Weapon direction

[fc14159]

Is it possible to make a weapon's default direction not forward?

If there is, does it have anything to do with weaponmaindir?

[smoth]

[11:35:42 AM] <smoth> WeaponMainDir1=0 0 -1;
[11:35:54 AM] <smoth> that will set it's fire arc behind it
[11:36:00 AM] <smoth> MaxAngleDif1=210;
[11:36:14 AM] <smoth> will limit it to firing 210 in that rear arc
[11:36:30 AM] <smoth> you have to also use max angle to limit the rear arc

WeaponMainDir1=0 0 -1;
MaxAngleDif1=180;
says behind it in a 180 degree arc, as though the unit has been cut in half and can only fire along the rear half.

[fc14159]

[UNITINFO]
{
//************************************************************
// Unit Description
//********************
side=HLA;
name=Buster;
description=- Tech level 1 mortar vehicle;

//************************************************************
// Categories
//**************
category=HLA LAND MOBILE WEAPON;
tedclass=TANK;

//************************************************************
// External Specs
//******************
unitname=hla_buster;
unitnumber=66;
objectname=hla_buster.s3o;
corpse=hla_buster_dead;
buildpic=hla_buster.DDS;
soundcategory=ARM_TANK;

//************************************************************
// Health/Cost/Size
//********************
maxdamage=400;
healtime=10;
buildcostmetal=150;
buildcostenergy=1500;
buildtime=1500;
footprintx=2;
footprintz=2;

//************************************************************
// Resources
//*************
metalstorage=0;
energymake=0.6;
energyuse=0.6;
energystorage=0;

//************************************************************
// Building
//************

//************************************************************
// Constructor
//***************
builder=0;
workertime=0;

//************************************************************
// Abilities
//*************
canattack=1;
canguard=1;
canmove=1;
canpatrol=1;
canstop=1;

//************************************************************
// Movement
//************
movementclass=TANKSH2;
turnrate=450;
acceleration=0.1;
brakerate=0.2;
maxvelocity=1.5;
maxslope=10;
maxwaterdepth=10;

//************************************************************
// Sight/Radar/Sonar
//*********************
sightdistance=600;
radardistance=0;

//************************************************************
// Weapons
//***********
weapon1=HLA_BUSTER;
onlytargetcategory1=LAND;
explodeas=SMALL_UNITEX;
selfdestructas=SMALL_UNIT;
WeaponMainDir1=0 0 -1;
MaxAngleDif1=210;

//************************************************************
// Orders
//**********
noautofire=0;
firestandorders=1;
mobilestandorders=1;
standingfireorder=2;
standingmoveorder=1;
defaultmissiontype=Standby;

//************************************************************
// Miscellaneous
//*****************
bmcode=1;
designation=ARM-FA5;
downloadable=1;
leavetracks=1;
maneuverleashlength=640;
shootme=1;
steeringmode=1;
threed=1;
trackoffset=2;
trackstrength=4;
trackstretch=1;
tracktype=StdTank;
trackwidth=22;
version=1.2;
zbuffer=1;
hightrajectory=2;
}

[KDR_11k]

Is it possible to make a weapon's default direction not forward?

If there is, does it have anything to do with weaponmaindir?

Has nothing to do with it. The "forward" direction of a turret is the end your script turns towards the target, Spring doesn't care which one that is. Just offset the direction appropriately.

[fc14159]

screenie of model:

[Argh]

Oh, you just want it to start in that upwards direction?

Nothing could be easier.

In your model, make the gun face forwards. Pre-posing models is not generally a good idea- it usually just makes your work more frustrating later.

Then, in your COB script, just have your weapon's aimer / barrel / whatever turn to whatever you want, during Create(), then turn it back to that every time that RestoreAfterDelay calls.

So, just write something like "turn aimer to x-axis <-20> speed <50>;" in your script. See the ArtilleryCannon's script in P.U.R.E., I always reset the cannon back to that angle after awhile, because it looks cooler, imo.

Everything else about the gun's angle is also negotiable. If you have a fake point that is rotated to actually fire the gun, you could even make it fire at an angle that has nothing to do with the real angle of the gun's barrel.

[KDR_11k]

Argh, why a fake point?

[Argh]

So that you're not messing about with your model's real points, if you want AimFromWeapon to return within tolerance correctly, etc.

You certainly don't have to do that, it's just a trick I use for a lot of things, to keep stuff simple- for example, on an aircraft where I want the gunflares to go straight ahead, but I really want the gun to fire in the aiming cone specified, I just use a fake point for the gun...

[KDR_11k]

Er, why? If you don't visibly turn anything why bother with a separate piece? You realize Spring doesn't care what you do with your pieces in your aiming animation, right?