Question about transports

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 28 Apr 2006, 07:00

Say I made a transport. It could pick up multiple units, lets say 3 units. Each of these unit would be loaded into the transport, and positioned at a certain point. This point is not unit specific, but, for arguments sake just let the first unit be at the front, second in the middle and last at the back. Is this possible? And if it is, can all those units then continue to shoot, build, repair, and stuff? If it is possible, could you provide an example script? Or can units only shoot/build/repair when loaded into a single transport (like the atlas)?

Thanks.

Gnomre · Post by **Gnomre** » 28 Apr 2006, 09:03

First part: Yes. See implaat in SWTA... wait, actually, I only packed the cobs there, so I'll upload the BOS for you:

http://wormhole.tauniverse.com/spring/implaat.bos

Hrm, it looks like that actually didn't help any, I guess I didn't save it with the properly named variables... Sorry, but I think you can figure it out. Basically, just look at QueryTransport, BeginTransport, and EndTransport and you'll see what's shakin'.

As for the second part: Supposedly. Add "IsAirBase=1;" to the transport's FBI and see if the units then fire out of it. Last time I tried that it made air units try to land on the transport (GEE I WONDER WHY! I TOLD THEM BEFORE THEY IMPLEMENTED IT THAT THEY SHOULD JUST PICK A NEW TAG INSTEAD OF USING THE OTA WORKAROUND WHICH WOULD SURELY CAUSE PROBLEMS LATER) but that was in the 0.6x days so the behavior might work now. I think Arch was working with that stuff a while back, so perhaps ask him how it works.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 28 Apr 2006, 09:42

Ok, thanks for that. Theres just one bit I dont understand.

Code: Select all

QueryTransport(Func_Var_1)
{
	if( Static_Var_3 == 1 )
	{
		Func_Var_1 = 10;
	}
	if( Static_Var_3 == 2 )
	{
		Func_Var_1 = 11;
	}
	if( Static_Var_3 == 3 )
	{
		Func_Var_1 = 12;
	}
	if( Static_Var_3 == 4 )
	{
		Func_Var_1 = 13;
	}
	if( Static_Var_3 == 5 )
	{
		Func_Var_1 = 14;
	}
	if( Static_Var_3 == 6 )
	{
		Func_Var_1 = 15;
	}
}

Im guessing this is is called when a unit is about to pick something up, to find where/what to pick it up with, but what do the numbers mean?

Gnomre · Post by **Gnomre** » 28 Apr 2006, 10:17

I think for some reason scriptor used the order in the "piece" list instead of retaining the piece names. Here:

Code: Select all

QueryTransport(piecenum) 
{ 
   if( units_currently_loaded == 1 ) 
   { 
      piecenum = link1; 
   } 
   if( units_currently_loaded == 2 ) 
   { 
      piecenum = link2; 
   } 
   if( units_currently_loaded == 3 ) 
   { 
      piecenum = link3; 
   } 
   if( units_currently_loaded == 4 ) 
   { 
      piecenum = link4; 
   } 
   if( units_currently_loaded == 5 ) 
   { 
      piecenum = link5; 
   } 
   if( units_currently_loaded == 6 ) 
   { 
      piecenum = link6; 
   } 
}

That's how it works. The "link" pieces are just single vertex points placed where you want the transported unit to show up. It works from the base of the model, IIRC (so, where the link is, that's where the transportee's feet will be), but it might have been the other way around. The base theory makes more sense to me though, since I think the Atlas used a special little formula to account for the unit's height.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 28 Apr 2006, 10:51

Ah that makes alot more sense now. Thanks again.

mecha · Post by **mecha** » 28 Apr 2006, 14:02

Talking about transports, its a good time to mention a tactic using transports with the repeat button.

-# moved to wiki #-

Just thought those of you worried about balance should be aware of this, effective late game ground assaults without using level three units is not out of the question using tactics such as this.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 28 Apr 2006, 14:08

Ive used this a few times, with devestating results. I got a guardian up on the wall behind someones base in Castles, they didnt know WHERE I was at all. But perhaps this should go into the thread in the General Discussions forum? seems to fit better in there.

mecha · Post by **mecha** » 28 Apr 2006, 14:13

Just saw the "transports" word and had to put it down on paper... I was thinking of chucking it in the wiki under tactics, what do you think?

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 28 Apr 2006, 14:59

go ahead, no reason not to

zwzsg · Post by **zwzsg** » 28 Apr 2006, 15:03

This was for air transport. In TA ground/sea/hover transports use a different method and differenly named function than air transports. Spring seem to follow the same, even if I I haven't tested if Spring allows the ground transport script to be mounted on plane and vice-versa.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 28 Apr 2006, 15:39

Whats the ground transport script then? This is going to be a ground vehicle, so that might help.

zwzsg · Post by **zwzsg** » 28 Apr 2006, 16:33

Basically, ground transport go like:

TransportPickup(id_of_unit_to_load)
{
if(get XZ_HYPOT(get UNIT_XZ(id_of_unit_to_load) - get PIECE_XZ(base_piece_of_transport))<=[85])//[85] is the distance at which pickup is allowed. Theorically it could be anything, but Spring is hard coded to have transport not move closer than a certain distance to target, so it's safer to keep that [85]
{

set BUSY to 1;// not sure what it really does, but tradionnal ground/hover/sea transport script have it. My guess would be that it tell the engine to wait before moving the transport and retrying to unload

// here you may have some animation of the transport opening and extending an arm, using some get PIECE_Y, get UNIT_Y, get UNIT_XZ, get PIECE_XZ, get XZ_ATAN, get XZ_HYPOT to get the proper angle and distance

attach-unit id_of_unit_to_load to some_arm_piece_of_the_transport;

// Some more animation of the arm coming back

attach-unit id_of_unit_to_load to 0 - 1;//0 - 1 is a special code telling the transport to "hide" the transported unit.

// Maybe the final part of the animation?

set BUSY to 0;
}//end of the if target in range
}//enf of if TransportPickup

TransportDrop(id_of_unit_to_unload, xz_of_position_to_unload)
{
if( some formula to check if the distance between transport and unload zx position is small enough)
{
set BUSY to 1;
// some opening animation
attach-unit id_of_unit_to_unload to some_arm_piece_of_the_transport;
// animation of arm extending to reach xz_of_position_to_unload
drop-unit id_of_unit_to_unload;
// closing animation
set BUSY to 0;
}//end of the if
}// end of transportdrop function

Ok, maybe that wasn't very helpful, try to look up some the code of some transport. Sadly, the Cavedog script has some needless complication (it calls another function, boomcalc, just to compute the distance, and if you have an uncobbled script instead of a genuine source bos, all those func_var and static_var make it very confusing.

I'd link you to my most advanced transport script, with lots of define to change its behavior and that should be easy to slap on any unit but sadly it's even more complex to read.

As for your question about displaying loaded units on three point of the transport, well, instead of "attach-unit id_of_unit to 0 - 1;", you do a "attach-unit id_of_unit to piece_unit_should_be_hung_on;" Since you want the transport to load three units and hang them on three piece, I guess you should have a static-var, initialised to 0 in the create, decreased in transportdrop(..), increased in transportpickup(..), and then some "if" on that var to select where to attach it.

I aren't sure that was really helpful. Do you already have the unit you want such transport script to be mounted on?

zwzsg · Post by **zwzsg** » 28 Apr 2006, 18:16

Ok, done:
Here is a modified FatShrew (big six legged spider steampunk thing) that can load up to seven units, place them on seven location on its back, and let them fire from there. Look at the TransportPickup(id) and the TransportDrop(id,xz) at the start of the script to see how it's done. I wrote a nice simplified short commented script so it's readable.

FatShrew_with_seven_baskets_for_Maelstrom.ufo

It'd better be useful to you, or I'll send angry ninja chinchilla to bite you in your sleep!

Gnomre · Post by **Gnomre** » 28 Apr 2006, 22:50

Maelstrom wrote:Whats the ground transport script then? This is going to be a ground vehicle, so that might help.

You could have mentioned that sooner.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 29 Apr 2006, 12:04

Thanks zwzsg, this is very helpfull. Ill show everone once the basics of my mod is done. That shouldnt be to far away.

Sorry Gnome, I didnt know the scripts were different. Hence why I was asking about them.

centurion-1 · Post by **centurion-1** » 02 May 2006, 11:05

What about when you want to make an APC, like I'm doing for GC, which stows up to 20 troopers inside? How would you script that?

zwzsg · Post by **zwzsg** » 02 May 2006, 15:23

The same way?

Or if you want the troops inside to be invible, attach to 0 - 1 instead of attaching to a piece.

Pxtl · Post by **Pxtl** » 05 May 2006, 22:25

zwzsg wrote:The same way?

Or if you want the troops inside to be invible, attach to 0 - 1 instead of attaching to a piece.

Invisible troops aren't effectively there though, are they? I mean, jammers don't jam, lasers don't fire, etc.

I'm also curious about damage. How does damage to the carrier effect the carryee?

I'm not a modder (yet) just curious for future plans.

Gnomre · Post by **Gnomre** » 05 May 2006, 22:29

Don't know about jammers, but I don't see why the attachment point would affect a unit's ability to fire (assuming the transport allows it, as explained above), unless it was below ground or something.

I've never seen carried units get damage, always just the transport itself.

FLOZi · Post by **FLOZi** » 06 May 2006, 04:08

Gnome wrote:Don't know about jammers, but I don't see why the attachment point would affect a unit's ability to fire (assuming the transport allows it, as explained above), unless it was below ground or something.

I've never seen carried units get damage, always just the transport itself.

This isn't true in the case of transports with isairbase=1;, it should be noted

Spring RTS Engine

Question about transports

Question about transports