Map assessment and pathing enhancements

[Nelsona]

Coming at Next Post with more ON-Topic Data.
Speaking about Bot40... whatever map.
First of all apparently Bot Support is perfect but... it's a butt in stage - lol.
If we are ignoring 4172 reachSpecs which map is hosting and other junkish bytes, we can discuss a bit about that uber SmartAlternatePath used here and which is not smart at all - it' s FAKE NEWS.
Some variable is saying

Code: Select all

var float ReTouchTime;		//Delay so selection weights don't get altered many times if we get touched more than once in rapid succession

You can touch it in any rapid succession because actually we do have function Touch:

Code: Select all

function Touch( actor Other )
{
	local SmartAlternatePath A;

	if ( Level.TimeSeconds - ReTouchTime >= 4 )
		ReTouchTime = Level.TimeSeconds;
		foreach AllActors( class 'SmartAlternatePath', A )
			if (A != Self)
				A.SelectionWeight += 0.5;
}

Which is only updating a variable without to prevent anything in a Rapid Succession - it's an abomination - all that statement should be into brackets and it's not - iterator keeps being called without problems. So we do have a potential spam but which won't occur because...

NotLikeThat.PNG (10.69 KiB) Viewed 6597 times

And then this is acting only like a plain AlternatePath because when we are writing codes debugging logs might help in preventing to generate junkie codes with no purpose just to look "smart" - it's nothing smart here. Collision with Actors is nowhere so you won't have any call to the Touch function .
And then... by adjusting code and... by reducing reachSpecs at 946 game runs with no issues.

The next is a virtual scenario. Assuming a game with Bots very balanced and running hours, we are adjusting SelectionWeight for these SmartAlternatePaths. Does it stops somewhere or it goes to crazy values ? I don't see a CAPPING stuff anywhere so yes it goes crazy at a moment due to fascinating "Touch" code.
Guys writing these, you can wipe your back side with these abominations - I'm doing things other way, geniuses. These ancient codes do not have anything "SMART" at all, it's all dumber than a rock .

As for DevPath comments
Let me see, SmartAlternatePath like stock AlternatePath is addressing BOT Via CTF game controller and Flag. Perhaps, exactly like other Bot Stuff - InventorySpot/PlayerStart - these could be lowered as placement and perhaps educated with a smaller collision than a plain collision - goddamn, it's about Bots not about Titans, these can be lowered because this way is the best match toward Bot. Monster won't use this after all unless has a deal around, but if there is enough space in room, reachSpec won't discard to many creatures from crawling around.

[Nelsona]

Bumping. Info
While I was sitting relaxed in my armchair I dropped an eye over a few old maps - purpose: cleaning junks and reducing paths to a decent charge and maximal coverage. EG, if you want to try such adjusted maps, hit me with a PM and I'll reply with attachments.

[evilgrins]

If you noted on ut99.org I've taken it upon myself to censor a bunch of maps some pervert more or less slathered with porn.

No worries, it's already gone from this one (replaced with light fixtures) but it does need a fix... whenever the Warlord falls into the pit it died but retains +1 health so it never respawns back above. By all means, fix whatever else but that's the main thing.

[Nelsona]

That's TriggeredDeath crapped junk a la Epic.

If map has brushes there can be a zone killer... if map is not having brushes or brushes are screwed up and building returns funky zones there can be used a trigger happily educated for killing everything on Touch... Let me check what is about.

Edit: Yes, brushes are gone but... I think trigger solves the problem somehow... in hoping that Phys_Flying - Falling won't mess with Touching trigger...

DM-UTDMW-AlcoveArena_kaf.7z

(193.55 KiB) Downloaded 219 times

Let me know if there are issues... or if it needs some custom scripting...

[evilgrins]

It played fine for about 2 minutes, and then this...

[Nelsona]

I can expect problems if you have changed original textures without to re-build map. Re-building map won't be possible here because brushes are stripped out but it's possible to try rebuilding BSP and Lightning - I'm not sure if it helps.
Error seems to be caused by attaching a decal which has a deal with texture from a polygon where this is intended to be attached. Perhaps might be helpful switching Zone to bFogZone in order to no longer attach any decal anywhere.

Last resort would be reconstructing map from current BSP space by creating some brush and doing a normal rebuild - I'm not sure if this would be healthy...

[evilgrins]

Last resort would be reconstructing map from current BSP space by creating some brush and doing a normal rebuild - I'm not sure if this would be healthy...

Give it a shot.

[Nelsona]

Hm... I think texture at bottom of map was... default texture and changed, I think there is the render problem...
Okay.... I'll try to recover geometry.

EDIT:
This is what I have and... I've added t3d resource files... You can figure brushes... lol alignment...
Anyway, you can change textures or complete various things and rebuild map... oh well, paths are custom (157 reachSpecs), you can re-build them with Editor but... they don't need to be so many as Editor does...
Here it is map with recovered geometry...

DM-UTDMW-Alcove_Recv.7z

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Technically it should support rebuilding geometry without losing rooms or zones.

UTDMW_AlcoveArena.PNG (68.81 KiB) Viewed 6512 times

[evilgrins]

There may be something still wrong with the ceiling... wasn't doing that before.

[Nelsona]

That's what I was saying... Recovering doesn't always do good things.
These can be settings at surfaces. There probably was a Non-Colliding sheet and now it's part of a subtract pointing translucent surface into void and doing a HOM.

UTDMW_AlcoveArena_1.PNG (68.97 KiB) Viewed 6505 times

I think it needs more work... or another strategy...