Freeplay Mantis carries multiple insects

Hey,

This one's quite funny to me but definitely a bug.
I have disable upkeep turned off - not sure if that impacts this or not.
Occasionally the mantis' pick their prey up but don't eat it. The visual for the bug is still there in the mantis' arms.
I'm having trouble reducing file sizes to upload the photos here - from what I can tell it looks like the mantis is holding at least 5 harvestmen and 3 crickets at one point in one of my games.
Killing the mantis causes all the insects bodies to drop to the floor.

It can happen for different types of bugs - most commonly I've noticed it happen to harvestmen and crickets.
I've also seen it happen to those little grey bugs from lvl 1.1 whose name evades me.
I've not seen it happen to any ants yet - just insects.
 
This happened to me. But how does the guys know how to fix this, if you know, tell the guys how because they currently can't fix it.
I'm not sure how to fix it because I don't know how the mantis eating action is scripted.
It just looks as if the mantis goes to eat these insects but their unit, possibly something to do with pixel interaction, doesn't reach a certain point of the mantis' mouth to destroy the unit and therefore the pixels stay on the screen.
Because units picked up by the mantis seem to be destroyed before they enter the mantis' mouth I would guess something down this avenue.
 

Rayalot72

Maximum difficulty
Beta Tester
Extremely Helpful Person
I'm having trouble reducing file sizes to upload the photos here
Try imgur. That should allow you to just link it.

I've also seen it happen to those little grey bugs from lvl 1.1 whose name evades me.
Woodlouse/isopods?

I've not seen it happen to any ants yet - just insects.
I've had this happen one time on 3.2, way back, where a mantis kidnapped a media and was holding it over a ledge.
 
Try imgur. That should allow you to just link it.


Woodlouse/isopods?


I've had this happen one time on 3.2, way back, where a mantis kidnapped a media and was holding it over a ledge.
I'll try imgur maybe tomorrow. Just finishing up another video but I'm pretty tired right now.
Yeah woodlouse sounds right. I've got a shot in one of my videos where it literally just looks like a mantis is carrying a ball of insects it's quite funny.
Makes me think of like an afro made of insects - can we add an afro feature so big insects have an afro made of smaller insects?
Hmm; it's not a super big issue but it would be nice to check in on it to avoid it causing problems down the line.
 

JohnSlugDisco

Administrator
Staff member
Developer of EotU
Had a look at this today. Seems if the mantis is distracted during the pickup it could happen to it. There is probably some ability that is is not immune to that happens in freeplay (such as flee) that is causing this.

I have made it so AI effecting effects cause creatures to drop creatures, additionally if a creature is holding another creature but not using an ability it also drops it. Should clear this issue up but do keep an eye out for it happening again.

Unfortunately this only applies to creatures carrying other creatures and not carrying food, the food one still alludes me!
 
Had a look at this today. Seems if the mantis is distracted during the pickup it could happen to it. There is probably some ability that is is not immune to that happens in freeplay (such as flee) that is causing this.

I have made it so AI effecting effects cause creatures to drop creatures, additionally if a creature is holding another creature but not using an ability it also drops it. Should clear this issue up but do keep an eye out for it happening again.

Unfortunately this only applies to creatures carrying other creatures and not carrying food, the food one still alludes me!
Just incase it hasn't crossed your mind...
If I imagine how the game is processing the leaf when an ant carrying it dies. So the ant drops the leaf but the game knows leaves can be off the ground as we climb plants to reach them. Only problem is the game registers the leaf in the air now but no stalk to climb. May need to try change the value of a leaf once it's been harvested so you can make it drop to the ground rather then the game thinking the leaf in the air without a stalk is okay. Because the ants are trying to climb an imaginary stalk which is why I'm thinking this way.
 
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