Start Positions

[TechnoTone]

Firstly - apologies if this is in the wrong place. As it relates to a number of issues I didn't think any section was more appropriate. I also apologise in advance if I'm re-covering old ground. I have searched the forums for any references to this but was unable to find any.


I have a problem with the current Start Position method - especially when playing with AI Bots. The main issue seems to be caused by the fact that Fixed start positions doesn't use the "Team" number but instead uses the index position of the player in the player list. This means there is no control over who goes where other than getting players to join the game in the right order. Alas, this doesn't work for Bots as they are always shunted to the bottom of the list so you can't control where they will start.

Secondly, when playing "Choose in Game" the Bot is unable to play at all.


To solve the first issue it would be useful if the start positions were controllable by the Team number. This would enable us to control exactly what start position is used for each player/bot.

To solve the second perhaps a way of the Bot's owner being able to choose the bots start position once in the game in the same way players choose their own start position. Perhaps by using the Tab key to cycle through your commander/bots.

[Maelstrom]

+1. Good idea. Most people play with 'Chose positions', so that bot chosing one would be very handy.

[nobody2u]

Sounds like a good idea. The bot problem should be easily fixed with a small script addition though.

[Quanto042]

I like this idea too!

+1 for good justice!

[Aun]

Just use .cheat and .team (number of bot), select position of bot, switch back to your own team using .team 0 and press ctrl+enter to force start.

[hollowsoul]

Or just allow use to pick starting positions aka x/y in script.txt
Since we got choose positions in-game.

And thus making it possible for clients dev's to codek starting positions via map preview before u start.

[AF]

Wouldnt it be easier to just add an up and down button in the lobby to mvoe players up and down the list?

[TechnoTone]

That would only work if Bots were no longer forced to the bottom of the list.

[Bobcatben]

i always found it odd that it didn't go by the team number.

[TechnoTone]

Indeed. I personally would prefer Fixed to refer to the team number. That way, you can force a player to position 2, a bot to position 5, etc. I'm sure this wouldn't require much work to do - afterall, isn't it the lobby client that tells spring where to put the commanders when playing Fixed anyway?

[TechnoTone]

Just use .cheat and .team (number of bot), select position of bot, switch back to your own team using .team 0 and press ctrl+enter to force start.

Thanks Aun - it works great. Though I would still prefer the aforementioned solution.

[FizWizz]

The aforementioned solution would be great. I have tried a couple of times to play a fixed positions game with other players, and the current Spring/Lobby method of assigning start positions was a bit of an inconvenience.