Converting/Fixing thoughts - The Abandoned Colony

[sektor2111]

I went into subject after inspecting some assets in order to refresh my memory - ECoop controller having a bunch of fixes and tweaking for various SP maps.
I see here some issues (including with info file "colony.txt"). What ECoop was pointing...

if (Other.IsA('SkaarjScout') && Left(String(Other), 18) ~= "SPabc1.SkaarjScout")
{
/*Something clearly wrong with the pathing in this map - affects only high intelligenc SP's / needs more testing
Critical: APawn::breadthPathFrom
Critical: APawn::findPathToward
Critical: AActor::ProcessState
Critical: Object SkaarjScout spabc1.SkaarjScout10, Old State State UnrealShare.Skaarj.Hunting, New State State UnrealShare.Skaarj.Hunting
Critical: AActor::Tick
Critical: TickAllActors*/
if (Rand(3) == 0)
ReplaceWith(Other, "Unreali.Behemoth");
else if (Rand(2) == 0)
ReplaceWith(Other, "Unreali.Brute");
else
ReplaceWith(Other, "Unreali.GiantGasbag");
return False;
}

During this time I was reading also info file

Additional Credits to : Epic Megagames (http://unreal.epicgames.com/)
for making a great outlet for creativity.
The Testers. Hyperion in particular for helpful feedback.
All the editing sites I visited, everyone had something to offer.
You, for playing this level. Thanks a lot!
...
Known bugs : None I'm aware of. Mail if you find something.
...
bla bla spam spam spam

For me personally, map was crashing game (even XC game) like this:

Code: Select all

...
Critical: APawn::TraverseFrom
Critical: APawn::TraverseFrom
Critical: APawn::TraverseFrom
Critical: APawn::TraverseFrom
Critical: APawn::findRandomDest
...

Taken from XC log as long as game log has no End.
Interesting that "testers" did not see anything - I think they never ended this map, unless they were lucky...
In old times fixing this map was not exactly a fix but more like a mitigation. Relink Nodes into Navigation ( code needs hacks for getting compiled ) and discarding offending ReachSpecs. What is about more exactly ?

AbandonedColony.PNG

Oh well... The boy has deleted nodes, then saving map and then sharing it - a misery more exactly.
Here are a few things from Paths report - these are available in 2022 and we can even have a run-time patch supported by XC_Engine for fixing this garbage:

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...
ReachSpec: 292 : Start = MyLevel.PathNode32 End = None ColRadius = 31 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 944 Pruned = 1.
...
ReachSpec: 424 : Start = MyLevel.PathNode49 End = None ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 464 Pruned = 0.
ReachSpec: 425 : Start = MyLevel.PathNode49 End = None ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 872 Pruned = 1.
...
ReachSpec: 427 : Start = None End = MyLevel.PathNode32 ColRadius = 31 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 944 Pruned = 1.
ReachSpec: 428 : Start = None End = MyLevel.PathNode49 ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 464 Pruned = 0.
ReachSpec: 429 : Start = None End = None ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 408 Pruned = 0.
ReachSpec: 430 : Start = None End = None ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 904 Pruned = 1.
ReachSpec: 431 : Start = None End = MyLevel.InventorySpot55 ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 780 Pruned = 1.
ReachSpec: 432 : Start = None End = MyLevel.PathNode49 ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 872 Pruned = 1.
ReachSpec: 433 : Start = None End = None ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 408 Pruned = 0.
ReachSpec: 434 : Start = None End = None ColRadius = 64 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 497 Pruned = 0.
ReachSpec: 435 : Start = None End = None ColRadius = 70 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 904 Pruned = 1.
ReachSpec: 436 : Start = None End = None ColRadius = 64 ColHeight = 70 ReachFlag = 1 Dist = 497 Pruned = 0.
...
and the same funky stuff

Perhaps some fix if author did not do anything during this time or a normal MH conversion would be beneficial but without updates* or various mapping tools. Eh ?

[Barbie]

I cannot say anything concerning the map issues, but I noticed your replacement:

Code: Select all

if (Rand(3) == 0)
	ReplaceWith(Other, "Unreali.Behemoth");
else if (Rand(2) == 0)
	ReplaceWith(Other, "Unreali.Brute");
else
	ReplaceWith(Other, "Unreali.GiantGasbag");

what results in
probability for Behemoth 30%
probability for Brute 35%
probability for GiantGasbag 35%

I'm not sure if that was your intention.

[OjitroC]

I built the paths and the map works OK.

It's a smallish SP map - took me about 20 minutes to complete going pretty slowly - the design is OK (but fairly basic and showing its age somewhat) and the gameplay OKish but not particularly challenging nor varied (mainly pupae with some Skaarj Warrior-types which fits in with the theme and the story of course). It's a pleasant enough Single Player map from the early days of UT that basically delivers on what would expect from the storyline (obviously drawn from Aliens).

Probably not worth converting to MH - the spaces are mostly small and/or narrow (some sections of duct which are particularly narrow) and overall the map isn't large enough I would think.

[sektor2111]

I cannot say anything concerning the map issues, but I noticed your replacement:

Umm... nope, it's not my code, nothing from this stuff is from me, this is why I was looking over it. But... according to replacement... GiantGasBag randomly chosen can still "bCanDoSpecial". Either way... for me this is not exactly a fix. I checked map and... nope, it won't work. Several PatrolPoints are not having incoming paths and... are out of navigation chain. Next question is: How are done other settings since A.I. is just a ruin ?

[OjitroC]

I checked map and... nope, it won't work. Several PatrolPoints are not having incoming paths and... are out of navigation chain.

That's odd - are we talking about spabc1.unr? There are only 2 PatrolPoints in the map and they have incoming connections. Like I say, I've just played the map.

There are various inventoryspots that have no incoming or outgoing connections but they don't need them as the only 'thing' that will use the 'inventory' is the Player.

[sektor2111]

That's odd - are we talking about spabc1.unr? There are only 2 PatrolPoints in the map and they have incoming connections. Like I say, I've just played the map.

Your EDIT has paths, original is not having anything... because of this...

I built the paths and the map works OK.

Let me know if I need new glasses...

PP0SPabc1.PNG

PP1SPabc1.PNG

In original map nobody is patrolling anywhere - they were not even in Navigation Chain...

FixSimulator

Code: Select all

CloserFound: PatrolPoint0 looks closer to PathNode286, trying insertion here.
NextAdded: nextNavigationPoint for PatrolPoint0 is PathNode285
CloserChanged: and the closer point PathNode286 will have nextNavigationPoint PatrolPoint0.
Linked: 1 Nodes have been added into navigation chain.
Log: Aligned camera on the current target.
CloserFound: PatrolPoint1 looks closer to PathNode285, trying insertion here.
NextAdded: nextNavigationPoint for PatrolPoint1 is PathNode284
CloserChanged: and the closer point PathNode285 will have nextNavigationPoint PatrolPoint1.
Linked: 1 Nodes have been added into navigation chain.

The map-file in cause has this CRC:

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CRC-32: 6ec143ed
MD5: db57e409d9acab66380c39c2f71e246e
SHA-1: 0357a93127ccaf0d93849a03129b1bdb5265e65d

File name +
SPabc1.unr	8.046.355	17.10.2000 00:11	-a--

If you ask me about some editing, let's say that I would delete useless PathNodes stupidly placed nearby PatrolPoints and these could be a bit centered for maximizing ReachSpec size. Inventories are not part of stage, monster doesn't need to go there - unless chasing Player is mandatory. Then removing all pathing related data and all ReachSpecs and redefining paths normally, then deleting useless chain created and then removing OldLocation data from InventorySpots created, purging garbage and saving edited version with another name.