IsLimpetDrone=yes for mobile buildings, some research Options

[Team Black]

the base is almost mobile. Every building is something like a big ship that lands and deploys (using hover logic with a raised floating height).
They only use 4 or 5 different shiptypes to fulfill all needs for a base...

I'm thinking that the scrin would have starcraft-esque buildings, that would lift off the ground and could move to a new location. We could play around with this idea a bit, though the best way to go about it I think, would be this:

the Limpet drone only has 1 facing, and a constant animation (animation runs whether moving or not).
We know it definitely supports hover and deploy logic (which would be the only things really essential for mobile buildings)

So basically, the limpet drone shp logic behaves exactly like a TS building shp, except that its a vehicle - it's ideal in every way to use as the Scrin's mobile base buildings!

It's totally superior to using voxels I would say...

So, I looked through the files to see what we needed to replicate that effect.

The art entry is fairly simple

[LIMPED]
Cameo=LIMPICON

There is nothing odd about the rules entry, the loco is the exact same as the HMLRS..
The only thing is this:

IsLimpetDrone=yes

I'm not exactly sure what logics come with this tag

So I did a test on this, to make sure it could be replicated
(Behold, the leet 2-minute-shp XD)
 leet_hand.gif ( 22.97K ) Number of downloads: 1

And just to make sure it works ingame:
 ingamer_hand.PNG ( 79.96K ) Number of downloads: 2

(Let it be OFF the record that this is my first completed shp XD)
Everything works as expected. We won't have to work out multiple building facings, ROT isn't an issue, it's not blocky like a voxel, and it supports a constant animation, so we can make it look like it's flying, AS WELL AS give it the same anims as it would if it were a regular building

The cons:
the shadow will need some care... It'll have to be consistent with the hover height, or else the player won't perceive the unit's height correctly
the selection box isn't centered. I'm not sure if it's just a matter of positioning the image in the shp builder or what...
>To the exe hackers: how difficult could it be to give units a building-type looking selection box? would it be worth looking in to?

>Blackster out<

This post has been edited by Team Black: Jun 11 2007, 02:22 AM

Attached File(s)

 hvrhand.zip ( 7.48K ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[Lightstorm]

problem:
if we do that then the units will always face one way, fine for round buildings but for ones will length it would be weird to have it always facing one way.

[jadems]

Seeing as I don't have FS, I'm assuming it still uses undeployed and deployed states.
I'd prefer, like what Lightstorm suggested, the building turning, possible using the same logic as an shp vehicle, the only downside is for someone to create the side we don't usually see when it turns.

[Team Black]

We could give the buildings would have thrusters or something, so they wouldn't need to turn.

Starcraft buildings don't turn I think, do they? ... could someone post pics of those?

[Yggdrasil]

I have a small question. (please bear in mind that I know nothing of ini coding (yet))

From what i remember in firestorm the limpit drone connects itself to vehicles and lets you use there LOS to see enemies base. Is this a different ini tag or is it hardcoded into the Islimpetdrone=yes tag.

If it is then you may have a problem with your structures trying to attach themselves to enemy vehicles.

[Team Black]

Well that's definitely an important thing to consider XD - but that logic you mention is tied in with the tag on the deployed limpet, "IsLimpetMine=true" if I'm not mistaken...
(and the weapon is only on the deployed version of the limpet - so there's no worries)

After some testing, It appears as though the IsLimpetDrone=yes has to do with its type of animation.
By taking it away, the animation only played when the vehicle was moving (as a normal animation would do, i.e. a mech walking), and it didn't use the shadow frames correctly (the purple outlines in the last half of the shp)
 limpet_no.PNG ( 119.16K ) Number of downloads: 1

It appears as though it only works with shp units - I gave it to the mammoth MK2 and saw no difference -
However, the Titan and wolverine were continuously running in place, facing away from the camera (as a limpet animation would probably act)
You can see also with the Titan, that this tag does not support turrets .(shows just the legs )
 runinplace.PNG ( 29.35K ) Number of downloads: 1

So it turns out, that this tag is essential for what we're trying to do with the mobile buildings.

This post has been edited by Team Black: Jun 11 2007, 01:34 AM

[Clazzy]

>To the exe hackers: how difficult could it be to give units a building-type looking selection box? would it be worth looking in to?

I believe the answers would be very and no. To do it, you'd have to edit the selection boxes themselves (and you'll have to edit the SHP to be centred within the selection box) and you could make the box itself less defined with only smaller corners which wouldn't look so bad. Considering the Scrin are a whole new side and I'm assuming you'll be making new models for all their buildings what's the point in one facing frame? Simply render it in all directions then give it the correct deploy direction tag to ensure it faces the right direction when it deploys. You're going to have a hell of a time balancing this, I must admit.

This post has been edited by Clazzy: Jun 11 2007, 02:36 AM

[jadems]

In Starcraft, the buildings always faced the same way.

How about using voxels? If we made the voxels first then made a screenshot and coverted to an SHP, I reckon it would look alright then.
And if the Scrin buildings were pretty much symmetrical it would make less hassle.

[Team Black]

Thanks for the feedback. Yea now that you mention it, I'm reconsidering: I think voxels will probably be the best way to go for the mobile buildings -

A large building would have selection box issues, not only as far as the size of the box, but where the selection box actually is, making it difficult to select the unit.

Well it was just an idea, stepping outside the norm a little. Can't hurt to try new things
Thanks for taking the time to comment Lightstorm, Jadems, Yggdazil, and Clazzy.

Since this mod is based on feedback, I'm going to go with the popular opinion (including my own), and can this idea.
If anyone wants me to reopen this for some reason, just drop me a PM okay

Blackster out.