M&M 3rd ed. Please add an option to allow powers in Wide Arrays to be Dynamic

[Elfy]

For example, put it under: Character/Configure Your Hero/Gadget Guides/Allow Wide Arrays to be Dynamic

 

[Duggan]

Interestingly enough, the code for wide arrays accounts for dynamic array slots when counting up the cost, so either they just blindly copy-pasted, or it was considered. FWIW, the HLZ code relevant to this:

Calc pwhBaseRnk Power Cost Per Rank Can Be Dynamic?
~ If the text is empty, we can assume it's ok to be a dynamic power
@text = ""

~ We can be dynamic if we're part of an array
~ But not if we're part of a wide array
if (parent.tagis[StrucChild.OnWideArr] <> 0) then
@text = "Powers in a wide array can't be made dynamic."
done
elseif (parent.tagis[StrucChild.OnArray] <> 0) then
done
endif

~ If we're part of a multiple alternate power, we can't be dynamic,
~ because the 'multiple power' container is the one with the flag
if (parent.tagexpr[StrucChild.OnMulti & !Helper.AltEffect] <> 0) then
@text = "This power can't be made dynamic - the parent 'Multiple Powers' must be made dynamic instead."
done
endif

~ We can be dynamic if we are an alternate power
if (parent.tagis[Helper.AltEffect] <> 0) then
done
endif

~ We can also be dynamic if we have any alternate power children
if (parent.tagis[Helper.HasAltPows] <> 0) then
done
endif

@text = "This power can't be made dynamic, because it isn't an alternate power or doesn't have any alternate powers."

~ We can be dynamic if we're part of an array
~ But not if we're part of a wide array
if (parent.tagis[StrucChild.OnWideArr] <> 0) then
@value = 0
done
elseif (parent.tagis[StrucChild.OnArray] <> 0) then
@value = 1
done
endif

~ If we're part of a multiple alternate power, we can't be dynamic,
~ because the 'multiple power' container is the one with the flag
~ (our alternate powers still can be, though)
if (parent.tagexpr[StrucChild.OnMulti & !Helper.AltEffect] <> 0) then
@value = 0
done
endif

~ We can be dynamic if we are an alternate power
if (parent.tagis[Helper.AltEffect] <> 0) then
@value = 1
done
endif

~ We can also be dynamic if we have any alternate power children
if (parent.tagis[Helper.HasAltPows] <> 0) then
@value = 1
done
endif

My suspicion is that this will require some further changes to get the interface to match up, since Hero Lab also doesn't allow non-dynamic array slots to be on at the same time as dynamic ones.

 

[Elfy]

Even though the Gadget Guide didn't specifically mention Wide Arrays as having the Dynamic option, there's no reason for it not to. A Wide Array is just a standard Array except in that it allows you to overload it with additional Power Points. Having the Dynamic option work with it makes perfect sense.

My most recent character idea is a character that can shift points each round between ranged damage, impervious protection, and flight (for example, character as 32 points to split between then each round, which means the character cannot have all 3 powers at max (as that would require 48 points) and has to choose what is more important to put the points into each round. Maybe rank 4 protection, rank 4 flight, and rank 8 damage one round and on the next they don't need to flight, so they go rank 8 protection and rank 8 damage the next round. Then maybe on the next round they don't need to zap anything, but they need to get somewhere quick, so the character does protection 8, flight 8, and damage 0, etc.).

I can kinda-sorta-fake-it by using a normal Dynamic Array and 'Stacks With', but it doesn't work fully since you cannot overload a normal Array like you can a Wide array. Right now I have to manually alter things to work.

I'd really like to see a solution implemented for allowing Dynamic Wide Arrays for these sorts of dynamic character concepts.

 

[Duggan]

You can also model it if you have a "sandbaggable" power like Flight where there's no PL limit, so you set the rank to something that gives you enough points to re-allocate.

 

[Elfy]

That's an interesting workaround that I didn't think about. Some GMs won't let you take a movement power higher than the campaign PL because you 'could' Slam with it and exceed the PL damage cap. Personally, I don't see why those GMs wouldn't simply limit the Slam damage itself though while still allowing the higher ranks of movement...that's what I normally do in a PL limited game.

 

[Elfy]

Using the editor thingie, is it possible to make a copy of the Array 'power' and add the relevant code bits from Wide Array to overload it (or vise versa, make a copy of the Wide Array 'power' and copy over the relevant code bits from Array to make it dynamic)? The copy power could then be renamed 'Dynamic Wide Array'.

 

[Duggan]

I haven't found it, but I encourage you to poke around, as I'm still a dabbler in a lot of ways.

 

[Elfy]

The editor lets you copy the Array and Wide array powers, but there is a field called 'Power Mechanics' with a drop-down box. Within the drop-down box, there are several things listed--including Array and Wide Array. This implies to me that the editor isn't able to add such functionality, but rather it will have to be coded by a Lone Wolf coder.

So, what is the best way to submit this as a feature request to Lone Wolf to encourage them to implement it?

 

[Duggan]

You can report it under the Bug Report. Unfortunately, that's about it. Several years back, I'd have said you could try emailing Colen, but he doesn't work there anymore, and they're a bit more tight on money, so I don't know what bandwidth they have for these projects. M&M hasn't exactly been pulling in a lot of new updates they can sell.