weapons don't seem to work. Search for related bugs before filing anything!

[Dapher]

I went and found an area outside of Ardeep, during day light, and it worked just fine. So, it appears that Ardeep has an inpenitrable darkness about it. Gotcha.