What the hell is your problem, I'm giving him a base to start on.
All of that you stated is possible, or will be possible in the next spring version. As far as LUA is concerned, I never used it, if you think it can help, go right ahead.
Transports can be set to only hold a set number of units, and mass, though the former isn't listed on the loaded spring fbi tag page. As far as the design goes, you will have to put in a hell of a lot of work, most other people here started on an OTA derivative.
New Mod concept (WIP)
Moderator: Moderators
Okay all, settle down, and thanks for your support Smoth and rc.
I know this is a big project and that I overestimate my ability to complete it. I think it is my passion atm, tho. Anyone interesting in helping, let me know. I am away for the next few weeks, btw
Faction 1 (Earth/Government based faction)
Overview:
This faction has no immobile factories. All building is done by turrets onto the map. **Edit: The end goal is to make actual mobile factories in order to have a real build que etc.** Units consist of small weapons and utilities, that are weak, including mexes, nanolathes, weapons, shields, jammers, and cloakers etc., that are immobile. In addition, there are large powerful, strong, maneuverable hover units that act as transports and carry the smaller units. These large units are defenseless without the support of the smaller componenets. In addition, these large units are absolutely necessary, but are more expensive and thus not so numerous. Forces are limited by the economy. Cloaking is cheap for this faction. This faction has power in its ability to tank, or take large amounts of damage, and its ability to move around the map, leaving no traces. Its energy creators are very powerful, and its mexes are very efficient. However, their metal makers are almost worthless, and thus it is important for this faction to hold territory rich in metal. This faction has nukes. Strategy for this faction relies on ability to catch the enemy on an unexpected front, lure the enemy into a trap, and create well balanced units and forces.
Appearance:
This faction has a lot of dull, muted colors, suggesting the serious and grave power of the old earth government, as well as its old and tired nature. There are no stripes, but mostly solid patches and textures, such as metal plating. The turrets have no special looks to them, with a y axis (z-axis but in spring I think it is y) rotation in the base and an x axis rotation where the central collumn joins the gun. Hover units look just like big floating boxes with rounded corners and edges, without many interesting features. There may be logos of the faction on the sides of units.
Scripting: Top priority is creating a mobile factory, and maybe even a factory module to be loaded modularly onto one of the main hover units. Building modules directly onto units needs scripting as well. This faction would do well with custom formations. Again, mobile factories need scripting, for placement of units after building independent of factory's own movement and actions. I have an idea that a mobile factory could be a transport that loads itself with the units it builds internally. I also have the idea that each unit could populate itself with modules with its own nanolathe or something.
Faction 2 (Rebel faction)
Overview:
This faction has a very strong economy and infrastructure, allowing it to mass produce units. It has structures that are immobile and follow the more traditional type of base building. Units are legged, generally with 4 legs, and are all terrain. There is even a factory to make amphibious units. Units of this faction are weaker than those of the other factions, but their weapons are surprisingly powerful for their size and weight. Base defenses are also powerful, albeit with low armor. To make up for lack of armor, bases must skillfully incoporate passive defenses and bunkers to insure that units can fire at enemies, but enemies cannot fire back. Units are mostly stealth. Units must use flash attacking tactics, as well as orbiting and surrounding methods. Strategy relies on large forces and omnipresence on the map. The economy gets stronger as more territory is covered. This faction is probably the one that is easiest for OTA players to play.
Appearance:
Most of the units look like 4-legged spiders, with "knees" of the legs slightly exceeding the altitude of the body. Team color and metalic stripes follow the length of the legs, with large amounts of dark and metallic colors in the units and structures. The legs are angular, while bodies and structures are very smooth and rounded. Weapons may be mounted underneath spider bodies as well as on top.
Scripting:
These units need a script that adapts their gait to the terrain, as well as a custom formations script. Scripts are also needed to optimize handling of the economy, and for terraforming. There needs to be scripting for tactics to prevent unit damage in order to minimize micro.
Faction 3 (Invader (alien?) faction)
Overview:
This faction is an air faction. Its territory is hard to define, since it owns the sky. However, it will usually patrol certain areas. The tricky thing about this faction is that everything is mobile (barely mobile for base structures), and everthing hovers/flies. Similar to faction 1, turrets will be used at first (in development) to build units onto the map, but really what must be done in the end is create flying factories. All units and structures in this faction require energy to operate. This energy is very easy to come by due to this faction's advanced matter/anitmatter drives, and almost all units and structures are self sufficient energy-wise. Since these matter/antimatter reactors require large amounts of mass, metal is much more important. Metal collectors fuse gaseous atoms in the air to form metal, and can operate in passive and active states. Passive states require no energy, but produce metal at a slow trickle. Active states produce a good amount of metal, but require large amounts of energy. Energy collectors for this faction consist of highly efficient solar collectors, and even better microwave collectors. Resource management for this faction is a very different from that of the other factions and of OTA games. Economy is difficult. Reclaiming wreckage and even live units from opponents becomes very important. A challenging part about this faction is building since one builds high above land, despite the ghost highlight being on the land. Hopefully scripting can ease this process. Units in this faction consist of small fast fighters in T1, and larger, slow gunships and battleships in T2+ that are correspondingly more powerful. Despite these better tech levels, level 1 becomes important for swarm tactics, and thus cannot be ignored later in the game. Some of the L1 units and most of the L2+ units have a shield that can be turned on and off. These shields cost energy that the ship cannot supply on its own, and thus require energy on top of the ship's metal requirements. Small ships go out with a little bang, but large ships explode violently, and then fall to earth with damaging consequences. All large units are flying bombs, that can be self-d'ed with devastating results (without the wreckage). This is probably the hardest faction to play, especially without scripts. Strategy for this faction is swarming with L1 units, distracting defenses while big fat destroyers are rolled into position above.
Appearance:
Units should be colorful, suggesting something otherworldly. Also, units and structures should have a glowing appearance. Sleek and rounded is good, but units should also have a bulky appearance, with various thrusters supporting hovering. Units should not be long and thin, but rather equally proportioned for the most part, with shiny and reflective surfaces. Explosions should have a nice wide lateral shock effect (for large units).
Scripting:
Lots. Same mobile factory, formations, and economy scripting as above, but with the added element of flying. Building in the air needs hefty scripting. Another idea I had is to support the landing of units on large flying airpads. For example, there could be a floating repair pad sort of system, or large units could be able to be "boarded" by airlifted enemy units, where enemy units could attack the vital central core of the ship. A long term goal is 3d base design (I am not sure if Spring could support this). Scripts just need to keep everything about this faction flying. Thus, this faction is a lower priority than the other two.
I know this is a big project and that I overestimate my ability to complete it. I think it is my passion atm, tho. Anyone interesting in helping, let me know. I am away for the next few weeks, btw
Faction 1 (Earth/Government based faction)
Overview:
This faction has no immobile factories. All building is done by turrets onto the map. **Edit: The end goal is to make actual mobile factories in order to have a real build que etc.** Units consist of small weapons and utilities, that are weak, including mexes, nanolathes, weapons, shields, jammers, and cloakers etc., that are immobile. In addition, there are large powerful, strong, maneuverable hover units that act as transports and carry the smaller units. These large units are defenseless without the support of the smaller componenets. In addition, these large units are absolutely necessary, but are more expensive and thus not so numerous. Forces are limited by the economy. Cloaking is cheap for this faction. This faction has power in its ability to tank, or take large amounts of damage, and its ability to move around the map, leaving no traces. Its energy creators are very powerful, and its mexes are very efficient. However, their metal makers are almost worthless, and thus it is important for this faction to hold territory rich in metal. This faction has nukes. Strategy for this faction relies on ability to catch the enemy on an unexpected front, lure the enemy into a trap, and create well balanced units and forces.
Appearance:
This faction has a lot of dull, muted colors, suggesting the serious and grave power of the old earth government, as well as its old and tired nature. There are no stripes, but mostly solid patches and textures, such as metal plating. The turrets have no special looks to them, with a y axis (z-axis but in spring I think it is y) rotation in the base and an x axis rotation where the central collumn joins the gun. Hover units look just like big floating boxes with rounded corners and edges, without many interesting features. There may be logos of the faction on the sides of units.
Scripting: Top priority is creating a mobile factory, and maybe even a factory module to be loaded modularly onto one of the main hover units. Building modules directly onto units needs scripting as well. This faction would do well with custom formations. Again, mobile factories need scripting, for placement of units after building independent of factory's own movement and actions. I have an idea that a mobile factory could be a transport that loads itself with the units it builds internally. I also have the idea that each unit could populate itself with modules with its own nanolathe or something.
Faction 2 (Rebel faction)
Overview:
This faction has a very strong economy and infrastructure, allowing it to mass produce units. It has structures that are immobile and follow the more traditional type of base building. Units are legged, generally with 4 legs, and are all terrain. There is even a factory to make amphibious units. Units of this faction are weaker than those of the other factions, but their weapons are surprisingly powerful for their size and weight. Base defenses are also powerful, albeit with low armor. To make up for lack of armor, bases must skillfully incoporate passive defenses and bunkers to insure that units can fire at enemies, but enemies cannot fire back. Units are mostly stealth. Units must use flash attacking tactics, as well as orbiting and surrounding methods. Strategy relies on large forces and omnipresence on the map. The economy gets stronger as more territory is covered. This faction is probably the one that is easiest for OTA players to play.
Appearance:
Most of the units look like 4-legged spiders, with "knees" of the legs slightly exceeding the altitude of the body. Team color and metalic stripes follow the length of the legs, with large amounts of dark and metallic colors in the units and structures. The legs are angular, while bodies and structures are very smooth and rounded. Weapons may be mounted underneath spider bodies as well as on top.
Scripting:
These units need a script that adapts their gait to the terrain, as well as a custom formations script. Scripts are also needed to optimize handling of the economy, and for terraforming. There needs to be scripting for tactics to prevent unit damage in order to minimize micro.
Faction 3 (Invader (alien?) faction)
Overview:
This faction is an air faction. Its territory is hard to define, since it owns the sky. However, it will usually patrol certain areas. The tricky thing about this faction is that everything is mobile (barely mobile for base structures), and everthing hovers/flies. Similar to faction 1, turrets will be used at first (in development) to build units onto the map, but really what must be done in the end is create flying factories. All units and structures in this faction require energy to operate. This energy is very easy to come by due to this faction's advanced matter/anitmatter drives, and almost all units and structures are self sufficient energy-wise. Since these matter/antimatter reactors require large amounts of mass, metal is much more important. Metal collectors fuse gaseous atoms in the air to form metal, and can operate in passive and active states. Passive states require no energy, but produce metal at a slow trickle. Active states produce a good amount of metal, but require large amounts of energy. Energy collectors for this faction consist of highly efficient solar collectors, and even better microwave collectors. Resource management for this faction is a very different from that of the other factions and of OTA games. Economy is difficult. Reclaiming wreckage and even live units from opponents becomes very important. A challenging part about this faction is building since one builds high above land, despite the ghost highlight being on the land. Hopefully scripting can ease this process. Units in this faction consist of small fast fighters in T1, and larger, slow gunships and battleships in T2+ that are correspondingly more powerful. Despite these better tech levels, level 1 becomes important for swarm tactics, and thus cannot be ignored later in the game. Some of the L1 units and most of the L2+ units have a shield that can be turned on and off. These shields cost energy that the ship cannot supply on its own, and thus require energy on top of the ship's metal requirements. Small ships go out with a little bang, but large ships explode violently, and then fall to earth with damaging consequences. All large units are flying bombs, that can be self-d'ed with devastating results (without the wreckage). This is probably the hardest faction to play, especially without scripts. Strategy for this faction is swarming with L1 units, distracting defenses while big fat destroyers are rolled into position above.
Appearance:
Units should be colorful, suggesting something otherworldly. Also, units and structures should have a glowing appearance. Sleek and rounded is good, but units should also have a bulky appearance, with various thrusters supporting hovering. Units should not be long and thin, but rather equally proportioned for the most part, with shiny and reflective surfaces. Explosions should have a nice wide lateral shock effect (for large units).
Scripting:
Lots. Same mobile factory, formations, and economy scripting as above, but with the added element of flying. Building in the air needs hefty scripting. Another idea I had is to support the landing of units on large flying airpads. For example, there could be a floating repair pad sort of system, or large units could be able to be "boarded" by airlifted enemy units, where enemy units could attack the vital central core of the ship. A long term goal is 3d base design (I am not sure if Spring could support this). Scripts just need to keep everything about this faction flying. Thus, this faction is a lower priority than the other two.
Last edited by kiki on 08 Nov 2007, 00:38, edited 59 times in total.
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Mr.Frumious
- Posts: 139
- Joined: 06 Jul 2006, 17:47
You should try out your ideas. First thing you'll find: units-building-units instead of factories is flipping annoying for anything mobile. Play Nooberhack, or Nanoblobs (without autofacs) and you'll be horrified at how much you miss. You can't rally, queuing is inconvenient, units get in each other's way, etc. If you're going to include mobile factories, you'll have to script up a way for actually functional mobile factories to work. Probably by using Lua to graft an actual factory to a mobile unit, with some sort of unloading scheme to remove the built units onto the surrounding terrain.
Your approach will work well for the large, Mech-style units, but for small things it'll be annoying... and annoying if you want to have large groups of large units.
Perhaps you should consider making your economy encourage a fixed-size of army if you want to go the "transports-with-grafted-turrets" approach? Lots of ways you can do this - unit maintenance costs, fixed unit limits, limited unit-counts on resource extractors, etc.
Your approach will work well for the large, Mech-style units, but for small things it'll be annoying... and annoying if you want to have large groups of large units.
Perhaps you should consider making your economy encourage a fixed-size of army if you want to go the "transports-with-grafted-turrets" approach? Lots of ways you can do this - unit maintenance costs, fixed unit limits, limited unit-counts on resource extractors, etc.
Yes, that is my ultimate goal, having a mobile factory that is really just a factory on wheels (or a hover base). That will be some pretty spiffy scripting, and maybe I should just stick to turrets at first. However, I should change the post since mobile factory is the end goal. Thank you.
Keep in mind all that I am constantly updating (while I can) the above post, so keep checking it. Ill be gone for a while, but dont let this thread die.
Keep in mind all that I am constantly updating (while I can) the above post, so keep checking it. Ill be gone for a while, but dont let this thread die.
Hmm, Ill see what I can do when I get back. The tricky thing is to separate the commands to factory motion itself from the commands to the units it produces. Im leaving for real now, so bye all. Be back in 3 weeks or so.smoth wrote:a moving factory can be done via lua but there are no examples that I can point you to as of yet.
More for when you get back.
It probably would be good to go ahead and do what you can with the basic engine features. Get the models in game etc then start piece by piece on the lua. No reason to take it all on at once. After all past scripting things most of you work is really going to be on content generation.
It probably would be good to go ahead and do what you can with the basic engine features. Get the models in game etc then start piece by piece on the lua. No reason to take it all on at once. After all past scripting things most of you work is really going to be on content generation.
Re: New Mod concept (WIP)
Id be careful of making a faction depend entirely on the way they deal with terrain for their differences. You may get a situation similiar to kbots/vechs where there are 'kbot maps' and 'vech maps' where one or the other are not nearly as viable due the the flatness/hilliness of the map. If one faction is superior on hills and in the water, you'll just get people playing all one faction on one type of map, all another on another type of map.
A few maps might have terrain where all factions are viable but that will rule out playing your mod on a great deal of maps.
Id also echo the general sentiment here and say perhaps you should lower your ambitions slightly. Start with one faction and a handful of units, expand from there, especially if you're new to modding. You'll learn a lot more a lot faster if you're able to make a complete, playable game and slowly add more on.
A few maps might have terrain where all factions are viable but that will rule out playing your mod on a great deal of maps.
Id also echo the general sentiment here and say perhaps you should lower your ambitions slightly. Start with one faction and a handful of units, expand from there, especially if you're new to modding. You'll learn a lot more a lot faster if you're able to make a complete, playable game and slowly add more on.
I agree with Saktoth- once you have a broad outline, it's best to finish each faction, imo. But, that said, it means you have to take awhile before there will be two sides- when I release the first public Alpha for PURE, it'll only have one side, which I'm sure will cause much whining, but I'd rather release and see what people think than sit on all of it while I get the second side built.
tl;dr- Most mods dont need factions, as divergent tech trees in a single mod allow more versatility and requires less work from the modder.
Honestly Argh, id rather see a complete game with just one side. I dont think factions are a useful concept at all and are a leftover from RTS's as single player games that needed a storyline and a justification for a 'war' (which by definition requires two sides).
Why isnt it a good concept? Because it is a choice of strategy made before the game even starts. Its a non-interactive choice, made once, that dictates much of the flow of the game and from then on is non-interactive. If the factions are evenly balanced, then there is often no reason to pick one over another. If they are not evenly balanced, it rules out half or more of the games content even making it into an actual game.
Importantly, it also makes things much harder for the modder, who increases his workload dramatically with each faction as well as making balance more difficult (You must ensure not only that each unit is useful but that each faction as a whole is useful).
The only advantage of having factions is when each one suits a separate playstyle, or each has very narrow strengths and weaknesses and are thus meant to compliment eachother in a multiplayer game.
However, a player can simply pick and chose units that suit his playstyle from a single faction (In fact if you split these units up over several factions, there is less of a chance of him being able to mix together the units he wants), and complimentary playstyles can be determined by tech trees (Be that fac choice, or lua tech upgrades- even with 'pick only one from this list' techs that mean you cant go 'jack of all trades').
If you have a Air faction, an All-terrain faction, and a Vehicle faction, why not just make all these a single faction utilizing seperate facs and tech trees? This means you dont need to make duplicates of a whole range of units from economic structures (which most modders neglect to do and are a pain when your factions economies are identical) to 'mid range artillery unit number 5'. It also allows you to build a very specific weakness into one tech tree that can be bolstered by a unit from another. If you build this into factions, then certain factions might be rendered 'unplayable' due to this weakness, as there is no way to make up for the weakness.
Now, there is perhaps one circumstance where factions are worthwhile. If you want a 'Team Fortress' style, where the whole focus is on having each player fill a very narrow role that requires teamwork from everyone in order to be used at full effectiveness. In that circumstance, you want to limit the players as much as possible, to require teamwork. Be aware though that mandates large games, will make 1v1 virtually pointless, and it isnt everyones cup of tea to die due to his allies incompetance (as if that wasnt a problem enough already). However, you can still incorporate a degree of this into a single faction (say, someone going air in *A and taking out vital structures so his allies can push land).
As this pertains to this thread, id suggest that lbctech consider incorporating his ideas into a single faction. They sound more like factory choices than they do like factions (Though its better to have diverse factions than identical ones).
Honestly Argh, id rather see a complete game with just one side. I dont think factions are a useful concept at all and are a leftover from RTS's as single player games that needed a storyline and a justification for a 'war' (which by definition requires two sides).
Why isnt it a good concept? Because it is a choice of strategy made before the game even starts. Its a non-interactive choice, made once, that dictates much of the flow of the game and from then on is non-interactive. If the factions are evenly balanced, then there is often no reason to pick one over another. If they are not evenly balanced, it rules out half or more of the games content even making it into an actual game.
Importantly, it also makes things much harder for the modder, who increases his workload dramatically with each faction as well as making balance more difficult (You must ensure not only that each unit is useful but that each faction as a whole is useful).
The only advantage of having factions is when each one suits a separate playstyle, or each has very narrow strengths and weaknesses and are thus meant to compliment eachother in a multiplayer game.
However, a player can simply pick and chose units that suit his playstyle from a single faction (In fact if you split these units up over several factions, there is less of a chance of him being able to mix together the units he wants), and complimentary playstyles can be determined by tech trees (Be that fac choice, or lua tech upgrades- even with 'pick only one from this list' techs that mean you cant go 'jack of all trades').
If you have a Air faction, an All-terrain faction, and a Vehicle faction, why not just make all these a single faction utilizing seperate facs and tech trees? This means you dont need to make duplicates of a whole range of units from economic structures (which most modders neglect to do and are a pain when your factions economies are identical) to 'mid range artillery unit number 5'. It also allows you to build a very specific weakness into one tech tree that can be bolstered by a unit from another. If you build this into factions, then certain factions might be rendered 'unplayable' due to this weakness, as there is no way to make up for the weakness.
Now, there is perhaps one circumstance where factions are worthwhile. If you want a 'Team Fortress' style, where the whole focus is on having each player fill a very narrow role that requires teamwork from everyone in order to be used at full effectiveness. In that circumstance, you want to limit the players as much as possible, to require teamwork. Be aware though that mandates large games, will make 1v1 virtually pointless, and it isnt everyones cup of tea to die due to his allies incompetance (as if that wasnt a problem enough already). However, you can still incorporate a degree of this into a single faction (say, someone going air in *A and taking out vital structures so his allies can push land).
As this pertains to this thread, id suggest that lbctech consider incorporating his ideas into a single faction. They sound more like factory choices than they do like factions (Though its better to have diverse factions than identical ones).
Hehe.Argh wrote:I agree with Saktoth- once you have a broad outline, it's best to finish each faction, imo. But, that said, it means you have to take awhile before there will be two sides- when I release the first public Alpha for PURE, it'll only have one side, which I'm sure will cause much whining, but I'd rather release and see what people think than sit on all of it while I get the second side built.
Also, if he has the support of the community, who cares, he can do his own thing, and people will back him up, me included.
Im back.
Thank you for your ideas and comments. I have not been idle either, and have my first (or was it my second? The one that I described as legged and atv) faction basically planned out. I need to quickly hash out a few simple models/ps images (actually, I need to learn Wings too) so I can get some feedback on where im going.
Sorry to steal ideas again
, but i was planning on doing what Saktoth said, starting with just one faction at a time, with the most basic and fundamentally supported by the Spring engine first. My order will be get 4legs faction done (or into a playable state), get that modularish/mobile one done, script, add/refine stuff, script, make the models for floating/flying faction, take a deep breath, script the flying stuff, and try to listen to everyone's ensuing complaints.
My opinion about the Arm and Core factions are that they are redundant and thus not very exciting. There are many tactical nuances and such, there's Krogoth, and there's pelicans, but the basic tech tree, unit selection, and economy are fundamentally identical. I appreciate attempts to save me work, but I think factions are important and fun when they are completely different, so different at the core that their strategies and tactics are completely different. Econ will be unique for each faction, as will (possibly) be tech levels, defense, variety of units, and types of factories. Every faction will be complementary, but self sufficient in its own way (meaning 1v1 would work). Im not sure if this has ever been done before, and Im not sure anyone realizes how different the factions will be from each other, but I will do it. But good tech braching ideas guys.
Some things i've realized are that I cannot limit a faction to land/sea/air, and a faction must have abilities in each. Also, as someone else mentioned, I cannot have a atv/kbot faction and a vehicle/flat terrain faction, because maps will favor one over the other, and i dont like that.
More later all.
Thank you for your ideas and comments. I have not been idle either, and have my first (or was it my second? The one that I described as legged and atv) faction basically planned out. I need to quickly hash out a few simple models/ps images (actually, I need to learn Wings too) so I can get some feedback on where im going.
Sorry to steal ideas again
, but i was planning on doing what Saktoth said, starting with just one faction at a time, with the most basic and fundamentally supported by the Spring engine first. My order will be get 4legs faction done (or into a playable state), get that modularish/mobile one done, script, add/refine stuff, script, make the models for floating/flying faction, take a deep breath, script the flying stuff, and try to listen to everyone's ensuing complaints.My opinion about the Arm and Core factions are that they are redundant and thus not very exciting. There are many tactical nuances and such, there's Krogoth, and there's pelicans, but the basic tech tree, unit selection, and economy are fundamentally identical. I appreciate attempts to save me work, but I think factions are important and fun when they are completely different, so different at the core that their strategies and tactics are completely different. Econ will be unique for each faction, as will (possibly) be tech levels, defense, variety of units, and types of factories. Every faction will be complementary, but self sufficient in its own way (meaning 1v1 would work). Im not sure if this has ever been done before, and Im not sure anyone realizes how different the factions will be from each other, but I will do it. But good tech braching ideas guys.
Some things i've realized are that I cannot limit a faction to land/sea/air, and a faction must have abilities in each. Also, as someone else mentioned, I cannot have a atv/kbot faction and a vehicle/flat terrain faction, because maps will favor one over the other, and i dont like that.
More later all.
Last edited by kiki on 25 Nov 2007, 07:06, edited 3 times in total.
I deny you the right to copyright ideas. It's easy to have idea. What matters is materializing them. So, yes, it would be very bad to steal your innovative scripts and units once they're made and working. But as long as it's mere ideas, it's free to take, especially considering how half your idea are common ones that everybody already had.lbctech wrote:but PLEASE do not take my ideas for your own use without my permission.
Everybody is saying that modular units and building units on units can be done in LUA, but it can also be done without any LUA, purely with BOS/COB.
You can't. Personnaly I cheat by making my huge spider mech have smaller footprint than their model (so the zone that must be free is much smaller than their legs span). Maybe you could also make the spider mech be low flying plane (with tons of annoying side-effects).lbctech wrote:I have been thinking about that tall spider mech I talked about, and I was wondering how I could make it able to walk over units.
Very easy, use 4 weapons in the FBI and use the limited arc FBI tags.lbctech wrote:A unit could have turrets on 4 sides, making it effective when surrounded by enemies.
Yes, transport can carry all their units at once from the air. There's several way to achieve that, either LUA or BOS or maybe even just some new fancy FBI tags. However, AFAIK, dropped unit appear on the ground instantly, there is no fall. In TA transports could carry aircrafts, so unless the Spring dev hardcoded some silly limitations.....lbctech wrote:Can transports drop all their units at once? Can they drop them off in the air, and let them fall to the ground? Can transports carry aircraft, which fly right out of the transport?
Having a water-only faction makes your mod very dependent on maps having water well balanced with land. Having an air-only faction makes the terrain irrelevent. IMO it's better for gameplay to incorporate water and air into other factions than to make water-only and air-only faction.lbctech wrote:I have a few other obscure ideas for factions, like an underwater one (this sounds coolish, but kind of sucky) and one that focuses on powerful hovering airships shooting down on ground units, but I haven't given much though to these ideas yet.
You were told LUA, however I'd say it's also the realm of "group AI".*incorporation of intelligent scripts to reduce micro and improve econ management
Too ambitious! Make and put in game one single unit before planning to do that many units.Lots (like 5 or so) of tech levels that have awesomer and awesomer units
I made mobile factories years ago, but people are still asking.Could a unit be a mobile factory, which is a transport that builds units to occupy its slots for units?
Yeah.How do transports work exactly? Is there a weight on each unit, and is there a certain number of transport slots?
Only if the transport has the proper tag (isfireplatform=1;)Units can still shoot when on a transport, right?
I saw new buttons in KP/0, so I guess it's possible.Can custom buttons be added to units? Like a transform button?
Maps are empty and ugly, the zoom and range/speed/unit size are so you play with icons and not pretty models most of the time, the number of unit ingame hasn't improved since TA, and there isn't any innovation like promised (when compared to TA or Spring, not when compared with other RTS).Whats so bad about SUpCom besides need for a supercomputer to run? All i have seen and heard have been amazing.
Technically, just a pelican. Zodius made that one for TA.A ship that comes to shore, sprouts legs, and walks around (I have though about 2 legged and 4 legged designs).
Hmm, no, you can't attract enemy fire. However, with enough trickery it was made possible in TA, so I'm sure there's a way around in Spring too (not saying the way will be the same, but that since Spring with its repulsing shield and LUA and stuff has more modding possibilites...)Shot absorber, which is a high armor block that just sits there attracting enemy fire (is there a value system that attracts enemy fire to a certain unit rather than another?).
That is true that. However I don't see the point in writing a design doc, unless you're managing a large team.Argh wrote:In short, don't talk so much, do stuff.
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dreaming out loud about possible gameplay isn't going to get you very far
It's useless to write a complete description of your game right now, you'd better off making one or two random units, just to learn how to, and to test your ideas are feasible.
Top priority is creating a mobile factory, and maybe even a factory module to be loaded modularly onto one of the main hover units.
I've scripted mobile factories years and years ago. Here is the most recent one (using Smoth's units as placeholders), feel free to reuse the code.a moving factory can be done via lua but there are no examples that I can point you to as of yet.
That's why I make my mobile factory by welding a factory to a mobile unit. So you can select the factory part and give order to the factory part only, or select the mobile part and give order to the mobile part only.The tricky thing is to separate the commands to factory motion itself from the commands to the units it produces. Im leaving for real now, so bye all.
A design doc is useful because it forces you to think about everything at least once and lets you explain the whole mod without thinking about technology yet. Without a design doc you just develop what comes to your mind and often think about the how, taking easy routes or not doing things because they'd be extra work and you'll encounter many things you haven't thought about at all. You'll not see the whole picture without a doc, you'll add units because they fit into the current subset of the mod instead of thinking about the whole thing.