Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how?

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ARC1778
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Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how?

Post by ARC1778 »

Here's some really cool ideas I have for the Warfront mod, give me the Benefit of your experience with this cool stuffs I've dreamed up, and as this is OSP so long as you share with me, I'll share with you, and I'll consider sharing these as repayment if you can advise me? :P

First one's real simple, how do I change the super "gamey" "spawn" button to say "deploy" instead, and be activated by pressing the enter key, and have the up and down keys let you flick through classes? With the damage levels in warfront, you're gonna be re-spawning allot, and it would be nice to speed it up a bit.

Responsive Music, VO, and battlespeech cues:
Hidden/Spoiler:
I'd like to implement music based on how the battle is going, with map track fading out quickly and the other playing, rather than mere back ground music, although that will still be there when the tracks are not triggered, also can I use music from star wars clone wars adventures? I'm assuming I can use the TV series music as it APPEARS (I being poor use mobile internet, and cant normally stream anything not on you tube) that they are free on the composers website (www.kevinkiner.com/music) Also use battlespeech mainly from RC, TCW and possibility by removing the mp3 files from that otherwise terrible voice changer clone helmet toy.

I want VO's to make sense for new modes, phrases like "all set general" for destruction modes with bombs, and other things.

More important is cancant (com chatter) I want "Tri on your tail" to sound when a hostile has locked on to you, I want "incoming transport" when one has landed in your hanger, "they're coming around" when the flag has been taken by the enemy team, and "bombers incoming" when your capital ship is taking damage in order to tell you to take the buzzers out, "I can't shake him" when one of your group is locked on to, etc

With music cues are: When taking off/landing in a vehicle, when taking, have taken, a cp, yours or your enemies, when you've been shot, when a follower are shot dead, and when you have a lead or a lag on the enemy's re-enforcements, when they, you, or both are under 100, when you or they only have their on field units left, when you deploy for the first time, when you fire your rifle "changing from deployment music -tense high build up tracks to battle-music", when you get an award, when some else on your team, or the enemy take a CP that you weren't helping with, a re-deploy theme, a death theme, a close call theme, and a hero kill theme, hero vanquished theme, hero deploy theme, and and hero vs. hero theme. XD As well as changing the victory themes.
Different ammo types:
Hidden/Spoiler:
I'd like to have different ammo for each weapon when it comes to Ammo dispensers, as they do use different ammo that much is obvious, with the exception of the 15 and possibly 17 series, which share (Yes I know that the A has less ammo than the S, and the s apparently none at all, BUT, when the S is on full power it has less ammo than the A on it's standard power setting, so I based on the clip size and the % increase in power to % decrease in ammo in the S leads me to conceive that they take the same ammunition, now) I know they can share ammo when they are being fired, but what about before the ammo is picked up? Can I have multiple ammo types for dispensers and Gonk droids? Can Gonk droids have limited and different ammo also?

Between factions I can understand, bit weird that they carry ammo for every weapon, but carrying ammo that can be used by one's enemy is stupid, there are two reasons NATO use the 5.56 round A. Because it's less likely to kill, allowing for interrogation, and causing morale or the enemies purse to bleed depending on if or if not they try to save their wounded soldiers, and because it is incompatible (although less so now than before) with eastern block weaponry, you cannot fire a 5.56 from a 7.62 weapon (not without replacing the receiver) and everyone captures extra ammo, Britain's main object in the campaigns in WWII north Africa was not the death of the enemy, but the capture of their water canisters, hence: the jerry can, to allow your enemy to fire upon you, is a hellish mistake, it's why pathfinders and Special forces are using the "bushmaster" rifle due to it's modularity, where ammo is scarce, or a 5.56 would betray their identity, having an rifle that fires their ammo, means not only if you take it you deny the enemy supplies, but you gain some of your own too.

SO maybe an E-5R clip can fit in a DC-15, but furthermore, in my mod they use on occasion ACP rounds, non-lazers which deffo wouldn't fit (Other than in a DC-17m SR set-up and even then it's still speculation, no way should a droid engineer armed with part physical rounds give ammo to the enemy using lazers, with the exception being grenades which should be shared by all, with the exception of the en-coded BCCK detonator, and gas grenades for the CIS as there is NOTHING that will do to a droid, and the GAR don't have an entry for a humans only grenade or space for it. and the EMP grenades which would if possible share ammo with the CIS stun grenade, but not the otherway round as a stun grenade won't damage a droid but a V6 haywire will electrocute a human.

Also if so can I replace the stock ammo case with the gun that the trooper has? It makes more sense (yes I know while he's fading away that means they'll be two guns, but i can deal with that, and change bacta to oil for droids, and all that good stuff?

So is that possible? Further more a "Gonk droid has limited (allot but still finite) cargo space, and should not be able to give out ammo endlessly?

Further more, can I have separate ammo and "Medical" droids for each faction? It makes little sense to have a medical droid repair a battle droid, and therefore it should be something else.
Tabbania gas:
Hidden/Spoiler:
As you may know, there are two parts to a lazer in the SW universe, a "Power pack" and a "Gas cannister" which are then combine and treated, then launched out the barrel, now gas canisters last for about "500 shots" Is it possible to edit the "overheat" effect to cause blasters to "permanently break" after 500 shots, and be un-useable after that? It's part of the universe, and therefore it should be there. Troops did not carry extras, like the cooking grenades (read setting detonator timer/entering code for the BCCK grenade which will have a much, much longer time before it can be thrown with a "Warm up" effect) this is a limiting factor, forcing you to consider what to fire at, when, what with, and how, it also justifies the four weapons each, and prevents you from running around with something that doesn't, ever, break. That said picking up ammo boxes will resolve this IF the multiple types of ammo can be implemented, to represent picking up a friendly's weapon, since Rex and Cody have done it, and since who ever it belonged too won't be requiring it any longer.
Squad sizes, vehicle squads and orders:
Hidden/Spoiler:
Id like to implement a more complex version of the the "all AI follow" FC feature into the game, with different type of troop having different follower sites which will be automatic, Sniper have one, infantry two Sargents 8 or 7 if they're GAR or CIS, and commanders a full 15, allowing tatics, in battle the commander is useless, he has only pistols and heavy SR, but with two squads following him, he could turn the tide of battle, but if he gets sniped, that platoon breaks off into 2 squads, and might well follow different paths, if the Sargents get sniped, they split again in half, and can be killed more easily.

I'd also like for snipers to only have snipers follow them, Sargents and infantry, only infantry, with a hierarchy, so if a infantry squad comes into range of a Sargent with a follower missing, one guy will follow him, if the srg meets a commander, he will give infantry and himself to him if the commander has 12 infantry men, and a Sargent, resulting in two of the infantry and the Sargent will following him, but if he loses an infantry man, that infantry man will not be replaced with a Sargent, as he already has one.

Id also like to implement vehicle squads, with droids having a tri-attack formation, and clones squadrons of 4 (Based on TCW info), but only followed by the same vehicles as their own, staps with staps, vultures with vultures, x-wings with x wings, and bombers with only fighters as bombers will have a hard time defending themselves with the exception of the y-wing, and hyena.

Squad orders:
I'd like the following to be part of the game is possible: orders for your followers, to be able to use the direction button down to tell them to hold in an area, using lock on to bring focus fire onto a hostile, and up to move to your redicule, right to spread out, and left to come back etc?
Knockback:
Hidden/Spoiler:
Getting shot might not kill you, if you've got armour on, it probably won't. But it will more than often knock you off your feet, is it possible to make infantry weapons that are not ordnance, cause a target to drop on a medium power (Some light pistols won't hit have the power to do anything other than maybe stop you moving for half a second, maybe with a twist back animation?), and on higher power weapons like a SR it should cause a target to fly back into the nearest object, even if you hit them in the arm.

From a "fakeism" (what is true in a fantasy setting) perspective this results in blasters and other weapons, causing troops to buckle and react to being hit, give better uses to shotguns (which might already have this feature, not sure, love my SR too much), and to close range fire weight, and to "covering fire" as if you cannot just stand and take shot after shot at close ranges, as you will buckle and die, not converging or concentrating fire on one target is a legitimate tactic, the point is to force the enemy to keep his head down or die, allowing you to move up, with this, you will be able to shot a number of targets, knock em down, or stun them, and then move up to closer range, where you can prevent a cp caputre, or dispatch them on the ground, or change to a more powerful but short range weapon, but at longer ranges, the target has the advantage, repeated fire will be next to pointless, as often when you hit,you hit something non-fatal, I.E. the leg, this will knock down your target, and he will be in cover are less likely to kill from rapid, or repeating fire weapons, unless you hit them in the head (Lucky shots) or the if the next point is possible, it makes height matter more: not only does it act as cover when you're up high, and negate that of those bellow you, the caveat to repeated shots is your ground leave enemy will be exposed if you are on a tactically raised position, meaning even low accuracy shots have a point as you will be able to fire atleast twice to try to end them or if he is above you and that shot doesn't kill, he'll fall out of sight, and there will be no more "shoot that droid twice in a row with this SR", you can also shoot people off ledges, into pits, and into dangerous objects

From a gameplay perspective, this means that y axis and the axis evil are not the only axes you need to fear (C wat I did there?) but the x axis as well, although not as 3d as space combat, it still adds a game play aspect and makes it far more challenging.
Critical hits:
Hidden/Spoiler:
I'd like to add a second "headshot" area for centre mass, basically removing half your health from even the most basic weapons, So the molded areas of storm and clone clone trooper breastplates and the rib cage areas of rebels, and the boxes of battle droids, is this possible?

Also would like to add better critical hit locations for vehicles: Insta-kill for hits on unshielded unarmoured cockpits, engines, and "heads" on droid starfighters.

And super vulnerable areas on the underside of AT-ATs (2 proton grenades worth of damage to kill -command vehicles will have shields if aproppes) and AT-TEs (1 hailfire droid guided missile).

In other areas leg hits, should lower speed, and arm hits should lower control, (preferably only of the weapon options) while gut shots should do very little damage, but A LOT of bleeding (basically making them vulnerable to poison as this is how damage will be calculated: 1st shot: insta-damage based on the size or power of the round/bolt, and a poison ordnance round, based on the velocity which throws units back, or down, or just stuns them very minorly, and based on the size of the damage causes bleeding), the insta-effects I have no idea how to implement, but on things like health redution I can understand how it might be made to happen is health reaches a certain level.
Changing the way some Vehicles work:
Hidden/Spoiler:
As you know, with the exceptions of the MTT, STAP, PAC and ATT, chasis, Bulbia, geonosian, and rouge-class starfighters most of what the CIS have classed as vehicles are in fact droids with no cockpits, is it possible to have them controlled remotely from a CP? Like a space turret? It would mean the CIS would be more accurate, with vehicles entered via a control center console and no way for them to be sliced into.

Hovering gunships: As you know also the transport class of vehicle was removed in SWBF2, now I've been told it can't be brought back, and I've no doubt that that is true, but is it possible to find a work around with adding a "land/take off" option to a new class which would be basicly a clone of the tank class, you wouldn't be able to go up and down in a LARTY, but you would be able to go to a certain high above the battlefield and strafe if this could be done.
Pilotiable capital ships, deployable frigates with proper interiors, and BFGs:
Hidden/Spoiler:
Not I'm not talking about using capital ships as vehicles on a star map, that can be done, I'm asking, can the trick where on a LAAT/i hovering over the ground be used on capital assault, essentially having pilotable terrain, with the star destroyers and dreadnaughts moving on the x-axis, making the space battles all that harder, and no-more, "point at target, slow down, shoot everything, flip fighter, accelerate away, flip, repeat."

Even taking down moving frigates is harder, so even if it isn't controllable, it would be better to have them circle each other like they do on kasyysk space.

Meanwhile I;d like to add a "Scaled down" version of interiors for ships with a bridge with piloting controls (if possible) a side fighter hanger, a underside transport hannger, and a top bomber hannger for the venorator. And new gunnery corridors on both sides of a ship, where instead of taking control of "point deffese cannons" you take control of cannons that could rip apart a corvette in a few hits, speeding up assault matches, and adding realistic and star warsy space battles: This would be used to balance out Imperials and rebels as TIEs are unshielded and therefore terrible, and rebel capital ships are WEAK, so in space combat, rebels would be able to destroy enemy fighters, but would need to act fast, and the rebel capital fleet is outclased by the Imperial.

Frigates, I'd like to upgrade the current frigates to destroyers, with interiors, turrets, and fighters to launch: I;d like you to be able to deploy on frigates, on the KotR space map, you have multiple CPs, I'd like to be able to deploy on an acclaimor class II assault ship, as well as launch from it. This would allow a capital assault mode, where points are scored not by destroying single fighters or systems, or areas of ships, but the entire ships, the flip-side of dogfight mode, and proper fleets of 1 command ship, 2 dreadnoughts, several destroyers, 10's of corvettes and cruisers. Justifying the HUGE guns on board, that can destroy ships in just a few hits if it's shield is down.
Physical effects for loss of health and lack of training:
Hidden/Spoiler:
If you get shot, you bleed with all weapons lightly poisoned, this can be achieved; but once you're hit, you shouldn't be running around like you just were lazer tagged, you should be limping, or hunched over as a droid if you lose 25%, not be able to move AND shoot if you lost 50%, and unable to even get up at 25%, and as all the while you will be losing more and more health from bleeding (poison effect), you wouldn't be there long without a heal, with enforced loss of control, speed, and increased recoil.
Training:
Hidden/Spoiler:
I if put you into a Mk.5 Spitfire, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW *cue song* you'd be at a loss, I would like to give different classes different levels of control with turrets, and vehicles, I.E, Pilots will be best in starfighters, Supports in turrets, drivers in tanks (if we can swap out classes) and Scouts on bikes, and with some specializations unable to use anything at all, and others able to use all at varying levels I.E. ARCs and Commandos, -EXCEPTION, ALL WILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE CIVILIAN SPEEDERS) So if you're a support, you'll be wanting to use that turret against infantry, but if you're a sniper, unless you're against a large vehicle, you won't as till be slow and un-responsive to you.
Swapping out classes between teams on a map:
Hidden/Spoiler:
All my classes have four weapons, and I HATE it. Because it's not accurate, now I can only have nine classes on a team, and you can't swap into local teams, but you can have upto nine teams, my question is: Can the classes be swapped, mid-game between teams? I.e. say a swap button or class hit the last class in each team and you'll spawn invisibly, die immediately, and when you come back the units that were on the local team will be on your team and selectable? Is this work around possible, can I stop fudging classes?

If not can I at-least have classes in reserve? I.E. replace the Jet Trooper on maps like hoth tunnels where it makes little scenes to have them as they just become targets, trapped, and vulnerable, with an infiltrator class? and pilots on maps with both starfighters and vehicles with Technicians, and maps with only heavy vehicles with engineers, and just light ones with drivers, like how heroes can be swapped out for different ones?

Also can unlock-able hero's have health rather than a timer? It makes poor scene to have an otherwise invincible hero wimp-out because they're not doing well enough.
Different types of CP's:
Hidden/Spoiler:
I'd like to have the following CP types implemented:

CP: standard CP

FCP: Forward command post: Basically a CP that doesn't affect re-enforcement counts, but can be spawned at.

SA: Strategic asset - CP affects re-reinforcements, but cannot be spawned at.

EP: Entry point: for some modes only: I hate units materializing out of thin air, on large open maps, it can be utterly unavoidable such as naboo plains, but when it comes to naboo theed, I'd like units to spawn in a safe room, it's a bit hard to explain, so I've made you a picture:

_____
/-------\
:(__) _|
| _____|
|Z_____;_@__

KEY: { ___ } = Flat surface | { / & \ } = slanted roof | {------} = Rafters | {Z} = Stairs | { ; } = functional door | { : } = decorotive door | ( ) = CP Spawn area | @ = CP

SO you''d spawn on the second floor (third level up for are american friends), in front of a door, then drop down to the first floor, run down the stairs, and go through the front down past the CP, and then out into the world.

This would have three effects, it's stops my pet hate of spawning in troops from nowhere, it means you spawn in a "safe area" , and it means it's more realistic, as you can't just pop up at a flashing CP and say, "Hey, clanker, eat lazer!" you gotta run to it.

CHQ: Command headquaters The most important cp, if you lose it, you will be unable to re-spawn at all.

So if you have any advice on if or how this can be done, or any advice from a gameplay perspective, or suggestions for other possible features let us know!

If not Thank you for reading this thread anyway. Your support is always appreciated.
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commanderawesome
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by commanderawesome »

Atually, I think you can have up to six weapons per class.
MileHighGuy
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by MileHighGuy »

I'll respond to ones I know for sure:
Different ammo types
No
Is it possible to edit the "overheat" effect to cause blasters to "permanently break" after 500 shots, and be un-useable after that?
Yes. You just have to do some math with the overheat lines in the relevant odf.
Knockback
Yes. It is the push line in the relevant odfs.
Critical hits
For vehicles you can change their critical hit multipliers to whatever you want. To add new critical hit areas you will have to use a 3D modeling program.

For units this is possible, but only if they are set up like an acklay, which gives them a side effect of always being perpendicular to the ground (in short, no).

Bleeding out or slowing down/hunching based on hit location, not possible. But poison dart/ gas weapons will work.
Controlling vehicles Like a space turret
Yes
Training
The only option is can pilot vehicle or can't
Swapping selectable units between teams
I'm fairly sure this is possible EDIT: No. you can only add units, not replace.
replace the Jet Trooper on maps like hoth tunnels
Yes
unlock-able hero's have health rather than a timer?
You can set them up as a unit that takes a lot of points to unlock. It will use up a unit slot either way.
Last edited by MileHighGuy on Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ARC1778
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by ARC1778 »

commanderawesome wrote:Atually, I think you can have up to six weapons per class.
According to the limit thread, you can have 8 weapons, which is what all my classes have, but it's a max of six per channel. So you can have say 2 primary, and six secondary. I ought to have specified primary. :P Sorry.
MileHighGuy wrote:I'll respond to ones I know for sure:
Different ammo types
No

Karabast, Oh well
Is it possible to edit the "overheat" effect to cause blasters to "permanently break" after 500 shots, and be un-useable after that?
Yes. You just have to do some math with the overheat lines in the relevant odf.

Good,
Knockback
Yes. It is the push line in the relevant odfs.

Huzzah!
Critical hits
For vehicles you can change their critical hit multipliers to whatever you want. To add new critical hit areas you will have to use a 3D modeling program.

For units this is possible, but only if they are set up like an acklay, which gives them a side effect of always being perpendicular to the ground (in short, no).

Okay, I'll accept just having headshots, and I'll fudge the overall health to be super low

Bleeding out or slowing down/hunching based on hit location, not possible. But poison dart/ gas weapons will work.

Welp, can't have eveything, any idea about losing control based on health levels?, THink it was you who suggested posion weapons to me in the fist place, so thank you for that, was very helpful!
Controlling vehicles Like a space turret
Yes

*Han Solo Cowboy Scream
Training
The only option is can pilot vehicle or can't

I can work with that
Swapping selectable units between teams
I'm fairly sure this is possible

May the Force Save Our Stuffed Harddrives
replace the Jet Trooper on maps like hoth tunnels
Yes

Score one for the Empire
unlock-able hero's have health rather than a timer?
You can set them up as a unit that takes a lot of points to unlock. It will use up a unit slot either way.
-I guess that'll work....

Thank you MileHighGuy, very informative you've helped a imperial ton. XD
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by nobody3 »

ARC1778 wrote: First one's real simple, how do I change the super "gamey" "spawn" button to say "deploy" instead, and be activated by pressing the enter key, and have the up and down keys let you flick through classes? With the damage levels in warfront, you're gonna be re-spawning allot, and it would be nice to speed it up a bit.
Im pretty sure you can't do the enter-key thing. You can choose units on character select screen faster by pressing numbers 1,2,3 etc, for example sniper is 3rd (in the original game) so pressing 3 will choose him.

To "spawn faster" I made a mod to my files that moves the spawn button higher exactly on the default mouse pointer position, if youre interested in how to do that, Ill PM you the file and explain it more. I dont know if you can change the text, maybe.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

I'll address the ones that haven't been discussed yet.
ARC1778 wrote:First one's real simple, how do I change the super "gamey" "spawn" button to say "deploy" instead, and be activated by pressing the enter key, and have the up and down keys let you flick through classes? With the damage levels in warfront, you're gonna be re-spawning allot, and it would be nice to speed it up a bit.

To change the button's text you'll need to edit the localization entry ifs.SpawnDisplay.Spawn in the editlocalize.bat tool. You can't change the keybindings, the way the spawn screen is built is different from most interface screens (i.e. much of it is hard-coded).

Responsive Music, VO, and battlespeech cues
Most of what you're suggesting here is easily accomplished, as long as you're comfortable with coding in Lua. The ones that are possible are: How the battle is progressing, "all set general" VO, flag taken by enemy team, "incoming transport", "bombers incoming" when capital ship is taking damage, getting into/out of a vehicle, taking or losing a CP, when you die or get shot, low reinforcements, first deployment, respawning, low health/close call, hero kill/vanquish/deploy/versus, and (very easily) victory/defeat.
The impossible ones are: "Tri on your tail" and the other lock-on triggers (since lock-on stuff is hard-coded there is no way for a Lua script to detect it), and rifle firing.

Just be careful not to infringe on copyright with any of these sounds/music (wait for some answers on your music question thread before proceeding).


Squad sizes, vehicle squads and orders
I love the ambition here. In theory you could implement this on a very limited scale but you would have to segregate each 'squad' onto separate teams in order for the 'follow' AI goal to work properly and that will eventually get messy. Not to mention that you will run out of teams (am I remembering correctly that there is a max # of teams? 10, right?) if you do this too much, especially if you implement this parallel with some of your other more ambitious ideas.

Changing the way some Vehicles work
Yeah, just look at Battlefront: Pegasus for an example of remote-controllable frigates (would apply to other vehicles too I imagine).
I'm not sure what you mean when you say that transports are impossible. You can just make a hover-LAAT like you suggested, or if you want it to be a walker, just base it off of the AT-TE.


Pilotiable capital ships, deployable frigates with proper interiors, and BFGs
Actually, driveable capital ships are not possible (at least, not if you want people/vehicles to be able to spawn inside them). You can make them driveable with no spawning inside and no turrets attached, or non-driveable like in the stock game, or you can give them a preset animation loop with no inside spawning/vehicles but turrets should be possible, they'd just have to be controlled from on the ground or somewhere stationary, I think.

Different types of CP's
All of this is easily accomplished. FCPs: CPs have a ticket bleed property that can be edited to 0. SA: Just don't make a spawn-path for this CP. EPs: This is just up to the map maker to implement, and is an important idea in level design theory (directing the player's attention). CHQs: A few lines of Lua code will allow you to disable spawning for that team, or call MissionDefeat(team#). Piece of cake.
ARC1778
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by ARC1778 »

jedimoose32 wrote:I'll address the ones that haven't been discussed yet.

To change the button's text you'll need to edit the localization entry ifs.SpawnDisplay.Spawn in the editlocalize.bat tool. You can't change the keybindings, the way the spawn screen is built is different from most interface screens (i.e. much of it is hard-coded).

Welp, guess we'll need to fasten our mouse movements lol, but thanks for the assist on the name.

Responsive Music, VO, and battlespeech cues
Most of what you're suggesting here is easily accomplished, as long as you're comfortable with coding in Lua. The ones that are possible are: How the battle is progressing, "all set general" VO, flag taken by enemy team, "incoming transport", "bombers incoming" when capital ship is taking damage, getting into/out of a vehicle, taking or losing a CP, when you die or get shot, low reinforcements, first deployment, respawning, low health/close call, hero kill/vanquish/deploy/versus, and (very easily) victory/defeat.
The impossible ones are: "Tri on your tail" and the other lock-on triggers (since lock-on stuff is hard-coded there is no way for a Lua script to detect it), and rifle firing.

Just be careful not to infringe on copyright with any of these sounds/music (wait for some answers on your music question thread before proceeding).

I tried to make sure it was something the game kept track of anyway or was likely too if I didn't know. :P

What about low health in your last life, when you can't respawn again as the counter is at the number of units on the map? Because imagine THIS THIS [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCNluwoW3xI]OR THIS[url] playing when it's just you left on your own, taking fire? It's like the last level of Reach all over again!

Messaged Teancum for a go-ahead on the music since I'm a Scot and american rules don't apply to me personally, but do to the fourm, but I'm really hoping it'll be oaky, shame about the lock on, but never mind.

We have Commander Awesome on board, I think we can survive the foray into Lua, although might have to bribe him with some mando-wars for Mk2. ;) NOt sure how much this little emo music thing is for him, although that said I think we can all agree that Vode An needs to play while you're hunting down the final 32 droids. XD

Squad sizes, vehicle squads and orders
I love the ambition here. In theory you could implement this on a very limited scale but you would have to segregate each 'squad' onto separate teams in order for the 'follow' AI goal to work properly and that will eventually get messy. Not to mention that you will run out of teams (am I remembering correctly that there is a max # of teams? 10, right?) if you do this too much, especially if you implement this parallel with some of your other more ambitious ideas.

I'm not sure i will, if the "team unit swap" works like I think it does, only need 4 each, so 4 each side, and 1 local, I think it's 9 teams though not ten, although there is a team 0 for some strange reason which needs to be blank, I think it's a mission thing.

So it'd be:
Regular inf: REGs, NCO, COMs/B1, B2, OMM, Tatical
Pathfinders: ARCs/Droidikeas
Loners: Snipers, jet, pilot, close combat, heros/Magna Guards, Snipers, rocket, pilot, heros
Elite: Commandos/Commando droids
Local team

I assume there can still be multiple squads per team? As having all the regular infantry charging around together would be aweful it's more than 60% of the units, say this class can still only have this much men following him at one time, even if I cant force who that is on him? But yeah, I could deal with it being reduced down, as it's still better than before, was rather hoping to refine the AI follow command to a limited number for each class.... But hey, needs must.

Changing the way some Vehicles work
Yeah, just look at Battlefront: Pegasus for an example of remote-controllable frigates (would apply to other vehicles too I imagine).
I'm not sure what you mean when you say that transports are impossible. You can just make a hover-LAAT like you suggested, or if you want it to be a walker, just base it off of the AT-TE.


And it can land and take off? Remote frigates, now that I can get behind, I was so hoping that Pegasus was BSP (From BSG), but alas, SST.

Pilotiable capital ships, deployable frigates with proper interiors, and BFGs
Actually, driveable capital ships are not possible (at least, not if you want people/vehicles to be able to spawn inside them). You can make them driveable with no spawning inside and no turrets attached, or non-driveable like in the stock game, or you can give them a preset animation loop with no inside spawning/vehicles but turrets should be possible, they'd just have to be controlled from on the ground or somewhere stationary, I think.

Hmmm, with your previous suggestion about remote frigates well, I think a stationary "command ship" and a pair of stationary carriers would be acceptable to me if the others could be remote-conroled

Different types of CP's
All of this is easily accomplished. FCPs: CPs have a ticket bleed property that can be edited to 0. SA: Just don't make a spawn-path for this CP. EPs: This is just up to the map maker to implement, and is an important idea in level design theory (directing the player's attention). CHQs: A few lines of Lua code will allow you to disable spawning for that team, or call MissionDefeat(team#). Piece of cake.
HUZZAH!


Thank you very much jedimoose32! *Salutes*
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

ARC1778 wrote:
jedimoose32 wrote:What about low health in your last life, when you can't respawn again as the counter is at the number of units on the map?
That's possible, although you can't really guarantee that it's your last life even if there are only X units on the map, since player spawns trump AI lives. E.g. there could be 5 tickets and 5 units alive but if you die you are still able to spawn.

Messaged Teancum for a go-ahead on the music since I'm a Scot and american rules don't apply to me personally, but do to the fourm, but I'm really hoping it'll be oaky, shame about the lock on, but never mind.
Sure, just keep in mind a lot of intellectual properties are protected by international law as well, or may have equivalent regulations in your country as well. A quick Google search should tell you. Definitely still see what Tean has to say.

Squad sizes, vehicle squads and orders
I assume there can still be multiple squads per team?
Not really. You can pick individual units from a team and store their unique character IDs in Lua but you cannot give them unique orders. You can only give an AI goal to an entire team using AddAIGoal(team#, goaltype, weight, target [optional]). You'll have to rely on them using the hard-coded ( :( ) "Follow Me" order

Changing the way some Vehicles work
And it can land and take off?
I don't know. In Pegasus they spawn in space already and there's no hangar entrance large enough to fit them, so you'll have to ask Locutus whether they function as regular vehicles or some kind of remote droid hack.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by ARC1778 »

Right, if there is an AI follow limit for each team say 8, can each team spawns in waves, then if I can set up the waves as: Spawn 8 of this class in first wave, then those eight will join up right? Giving you one battle droid squad. And then spawn another lot of units, from team 2 with limit three, tell it to spawn 3 droidekias first then, the next unit of three, and you have a squad of three droidikas, yes? Next you tell it to spawn a squad of eight SBD and so long as they are prevented form spawning with a wave of the same team, then there's no-one else for them to join up with, yes?

And if they don't respawn until another wave of the relevant wave entries is ready, then that will work yes? It's jsut repeating the orgional deployment? Imagine the horror of fighting three of those shielded clankers at once!

Is there a way to force the player to wait for a wave opening as well, leting them know via a changing the new "Deploy" button between "Red" = No wave of this class in reserve, yellow = wave ready waiting for deployment opening, (not enought space/units just spawned and haven't got themselves organised) and green, for ready? You might have to wait a bit, Or atleast have that feedback if player spawn can't be controlled to that level? Giving you the choice to have a squad with you?

Is that possible? Please tell me I've solved this!
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

The only way to maybe force units into squads like that is to pick a squad leader, have the game track that unit's ID, and have each individual follower unit of the leader's class (e.g. an entire "team" of droideka followers) be given a goal of following that unit. However, that might negate their ability to do anything else, like take cover, or throw grenades/use secondary weapons. It would look something like this:

Code: Select all

Team 1:
*Unit 321 - class: SBD - goal: conquest (this is the squad leader)
Team 2:
*Unit 322 - class: SBD - goal: follow Unit 321
*Unit 323 - class: SBD - goal: follow Unit 321
*Unit 324 - class: SBD - goal: follow Unit 321
*Unit 325 - class: SBD - goal: follow Unit 321
*Unit 326 - class: SBD - goal: follow Unit 321
*Unit 327 - class: SBD - goal: follow Unit 321
Team 3:
*Unit 401 - class: droideka - goal: conquest (different squad leader)
Team 4:
*Unit 402 - class: droideka - goal: follow Unit 401
*Unit 403 - class: droideka - goal: follow Unit 401
*Unit 404 - class: droideka - goal: follow Unit 401
So, this should be possible in theory. I used a similar system in Assassination in order to have the police units follow the target units around to protect them.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of a way to prevent the player from spawning without also preventing all other units on the player's team from spawning as well. There are a couple of workarounds that come to mind:
1. Put the player on their own team. Then you can just disallow all spawning for that team.
2. This one's a little more junky, but you can use OnCharacterSpawn() and IsCharacterHuman() to determine if it's a human player spawning. If it is a human, let them spawn but teleport them to a small black room somewhere away from the battle until the wave is ready for them, then teleport them back to their original chosen spawn point.

Pretty much all of your ideas are going to require a lot of Lua. Your biggest task is going to be keeping it well-organized and modular so that you can easily implement all of your ideas across all of the maps you want to use. My Assassination project is 100% modular and can be plugged into any map within 5 minutes. My point is that, if you want, I'd be happy to help with Lua stuff. Just send me a PM.

Edit: changed font colour of incorrect statement to dark red to match my embarrassment.
Last edited by jedimoose32 on Fri Jul 03, 2015 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by nobody3 »

jedimoose32 wrote:that might negate their ability to do anything else, like take cover, or throw grenades/use secondary weapons.
Why should that negate that? Taking cover is affected by hint nodes, they still use them when they are in follow mode. And when they are in that follow mode, they don't use any different weapons than normally.

What you shouldn't forget to do is to reset their goal after the squad leader dies (the one they are following) or else they will just stand around doing nothing until the squad leader respawns again unless thats what you want them to do.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

I've never seen AI use cover in follow mode. Maybe that's just a coincidence, you are probably right.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by nobody3 »

They use it quite often but when you move certain distance far enough from them they will reset their "cover" and run to follow you.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

Keep in mind that the "Follow Me" command is different from the AddAIGoal "follow" that we're discussing. The functionality is different - the follow player command is all hard coded, and yes it does allow the AI to use cover and other stuff.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by nobody3 »

Its the same thing I think, I tested both and haven't noticed any differences except that you can have the whole team following you with the lua command which is fun thing to try. Or have enemy team follow you (the only way to force AI to sprint because they try to get behind you xD)
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

Yeah. The important difference is that "follow me" allows individual units to follow the player. The AI goal callback requires literally the whole team as an argument, so you can't have individuals within a team following one person. You can spread the weight values over several targets so a certain percentage of the team will follow the player and the rest will not.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by commanderawesome »

Am I correct in assuming that the "Friendly/Enemy AI Follow" FC commands make use of that line? Because I've seen units use secondaries and use cover while that command is active.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

Yeah that FC would use that command, presumably. You guys are probably right about that.
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by ARC1778 »

Can we trick the FC command into thinking one of AI's are player and have their team follow them?
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Re: Can these really cool features be implemented, if so how

Post by jedimoose32 »

No. Like I said the "follow me" command is completely hard coded. You can use the method I suggested in one of my previous posts. The FC command uses the same Lua function as my suggestion (AI goals).
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