An entity that the comm can interact with

Discussion in 'Under Consideration' started by Varbles, Sep 6, 2009.

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  1. Varbles

    Varbles Simply Maptastic. Staff Member

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    There are plenty of entities that we have for dealing with infantry and some for vehicles. We have buttons, triggers, game_UIs, and all sorts of wonderful things from the empires FGD for interacting with players. What we don't have is an entity that directly controls/is controlled by the commander. There is no way for a commander, in commander view mode, to activate a trigger, button, or game_UI. All we need is a way for the commander to have at least 1 way to communicate with an entity and affect an I/O system.
    This is what I think can add more uniqueness and functionality to a map, though I'm not sure how possible all of this is code-wise.



    Add a flag to emp_eng_map_model and emp_eng_map_brush to set whether they are selectable by the commander,
    e.g. a green bounding box appears around them as any other building would have when selected.

    Also add 4 new fields to the class info to:
    -input a custom VGUI material to appear when the commander has it selected.
    -input a custom VGUI material for function 1 (if they are left blank they are ignored)
    -same for function 2
    -Same for function 3
    (all ignored if the commander selectable flag is unchecked)

    The custom icons would appear like this:
    [​IMG]

    So if a mapper made a large gate that they wanted to give the commander control over, they could make something like this:

    [​IMG]


    The entity would need an output like "onfunction1pressed" "onfunction2pressed", etc.
    Also possibly inputs like "disablefunction1" "enablefunction1" etc.

    A commander selectable model or brush based building would need some way to distinguish it from other map geometry

    This, in conjunction with flags or a game_UI, would allow the mapper to give the commander the ability to do almost anything.


    Pros:
    more commander control
    more variety for maps
    can be used to test the effect of superweapons/comm powers for gameplay
    more strategy for commanders

    Cons:
    confusing for new commanders
    griefable ( but what isn't)
    might not be worth the effort
    custom VGUI materials would contrast with nesquiko's VGUI ( isn't that going to be official anyway?)



    This is just a rough idea, I just want to know if anyone thinks this is possible and worthwhile.
    I don't expect this to be implemented but I would really like it if it was.
     
    Varbles, Sep 6, 2009
    #1
  2. -=]Kane[=-

    -=]Kane[=- Member

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    Thats a wonderfull idea, but could even need a bit more HUD stuff, entities could be shown in the HUD of the commander so you wouldnt have to seach for buttons on the map, i think about something like small icons on the left of the commandview for multiple entities, if you get my idea :)
     
    -=]Kane[=-, Sep 6, 2009
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  3. PwnedYoAss

    PwnedYoAss Member

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    Good idea, but in no map do we have anything like this yet, so we'll have to add some things to each map :D
     
    PwnedYoAss, Sep 6, 2009
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  4. -=]Kane[=-

    -=]Kane[=- Member

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    Snowbound has a superweapon and 2 gates per mainbase ;)
     
    -=]Kane[=-, Sep 6, 2009
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  5. PwnedYoAss

    PwnedYoAss Member

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    There's a reason why those gates are controlled by buttons...
     
    PwnedYoAss, Sep 6, 2009
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  6. -=]Kane[=-

    -=]Kane[=- Member

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    To make it difficult to close them? And to annoy new player who have no clue what just happend to the gates of the enemy main base, or have no clue at all and dont manage to close their own gates? And if the commander wants to grief he has way better stuff to grief, well ... same goes for enemy cvs which rush your main ... ;)
     
    -=]Kane[=-, Sep 6, 2009
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  7. ScardyBob

    ScardyBob Member

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    mvalley's dam. Make it so the commander can open and close the top.
     
    ScardyBob, Sep 6, 2009
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  8. -=]Kane[=-

    -=]Kane[=- Member

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    I dont want to go offtopic, but funny fact most ppl dont realise: If you rotate your commandview a bit you can look through one of the gabs on the roof and place the ref w/o the roof open

    /sry for OT
     
    -=]Kane[=-, Sep 6, 2009
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  9. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    I'd also like something like this, we can do lots of things with the I/O system, but there is no way to put a good front end on those actions, with a description of what they do and a way to make them comm controllable.

    On a similar note, could you plug the 2.25 hints system into a volume trigger? So when someone enters the volume the hint is displayed to them? There are existing write-to entities in source, but they're mostly designed for singleplayer.
     
    Chris0132', Sep 7, 2009
    #9
  10. Aquillion

    Aquillion Member

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    I suggested this a while ago! Something like Zombie Master's manipulates, which it uses for traps. Large glowing orbs only the comm can see, which they can click on to open a menu of controls.

    Make it so they can appear / disappear or become available to a certain comm based on who has captured a specific point or who controls a specific res node (e.g. the dam in mvalley could be capturable, and whoever captures it can open/close it.)

    Now I'm wondering if there is room for 'buildable' manipulates, things the comm can interact with on structures their team has built. Disable / enable spawn is something that was suggested in another thread, say... dunno if it'd be a good idea, but it's an example.
     
    Aquillion, Sep 7, 2009
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  11. Varbles

    Varbles Simply Maptastic. Staff Member

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    This is what i was thinking of. I tried to make an airstrike-type thing but when it comes down to it the only way you can control it is by being infantry.
     
    Varbles, Sep 7, 2009
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  12. Kane

    Kane Member

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    Only after GUI code is rewritten.
     
    Kane, Oct 30, 2009
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  13. blizzerd

    blizzerd Member

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    how is it going witht hat?
     
    blizzerd, Oct 31, 2009
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  14. Roflcopter Rego

    Roflcopter Rego Member

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    73 years.
     
    Roflcopter Rego, Nov 1, 2009
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  15. flasche

    flasche Member Staff Member Moderator

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    empires not only makes you raeg, it also makes you zynical ;)
     
    flasche, Nov 1, 2009
    #15
  16. Varbles

    Varbles Simply Maptastic. Staff Member

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    resurrected for second opinion :whistle:
     
    Varbles, Feb 10, 2010
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  17. CobaltBlue

    CobaltBlue Member

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    /agree
    ​
     
    CobaltBlue, Feb 17, 2010
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  18. aaaaaa50

    aaaaaa50 Member

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    /agree
    /agree​
    /agree​
     
    aaaaaa50, Feb 17, 2010
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  19. blizzerd

    blizzerd Member

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    /agree​
    /agree​
    /agree​
     
    blizzerd, Feb 17, 2010
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  20. MajorTom

    MajorTom Member

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    /agree because it would be awesome
     
    MajorTom, Jun 24, 2010
    #20
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