Modifying Vehicles

Originally Posted by Binger

Lol, um, ....no. The idea is to just up the Goliath specs a bit but not turn it into another Minotaur. Adding rockets takes it too far from a Goliath, imo. I'm not trying to create a new vehicle but I can show you how to do what I'm learning to do and you can make a new vehicle.

So not that anyone cares but I built a shooting range map with those exploding barrels to test the range and apparently it is as easy as speed*lifespan=uu since the speed seems to be in Units per second. So now I can set the range to match the fog distance.

Sure, I'd like to learn. Will the minigun turret be normal or will it be like the Railtank minigun?

Originally Posted by Terminator

Sure, I'd like to learn.

For Real? To start I would read this whole thread then read the Wiki stuff I linked in the first post. That site is back up. Most of what I've done is written here except editing the UT2004 file to include the vehicle when running UCC Make. Also I scrapped my first attempt and just extended from the TankFactory instead of trying to create a new vehicle under the VehicleFactory. Then get the script source and start browsing the vehicles files to get an idea of what they look like. I'm not a complete stranger to code but my experience with it is very limited. I've managed though to pick through the code for the Goliath enough to get done what I want to get done and If I can do it you can. I can send you the files I've changed and you can compare them to the original. Also, you need to understand the Actor Browser in the editor and how to find the vehicles in there.

Originally Posted by Terminator

Will the minigun turret be normal or will it be like the Railtank minigun?

Closer to normal than the one on the Railtank. I don't like that one. Other than giving it the ability to pitch straight up I'm going to make it's range match the main gun and maybe also set it's accuracy to perfect or closer to it.

The whole reason I'm trying to do this is to make vehicles reach the fog distance on a map I'm working on. I have no plans to go through all the current maps changing out their Goliaths with my version. Turbo expressed an interest in this for Gunshop and if he wants I can make one for that map with whatever specs he wants. Like if he just wants it to be more accurate without the better zoom and longer range then I can do that but I think the one from that FlyManta map will work fine on there. The only bad thing about it is that the guy that did the changes didn't change it's scoreboard and stats name.

I'm almost done modifying the Goliath. I just need to adjust the colors on the skins then I'm done. I thought I would upload it first for comments/crits/testing if anyone is interested.

Basically, it's more accurate, has greater range, and a faster shell.

The accuracy is set to be perfect but it still shoots slightly off to the left. I think that is either a problem with a class it's based on or the image used for the reticle is off center. It's close enough, though, considering how bad it was.

The speed of the shot has been doubled but the lifespan has been shortened so that the range is now 20100. Stock range is 18000. For reference, the fog distance on Dria-TMU is 18000, D-Junk is 19000, Magic is 20000, MTMU-Kamek is 20000, and MTMU-Random is 24000. I tried to use a compromise range but I don't really like that. Not being able to hit something you can see really sucks but being able to shoot beyond the fog sucks for other players. Ideally, anyone interested in using this would tell me what the range of the fog is on the map they are placing it on and I would set the range to match that. This also applies to maps without fog. Gunshop for example has a distance of more than 24000 between the two doors. So even with the increased range of 20100 you still can't hit something all the way across the map. That is so frustrating.

I also increased the range of Minigun, set it's accuracy to perfect, allowed it to pitch straight up, and increased the speed of the tracers. I used to aim with the tracers until recently, when I was told that the minigun is hitscan. This pissed me off that for so many years I was aiming wrong because the stupid tracers were so freaking slow. In order for them to not lag too far behind I had to speed them up a lot. There are times when you can't even see them. Imo, though that is better than them being misleading. You can still see the hit effect when you actually hit something. In fact, without the distracting lagging tracers I find that the hit effect stands out more.

I just need to adjust the colors on the textures (they are more pink and purple than red and blue) then if I haven't decided to change anything based on comments I will drop the BetaI from the name and upload the final version.






These are my notes on the changes:

IIa Driver
PC.ToggleZoomWithMax(0.75) //Stock is 0.5
FPCamPos=(Y=-1.1) //Stock is 0
TPCamLookat=(X=-70) //Stock is -50

IIa Cannon
Spread=0 //Stock is 0.015
Projectile Speed=30000.0 //Stock is 15000. Gives Range of 20100 with Lifespan of 0.67. Stock Range is 18000 with Lifespan of 1.2

IIa Gunner
FPCamViewOffset=(X=0.000000) //Stock is 10.0
TPCamWorldOffset=(X=-5.000000) //Stock is 0.0
PitchUpLimit=16400 //Stock is 12500
Spread=0.0 //Stock is 0.01
TraceRange=20100.0 //Stock is 15000
mTracerInterval=0.01 //Stock is 0.06
mTracerSpeed=1048576.0 //stock is 15000.0
CullDistance=20100.0 //Stock is 8000

The colors look cool. I wouldn't change those.

Originally Posted by Turbo K

The colors look cool. I wouldn't change those.

Thanks. They look better in those pictures than they do during gameplay. I've never done any image editing before. The lighter colors on the Ballista are what I'm going for.

Here's the GIIaBetaI in Masterbath. It's not the best map for testing the changes but it's quick and easy to get stuff to shoot at. The vehicle is embedded but the Texture package still needs to be put in the Textures folder.

I like those skins!

Now since the minigun can pitch straight up, I can no longer jump on top of the tanks.

Originally Posted by Binger

when I was told that the minigun is hitscan

Today I learned

Originally Posted by Terminator

I like those skins!

Now since the minigun can pitch straight up, I can no longer jump on top of the tanks.

You say that like you could before?

<squish>

I thought you had to lead your the enemy with the tank minigun turret and the stationary minigun turret?

I'm pretty sure that the regular minigun weapon, the assault minigun turret, and the vehicle minigun turret are all hitscan. Wormbo could confirm.

Which means, ofc, that those slow-ass tracers are way off and that you should ignore them and aim with the reticle and not the tracers. It's a wonder I was ever able to hit anything.

All "bullet weapons" (Assault Rifle, Minigun, Sniper Rifle, vehicle-mounted and stationary minigun turrets, etc.) are hit-scan. You only need to lead your target to compensate for ping.
The tracers aren't really related to the actual firing logic. They don't even correspond exactly to the timing of fired shots.

Thank you Wormbo. It's weird to me how the range of the gun is set by changing the range of the tracer.

Off topic here but I've been thinking of trying to model some tanks, maybe for the new UT, maybe just for fun. I wanted to import the Goliaths from both UT2004 and UT3 into Blender for reference. It took me a long time to figure out how to do the turrets from the UT2004 Goliath but I finally got them. I still think the UT2004 Goliath is one of the best tank designs I've seen.

Originally Posted by Binger

Thank you Wormbo. It's weird to me how the range of the gun is set by changing the range of the tracer.

Off topic here but I've been thinking of trying to model some tanks, maybe for the new UT, maybe just for fun. I wanted to import the Goliaths from both UT2004 and UT3 into Blender for reference. It took me a long time to figure out how to do the turrets from the UT2004 Goliath but I finally got them. I still think the UT2004 Goliath is one of the best tank designs I've seen.

That's really neat. The Hurricane model looks pretty good as well.

Originally Posted by Turbo K

That's really neat. The Hurricane model looks pretty good as well.

I forgot about the Hurricane. I like that it uses a new mesh instead of reusing the Goliath. Too bad there were more modders than modelers. It would have been nice to have more custom vehicle designs in the game.

Originally Posted by Binger

I forgot about the Hurricane. I like that it uses a new mesh instead of reusing the Goliath. Too bad there were more modders than modelers. It would have been nice to have more custom vehicle designs in the game.

Yeah, modeling takes significantly more work than just changing the code for a vehicle.

Originally Posted by Binger

The speed of the shot has been doubled but the lifespan has been shortened so that the range is now 20100. Stock range is 18000. For reference, the fog distance on Dria-TMU is 18000, D-Junk is 19000, Magic is 20000, MTMU-Kamek is 20000, and MTMU-Random is 24000. I tried to use a compromise range but I don't really like that. Not being able to hit something you can see really sucks but being able to shoot beyond the fog sucks for other players. Ideally, anyone interested in using this would tell me what the range of the fog is on the map they are placing it on and I would set the range to match that. This also applies to maps without fog. Gunshop for example has a distance of more than 24000 between the two doors. So even with the increased range of 20100 you still can't hit something all the way across the map. That is so frustrating.

Any opinions on the range for a Goliath II? I want to wrap this up. I was thinking of seeing if I could write a little code to make it adjustable by the mapper but I don't know how to do that and I can't even figure out how to add changeable menu options in the properties. I don't want to make multiple versions with different ranges. I think I'm just going to set it high, around 24000. Shooting beyond the fog is better, imo, than not being able to hit something you can see. And it's not like it's a Minotaur, which has the huge splash damage (and a range of 28500).

Originally Posted by Binger

Any opinions on the range for a Goliath II? I want to wrap this up. I was thinking of seeing if I could write a little code to make it adjustable by the mapper but I don't know how to do that and I can't even figure out how to add changeable menu options in the properties. I don't want to make multiple versions with different ranges. I think I'm just going to set it high, around 24000. Shooting beyond the fog is better, imo, than not being able to hit something you can see. And it's not like it's a Minotaur, which has the huge splash damage (and a range of 28500).

Just set it high, so that you can still hit things far away on no/low fog maps like Basement-Hometheater.

It's just a Goliath, so spamming through the fog shouldn't be an issue.

I thought I had this all done but during my final testing I noticed that the Personal Stats screen just says Goliath or Goliath Minigun Turret for "Kills" and "Killed By" but the "Deaths With" column shows the correct name of Goliath II. I have the Cannon and Minigun files renamed and bundled up with the GoliathII files so I'm not sure why that's happening. Wormbo, do you know where in the code it pulls that from? Nowhere in any of the files I modified does it just say "Goliath".

//-----------------------------------------------------------
//GoliathIIaFactory
//-----------------------------------------------------------
class GoliathIIaFactory extends ONSTankFactory
placeable;

defaultproperties
{
VehicleClass=class'GoliathIIa.GoliathIIa'
}


//-----------------------------------------------------------
//GoliathIIa
//-----------------------------------------------------------
class GoliathIIa extends ONSHoverTank
placeable;

function AltFire(optional float F)
{
local PlayerController PC;

PC = PlayerController(Controller);
if (PC == None)
return;

bWeaponIsAltFiring = true;
PC.ToggleZoomWithMax(0.75);
}

defaultproperties
{
RedSkin=Texture'GoliathIITex.GoliathIIRed'
BlueSkin=Texture'GoliathIITex.GoliathIIBlue'
DriverWeapons(0)=(WeaponClass=Class'GoliathIIa.Gol iathIIaCannon')
PassengerWeapons(0)=(WeaponPawnClass=Class'Goliath IIa.GoliathIIaSecondaryTurretPawn')
FPCamPos=(Y=-1.1)
TPCamLookat=(X=-70)
ExitPositions(0)=(X=0,Y=-200,Z=100)
ExitPositions(1)=(X=0,Y=200,Z=100)
ExitPositions(2)=(X=-400,Y=0,Z=100)
ExitPositions(3)=(X=400,Y=0,Z=100)
VehiclePositionString="in a Goliath II"
VehicleNameString="Goliath II"
}



//-----------------------------------------------------------
//GoliathIIaCannon
//-----------------------------------------------------------
class GoliathIIaCannon extends ONSHoverTankCannon;

defaultproperties
{
RedSkin=Texture'GoliathIITex.GoliathIIRed'
BlueSkin=Texture'GoliathIITex.GoliathIIBlue'
ProjectileClass=class'GoliathIIa.GoliathIIaONSRock etProjectile'
Spread=0.0
}



//-----------------------------------------------------------
//GoliathIIaONSRocketProjectile
//-----------------------------------------------------------
class GoliathIIaONSRocketProjectile extends ONSRocketProjectile;

defaultproperties
{
Speed=28672.0
MaxSpeed=28672.0
LifeSpan=1.0
}



//-----------------------------------------------------------
//GoliathIIaSecondaryTurret
//-----------------------------------------------------------
class GoliathIIaSecondaryTurret extends ONSTankSecondaryTurret;

defaultproperties
{
RedSkin=Texture'GoliathIITex.GoliathIIRed'
BlueSkin=Texture'GoliathIITex.GoliathIIBlue'

mTracerInterval=0.01
mTracerSpeed=1048576.0
PitchUpLimit=16400
Spread=0.0
TraceRange=28672.0
CullDistance=28672.0
}



//-----------------------------------------------------------
//GoliathIIaSecondaryTurretPawn
//-----------------------------------------------------------
class GoliathIIaSecondaryTurretPawn extends ONSTankSecondaryTurretPawn;

defaultproperties
{
VehiclePositionString="in a Goliath II turret"
VehicleNameString="Goliath II Minigun Turret"
GunClass=Class'GoliathIIa.GoliathIIaSecondaryTurre t'
FPCamPos=(X=0,Y=-1.1,Z=0)
TPCamLookat=(X=-5,Y=-1.1,Z=0)
DrivePos=(X=0.0,Y=0.0,Z=130.0)
}



P.S. Those weird spaces the forums are putting in the code aren't actually there. I hope.

The damage type defines which vehicle type was responsible for the kill. You will have to supply correspondingly adjusted damage type classes as well.

Got it. Thank you.

Here's the final more accurate, longer range Goliath II. Nothing special here, no new code, just some changes to default values.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w6dhrr1fgg...thIIa.zip?dl=0