Spring RTS Engine

I'd like to see some lines scripted for features with the GAIA player.. "given it has cheat abilities like an AI"..

that allow for a "grow" ability on features..

IE:

(featureXX.tdf)

willgrow=(0,1)
willgrownew=(0,1)
growrate=(X)
growvar=(%)
growsto=(featureYY.tdf)
growsnew=(featureZZ.tdf)
growdistance=(X)

what this does:
gives the ability for forests to "grow" tiberium to "grow" hell.. even grass! (if we need it to)

what each piece of code means:

willgrow=(0,1) // turns the grow ability on or off

willgrownew=(0,1) // will spawn new features around the current one

growrate=(X) // wait period in mins for each cycle (or ms or whatever the "time" unit is in the game)

growvar=(%) // % variance in the growrate (random) to keep the growing sensation form being seen as INSTANT

growsto=(featureYY.tdf) // the replacement feature that will replace the current one (even if its got a huge footprint! don't build factories in dense forests!)

growsnew=(featureZZ.tdf) // the ability for the feature to spawn NEW features with X footprint distance (random N/S/E/W) and the feature name for the new feature.

growdistance=(X) // distance in footprint units for new spawn



NOTE! when a unit "grows" it will randomize between growsnew and growsto if available at each interval..

example: Time is in mins
NOTE! each tdf still contains all the generic tdf infos for the models used etc..

what do you guys think??



EDIT:

hell for the "growsto" and "growsnew" options, add an ability to put more than 1 feature there to grow more random

IE:

growsto=Tree2.tdf,Tree3.tdf
growsnew=Tree1.tdf,Tree2.tdf

EDIT2:

Considerations for code itself

1- .give command used maybe a new command?
2- overlapping features locations.. (is it possible to say NO and just restart the code and try after the next timer? without looking for a NEW spawn location) it would keep the trees in DENSE areas from getting TOO dense..
3- feature # caps?? umm.. defined by tdf? etc.

In short yes!

Scripts for features!

Here are my thought for tree like things I been mulling over for a while,

Create a tree species, a basic perfect version of a tree, with multiple parts.

In the script get the coordinates of the tree in the game. (Suspect but don't know for sure if this is possible.) Use the coordinates as a seed to create variance in each species for every tree on the map. By adjusting the angles a little the trees will look different to each other and could even sway in the wind.

With some growth and size tags it would be even better. How do you control max size with your tags?

How do you prevent trees popping up in the middle of units, or buildings?

Give trees a hitsphere and crushstrength?

It could check for footprints the same way as it does for placing buildings.

Jelmer's new model formats may, indeed, allow for some new things to be possible. The scalar stuff is most promising, for example...

Don't say it... they will come for you. Maawoohhaha.

The Tree Man

I like the idea of them popping into buildings and units actually!

build a factory in the middle of an overgrown swap.. and it gets overgrown as well... lol...

you gotta KEEP the trees off the stuff when they grow fast... etc...

Reminds me of Tiberian Sun and the tiberium waste which would grow over your buildings and destroy them... actually a GrowOver tag should be in there to specify whether the feature can overgrow buildings and other features and what's happening to buildings... e.g. an armor/health modifier or amount of damage per tick, same for units...

I would really like to see mappers be able to use this feature *before* the match starts: they could put down a tree or two in a few places, put in a seed for how long each should grow for, and then let it do its thing. That way, every match starts off with a randomly unique arrangement of forests. This oculd even be extrapolated to other possible objects in the game world....

Any news on this idea getting implemented? denied? possible next version addition? or "eventually" addition??

LathanStanley wrote:Any news on this idea getting implemented? denied? possible next version addition? or "eventually" addition??

could get implented when someone writes the patch.

I'll call the Super Friends.

Is it even possible to spawn units out of features, or transform features into units? That is, e.g. a plant grow to certain level and then "POP!" becomes an alien creature? (But first the "Gaia race" has to be implemented.)

No, spawning and transforming isn't possible.

when you burn a feature, or kill it, or run it over, or whatever....

you can have it replaced by another one with the featuredead=XXX.tdf line in the features tdf file....

it replaces it with another feature...

maybe that can get someone thinking?

Didn't someone make growing/spreading trees or something for TA?

SpikedHelmet wrote:Didn't someone make growing/spreading trees or something for TA?

not that I know of...

they made "animated" trees though

SpikedHelmet wrote:Didn't someone make growing/spreading trees or something for TA?

In a dark time long ago, it was discussed. *shudders* (not at the idea, but at the dark times).

i must say, im quite 'all-ears' to this growth thing. I this is possible, i think someone should write it, and make it work. I would surely use it in a new map! I wanted to design a tiberium map anyway!

+1