How can I make a creature attack that slices like a sword?
I can't find a way to alter the attack contact percentage or attack penetration percentage to cut through flesh like a sword. Any and all assistance is appreciated
What you'll need to do is define or edit the material template of the body part to be used.
For this example I'll use fingernails.
Here is the finger nail template found in material_template_default.txt.
[MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:NAIL_TEMPLATE]
[STATE_COLOR:ALL_SOLID:GRAY]
[STATE_NAME:ALL_SOLID:nail]
[STATE_ADJ:ALL_SOLID:nail]
[STATE_COLOR:LIQUID:GRAY]
[STATE_NAME:LIQUID:n/a]
[STATE_ADJ:LIQUID:n/a]
[STATE_COLOR:GAS:GRAY]
[STATE_NAME:GAS:n/a]
[STATE_ADJ:GAS:n/a]
[DISPLAY_COLOR:7:0:0]
[MATERIAL_VALUE:1]
[SPEC_HEAT:420]
[IGNITE_POINT:10508]
[MELTING_POINT:NONE]
[BOILING_POINT:NONE]
[HEATDAM_POINT:10250]
[COLDDAM_POINT:9900]
[MAT_FIXED_TEMP:NONE]
[SOLID_DENSITY:500]
[LIQUID_DENSITY:NONE]
[MOLAR_MASS:NONE]
[IMPACT_YIELD:200000] used bone for all of these but more elastic, no data
[IMPACT_FRACTURE:200000]
[IMPACT_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:5000]
[COMPRESSIVE_YIELD:200000]
[COMPRESSIVE_FRACTURE:200000]
[COMPRESSIVE_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:5000]
[TENSILE_YIELD:115000]
[TENSILE_FRACTURE:130000]
[TENSILE_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:5000]
[TORSION_YIELD:115000]
[TORSION_FRACTURE:130000]
[TORSION_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:5000]
These values control edged attacks.
[SHEAR_YIELD:115000]
[SHEAR_FRACTURE:130000]
[SHEAR_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:5000]
This is for stone.
[SHEAR_YIELD:15000] used marble
[SHEAR_FRACTURE:15000]
[SHEAR_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:100]
And this is for metal.
[SHEAR_YIELD:520000] used stainless steel
[SHEAR_FRACTURE:860000]
[SHEAR_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000]
[BENDING_YIELD:115000]
[BENDING_FRACTURE:130000]
[BENDING_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:5000]
[MAX_EDGE:1000]
[ABSORPTION:100]
[IMPLIES_ANIMAL_KILL]
[ITEMS_HARD]
Note that the MAX_EDGE is 1/10 of metal - this too has an impact on how it will affect cutting.
This Wiki page has the information you need to convert any body part into a weapon of mass destruction.
For the actual implementation of that body part as a weapon, check out your creature_standard.txt.
Again I'll be using fingernails as an example:
[ATTACK:SCRATCH:CHILD_TISSUE_LAYER_GROUP:BY_TYPE:GRASP:BY_CATEGORY:FINGER:NAIL]
[ATTACK_SKILL:GRASP_STRIKE]
[ATTACK_VERB:scratch:scratches]
[ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
[ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100]
[ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
[ATTACK_PRIORITY:SECOND]
The contact and penetration percentage values can be directly altered in and of themselves - they use the data from the material template and are themselves percentage multipliers. The value of 100 uses the material template values
as written. That means that if you change these numbers to, say, 200 - you will get double contact area and double penetration depth. Simply doing this will make the attacks VERY effective against unarmored foes, but to make armor-piercing spike hands you'll want to actually edit the material, otherwise you will find that sometimes you punch torsos off, but an -osprey leather robe- deflects most of your attacks.
Experiment with those and you should have a lot of fun! Good luck. =)