XVehicles (Network play) (VCTF, VMH for UT99)

[Gustavo6046]

1. Yes they should be team-locked, but when a team is eliminated (because of CTFM's default rules), the vehicle should be despawned, or unlocked. I like the unlocking approach, it gives kind of a strategy-game-esque aspect to the game, of "colonizing" a cleared base to use their vehicles.

2. I'll have to look into the CTFM source code for that because I'm not sure how exactly it works.

[Buggie]

1. You can write actor, which on trigger change setting on tagged factories + destroy vehicles, already linked to this factories.

[OjitroC]

The Manta seems to take damage sometimes when re-entering it and 'taking off' - I've noticed several times that, after getting out of it to use the fix gun and restoring it to full health, on getting back into it, the Manta immediately takes some damage (c20/30 HP) simply by starting to move. Not sure how this can be reproduced but it happens at several points in SpireVillage (in which I've swapped the Manta for one of the vehicles).

[Buggie]

Need more info. And how exactly you enter (how long press crouch), since it allow lower manta, and hit it to ground in some cases.

[OjitroC]

It came to me long after I had posted this (and had shut down everything so I couldn't come back on) that it was probably due to me pressing my 'duck' key for too long - I haven't yet tried that out but will do - so, yeah, forget I said that.

[Gustavo6046]

1. You can write actor, which on trigger change setting on tagged factories + destroy vehicles, already linked to this factories.

This would need an edit on existing CTFM maps. Or at least CTFM-XV maps. And you might want to make it configurable through an INI file too (that is, whether it should destroy vehicle, or 'unlock' it for all teams).

I can do that for you if you want. The part where it is placed in maps. I can't compile XVehicles right now, though. I'll try later today.


But, I don't know how that actor would know when a team is out of the game.

At least, when one is, it'd be easy to iterate through all vehicles with 'foreach AllActors', then do an 'if (vehicle locked to a team other than the eliminated one), continue'.

[Buggie]

If you need work for entire team, you not need edit maps. You can write mutator, which work on all factories and unlock factories of specific team.

You not need modify XVehciles or maps for that. It is fully external mutator.

[Gustavo6046]

Then that mutator will have to be loaded by anyone who wants better integration between X-Vehicles and CTFM/CTF4. It sounds like it'd quickly turn into a mess for people to manage, unless the mutator came bundled with X-Vehicles.

---

Anyway, here's a couple interesting ideas for vehicles.

What about a small jeep, with a mounted grenade launcher? It'd spit grenades at a decent/fast pace. It could also spit grenade barrages.

Another one would be like a small artillery tank, which sends missiles, which fly at a fast speed but are affected by gravity; need a little practice to aim well but are more effective at long range. In its alt-fire a missile would be slower, but home into enemy aircraft (and only air vehicles!).

Those vehicles would both be relatively vulnerable to damage, but fast and manoeuvrable, for maps that aren't too open, like CTF-XV-LavaGiant.

[Buggie]

You need go baby steps.
Before we can talk about

that mutator will have to be loaded by anyone who wants better integration between X-Vehicles and CTFM/CTF4

mutator must be exists and be in final production state.
Also CTFM/CTF4 Expect some setup for play it. AFAIK it is not usual CTFGame.
But even if we include this in XVehicles this not magically solve problem of detection. So you need modify all maps or include additional mutators in server setup.
No any profit from include it in XVehicles. Only cons: it part of huge package. You can not modify it fast, it is not independent from XV, it is not server-side anymore.

Anyway, before we can talk more you must have this mutator, and this must be in production state (work flawles). Any talk before it is just waste our time.

Later it can be (or not) included in XV.

---

Automatically merged

Any new vehicles need meshes, sounds, animations, strict numbers what they can do, and what not.
It is not just random numbers. This stuff greatly affect game balance and can affect it badly.

So for proper introduce any vehicle from scratch you need: sound, meshes, approximate tech params.
Later you need place it on some maps and play again and again with tune params, until you not find proper balance.

Very long and very slippery road.

Or you can goes to 2k4 and rip vehicles from it. And skip most parts. Need only port stuff, correct/rewrite physics and you good to go.
Also you always have referent implementation for look how things must goes.

In 2k4 already exists and used a lot vehicles. Not stock ones.

But before it can be consider, need finish polish exists vehicles set. It is far away from good state now.

[OjitroC]

I have come across an odd issue to do with the Manta and the video renderer I am using (in 469c). It may just be something to do with my system - I don't know.

With EXUOpenGL the Manta works fine - no issues.

With D3D9, the Manta bounces up and down a lot when stationary or when moving.

To test, download this map download/file.php?id=17774 and summon in or place a Manta and 'fly' around, using D3D9.

The screenshots in the post below the DL link show me using the Manta in EXUOpenGL - no bouncing.

I can't remember what the behaviour was like in 469b with D3D9 as I tended not to use it much.

[Buggie]

Manta movement calculation not stable against low fps.
You can show fps counter and ensure - this jumping exists only on low fps.
Later i will rewrite calculation to stable version.

[OjitroC]

In DM-AmericanSuburbsDaylight, the results when using the Manta are :

In EXUOpenGL the fps is 016, frames = c60 - no bouncing.
In D3D9 the fps is 050 (or thereabouts, sometimes a bit lower and sometimes up to 60), frames = c30 - bouncing.

The FPS and frames are much the same as noted above when not using the Manta.

There is no noticeable difference in the way the map plays or looks in either renderer apart from the bouncing despite the seemingly low FPS in EXUOpenGL.

[darkbarrage99]

I'm also having huge framerate problems, but my issue is running a larger map with bots. deleted large parts of the map with odd geometry and same results. reinstalled v41 to confirm and it fixed the framerate issues.

[Buggie]

Not exactly get your point. v42 cause low fps, when v41 - no?
If so need more details. Maybe even test case.

[Buggie]

New VCTF server:
--- Haleys' Hothouse | VCTF-FaceOnly