Server:Faction
This article will attempt to explain how faction works server-side to assist with understanding the various modifiers applied to characters between the base values and the ones you experience in-game.
In the source code, faction is found in /common/faction.h and /common/faction.cpp.
How Faction Gets Calculated
Faction is ultimately calculated in the FACTION_VALUE CalculateFaction(FactionMods* fm, int32 tmpCharacter_value, bool lua = false); function which is defined in /common/faction.cpp.
CalculateFaction is called from the FACTION_VALUE Client::GetFactionLevel(uint32 char_id, uint32 p_race, uint32 p_class, uint32 p_deity, int32 pFaction, Mob* tnpc, bool lua) function in /zone/client.cpp.
GetFactionLevel follows the following process to determine a player's faction with a target NPC:
- #Pull NPC's Raw Primary Faction Data from the Database
- #Pull Raw Character Faction Level
- #Apply Faction Bonuses
- #Check for Special Exceptions
Pull NPC's Raw Primary Faction Data from the Database
First, the server queries data about the NPC's Primary Faction (stored in an int32 pFaction variable) from the database (via bool GetFactionData(FactionMods* fd, uint32 class_mod, uint32 race_mod, uint32 deity_mod, int32 faction_id, uint8 texture_mod, uint8 gender_mod, uint32 base_race, bool skip_illusions = false); in /zone/zonedb.cpp) and stores the modifiers in a variable called fmods which is of type FactionMod.
This function is where all the "special sauce" is found regarding how to interpret the faction data as it appears in the database.
Pull Raw Character Faction Level
Next, the server queries the player's current faction value with the NPC's primary faction by calling GetCharacterFactionLevel(pFaction) from /zone/client.cpp and stores that in a variable called tmpFactionValue.
GetCharacterFactionLevel works by simply iterating over a preloaded list of the character's faction data from the character_faction_values table in the database. This "list" is of type, typedef std::map<uint32, int16> faction_map, which was populated with the faction_id and current_value columns from that table.
Apply Faction Bonuses
It then calculates faction bonuses and adds those to tmpFactionValue.
Spells
Faction bonuses from Alliance type spells (int32 GetFactionBonus(uint32 pFactionID);) are checked in /zone/mob.cpp.
Items
Faction bonuses from items (int32 GetItemFactionBonus(uint32 pFactionID);) are checked in /zone/mob.cpp as well.
Final Calculation
Finally, CalculateFaction is called and passed the modifiers from the NPC's Primary Faction and the tmpFactionValue.
character_value = tmpFactionValue + base + class_mod + race_mod + deity_mod
The result of this formula is then returned as a FactionValue.
Check for Special Exceptions
Indifferent Use Cases
Note: Faction with an NPC will be Indifferent if any of the following are true:
- the player is currently feign death and the target NPC is not immune to it,
- the zone is marked as no combat,
- if the player is invis to undead and the target npc is undead,
- if the player is invis and the target NPC cannot see invis
Pets
Pets will be Amiable to their owner and Indifferent to everyone else.
Merchants
If a merchant would otherwise con Threateningly or Scowls to the player based on final faction value, they will instead be set to Dubious.
Combat
If an NPC would normally have Dubious or higher faction with the player, and that player is on their hate list (i.e. from combat), they will instead con Threateningly.
Faction Properties
The Faction struct defined in /common/faction.h defines the following members:
| Property | Data Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| id | int32 | database identifier |
| mods | std::map<std::string, int16> | |
| base | int16 | The base, unmodified value that players start with for this faction before race, class, and deity modifiers are applied |
| name | char array 50 | The name of the faction |
| see_illusion | bool | Determines whether the faction will see through racial illusion spells |
| min_cap | int16 | Minimum value players can reach with this faction |
| max_cap | int16 | Maximum value players can reach with this faction |
Faction Modifiers
The FactionMod struct defined in /common/faction.h defines the following members:
- int32 base
- int32 class_mod
- int32 race_mod
- int32 deity_mod
Faction Value Ranges
| Min Cap | Max Cap | FACTION_VALUE (Enum) |
|---|---|---|
| >= 2000 | - | FACTION_MAX_ALLY = 0 |
| >= 1100 | - | FACTION_ALLY = 1 |
| >= 750 | <= 1099 | FACTION_WARMLY = 2 |
| >= 500 | <= 749 | FACTION_KINDLY = 3 |
| >= 100 | <= 499 | FACTION_AMIABLY = 4 |
| >= 0 | <= 99 | FACTION_INDIFFERENTLY = 5 |
| >= -100 | <= -1 | FACTION_APPREHENSIVELY = 6 |
| >= -500 | <= -101 | FACTION_DUBIOUSLY = 7 |
| >= -750 | <= -501 | FACTION_THREATENINGLY = 8 |
| - | <= -751 | FACTION_SCOWLS = 9 |
| - | <= -2000 | FACTION_MAX_SCOWLS = 10 |
The range of faction values above which are returned as the enums described in the final column are filtered through the const char *FactionValueToString(FACTION_VALUE faction_value); function to convert them to the corresponding string equivalent before being sent to the client and used for in-game consider or similar messages.
NPC Faction
The NPCFaction struct defined in /common/faction.h defines the following members:
| Property | Data Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| factionID | uint32 | |
| value_mod | int32 | |
| npc_value | int8 | |
| temp | uint8 |