Formation links: Cracking the system

[Skype]

Guide to Formation Links. For GMs.
By Skype.

First of all, formation links are a tricky bit to learn. So you had better have some degree of knowledge in logic, as you will be working with numbers, and consepts.
Im not a master at formation links, but i have gotten along well enough with them.
Hopefully at the end of this guide you will be able to as well. first part willl be talk, explaining every smaller details about how to use frmation links in general, Scroll down to a red outlined text saying the how to crack the system itself if you wish.

(( also, Im writing most of this from memory, as the server that i was GM on, Died, and a Beta from a freind of mine, is down for a long time now. Not only that, but my router works on a diffrent system then anyone else's and i cant set ports correctly, so creating my own server to test on dosent work xD So, there might be a few mistakes in the +, and - as well as the directions. but the overall system works as i have found it to work.))

Formation links are a command that you can use to link together several units to follow one unit at an exact distence and angle. It can save you the work of having to plot out tons of waypoints, instead working with only a "master" waypoint. Your keyboard and your head will thank me for it, trust me. However, formation links are way harder then you might think. Its not a .kill, or any type of no-brainer command. Even when you cracked the system, and figured everything out, it will still take some time to plot out the coordinates. If your a new GM, dont bother reading this, it will only make your head spin/explode.

First of all, The basics. spawn your "Master" NPC. He will be the center point of your formation, Everything will revolve around his belly button. Type in ".formationlink1" All without a single space. You should get a saying with "master set to <bla bla bla>" If you get that, your 1/4th done! And if you thought this was hard, quit now while your ahead.
For me, im going to use a murloc. (because murlocs are ftw.)



The second part is the acctuall command power. This is what your after.
Spawn a few more NPCs (as many as you want following your Master NPC) Keep in mind, if this is your first time, 2-4 should be more then enough. If you have a lot, you will either Bug something/Screw up somthing/set somthing on fire/Mess up. Horribly. Or you just might get frustrated when there are too many things to deal with, Log out and play Outside. (Yes, it CAN get that bad xD)

Select one and think before you type. The command will go something like this ".formationlink2 4 4" DO NOT type .formationlink1 EVER. else you will asign Master status to someone you dont want to, have to delete every NPC, and spawn them all again fresh. Typeing master twice on one NPC can cause bugs/weird stuff. Allways type the '2' At the end, and never '1'!!!



The numbers "4 4" that are after the '2' are an example. But these two are the master minds behind the command itself. The first represents the distence between your center point. The second represent the angle that it will be at, In WoW you use something called radi(Something O.o) Ignore that. Its a fancy word for a megurement unit. It works on Pie (not the Cake<Pie thing, The math pie.)

Blizzard seems to use something more complex then that. If you want a full definition on what this term is (the radians), either vistit Wikipedia, or your local math teacher. If he dosent know this, your either in Elementary, junior high (I think they know it also though. =P) or in a Baaaaad school.

Before you can get any farther, here is the real part of the guide: Cracking the formation link system. The rest was a warm up, and the basics

Formation links dont work on a coordinate grid, unlike what most people think. It works with a polar grid, A type of grid that uses circles rather then a grid. This system works on 2 overlapping circles, witch i took to calling a 2CS. (two Circle System)



This diagram i drew represent the first of the Circle. This plugs into the first number, your distence. You see, Each value, makes a circle that expands from the center point. so a circle with a value of 1 will be WAY smaller then a circle with a value of 5. To make matters harder, the circle is devided into 2 parts, Positive, and negative.

Typeing only positive numbers in the first number spot (( .formationlink2 4 -4) ((the positive 4 is the distence number) Will have all your units following on the right side.
As i said above, im a homeless GM now, So im writing all this from memory, The positive and the negatives may need to be inversed. No matter what angle (the second number) the distence between the center point, and your tropper will allways be the same. That means if you said he whould be on the 7th circle, He will be that distence from your NPC and nothing closer or farther.

The second part of the 2CS Is the position around the circle. I drew a few circles, But notice, that no matter how many circles, the spot of the number will be alligned to the center of the circle, not the cicles themselves. That means no matter how far away from the center point or how many distence circles are there, the nuber will allways be at the same spot on the distence circle.



Here is a diagram of that for you to see,

As you can see the diagram is also split into 4 parts, unlike the first part of the 2CS that was split into 2. Each part are either negative, or positive, and are oposit to each other.
So, there are two +4s and two -4s. So if you add a +4, how whould you know weather it will end up on the north or south side of your main unit? The distence is the key.

You see, the distence is also negative and positive, Only split into 2 parts. Therfore, adding -4 4, will be a unique combo, the distence charge (that means weather its negative or positive) Will determin weather the +4 You added at the end will be on the top or south.

So the distence (first number) will acctually have a dual purpouse. Sets the distence, and weather the second number refers to behind the Master NPC, or in front of him.

So doing (4 4) (-4 -4) (-4 4) and (4 -4) Will set all your units to make a box around Your master. Doing numbers 1-6 (that means a total of 24 units around your Master) Will form a circle.

Please note that odd things happen after 7. I think that the circle loops resets at an oposit direction, But currently, i have not yet experimented with this, Because of my server's death =P)

Now that you have cracked the system, You can plot out where your units will be. Select your target, and type ".formationlink2 <2CS part 1> <2CS part 2>" If all goes right, your selected unit will automaticaly jump into position. If he dose not, you may have done something wrong, check this list:

1) Did i type Formationlink1 or Formationlink2 (Hope you did not type Formationlink1)
2) Did i misspell or add a space?
3) It could be the unit that is bugged, or the server (common. Formation links are awsome when they work, but often have a lag time before the units jump into formation)

Good luck! and when i fix my own experimental private server (Should my comp be willing -___-) i shall either edit this guide out to include more up to date info, or post an advance guide explaining the odd system that occures after 7.

[Saedusii]

Wall of text crits brain for 40000 damage.

Wow, that was epic.

[Skype]

Considering the amount of time i took to acctually crack the whole system, it had better crit hard >.< At first i thought it was a cordinate grid and passed countless hours trying to make sense of it before i came to the conclution it was a circle grid base xD

[Xeneth]

This is so hawt, it melts the elastic in my boxers. Epic. 3x rep, Well done m8

[CairiFEA]

If I could rep for more than 1 i'd rep you more.
Great job, I was wondering about this. This can do wonders for servers looking to really add that special something to their server,

Cairi
gmtricks.com - Home

[faxmunky]

woa.. epic!! omgomgomgomg

[Skype]

Thanks =)

I havent ever found a guide to formation links, so i decided to make my own
=P

[SectorSeven]

Very Nice!
Could use some cleaning up because paragraphs are long and boring

+Rep x2

[Skype]

Ill see what i can do, Either way, this sort of stuff is for the GMs that really want to go all out. Most GMs can live easily without .formationlinks, but There are a few like me that want to perfect their skills. =P So the Paragraphs are ment to give info, not to entertain =D

[Skype]

~Ninja bump~

You never seen anything.... OooooOOOo

[Lakotaness]

You = my god. Ive been searching for this for so long. + the 2 rep ive gotten from being here for 2 years. You earned it.

[Skype]

=D

Glad it helped =)

[Juicyz]

Thank You, Super Minty Fresh /bow 2x + rep

[Lakotaness]

I can get my mobs to link and walk around dandy {All thanks to you } however with a server restart, they all unband. Ive tried using .formationlink1 1 and formationlink2 blah blah 1 and it doesnt stick. Is there another command like .formationsave or something?

[warsheep]

I love this. Its epic.