Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:20 pm Post subject:
[TSFS 2.0] Working Orca Transport + Fixed-Area UAV Patrol
Subject description: Simple INI modding knowledge required.
I'm unsure where this should go. If the Moderators see fit to move this to the Research Center, I'd be honored. Otherwise, it shall remain here in the TS Barracks.
Seeing that there have been a number of attempts at "fixing" the bugged Orca Transport (which seems to have the "Flight Control" bug since TS patch v. 1.13), I would like to throw my attempt into the ring.
See the attached image files GITC01-05 for a quick overview.
Here are some key elements present in this version of the Orca Transport:
- Is defined as Aircraft in Rules.ini
- Is vulnerable while airborne (not a Flying Vehicle)
- Built at the Helipad
- Can land on normal ground, dock with Helipad, repair at Repair Depot, repaired with Nod RepairBot, Reveal Shround/Fog of War (anything a normal aircraft can do)
- Can load Infantry (up to the max number set in Rules.ini)
- Can land while loaded with Infantry
- Unloads Infantry while landed (does not drop 1-by-1 as per "Carryall=yes" tag)
---Codes Below---
This is the ini code I used for the Orca Transport Clone (So as to keep it separated from the unmodified Orca Transport:
[LZMARK]
Damage=0
ROF=20
Range=0.5
Projectile=Invisible
Speed=100
Warhead=SA
Report= <-Unused, as it never gets a chance to fire
(Actually, this is just cloned from the [PISTOLA] Civilian Technician weapon.)
There are, however, several downside to this method:
- If the Landing Zone is not "Painted" (i.e., Force-fire the LZMARK while the Orca Transport is airborne) the loaded Orca Transport will enter the "Flight Control" condition. Fixed easily by telling it to deploy while airborne, then quickly selecting a nearby landable ground surface as well as "Painting" the Landing Zone.
- Does not work with the "Deploy' Hotkey. All Orca Transports must be unloaded manually by clicking on the loaded transport (while grounded) when the "Deploy" cursor is active. Ordering it to stop using the "Stop" hotkey does not solve this.
The generic Dummy Weapon will allow any type of aircraft the option to land normally on a landable ground surface. (Tested an aircraft with undefined "Primary=" and "Flight Control" takes over as soon as it reaches the first destination you specified.) A Dummy Weapon with sufficient firing range allows the generic Orca Transport to use the Paradrop effect when ordered to fire on a ground target. Without a Force-Fire command, it attempts to land at the nearest owned Helipad.
I believe this logic stems from the fact that in order for an aircraft to fire its weapon, it must meet these two minimum requirements:
1. Attacking Unit must be airborne
2. Attacking Unit must be in weapon-firing range
With Range=0.5, the Orca Transport could not fire from an airborne position and therefore attempts to get as close to the target as possible. This had the unintended effect of making it land as it reached its destination.
A similar effect could be emulated by giving a vanilla Orca Fighter (Or Nod Harpy, either one works) a weapon that also has AA=true tag. Then, as it is in transit (airborne), force-fire on an available Air Target (Other airborne aircrafts, airborne Jumpjet Infantry, etc.). The moment the aircraft receives the command, it will land at the nearest available square.
Discussion on this method is encouraged, as I see it has less restrictions that using either the "Paradop" or the "Carryall=yes" method.
In addition, this Dummy Weapon was also used to produce another aircraft made specifically for maps using Fog of War. Please refer to Post #2.
GITC05.jpg
Description:
Unloading Infantry. Note the Orca Transport's location.
Filesize:
463.28 KB
Viewed:
12936 Time(s)
GITC04.jpg
Description:
Landing in Progress.
Filesize:
470.21 KB
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12936 Time(s)
GITC03.jpg
Description:
Moving to target destination.
Filesize:
437.96 KB
Viewed:
12936 Time(s)
GITC02.jpg
Description:
Loading up the Infantry.
Filesize:
473.97 KB
Viewed:
12936 Time(s)
GITC01.jpg
Description:
Orca Carrier flying in.
Filesize:
468.97 KB
Viewed:
12936 Time(s)
Last edited by Chordeiles on Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:54 pm; edited 2 times in total QUICK_EDIT
Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:37 pm Post subject:
[TSFS 2.0]Fixed Area UAV Patrol
This is a follow-up of the GITC seen in the first post, using the same [LZMARK] Dummy Weapon. However, simply having the Dummy Weapon cannot make it fly continuously without additional input. Also, while one could argue that a Waypoint Loop is all that's required, you could use the Waypoint System for something more important than for revealing shrouds and Fog of War.
Here is the code for the Scout UAV:
Code:
[MINI]
Name=Scout UAV
Prerequisite=GAHPAD
Primary=LZMARK ;needed to make it landable
Strength=100
Category=AirPower
Armor=none
TechLevel=5
Sight=12
RadarInvisible=yes
Landable=yes
MoveToShroud=no
Dock=GAHPAD
Speed=14 ;12
PitchSpeed=.16
Owner=GDI
Cost=200
Points=5
ROT=1 <- [b]Important![/b]
Crewed=no <- Why would a UAV have an onboard pilot?
GuardRange=30
Explosion=TWLT070,S_BANG48,S_BRNL58,S_CLSN58,S_TUMU60
MaxDebris=1
VoiceSelect=LIMPQ3,LIMPQ4 ;from Limpet
VoiceMove=LIMPC3,LIMPC4 ;from Limpet
VoiceAttack=LIMPC3,LIMPC4 ;from Limpet
VoiceFeedback=LIMPC3,LIMPC4 ;from Limpet
Locomotor={4A582746-9839-11d1-B709-00A024DDAFD1}
MovementZone=Fly
ThreatPosed=5 ; This value MUST be 0 for all building addons
DamageParticleSystems=SparkSys,SmallGreySSys
AuxSound1=ORCAUP1 ;Taking off
AuxSound2=ORCADWN1 ;Landing
Trainable=no
Cloakable=yes <- Well, didn't quite work
CloakingSpeed=4 <- Same here
The key tag for this is actually one of the most overlooked tag: "ROT="
This tag defines the turning radius of the unit, whether it be ground or air vehicle. I believe this is also true for SHP units. Because the aircraft does not stop while it turns, a low ROT actually causes it to "swing" into a curved flight path. With a low enough ROT, high enough Speed and a target point close enough to its Turning Radius, The aircraft essentially cannot turn quickly enough to reach its final destination and remains in the loop until it is given additional commands manually.
Ordering it to move far away, at least far enough for it to fly in a straight path to its destination, enables it to reach the target destination and land. Pressing the "Guard" hotkey, however, sends it back to our primary base as I've found out.
Notes: The Scout UAV is an original voxel, made within the timespan of 20-30 minutes as a placeholder for more detailed UAV designs. The "Orca Guardian" seen in the background is actually from the Media Hut here on PPM. I'm unable to find its original creator, though I'm certain the download thread is still on here.
Comments and discussion is encouraged. (Perhaps an animated GIF of the Scout UAV in flight will be made available soon, provided I find out how to make one...)
EDIT: Ah, yes. Found it. The Orca Guardian was made by Devine Eclipse found here. Thanks, Devine!
At least he's trying, and posting in a more than appropriate manner which is a refreshing change. Nothing wrong with people trying and testing and showing off some of their ideas, but yes a lot of this has been figured out or done before. This seems more of a tutorial perhaps. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Asides from adapting the Dummy Weapon method into the Force-Fire Landing weapon, I touched none of the other parameters asides from making the Orca Transport buildable. In fact, I could simply well create a working transport by cloning the Harpy or the Orca Fighter, change PipScale=Passengers, add the passenger limit and replace the Primary with [LZMARK].
The patrolling UAV method did not build upon the known Ballonhover workaround, nor does it even hover in place. It moves more like the TW Firehawk when not docked at the Helipad/Airfield, though as I've already mentioned the pathfinding is the cause of this issue. Plus, it can still land effortlessly. QUICK_EDIT
It's a nice method of getting air transport to work, but I personally wouldn't to implement it in a mod as it is, since people might not all know how to make it land then.
Generally people would expect it to land by just pointing and clicking, like they'd do with any other unit and from experience people often neglect to read readme files.
Maybe using your method in combination with giving the aircraft the Carryall=yes tag would be an idea however... _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Wait, I have tried to use the orca transport that this guy is researching as a transport, what exactly is causing this bug? is it because i used the IMAGE itself? or a code thing? I've never understood this. _________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaflNU45bVY QUICK_EDIT
Due To a bug involving air units much of the original code had to be re-written in one of the early TS patches. Because the Orca Transport was not intended to be player controled Westwood, despite fixing the original bug, did not fix a new bug caused by the changes. Leading to the Orca Transport to "Glitching out" and becoming uncontrollable. Due to this bug unless you are using a old version of TS or a Modifyed Version that fixes this it is not recomended you make this unit avalible in multiplayer.
_________________ Creator of TS:BoB and some other things that might be good when finnished. QUICK_EDIT
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[TSFS 2.0] Working Orca Transport + Fixed-Area UAV Patrol
