Spring RTS Engine

Ok guys I've outlined what I want to cover in my next video. Pleae provide feedback on the outline. I will post the complete script in a day or two pending changes to the outline.

Much easier to read PDF version available here:
http://www.gigasize.com/get.php/71909/S ... e_v1-1.pdf
(click to goto download page, do not right click)

See my Spring page for more details:
http://sardines.co.nz/spring/


Any edits I make to the outline will be changed in the text below
----------------------------------------------------------


Spring basics script outline




Installing


Basic Spring

Where to download: http://taspring.clan-sy.com/
link off front page or under downloads
once downloaded double click to install.
Show process of install


Mods

Get them from: http://taspring.clan-sy.com/
--> wiki link at top
--> mods link half way downloaded
--> Absolute Annihilation
--> 2.11 link at bottom.
Download AA and install.
Explain that for other mods it's better to message someone already in a game and ask them.


Maps

Show http://www.ta-spring.com/maps/
Explain special maps: speedmetal, castles and green fields.
Why are these maps different?
How fo they affect game play?
Recommend download list
Comet Catcher Remake
Altored Divide
Explain about cookiebot (maplink), will show later


AI

Explain what they are.
Beyond scope of video.


Mod/Map pack

Suggest new players download the gogglePACK. A package of the most played mods and maps to get new players started.




Starting

Show start from icon on desktop
Setting up account
** Not sure yet, need to reinstall to remember what to do here **


Lobby

Explain buttons: connect, battle screen, replays, options and help.
Explain what replays are, more discussion is beyond this video.
Options screen is beyond this video.
Use help
Chat screen.
Important links at connection
Chat tabs.
Say something
Chat commands
/me
.ingame
!maplink
Small Supreme Battlefield
Game screen
show reordering columns.
Talk about:
Description
Host
Map
State
Mod
Players
Players list
Explain icons using help. Explain country icon
Sort, show sorting by country.
Chatting
Send PM
Joining a game
Double click game to join
Error messages
Password
no mod
no map
low rank


Battle screen

Map preview
No preview means no map
Click map for larger version
Starting positions
Map list
If you have just added a map
Reload map list
Game specification
Game options
start position
Fixed
Show on map preview
Random
Choose in game
Will show boxes later in video
Game end condition
Continues
Until all units and buildings destroyed
End if com dies
As soon as you lose your commander all other units die.
Limit D-gun
Will show later in video
Resources
Units
disabled units
advanced
ghosted buildings
diminishing metal maker returns
lock game speed
Map details
size
tidal strength, min/max wind
max metal/extractor radius
gravity, not sure of affect
Players
Name, same as lobby, icon for side
Team, how to change
Ally, how to change, can not change if on the same team as someone else
Ready, how to get ready
sync
CPU
Handicap


Hosting

Recommend new players do not host for other humans
Show how host game with bots
click host battle
hosting window
max players
rank limit, not important
description, not important
mod
password, stop others joining
Nat traversal, , not important for local games
Choose map from map list
start position = fixed or random. AI can not choose in game
If we could choose in game: shift click for boxes, hover + del to remove
set up bots
click add bot button
choose AI
decide on team, ally, colour and side
change setting by right clicking on player
click im ready
click start




In game


Basic build

Mex
F4 to show metal spots
small divide
mars
speed metal
wind and solar
turrents, anti air
kbot lab, mention vehicle, air, sea and hover
peewee and rocko
construction bot
D-gun limit
Quitting gracefully
Any more beyond scope of video, wait for ├óÔé¼┼ôAA basics├óÔé¼┬Ø and ├óÔé¼┼ôXTA vs AA vs EE├óÔé¼┬Ø

do not put in Greenfields and speedmetal.

as popular as they are they aren't teh "status quo" for mapping. Things like Small Supreme Battlefield, some of Forb's maps or anything other than those two would be better off. If people want to know what they are they'll DL em themselves later. Much rather have them learn how to play on "normal" maps than that crazy pair.

j5mello wrote:do not put in Greenfields and speedmetal.

as popular as they are they aren't teh "status quo" for mapping. Things like Small Supreme Battlefield, some of Forb's maps or anything other than those two would be better off. If people want to know what they are they'll DL em themselves later. Much rather have them learn how to play on "normal" maps than that crazy pair.

I concur.

I might limit my recomendations to:
Comet Catcher Remake
Altored Divide
Small Supreme Battlefield

In the video I will show them how to get Small Supreme Battlefield using maplink as it is not on the http://www.ta-spring.com/maps page

Giving a long list will just make the video date faster anyway.

EDIT: removed GF and SM from the list above, maps still listed in the PDF

altored divide?

Quantos touny maps are very nice goggle, maybe use some of them, id use altored divide too, you can get some good shots of atv spiders on the steep cliff faces, lathan and fa's new snowy maps look sweet too.

Forboding Angel wrote:altored divide?

Agreed, what about a nice 1v1 map like small divide or mars or one of Quanto's.

How about ALL of quanto's maps. Every new player should start off playing those maps and Comet.

LordMatt wrote: Agreed, what about a nice 1v1 map like small divide or mars or one of Quanto's.

You mean the maps that come with Spring by default? Probable don't need to get new players to download those.

Dragon45 wrote:How about ALL of quanto's maps. Every new player should start off playing those maps and Comet.

Sounds great! I assume they come in a map pack of some sort? If so can you post a link for me. Otherwise I can't reasonable ask new players to sit though a video where I download map after map after map.

It would be nice to be able to give new player a single link and say "here, this is 75% of the maps you will need for your first week"

There should be a note about Speedmetal in the video. It should tell people what this map is, and how it differs from a 'normal' map, and suggest to people to at least TRY other maps before trying SM, as the SM maps are not what mods take as the norm, therefore ruining the balance of said mods. It shouldnt say 'ZOMG DONT PLYA SPEDEMTAEL TI SUXORZ!!!1!11!!', but just tell people that other maps do exist, and are taken as better maps by the majority of the community.

Maelstrom wrote:There should be a note about Speedmetal in the video. It should tell people what this map is, and how it differs from a 'normal' map, and suggest to people to at least TRY other maps before trying SM, as the SM maps are not what mods take as the norm, therefore ruining the balance of said mods. It shouldnt say 'ZOMG DONT PLYA SPEDEMTAEL TI SUXORZ!!!1!11!!', but just tell people that other maps do exist, and are taken as better maps by the majority of the community.

Added something to the script:

Explain special maps: speedmetal, castles and green fields.
Why are these maps different?
How do they affect game play?

Also added something about the map pack discussed in the other thread:
http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=7153

Mod/Map pack

Suggest new players download the gogglePACK. A package of the most played mods and maps to get new players started.

Updated PDF version
http://www.gigasize.com/get.php/71909/S ... e_v1-1.pdf

Explain the use of "l" for the LOS view. Far too many people do not seem to know that.

You could go over the selection editor and default hotkeys, some are pretty usefull and both are generally unknown

goggleBOX wrote:

LordMatt wrote: Agreed, what about a nice 1v1 map like small divide or mars or one of Quanto's.

You mean the maps that come with Spring by default? Probable don't need to get new players to download those.

Duh!

I don't think Quanto's maps are in a map pack yet, but someone could make one

Ishach wrote:You could go over the selection editor and default hotkeys, some are pretty usefull and both are generally unknown

I will have to see how long the video is after I cover the out of game stuff. I have a feeling that it will be better to have a video on out of game stuff, one on in game stuff and then one each for the popular mods.

One uber video would be nice, a spring feature length film you could say but for new players keeping the videos short will be better for understanding and reference.