CA Evelations question ?

[elias79]

When playing CA if raising the elevation on a ground piece and then building a plasma tower or something that fires things that go down by gravity, do
the projectiles then travel longer (like in reality) or is the distance "faked" meaning it is artificially fixed ?

So does CA support gravity physics ?

[lurker]

I'm not aware of any spring game that disables the gravity-based range boost for plasma cannon shots. Though hardcore might... So yes, you can get a very nice range boost on whatever you put up there. (Tip: vanguards can climb up and down sheer cliffs to shoot farther.)

[Jasper1984]

I hope giant pillars with artillery on it shooting across the map isnt viable :/

[Pxtl]

Though hardcore might.

Yup.

Anyways, this problem is probably mitigated by the lack of static plasmas in CA - mobile-only arty means it's harder for artillery to get entrenched.

[lurker]

With mobile arty you make a stairway to heaven (ramp) instead of a spire.

[Elkvis]

or airdrop it on a platform.

[manored]

But I remember reading somewhere the range system was changed from a cone to a sphere, meaning that even if the unit could reach farther with the boost of gravit, it wouldnt know it, isnt that right? And wouldnt force-firing in the ground make the unit try to hit that spot, instead of whatever was beyond?

[Pressure Line]

it depends on the weapon.

[manored]

it depends on the weapon.

I suppose so... tough Id rather know what are the weapons before building the hell/heaven elevator :)

[Google_Frog]

Lasers have spherical range so if they go higher they can hit a smaller area on the ground.

Rockets don't care about elevation and will use their normal range. This makes them good for hitting things on spires.

Plasma gets a range bonus from height.

[Evil4Zerggin]

Code: Select all

	if (wd.type == "Cannon") {
		wd.heightmod = wdTable.GetFloat("heightMod", 0.8f);
	} else if (wd.type == "BeamLaser") {
		wd.heightmod = wdTable.GetFloat("heightMod", 1.0f);
	} else {
		wd.heightmod = wdTable.GetFloat("heightMod", 0.2f);
	}

Code: Select all

r=GetRange2D(heightDiff*heightMod)

Beamlasers:

Code: Select all

	float rangeMod=1.3f;
#ifdef DIRECT_CONTROL_ALLOWED
	if(owner->directControl)
		rangeMod=0.95f;
#endif

	float maxLength=range*rangeMod;

Note the hardcoded 30% overshoot >_>

There might be other factors though.

[jK]

The 30% were once just for targetting, but since then the code was changed a lot, so a bug found it way in and now it even shoot with that range. But fixing isn't that easy because you want to attack the 2nd best target if the first one isn't shootable, but that needs again a code overhaul.

[manored]

Lasers have spherical range so if they go higher they can hit a smaller area on the ground.

Rockets don't care about elevation and will use their normal range. This makes them good for hitting things on spires.

Plasma gets a range bonus from height.

Thanks