Map assessment and pathing enhancements

[evilgrins]

The telejumpers are interesting, but hard to manage. There's no visible representation for them, which would make them hard for players to use. Bots can see them as they can see lots of stuff most human players cannot.

Cannons are a must, they add a level of unpredictability. Most players are not accustomed to dealing with a constant threat from above.

[Nelsona]

There's no visible representation for them, which would make them hard for players to use.

And do stock JumpSpot and TranslocDest include visible representation during game ? Player can do what want, these are for making Bots to perform a bit different instead of only looking at sky. Player can escalate these how wants because has a Brain - okay, okay, I get it, not everyone has a clue how to play CTF...
Question: Do you know about Translocator boosting at long distances ? That would be challenging to implement at Bots - I don't know if I can do that...
For the rest of editing tasks toward these "Teleporters" ViewPort can be delegated with flag "Show Paths" or else there is nothing to see. Teleporters are connected exactly like any normal Teleporter, there isn't any Rocket Science here. My Garbage boy can actually help me here as long as it is capable to link Teleporters as described in its document generating strings itself and excepting mapper from writing stories in Editor.

First time when I used these Translocation combos it was in CTF-OurNeighbors_TL which has 10 brushes and full bad ass bot support... code is unchanged and it's needed as long as teleporters are doing something at movement and... they did not worked as I wanted in secondary translocation, only in the first attempt. Then... I think code might need some fine tuning but... another time in a suitable environment where I want to chain three translocation steps...

[evilgrins]

Okay, never mind.

I'll work with these as is.

[Nelsona]

Let's see what 469b has:

GettingUpThere.PNG (1.03 MiB) Viewed 2887 times

I don't know what else must be pointed, all player can do what wants, Bot is limited at two routes. Here can be used a blocker node and less paths in lower area for making them more motivated about using high ways... all it needs is removing a few central nodes leaving only one - a toggler one - and... done.

[evilgrins]

Okay, this has been sitting around done as done can be awhile now... so assess.

1. Do nothing to the warlords, we may re-visit this to path them to take flags, which may be trickier for CTF4 but I'd like a something standard first.
2. The main issue I have, and tried to get in the screenshots, is bots get jumpboots and then try to get to the upper ring where the mega-health is... but never make it. They always lean back and land where they initially jumped from. You may have to watch bots play a bit to see what I mean, but it happens often at all bases.

Beyond that, take a look around and see if anything else needs fixi... oh yeah, there's a little teleport issue which is hard to define. Did you ever play UT2004? How players would suddenly die for no reason, system message would be the player died of an aneurysm... well, some bots coming out of some teleports from the base back down to the main playing area get basically that same effect.

Take your time with this, no rush.

[Nelsona]

Concept for Taking flags (monsters more exactly at MultiCTF) would be definitely custom scripting and nothing less. Monster basically can track route for whatever destination, mainly always the same as long as dynamic mapping concept doesn't seems to capture interest from mappers because... these are Bad textures importers bad geometry makers and all sort of "artists" with tech level at frog's knee - it's what I cannot call mapping. Producing for years the same static UNR files for me is a bit disappointing, I was expecting more interested in learning a bit of MyLeveling and keeping stupid standards in textures without trying to get unsuccessfully over Engine. But, let's allow jesters to clap hands and let's try things doable in UE1 but not very done so far.
The difficulty with Warlord is that it has two possible physics options making things a bit harder - "current locomotion method". If map is simple I can launch a pathing session done 70% by hand but battling situations it's a harder prediction. Maybe a few future tests I think won't hurt.

Pathing at first look - Seriously ? Are these combos ? If was a competition in who does the most retarded paths I'm in for the big prize... That's simple, just make pawn to go in a point where is no valid ground/floor support for reaching in spot, but a death-zone. I'll bet on two cents it won't get anywhere...

[evilgrins]

As i said, that's for later if ever.

Concentrate on bot-pathing and that weird jumping issue I mentioned... also the aneurysm thing.

[Nelsona]

I have to admit that here is needed some medical examination everywhere...
By example I played as yellow/gold team and I was walking around - alone, no bots.
See what ground is here - I felt in... whatever area...

BSP_NoCollision.gif (2.44 MiB) Viewed 2862 times

First thing to do is FIXING geometry or else here won't be any valid paths. Clowns were unable to do geometry properly, why would have normal paths ?

DevPath_TellsTheStory_NoPathsInAir.PNG (1.15 MiB) Viewed 2861 times

You cannot see surfaces without collision in Editor but, DevPath shows them... and then... mapper too - the guy who is mapper not a plonker. Borked area has PathNodes without links. I'm curious what brushes are there...

Edit:
Yeah... sure, semisolids mixed and solids... 469b recovered area but... several surfaces are flickering or are invisible from the most of locations... For arguing with geometry here for me is a NO. It needs ages for testing everything and gaining solid ground... I don't know where is that "sick" zone... perhaps removing it is doable but I think map will still have issues as long as it does Cuts. I have to figure building strategy...

[evilgrins]

Well, like i said, take your time.

I may direct Anubitek here, he's done skyboxes on some of our previous edits and he asked recently if there was anything for him... though I think this skybox is fine as is. Mostly this map plays fine, but I figured you could have some fun with it.

[Nelsona]

Spawning and falling into hole ? Other surfaces goes borked as well... If one is fixed other one goes rammed. Pathing here won't have anything good - those areas won't be navigable normally - are rat-traps. Either way surfaces will flicker - this is a mess requiring time to fix, I'm not sure if I'm having more plans at this moment.
SkyBox I don't know if has issues but... there are BSPCuts based on subtracts damaging gaming area where are semisolid brushes...