How to add a new Ability

This guide explains how to add a new ability to the game. As an example, we’ll create an ability that increases the player’s damage and attack speed but reduces HP, called Glass Cannon.

1. Importing assets

1. Import the ability icon into Assets/The Archer/Sprites/UI/Abilities

2. Set its Texture Type to Sprite (2D and UI).

   Note: Corners of the sprite will be masked out in the UI.

3. If your ability requires additional assets such as meshes, textures, or particles, import them into the appropriate subfolders under Assets/Common.

2. Adding new Ability Type

1. Open the script: Assets/The Archer/Scripts/Abilities/Data/AbilityType.cs

2. The enum values follow the naming pattern:

   [Group]_[AbilityName]

   The first part defines the Group (used for organization in the property drawer), and the second is the Ability Name. Groups are only for editor organization and have no gameplay impact.

3. Add a new entry for your ability under a new or existing group. For this guide, we’ll create a new Custom group. In an unmodified template, the last index is 79, so use 80:

   Endgame_CommonCoins = 76,
   Endgame_RareCoins = 77,
   Endgame_MysticCoins = 78,
   Endgame_LegendaryCoins = 79,
   Custom_GlassCannon = 80

3. Creating Ability Data script

1. Navigate to: Assets/The Archer/Scripts/Abilities/Behaviors

2. Create a new folder named Custom (or open the existing group folder if you’re adding to an existing group).

3. Inside it, create a new folder named GlassCannon.

4. Create a script named GlassCannonAbilityData.cs and add the following code:

[CreateAssetMenu(fileName = "Glass Cannon Data", menuName = "October/Abilities/Custom/Glass Cannon")]
public class GlassCannonAbilityData : GenericAbilityData<GlassCannonAbilityLevel>
{
    protected virtual void Awake()
    {
        type = AbilityType.Custom_GlassCannon;
    }

    protected virtual void OnValidate()
    {
        type = AbilityType.Custom_GlassCannon;
    }
}

[System.Serializable]
public class GlassCannonAbilityLevel : AbilityLevel
{
    [SerializeField] protected float attackDamageMultiplier;
    public float AttackDamageMultiplier => attackDamageMultiplier;
    
    [SerializeField] protected float attackSpeedMultiplier;
    public float AttackSpeedMultiplier => attackSpeedMultiplier;
    
    [SerializeField] protected float hpMultiplier;
    public float HPMultiplier => hpMultiplier;
}

4. Creating Ability Behavior script

1. In the same folder, create a new script named GlassCannonAbilityBehavior.cs

2. Add the following code:

public class GlassCannonAbilityBehavior : AbilityBehavior<GlassCannonAbilityData, GlassCannonAbilityLevel>
{
    // Multipliers that modify the player's stats
    protected StatMultiplier attackDamageMultiplier = 1;
    protected StatMultiplier attackSpeedMultiplier = 1;
    protected StatMultiplier hpMultiplier = 1;

    public override void Init(AbilityData data, int levelId)
    {
        base.Init(data, levelId);

        // Register multipliers to the corresponding stats
        StageController.Player.Stats.AttackDamageStat.AddMultiplier(attackDamageMultiplier);
        StageController.Player.Stats.AttackSpeedStat.AddMultiplier(attackSpeedMultiplier);
        StageController.Player.Stats.MaxHPStat.AddMultiplier(hpMultiplier);
    }

    protected override void SetAbilityLevel(int levelId)
    {
        base.SetAbilityLevel(levelId);

        // Update multiplier values each time the ability level changes
        attackDamageMultiplier.Value = AbilityLevel.AttackDamageMultiplier;
        attackSpeedMultiplier.Value = AbilityLevel.AttackSpeedMultiplier;
        hpMultiplier.Value = AbilityLevel.HPMultiplier;
    }

    public override void Clear()
    {
        // Remove multipliers when the ability is removed or the game ends
        StageController.Player.Stats.AttackDamageStat.RemoveMultiplier(attackDamageMultiplier);
        StageController.Player.Stats.AttackSpeedStat.RemoveMultiplier(attackSpeedMultiplier);
        StageController.Player.Stats.MaxHPStat.RemoveMultiplier(hpMultiplier);

        base.Clear();
    }
}

5. Creating Ability Prefab

1. Go to: Assets/The Archer/Prefabs/Abilities

2. Create a new folder named Custom, or open the existing one.

3. Right-click -> Create -> Prefab Name it Glass Cannon Ability and open it.

4. Select the root object and add the GlassCannonAbilityBehavior component.

5. (Optional) If you have a particle effect that plays when the ability is activated, drag it into the prefab and assign it to the Ability Acquired Particle field.

6. Creating Ability Data

1. Go to: Assets/The Archer/Scriptables/Abilities

2. Create a new Custom folder (or use an existing one).

3. Right-click -> Create -> October -> Abilities -> Custom -> Glass Cannon This option comes from the CreateAssetMenu attribute.

4. Select the newly created asset and fill in its fields according to the Ability Data Structure documentation.

   • Assign the prefab you created in the previous step to the Prefab field.

   • Add at least one Ability Level.

5. Finally, open the Abilities Database asset located in the same folder and add the Glass Cannon data asset to the Abilities List.

7. Testing

1. Start the game and enter any stage.

2. Press Shift + A to open the Abilities Tester window.

3. In the Gameplay tab, activate the Glass Cannon ability.

You should now see the player’s damage and attack speed increased, and HP reduced according to your configuration.