Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Because the distance to the detonator is the same for all three Dudes, the urgency
ratings are all the same. Therefore, there is no change in the best choice as reflected by
the final score. We should whip out our trusty machine gun and let Evilmeister have it!
Here… Use This Instead
If we make one change to the above scenario and give Evilmeister a shotgun, his
threat ratio drops significantly. At 150 feet away, he can't hurt us. Replacing only
his lines from the above table, we can see how his threat ratio (and his final score)
changes.
Name
Weapon
Threat
Urgency
Score
Evilmeister
Pistol
1,000.0
0.369
2,709.7
Evilmeister
M/G
253.5
0.369
687.0
Evilmeister
Shotgun
1,000.0
0.369
2,709.7
Evilmeister
R/L
253.6
0.369
687.3
Evilmeister's threat scores are high enough that he is taken completely out of
the running as our prime target. (Lucky him!) Notice that the threat ratio for using
a pistol or a shotgun is pinned at 1,000. This is as we designed. Because a pistol and
shotgun can't reach him at 150 feet, the damage we could due with those two
weapons is 0. They are not even considered.
Because Evilmeister is no longer a threat, we turn our attention to Baddie the Bad
Dude, who still comes in with a score slightly under (more important than) Boss Man.
Back Off, Son!
We will grudgingly give Evilmeister back his machine gun for the moment. There is
something else we need to test. What would happen, for example, if Baddie were to
begin to approach us? If we change the distance to Baddie to 100 feet rather than
150, his accuracy and damage rate go up. That makes him more dangerous. Of
course, our rates go up as well, making it easier for us to kill him. As we would
expect, Baddie becomes a higher priority as he gets closer to us. Again, showing
only Baddie's new data:
Name
Weapon
Threat
Urgency
Score
Baddie
Pistol
29.0
0.369
78.6
Baddie
M/G
5.3
0.369
14.3
Baddie
Shotgun
753.4
0.369
2,041.6
Baddie
R/L
4.3
0.369
11.8
