Battlefront

[Evillizard]

I am currently working on a first person shooter I am calling "battlefront" for the time being, but it will be a medieval shooter (arrows, swords, horses, ect)

It will work like this - In the begining of the game, each player will choose a class (Swordsman, Horseman, and Archer) and after everyone has chosen a number of units will spawn for each time and attack the enemy base. The computer will automaticly attack, but the players will have to manually strike/shoot. After a number of reinforcements have deplinished for a team, respawns will be disabled for that team.

There will be only one vehicle ( at the moment, I might decide more ) which is an air ship. The air ship will have an internal area which players can enter and manually drive/use as a hitch hiker to get behind enemy lines. Only one of these vehicles per team will be alive at one time.

This map will be triggered on GUI, and I will make most of the triggers and terrain myself, but the reason I made this thread is to request help on specific triggers I need help on, and I will post updates and screenshots on the map.

Updates

New Map Update. Current projectile progress inside ((press esc to shoot) For whatever reason I don't know the shooting trigger no longer works)

Trigger Help

Look at [URL="http://filesmelt.com/dl/Realistic_War2.w3x[/URL]<this to see the triggers. Currently, how do I make it so you can change your class and respawn as a new unit with this camera system? I haven't found away yet....

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Seems like a cool idea, but you may want to ask for some help from some jassers to help speed up your keyboard control triggers - keyboard control is already laggy as it is online, Jass could help cut down on that

 

[Evillizard]

I'm going to make the attack system simple, but I'm still working on making it so you can just press the ability and attack forward or for archers the arrow only damages the first unit it attacks

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

For the archers just use dummy units for the missiles
For the actual attack command I'd put that on the Escape key that way you can trigger your own cooldowns and such for it instead of working with the delayed constraints of the normal spell system.

 

[Evillizard]

How exactly would I go about making the excape key fire the dummy forward until it hits something?

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

The escape key event is when a player "skips a cinematic" (doesn't require cinematic mode to be on or anything, it's basically when the player hits the escape key).

For the bullets make a dummy at unit at it's location facing it's direction and add them to a bullet group. Every .03 seconds pick every unit in that group and move them some distance (using polar points or coordinates, whatever you like). Within that trigger set another group to enemy units around the location of the bullet, if there's more then 0 units in the group kill the bullet, remove it from the bullet group and damage all the enemies in the damage group.

 

[Evillizard]

How do I add units to groups? I know how the unit group trigger works, but could you explain the vari work with that?

 

[matej]

sounds very interesting. whole idea is nice, good luck whit your project.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

How do I add units to groups? I know how the unit group trigger works, but could you explain the vari work with that?

-Well first create a unit group that will be all Bullets
-When the player creates a bullet by firing, use the Add Unit function to add the bullet created the the Bullet group
-Every .03 seconds, pick every unit in the Bullet group and move them, then check for collision.
-Upon colliding with something, remove the bullet from the group and kill it.

 

[Fingolfin]

Also, for the arrow key system, i was just told by GhostThruster that it is best to use Move Unit with shorter intervals instead of Issue Unit Order, and i would also personally suggest that you use a jass line for that (can be easily implemented into GUI) that takes an x and y coordinate instead of a location, since this could also prove faster when the trigger is fired every 0.03 seconds (not to mention that you don't have to worry about leaks).

 

[Evillizard]

How do I check for collision?

 

[Fingolfin]

just check the distance between two object and then determine if it is lower than the distance you have set to be minimum collision distance.

Say, if you want the collision "radius" of the projectile to be 30, you just check if DistanceBetweenUnits(your bullet, selected unit)<30, and if it is, you run the "hit" function.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

I normally just constantly set a group to the enemy units within the collision radius around the bullet, if there's more then 0 units in the group then it's colliding with something.

 

[Evillizard]

What's the trigger to make any unit of a type ordered to go in the direction it's facing or just automaticly every .05 seconds instantly moved forward by so much?

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

• Time:
• Periodic: Every .03 Seconds
• Conditions
• Actions:
• Group - Pick Every Unit in Unit Group GROUP and
• set location P = position of picked unit
• set location P2 = polar point - P offset by 10 towards Facing angle of Picked unit
• Move unit to P
• Custom Script: call removelocation(udg_P)
• Custom Script: call removelocation(udg_P2)

Of course that's not the exact code but you get the point

 

[Evillizard]

When I did that, they wall faced the direction of the archer, but went in the same direction.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Make sure you (or I) don't have the distance it's offset by mixed up with the angle

 

[Evillizard]

there has nothing to do with angle, they face the same angle as the archer does, but they do the mvoe instantly thing in the same direction

Also, I'm trying to get the kill arrow and deal damage thing, when I do the 'unit comes within distance of unit' I can't do unit type, and when I try to do the variable I can't make it use the variable

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

there has nothing to do with angle, they face the same angle as the archer does, but they do the mvoe instantly thing in the same direction

If they face the correct direction but move in the wrong one, then obviously something isn't setting the correct angle in moving the unit.

Also, I'm trying to get the kill arrow and deal damage thing, when I do the 'unit comes within distance of unit' I can't do unit type, and when I try to do the variable I can't make it use the variable

On the move periodic, set a unit group equal to the units owned by an enemy player around the bullet. If there's more then 0 units in the group kill the bullet and deal damage

 

[Evillizard]

I'd like to know how to use variables though, and it would fix the problem

 

[Forgotten_Warlord]

Would you like me to create the firing system for you?

 

[Fingolfin]

If you don't know how to use variables, then i think you are a little bit over your head with this project. Perhaps you should work with some other less demanding projects before you dive into something this script-heavy.

But anyways, if nice people like Wherewolf and Warlord helps you out, i guess you'll be fine.
At least you seem to have the eager to learn.

 

[Evillizard]

THe Firing system is the only thing I've had a problem with so far (I've got the camera system hammered down) and I'm not exactly sure how variables work or how to use them, but I'm just trying to figure out how

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Well if you know the basics of a variable, it allows you to store a piece of information to use for later (or in the case of movement, simply to remove leaks).

-Go under the variable editor and then create a new variable
-From there, within a function you can reference it in an appropriate situation through the second click menu (the one above the one that has instances like picked unit, etc.).
-Using the Set Variable function, you can set a variable to something for later use, like setting a unit variable to a unit casting a spell so you can reference that unit later without the "casting unit" thing, or to have the same unit referenced within multiple triggers that it doesn't trigger
-Many variables need not be removed, but some, like locations, need to be removed to prevent leaks. Removing these specifics types takes a line of custom code specific to that variable type. Here's the ones you'll be using the most

call RemoveLocation(udg_VARIABLENAMEHERE)
call DestroyGroup(udg_GROUPVARIABLENAME)

The one for special effects has a GUI equivalent you've probably already noticed.

 

[Evillizard]

I was trying to use a variable for unit type Arrow for the distance range from any arrow projectile to do the kill arrow and damage unit thing, but I couldn't make the trigger use the variable

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Here, I made a projectile system a while ago for a map concept, I'm not saying take the whole system because it probably has unnecessary features in it you don't need (like shooting at an angle, though I am pretty proud I was able to get the arrows to mostly (still some change) ignore the Z of the terrain under them) but it could help to take a look at how I did it to understand variables and such more.

 

[Fingolfin]

I'd just like to ask a question regarding this: is the native GetLocZ() based on a global Z coordinate, or does it calculate the Z of the point in relation to the terrain?

 

[Evillizard]

Also, in the map
All the projectiles go the same direction, despite where the hero is aiming

 

[Fingolfin]

Make them face the same angle as the shooter when they are created, and then base the movement on a polar offset from the bullets facing.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Also, in the map
All the projectiles go the same direction, despite where the hero is aiming

Maybe you should upload the map so we can see what you're doing wrong

 

[Grey Nightmare]

Interesting... Might keep tags on this.
Good luck!

P.S

Learning about variables, arrays and loops will be absolutely essential.
vJASS isn't, but it would prove most useful, saying that, there are plenty of pre-made movement/camera systems in vJASS in the spell section; just search under 'systems' for 'camera' or 'key movement'.

 

[Fingolfin]

I'd just like to ask a question regarding this: is the native GetLocZ() based on a global Z coordinate, or does it calculate the Z of the point in relation to the terrain?

Could someone respond to this?
Just interrested.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

I don't know really, I think it calculates the Z of the point in relation to the terrain. Also note that I had a typo - it's GetLocationZ (I always get loc mixed up with location for some reason). Note that terrain deformations don't alter a locations Z at all for some reason, just the appearance.

 

[Evillizard]

Updated the map again and uploaded a picture.

 

[Skycraft]

Sounds like an awesome idea, can't wait to play it!
Keep up the awesome work!

 

[Fingolfin]

Is there any way to calculate the global height of an object then?
I made a nice function that retrieves the exponent in a parabola that looks like this:

Y = x^(-height)^(1/length)

I had thought to use it to calculate the trajectory of a cannonball, but if i use SetUnitHeight = blablabla, and use my function to set the z, i will only get the z relative to the terrain, and i want to be able to check if the cannonball hits the terrain by checking if it's Z is lower than that of the terrain. Perhaps you know what i mean, i'm a bit confused with this though.

 

[ZeusLT]

I like the whole idea tracking this thread. Between I cannot see any picture uploaded. O_O

 

[Chizume]

Seems like a nice concept.

It would although be cool to have only swordsman and bowman, and both can mount a horse, making it pretty much like 4 types of units. Just an idea.

Best of luck!

 

[Evillizard]

That is a good idea, but I might not do it, I ment the 3 classes to have different ups and down (the horseman is fast, but low on damage and hp, the swordsman has decent speed and high damage and good hp, and the archer is ranged and has decent damage but is helplessly slow.) and the horse as a mountable thing would offset the tradeoffs a bit.

 

[Chizume]

True. Although I'd like to incline that mounting a horse (in reality) gives you advantages in both speed, strength and defense. At least they gain a nice burst damage when charging.

Have you thought any of armor types? or will you go for plain damage? I'm not sure what level of complexity you'd like the map to end up with. Will the units be heroes, can they have items, will they gain abilities or is it more of a skillshot game?

 

[Fingolfin]

Also, i'd say archers, who are so lightly packed (not having to carry heavy swords or armour), would be much faster rather than slower!
Instead, give them low HP, fast attack speed, and decent damage.
The horseman would have good protection against swords, due to his height advantage, but low protection against arrows.

 

[Evillizard]

NPC or Computer units will have the evasion ability to serve as what a player would have in order to block or dodge attacks from other NPCs, but this does not work coming from players.

I decided to make archers slow because it forces a strategy for the melee to take the damage while the archers deal the damage, but they themselves can take little damage.

I'm not too sure on armor types, I will most likely just go on damage and health, but health is based on the armor of the unit.

 

[Zegaroth]

I is terrainer! I is awesome!

 

[Evillizard]

how does that make you
feel

 

[Chizume]

how does that make you
feel

Feelings? Feelings are for weak people!

 

[Evillizard]

Emotional Feelings or senses via nose/eyes/nerves do not produce a lack of muscle structure.

 

[ZeusLT]

Dead ?