File Description
This map contains a vehicle DM imbedded package made by: Ash if you want to use the DM package in my map simply read the ReadME.
Readme
Vehicle DM Package V1.0 by Ash
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- Name: Vehicle DM Package
- Version: 1.0
- Date: 23 06 2004
- Author: Ash (A.N.)
- Brief Description: Package for Vehicle DM mappers
- Included Files:
Vehicle_DM_Package_CubeMap.ut2 readme.txt (this file)
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-Full Description
This embedded package for Vehicle DM mappers has two functions:
1) It changes the AI for 'Normal' (not Team) DM to a modified one, so bots will
use vehicles, just as in Team DM.
It detects if you are actually playing a 'Normal' DM game, and not other
gametypes that are played on DM maps (Team DM, Invasion etc.), and it changes
the AI *only* in that case. So there cannot be any problems with other
gametypes, because it doesn't change the AI if you are not playing
'Normal' Death Match.
2) It enables vehicles in the map (both ASVehicleFactories and ONSVehicleFactories).
See below for instructions on how to put this in your Vehicle DM maps...
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* IMPORTANT NOTE! READ CAREFULLY *
This was tested with 3236 UT2004 patch. I cannot be held responsible in case a
future Epic patch should make some changes to UT2004 code that could interfere
with this code! I think I should warn you about this... looking at the code one
could say that this is rather unlikely, but I cannot guarantee that it will be
compatible with all future patches!
Anyway, I put a line of code that tests if bAllowVehicles is True by default in
DM. Up to now, (3236 patch) it is not. (it is true only for ONS, AS and VCTF).
But, should they enable vehicles in DM in the future, they'll put that to true,
and they should change the AI too. In this case, my package will recognize that
bAllowVehicles is True by default, and it won't change the AI with mine...
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=== How to put this code in your map with UnrealEd: ===
__Important note:
*Don't* mix this package with other vehicle-enablers! There could be no
serious conflicts, but it's useless and it will slow down the game without
reason!
In the zip file there is a small 'cube' map with an actor inside.
1) Restart UnrealED if it's already opened with another map, to avoid problems.
2) Open the cube map I made.
3) Copy that actor inside the cube in the clipboard.
4) Load your map and paste that actor anywhere you like.
This will enable vehicles and fix the AI for 'Normal' DM.
I set bHidden=True in advanced properties, so it won't be visible during play.
Put it where you like.
5) (Maybe) do a full rebuild
6) Save your map.
After putting that actor in your map, your ASVehicleFactories or
ONSVehicleFactories inside your Vehicle DM map will work, and the AI will be
fixed.
=== Note for advanced users:
Actually, in this cube map, there are two classes in myLevel package:
- VDM_My_DMSquad (not placeable)
(it's in Actor > Info > ReplicationInfo > SquadAI > DMSquad > VDM_My_DMSquad)
- VDM_AI_Package (placeable) (it's under Actor)
That actor inside the cube is VDM_AI_Package. Now, when you open that cube map
those two classes are in myLevel, and they are still in the actor class browser
when you open your map. Since that VDM_My_DMSquad class is referenced from the
class VDM_AI_Package you pasted, it is saved in myLevel when you save your map.
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I will briefly explain *some* of the properties for ASVehicleFactory and
ONSVehicleFactory here. (This is not intended to be a tutorial on making maps
with vehicles, though).
ASVehicleFactory:
-ASVehicleFactory
bEnter_TeamUnlocks: When a player enters the vehicle, it is unlocked.
bHUDTrackVehicle: For Objectives in Assault.
bRespawnWhenDestroyed: When vehicle is destroyed spawn a new one *set to True*
bSpawnProtected: Cannot be damaged before it's driven for the first
time by a player.
bVehicleTeamLock: Vehicle is locked to specific team. *set to False*
MaxSpawnBlockCount: Tries to spawn this number of times if there is
something in spawn location. Then it spawns even if
blocked. (You can leave it as it is by default).
RespawnDelay: When it should spawn another vehicle, it waits for that
number of seconds before actually respawning. *this is
important, too* set it as you wish.
VehicleTeam: Set this to 255
-SVehicleFactory
VehicleClass: Here you can chose the kind of vehicle that will be
spawned.
Note also that ASVehicleFactories set bEjectDriver and bSpawnProtected to true
for any vehicle that is not an ASVehicle. So if you don't like that, use an
ONSVehicleFactory instead.
ONSVehicleFactory (there is one for each vehicle):
-ONSVehicleFactory
bReverseBlueTeamDirection: used in Onslaught. Leave to false.
RespawnTime: see ASVehicleFactory RespawnDelay.
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Tips about bots and vehicles
* Tips are all IMHO :) you'll surely know better than me...
* Test your map with the SoakBots console command while you watch bots play,
it will pause the game when there's a problem, and show debug infos on the
screen. Some problems are not actually 'real' or 'big' ones, but you can
learn something with this. Watch bots playing alone (without human players)
to make sure they behave as you expected. Type "ShowAI" or "ShowDebug" in the
console while you spectate to show paths and debug infos.
Then you can play some matches (without the SoakBots command, of course) to
check if bot gameplay is challenging enough for your taste.
* Remember to design your pathnodes / roadpathnodes / flyingpathnodes
( hoverpathnodes too?, if you plan to use them... ) with care, so vehicles
will work properly.
* It seems that big vehicles (tanks, hellbenders, etc.) are especially
problematic for path finding. They seem to like routes made only of
roadpathnodes.
You may try to focus on roadpathnodes and use normal nodes only where
needed for bots on foot. Bots on foot use roadpathnodes, too. So don't put
pathnodes too close to roadpathnodes.
You may also try to force some paths from a roadpathnode to another, if there
is something in the middle that could cause problems. Remember that pickups,
playerstarts, etc. are also pathnodes, and not too much well-suited for
big vehicles, probably.
There is a property in NavigationPoint called bVehicleDestination. You can
try to set that to True in some nodes, but remember that pedestrians use
roadpathnodes too, so don't do it if not really needed. Put a roadpathnode
instead.
* You should try to balance these things:
- many (near) pathnodes: good for pedestrians, bad for fast going vehicles,
because bots will try to reach all nodes in their route one after another,
in strict order, almost all the times. Just imagine if you are on a car and
you must drive at high speed over a series of marks on the ground, and
those marks are near (from each other) and not in straight line...
But this is not CTF, so there is probably no need to go very fast from one
place to another, and maybe it is not so important if bots should only
fight enemies. You must judge this with your map layout in mind.
- few (far) pathnodes: good for fast moving vehicles, bad for bots on foot
- far too many nodes: bad for everyone, maybe :)
* Remember that bots ignore vehicles if they're farther than 3000 units and/or
they don't see them from their position, so if you want bots to go there, you
shouldn't put your vehicles in places too isolated and/or without interesting
pickups or playerstarts nearby.
* The dist < 3000 threshold from bot position is always valid, but If you set
bKeyVehicle=True in ASVehicleFactory properties they will go even if they don't
see the vehicle from their position. This changes other things, though. Use it
only if needed (You cannot do this with ONSVehicleFactories).
Remember that some vehicles (ONSHoverTank_IonPlasma, Leviathan) have this set
to true by default.
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- Credits / Thanks
Parser, for having written VSOverride. I took some inspiration from that to
write my vehicle-enabling code.
Circus BT, who gave me the idea of doing this package.
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- Copyright / Permissions
Unreal (r) Tournament 2004 Copyright (c) Epic Games, Inc.
Existing code for Unreal (r) Tournament 2004 Copyright (c) Epic Games, Inc.
You may embed the code for this package in your maps, but if you want to
distribute this code outside a map (or, in any case, for others to embed this
code in their maps), include this readme file and leave the archive intact.
Authors MAY use this mod as a base to build additional mods.
You MAY distribute this mod through any electronic network (internet,
FIDO, local BBS etc.), provided you include this file and leave the
archive intact.
This mod must be distributed exclusively FOR FREE. You may exchange it at no
charge among other users and distribute it to others over the Internet, on
magazine cover disks, or otherwise for free.
User mods are NOT supported by Atari, Epic or any of such parties' affiliates
and subsidiaries.
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