Still rewriting various bits and pieces of PackBSP. Today I want to talk about how Source games handle finding files, as far as I can tell from guesswork, testing, and code comments. I'd welcome any corrections on this stuff.
If the game need a file, like "sounds/weapon/pistol_shot.wav", where exactly does it get it from? For most Source-engine games, this turns out the ordering is a bit more complex than I had originally expected.
A while back I did a video of how the Pyro’s flamethrower worked, trying to debunk some other reports that you could get extra range out of it by aiming upwards, as if it were a firehose. Some other folks bravely took up the challenge of some contradictory data, and came to a startling conclusion: The Pyro’s flamethrower sometimes shoots farther or shorter than normal! At last, scientific validation for every Pyro frustrated because an enemy ought to be in-range, or everybody else frustrated because they knew they weren’t.
At some point I’ll collect all the scripts and console commands from those old tests, but for now I just wanted to put out some information for anyone with more time on their hands to investigate the problem.
I’ve been writing in certain forums for a while about the workings of TF2′s “backstab” attack. Since there seems to be a lot of confusion and rage over this instant-kill-from-behind gameplay mechanic, I’ve decided to collect some of my findings here so I don’t need to re-type them often. First I’ll explain some basic concepts, and then show some diagrams to see how they add up to describing the backstab behavior. Read more…
One of the issues in PackBSP I want to improve is that it doesn’t “know” about dependencies (like a model used in a prop_static entity) stored in the entity data of a map. At least, not for other mods: PackBSP is currently hardcoded to the set that TF2 supports. The solution seems to be interpreting the FGD files that Hammer uses to determine all the places a user might insert a model or a texture while mapping. These definition files should be created by mod-makers for just about any “serious” Source Engine mod, so it seems safe to piggyback on their information. I’ve had a parser for the FGD files for a while now, but just parsing the file isn’t enough: You have to resolve and assemble all the dependencies into a final state.
The Pyro has always been an interesting class, struggling to find its niche. It’s gotten some buffs and some nerfs, but at the end of the day a common TF2 issue arises: A balanced gameplay mechanic against “Joe Average” which becomes disproportionately worse as enemy players get smarter. And with the “War!” update, some of his common enemies have new tools to use against him, such as the Demoman’s Targe (+50% fire resistance) and the Soldier’s Direct Hit (fast rockets difficult to reflect.) I think the Pyro could use another very circumspect buff which would actually help carve out his own niche in higher-level play…
The Beta-3 release of ctf_2fort_revamp is out. For anyone asking: “WTF is that?” it’s an “improved” version of CTF_2fort designed to be less stalemate-prone… To make it a bit more fun to capture the flag than to simply defend it.
One of the big features of 2Fort Revamp is to change how people treat the central water pool, so I thought I’d detail some of my design decisions (and past attempts) to alter it.
Normally, it’s a route to be avoided because it’s inconvenient. If you fall in, you often must go through a long extremely-predictable path into the enemy base. A path that’s much further than just crossing the bridge. Not only that, but if the enemy puts up stiff resistance, your only choice is to backtrack through an equally-long path through your own base to end up where you started. It’s handy to avoid the snipers, but in many ways it is too inconvenient.
By making it easier to backtrack from the sewers, I believe it would make people more likely to use them. Why? Because you don’t commit as much by going and taking a look. Here are some of the variations I’ve tried over time… Read more…
A while back I decided that I wanted to learn how to make new maps in Source engine, specifically for TF2. Since it was my first exposure to map-making I decided to pick a learning-project where I could work incrementally. One of the stock maps for TF2, ctf_2fort is both loved and hated, although both sides will often agree it has something to do with how prone it is to non-tense stalemates.
I am on a quest to abolish the term “pipe bomb” from the TF2 lexicon. It only confuses people and there is no good reason to use it over the official names. “No pipes!” Why, you ask? Because… Read more…