@NADEO: Tons of questions about new stuff from dev pov

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Dommy
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@NADEO: Tons of questions about new stuff from dev pov

Post by Dommy »

OK, since I'm one of the most dedicated to creative part of ShootMania (mode writing), by looking at the today's preview, a lot of questions came to my mind. I know it's only previews phase, but I want to tell what I would like to know about new stuff coming. But let's sort them out.

1. New weapons
:!: Before anything else in this post, please note following definitions: :!:
[1] Weapon = one of the vanilla and engine integrated weapons: 1:Laser, 2:Rocket, 3:Nucleus, 5:Arrow.
[2] Action = weapon created with action maker tool, including non-weapon action (moves).


This is so damn cool to see all these new possibilities for weapons ManiaPlanet 4.0 will bring us. :D However, for devs like me, the information specified in the preview doesn't tell me some important things about them.

1.1 The visuals of the weapons
I really hope new look of the projectiles is just a bug or glitch during development, nothing is gonna change. You already set the nice look with ManiaPlanet 3.0 and we are used to it, please don't change them unnecessarily.

1.2 Are newly presented weapons in fact weapons, or custom actions?
With cool new things comes big mess. Until now, we had 4 default engine weapons:

Code: Select all

CSmMode::EWeapon { Laser, Rocket, Nucleus, Arrow }
The important question is: are the newly presented "weapons" the new default Weapons [1] or new functions given for Actions [2]? Both options have their pres and cons, like including this as new normal weapons would be a huge addition to all vanilla game modes, but cause huge mess in terms of managing weapons for advanced modes, but if they are actions, it gives us tons of new possibilities in cost of making a title pack (unless you put all your effort into one). If they are actions, thank god, because I'm a lot scared of complications made.

If they are built-in weapons, are they available in enumerator?

Code: Select all

CSmMode::EWeapon { Laser, Rocket, Nucleus, ChargeShot, Arrow, Missile, Hunter, Scout, GoldenLaser }
1.3 The "Golden Rocket" a.k.a. "Charged Shot"
Image
I'm really glad to see this back, missed it since Beta 2 patch :thumbsup: . This however stands some questions I always wanted to ask about that.

Worth noticing: The player on demo video is sometimes moving while this Rocket variant is still active. Original Charged Shot from B2 would slowly load while standing still and disappear once player moves.

a) Is new Charged Shot a weapon or an action? If it's action, then we already have this and questions below don't count.
b) Will the new Charged Shot be possible to acquire the same way it was in Beta 2?
c) Is Charged Shot a valid weapon in scripts? Does it appear in enumerators and has own weapon num? By looking at the current list of all weapons, you can notice there are numbers [1, 2, 3, 5], but somehow the 4 is missing. Was it the weapon number of Charged Shot? Will it be possible to use it through scripts under EWeapon enum?

Code: Select all

CSmMode::EWeapon { Laser, Rocket, Nucleus, ChargeShot, Arrow }
1.4 The "Missile" and its homing
Image
a) So far homing was possible to do in custom actions. Does that mean Missile is new weapon? Or is it action and you are advertising already existing stuff?
b) Will it be possible for action (or if it's a weapon: weapons) to define set of players it is supposed to track? Can we specify a clan number to avoid, ESmAttackFilter like for bots or just put players in TrackedPlayers[] array?

1.5 The "Hunter" and the "Scout"
Image
By loking at this, I'm really impressed. Good job :thumbsup: . Although it doesn't change fact we need to know something about it. Again - is it weapon or custom action? If action: I assume the camera and projectile control are options we can set for our actions, right?

1.6 The "Shield" and the way it works
Image
This is my second personal favourite from the new preview. :3
a) Again - is it weapon or custom action? I assume it's action as it appears in consumable items slot.
b) Will it be possible for action to define set of players it is supposed to block? Can we specify a clan number to avoid, ESmAttackFilter like for bots or just put players in BlockedPlayers[] array?
c) What does the number and visual effect represent? If the number is below 100 the projectile passes by and over that number it is reflected.
d) Does it have its durability?
e) Can we expect the reflection sound, like Rocket bounce on power wall? ^^

2. The turret objects
Image
I really like these items. Although, as everything, this also needs some explainations.

2.1 Differences and relations with current implementations
Okay, we have Turret item type in ManiaPlanet 3.1 already, and there is also Turret behaviour type for bots. So far i have experimented with Turret object type in current version, it seem to only shoot the action forward in constant period. Bot with Turret type seems to behave like Static type, with exception it shoots players in its range.

So, what exactly is the new turret?
a) Object - everything is a custom solid object of Turret type. Landmark in script.
b) Bot - the Turret is not a solid object, it's a bot with forced Turret type. Bot in script.
c) Both object and bot - the tripod is a solid object and a script landmark, it spawns a bot used as barel, with forced Turret behaviour setting.

2.2 Script instance and controlling
If previous question answer is B or C, ignore this part, as it can be configured as both BotPlayer and ObjectAnchor landmark.

Can we expect the new kind of landmark, like CSmMapTurret with all options configurable? Ability to set:
- What players the turret is aggressive to.
- What weapon/action is the turret using.
- Other things, similar to bots (health, shooting speed).

2.3 Official default item or custom only?
The current design doesn't look like it fits ShootMania mood at all, I guess it's only temporary replacement. The very important question is: will be there an official turret item used in game modes, or we will need to make one by our own? If first - then that would be extremely cool and without additional complications, if second - object makers would make custom turrets that don't fit ShootMania design even more than one shown in demo video, plus it would require a custom title pack, which is not that nice (some people still like doing vanilla scripts).

2.4 This annoying SOUND
Is this only temporary? Will it be changed to other sound or removed? That sound effect is annoying and disturbing as hell. :shock:

3. New "rollercoaster" powerpath variants
Image
I guess there is literally nothing I can ask about these blocks, except:

a) If we disable WalkOnWall in game mode, the player would be just unable to unlock Y axis and attempts in using sloped pathes would end in unsuccessful climbing?
b) The gravity force changes its direction back to normal after 1 second in air, right?

4. The glorious VEHICLES!
Image
Nuff said, this is just AMAZING :3

4.1 The way cars work and are managed through script
They defiantly are going to be a new class or type of objects I guess. But there come some important things:
- Is the vehicle spawned through script, handled automatically by game itself or both?
- Can we manage events related to vehicles, like in TrackMania + ShootMania ones? (OnVehicleHit, OnStunt, OnRequestEnterVehicle, etc.)
- Can a vehicle seat not only driver, but also passengers?
- Can we spawn a vehicle in any place we want, or only landmarks?
- Can we expect some vehicle entering / leaving animation with smooth camera change? (GTA feeling)
- Can we somehow spawn a player in existing vehicle? Or create new one through script in any place we want and spawn the player in it.

4.2 Vehicles customisation
- Can we use custom cars with custom physics? (= more cars than just Canyon, Stadium, Valley and Lagoon)
- Can we modify vehicles parameters through scripts? (health, speed, turbo, turn on lights, trails)
- Will it be possible to define who can enter a car?
- Will it be possible to shoot from inside of a car? (I guess not)
- Can a custom skin be applied to a vehicle? If yes, only by loading it with item or can it be changed on the fly?

4.3 No sounds for vehicles?
I really couldn't hear any other sound than the engine and grass slide.
- Will be there crashing sounds when the vehicle prop is crashing into blocks (like in TrackMania)?
- Will it have elimination sound like player does?

Thats pretty much all from me. I hope someone will have time to answer this ^^
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Re: @NADEO: Tons of questions about new stuff from dev pov

Post by Alinoa »

I quote here what Hylis said regarding the questions list in the topic of the maniaplanet 4 preview:
Hylis wrote:Yeah, I have seen and started to answer. And I believe it will be better to do it during the beta in fact. We have to concentrate on dev at the moment and it will be easier during beta to discuss / update / change etc.
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Re: @NADEO: Tons of questions about new stuff from dev pov

Post by HYPE »

Looking forward to the answers! :)
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