The Plasma Bolt was VERY effective in the F7200 League
The Plasma Bolt was VERY effective in the F7200 League
I don't recall having to aim it as much as today's PB...
"Crap, didn't notice FEISAR's post what just above mine..."
*snip*
Homing missiles created for fun (auto targetting to nearest enemy) and main menu script rewritting in progress for easier future changes. Ship physics finally please me... i mean it is good but could be better as always :P
Exactly, this is the reason why I don't think it should be considered a "cheap" weapon as vincoof implied earlier... It's powerful, but hard to get a shot on target.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xpand
Good work, zero!
So, should we now concentrate on which weapons to be in SSGX eventually so you programmer-guys can continue working on those weapons [because I think it takes a long time to create every weapon: Programming, pickup symbol, describtion, damage level, visual effects, sound-fx...].
Should we create a new thread and make a poll for each pickup or can we find a solution over here? What do you guys think ;)
It was suppossed to be meant as a joke.Quote:
Originally Posted by zero3growlithe
Oh, did anyone see my idea for a team? I know it is a little too late to add teams, but still, the idea has some potential.
@doc: yeah I wouldn't suggest that all weapons be gun type weapons, that would make for imbalance just as much as auto aim ones just as you say, I just meant that those are the weapons I like the most , and that I think that if we have a big array of different weapons then more of them should be unguided than auto aim.
on the subject of the teleport it would be interesting to see that as sort of a portal gun from the game portal (cept without the double shot) say for example you're coming up to a hill you shoot a portal onto the track and can go through the hill fora short time, but you have to aim your ship right through the portal or something... an assisted short cut as it were, but again if anyone shoots your portal it's gone.
Lol, getting a bit F9000-ish here! :D
Remember that this is the Amateur league we're talking about. Technologically advanced weapons are very expensive...
Also I'm a bit low on modeling inspiration... :| Lets see if this improves...
Yeah, I think that portal gun thing is an awesome idea. Anyway, I felt free enough to create a list of weapons on my own. Not a list of all ideas we had but a list of all weapons where I think they should be in SSGX, not more not less. For describtion of each weapon check this post!
ASSAULT: Tractorbeam, Rockets, Missile, Impulse, Canon, EMP
DEFENSIVE: Mines, Magnets
SELF-USE: Turbo, Gravitron, Teleporter, Phantomizer
Makes 12 in total. I think more pickups would be too much confusing. No shield there because the Phantomizer kinda does that job.
@Xpand: Yeah, but why not having one or two technical highlights in our weapon system to add up to the "WOW"-effect.
Does the Phantomiser protect the user from damage sustained when colliding with walls? Shield basically renders the user invulnerable for a brief period.
Also,for the Mach One speed class:Sonic Turbo as a holdable weapon that is not affected regardless of weapons from weapon pads,or should the pilot be unable to pick up other weapons when the Sonic Turbo is loaded?
Nope, Phantomizer protects you from ship collisions and weapons. Everything AI-based. You need to care for your raceline by yourself ;)
Thats why I said it kinda does that job.
I liked the Portal Gun idea, but I was thinking about using it like some sort of mine:
- You're running and drop the first bomb, that'll be the spawning spot;
- Then, some miles ahead, you drop the second bomb;
- By the time someone passes through the second bomb, that ship would be respawn into the first spot automatically
But that weapon would be available only for the Phantom / Mach-One leagues and it's name would be "Warp Mine" (please, feel free to change. This name is REALLY cheesy =P).
Another concept I was thinking about was the "Tractor Trap". This weapon would be something like:
- You're running, then drop the mine.
- A pure, innocent driver passes through the mine.
- Instead of exploding, this mine would drag the ship for the core of a "vortex" , which would last for 2 or 3 seconds.
Sure it would be an annoying trap! Just for making things get complicated! :D
By the way, the "Tractor Trap" would be available for all leagues, from Rapier to Mach-One, since it would be sorta cheap to make.
What do you think?
Oh, and sorry for disapearing for long periods of time, work is taking all my social life >.<
Aiming difficulty is the baseline of instakill-like weapons, be it an headshot with a sniper gun in a First Person Shooter or be it a close and precise Plasma Bolt in WipEout. Instakill with 100% success would be a poor design in any game. However, from a personal point of view, even a 1% chance or 0.1% chance of instakill should not exist. In fact, the lower the chance, the worst you feel when you get killed ("aw sh*t this guy had a chance out of a million and he got me"). And this is not fun either for the shooter who fails his kill at more than 99% rate.Quote:
Originally Posted by wildmorgan
I think we all agree that damage dealt should be roughly proportional to the difficulty of hitting the target (or targets). But in my humble opinion there shouldn't be extreme cases. I think a 1% chance hitting weapon that removes 99% of a ship "health points" is not fun. Neither would be a 99% chance weapon which deals 1% damage (which fortunately is not in the lists I've seen). All weapons should have a decent chance of hitting and a decent amount of damage, it will be both rewarding for the shooter while not being frustrating for the target. With that said, I'm not telling to make all weapons identical : there should be weapons a bit more powerful than others otherwise the weapon system would be boring as hell.
Totally agree with you vincoof. A 99% damage weapon almost feels like a cheat... sv_killtarget or something :P Can't see the fun in that one.
@BrunoDG Not to be rude about your ideas, maybe I got them wrong. But when I imagine, you lay down two bombs, say you lay the first one at the finish line, than race almost a whole lap and place the second one, does it mean that whoever travelles in that portal get's pushed back for almost a whole lap? I think it's best to build in a limit of distance between those bombs and a travel-meter running down in your HUD after placing the first bomb. Also I wouldn't call them bombs then, but portals. However, I still think that's confusing and I like the idea of using the portal for yourself in the first place.
So the tractor trap kinda freezes the motion of an enemy ship passed over it for a while? Now that would be one powerful weapon, if we really use it we have to make sure that the effect lasts maybe for 1 second only, 2 at maximum. But I like this idea more than the first one since we might use that "portal gun" already.
I created a list of damage dealt to the AI as well as a describtion & absorbation rate [even I don't know if we integrate absorbation ability].
TRACTORBEAM +++ Damage for a brief hit: 3% +++ Time lasting: 3 seconds +++ Absorbation: +5% shield +++ So most damage would be 18% [two "hits" in one second possible], a laserline which aims the direction of the ships nose.
ROCKETS +++ Damage for one rocket: 10% +++ Shoots 3 rockets at once +++ Absorbation: +12% shield +++ Like the rockets in Wipeout. Maybe, to change it up a little bit: Just two rockets left & right get fired so aiming will be advanced aswell.
MISSILE +++ Damage: 15% +++ Homing +++ Absorbation: +15% shield +++ Homing for the next player infront of you. That guy is able to avoid the impact when turning sharp before the missile arrives. Ricochet if fired without a target found.
IMPULSE +++ Damage: 0% +++ Force field +++ Absorbation: +5% shield +++ Shoots a ball which impacts some miles ahead on the track and creates a force field pushing the AI away from the center of the impact. AI can also be shot directly.
CANON +++ Damage for one bullet: 3% +++ 30 bullets +++ Absorbation: +7% shield +++ Used like a minigun, works like the Canon in Wipeout.
EMP +++ Damage: 0% +++ Absorbation: +10% shield +++ Creates a visually visible electromagnetic field around the player. Players ship protects itself. The AGD and turbine of AI ships nearby become turned off for the time the field lasts [2 seconds].
MAGNETS +++ Damage 0% +++ 3 magnets +++ Absorbation: +5% shield +++ Magnets fall on the track, able to roll around. Then attach to ships coming too close and pull the ship down to the side attached. Only fall off when hitting a wall or another ship.
MINES +++ Damage for one mine: 5% +++ 4 mines +++ Absorbation: +7% shield +++ Placing 4 mines in a row. They last for about one lap.
TRACTORTRAP +++ Damage: 0% +++ Absorbation: +10% shield +++ Placing an electromagnetic anchor onto the track. The ship travelling close to it gets attached and can't move forward until the magnet lost enough power [after 1 or 2 seconds].
TURBO +++ Absorbation: +15% shield +++ Functions like a turbo we all know.
GRAVITRON +++ Absorbation: +8% shield +++ Creates a portable maglock underneath your ship for 5 seconds. Player is able to travel through tiny hills and sharp corners much faster.
TELEPORTER +++ Absorbation: +8% shield +++ Player shoots a teleport [just like the Portal gun in Valve's "Portal"] which lasts for 2 seconds. Whoever travelles through appears some meters ahead. Portal can be destroyed by every assault weapon.
PHANTOMIZER +++ Absorbation: +10% shield +++ Creates a hologram of the players ship. Aiming systems aim there. Own ship becomes invicible for 5 seconds. Collisions still possible!!! Replacement of the classic "shield". EMP & Impulse won't harm.
I hope you guys can work with this list better.
You can't take away the Plasma Bolt's deadliness! It's a signature weapon of the Wipeout series and it's good to have that fear factor knowing that someone might get you with a lucky shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by vincoof
That said however, I think a compromise is in order, and I go back to a statement I made earlier: Plasma Bolt is deadly in Eliminator mode, but not in single/tournament races (it's still powerful, but not deadly).
Heck, I don't know if this game you guys are creating even has an Eliminator mode, but thought I would offer my two cents all the same.
@BrunoDG - I agree with doco4r, a portal "mine" would be confusing, but even so it's a cool idea. Your second idea is very similar to the Gravity Mine from Wipeout Fusion. When a ship flies over it, it pulls them down towards the track and holds them there for a second or two. A very annoying weapon indeed, but hell, all weapons are annoying when they cause you a disadvantage, lol!
Another thought I had, when someone gets a lock on you, you're pretty much screwed unless you have a shield handy. Another defensive weapon (for any lock-ons) would be a Flare, much like fighter aircraft use when they are being chased by a missile. This may seem redundant because the shield is protection enough already, but I'm just thinking of what Xpand said about this being an Amateur league and weapons being expensive. Surely an Energy Shield would be expensive, so a flare would be a cheaper alternative...
Added some details to Draco Cavernae:
Big ones:
Attachment 6463
And small ones:
Attachment 6462
If you can't notice them, then I did my job right! :D
That was something I hadn't thought about. Really. Losing a lap for this reason would drag off all the fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by docfo4r
It'd be fair if you had a limit distance and then the second "bomb" drops automatically. Dunno, it could be 250 or 300 meters.
And about the Idea of using the portal for yourself I've imagined something close to the the jump weapon of Zone Mode on Wipeout HD. Is that it?
If that is the point, it would be a nice idea, indeed!
Oh, and don't worry 'bout it, you were not rude :)
Alright :)
Hmm it's like, you shoot a portal onto the track or wall infront of you [just like in the game Portal, just don't imagine it as a portal visually, more like a black hole]. And when you travel through it, your ship will be placed some meters ahead immediately. That jump weapon you were talking about was to increase the Zone stage, right? Well, it's not like that. Hope you got the idea now.
And Xpand: Added some grass to the hills cliffs? ;)
Attachment 6475
Hi,
Ignore the fact the elements are off center, but here's a HUD mockup. I saw a few of the HUDs in the thread earlier and I wasn't really satisfied with them, they looked very 90s. The weapon icon is placeholder.
I like it. It's simplistic and direct. Doesn't distract you too much.
I started litteting DC with logs and cut trees bases.
Attachment 6476
Also zero, is it possible to make a "visible in proximity" script in unity? I want to make small bushes on DC appear only when you are closer than 200 meters so I can add to the detail without killing the game's frame-rate.
Nice HUD, I like it!
Also just had a brief idea for another race mode, I call it "Storm surviver". Basically you win if you are the last one that survived. There are no weapon pads on the track but everybody get's a new random pickup when fired/used the current one so it would be a real storm of weapons etc. going off. Anyway, just a brief idea I had, nothing too serious :)
@rdmx: One word, Awesome! So simple and sooo coool! :D And doesn't require any moving bars :o Can you send me the font file so i can put it in-game? ^^
@Xpand: Sure, although it will make me some problems in the future cos of multiplayer... anyway, don't know how is your progress with placing speed/weapon pads so I've placed some myself to check how everything is working and one simple question: Is speed pad supposed to accelerate your ship in direction ship is pointing or speed pad's direction?
Oh, and enemies will begin shooting me tomorrow if I'm not wrong with future telling :P
Awesome progress, zero! Well, if you ask me, the acceleration of the speed pad should be in the ship direction, otherwise it's a raceline-killer and could be annoying sometimes [for example if a speed pad is in a corner].
And I think the shield power is displayed as a bar aswell in rdmx' HUD.
@rdmx: Yeah, the more I look at it, the more I like it, it's just awesome! Is that red warning sign at the bottom left a static symbol or only appearing when energy got reduced or goes towards 0?
In multiplayer mode make them invisible to both players. I just want to use this on 3D grass/bush so it won't matter on a split-screen because it's going to be too small to be noticed.
But should it be like empty objects scattered around the that are replaced with the grass/bush models as we get closer or make the grass, bushes themselves invisible?
I have to chime in with more love for rdmx's HUD! looks great. I guess the rest of us got a bit stuck in ideas from old wipeouts.
@docfo4r: Ah, u'r right, but this one is just a simple rectangle so nothing hard to make :)
@Xpand: Just leave them as they are in your model and I'll take care of everything :) (btw. I was talking about online multiplayer :g (Challenge accepted! 8)))
@Oryx: I was trying to get away from it and got this F-Zero like HUD as you guys claim X_x
Oh, and I forgot to say that sounds are in-game too! Bad because self made but they are there xd
Well, if it is online multiplayer it won't pose an issue because each copy of the game is processing one player, the others are basically AI ships placed on the position of the other players. I can give you nice sounds. I have over 2 GB of Jet engine sounds, plus system voices like "Warning", "Caution", etc.
2gb? Too many, you have more knowledge about planes so find me a nice "engine start" sound, "engine stand-by" sound after start one and one for "engine running" when actually flying :P
Do you have maybe good sounds for weak/strong/constant wall hits? (reminder: '/' stands for 'and') And an alarm for low energy and this caution... voice? Cool xd
@zero3growlithe Voices I can handle out with something, Maybe If I see you online by Sunday Afternoon I can send you some nice voices =D
Yeah, I gotta edit some to give it more of a double stage divergent flow engine "feel".
Attachment 6477
Tunnel with some lights...
Yeah, system sounds rule!! :)
Well if you guys need certain words... Remember that there are free tools on the net to create roboter-alike effects on self-recorded text. And it won't be hard to get a female to record her voice for SSGX. Just in case your 2GB collection doesn't have that special thing we might look for ;)
@docfo4r: I was thinking about a robotic male voice, like Wipeout 2097.
And yes, you can use freeware software like Audacity for recording. Helps a lot and does the job.
Would also be alright. But then the voice announcing the pickups, not the countdown voice because I think that one is way too deep.
while having trouble sleeping I decided to try my hand at some more modeling and came up with a concept for a zone ship. it's based on the wo1 feisar and here are some renders: Attachment 6478Attachment 6479Attachment 6480Attachment 6481Attachment 6482Attachment 6483
Cannot express how much I like that HUD. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by rdmx
And no new progress over Hubian or Shutoko design despite having concepts already nailed. What am I doing?... lol
I know a guy who has some pretty good sound recording gear (he's a music/song producer) I could ask him if he would want to give me a hand recording some sounds and phrases
@zero3growlithe - will do. Though I'd expect the hull integrity bar to move :P
@docfo4r - It would be a triggered, blinking icon. I don't know if it would be more appropriate for it to blink when low on health, or when you take damage.
Nice! That's awesome!
Since I see your HUD gets only positive feedback for now, I can see it in SSGX already ;)
Maybe we could have 3 different icons:
The one we see right now get's triggered when a bullet or whatever weapon hits the player.
Another red triangle with the transparent letters LOW starts to blink when shield energy is lower than 10%.
A yellow triangle with a tiny crosshair symbol starts to blink when the AI or someone else autoaimed your ship.
@Oryx: The ship looks nice, I especially like the rear.
Attachment 6484
I think this is the most dangerous drop I've ever seen. There are no side guards. You either fall in track or out of it...