Player use of Turrets

Sorry, I was immensly sidtracked on the weapon lock down issue so this had second priority for a while. Anyhow;

Originally posted by Second Chance

Say, is it possible to parent the window view to the actual firing turret? I could tell you which part of the turret it needs to be parented to if you can.

Thats exactly what I wanted to try. I was hoping though, parenting could be done directly via the setup scene instead of pogging it, as I doubt you can "find" a component part of a subsim via pog which would be necessary to parent the view in the first place.

If all else fails, screw using a new model. Just make the view empty, except for the hud display info. Can that be done?

Thats basically what we have now as you're Rem-linked to the turret. but you still have the stationary Hud reticule in the middle

One last thing, are you familiar with how the turret model is set up? It's pretty simple if you're not. But you probably are.

Do you mean the standard turret in the game or your new turret design? The answer is actually No, for both.
What I'd like to do is parent the view so it follows the turret while it's tracking the target, Visually speaking so you are "looking down the barrel" at the target as it tracks.

here it is tracking a target

and as you get closer while passing by it fires

My idea was to use a dummy bolt for the turret so tracks the target and moves around (but doesn't blind you with it's fire) then a normal wide arc PBC would be the players weapon that he fires manually. The arc of the players weapon would match the heading and elevation limits on the turret.
Also, if the turrets .ini is set to turret_mode = 1 it will track the target the player has currently selected (and not just pick a target at will)


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I was hoping though, parenting could be done directly via the setup scene instead of pogging it

Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. That's even a much better idea really, I just didn't think of it.

What I'd like to do is parent the view so it follows the turret while it's tracking the target, Visually speaking so you are "looking down the barrel" at the target as it tracks.

This is what you would get with the above idea.

The pics show almost exactly what I was talking about earlier. A stationary view (like looking out the gunport windows, like in the Falcon) that shows the target tracking icon and the moving gun. But instead of the gun moving on its own, joystick inputs would move it up, down, left and right.

Does the turret follow the HUD target tracking icon, or does the HUD target tracking icon just show where the turret will shoot? What I'm getting at is, is it possible to have the player control the turret and still see where he's shooting using a setup like in the pics.

Do you mean the standard turret in the game or your new turret design? The answer is actually No, for both.

I have to go out right now, but I'll explain it when I come back later today .

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The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
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The pics show almost exactly what I was talking about earlier. A stationary view (like looking out the gunport windows, like in the Falcon) that shows the target tracking icon and the moving gun. But instead of the gun moving on its own, joystick inputs would move it up, down, left and right.

Yes, I understood (I think) what you meant but there are two issues a) I'm concerned with moving the turret via joystick inputs since I don't think you could release the joystick input from the ship itself .
It might work with an additional keybind if you can do the "animation" channels in the model specifically for stick input?

b)We still have the problem, that in the very dynamic MP game, you run the risk of the target being shot by someone else and your autopilot would just stop so you're a sitting duck until you give it a new target.
That could however add to the fun of the game (if complexity can be considered fun) since we could probably allow you to set the new target for it to follow via a keybind without you having to leave the turret)

Does the turret follow the HUD target tracking icon, or does the HUD target tracking icon just show where the turret will shoot? What I'm getting at is, is it possible to have the player control the turret and still see where he's shooting using a setup like in the pics.

Depends, Have you noted the wide arc PBC versions in the game? The wide arc cannon will lock on, track and fire outside the Hud reticule. If you set the arc wide enough you can even lock on targets at the very edge of your hud view (in fact you can even lock on targets out of your view at a 90 degree angle if you want)
By "lock on" I mean the hud icon arrows stop revolving and follow the target across your field of view

Thats why I wanted to have a view parented to the turret (instead of to the crew null of the ship) so you could watch where you're shooting even if the target is out of your (normal crew null based) field of view.




Iwar2 Multiplayer Fan Site

It might work with an additional keybind if you can do the "animation" channels in the model specifically for stick input?

That might work, I'll have to look into it.

...and your autopilot would just stop so you're a sitting duck until you give it a new target.

Couldn't you just write a function that selects the next closest enemy and autopilot pursues it for the player automatically? In fact, why not have targets selectable by the player while in the turret, and the ship automatically pursues whatever the current target is? This way the player could stay in the turret and constantly select new targets to pursue and attack without ever leaving. (Wow, a simulation of a crew! There's a novel idea .)

Thats why I wanted to have a view parented to the turret...

I think that's a more realistic approach, my idea was really more just wishful thinking .

mailto:second_chance@cox.net
The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
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Originally posted by Second Chance

... In fact, why not have targets selectable by the player while in the turret, and the ship automatically pursues whatever the current target is? This way the player could stay in the turret and constantly select new targets to persue and attack without ever leaving. (Wow, a simulation of a crew! There's a novel idea .)

did you ummm, erm... perhaps overlook this:

Originally posted by MajorTom

That could however add to the fun of the game (if complexity can be considered fun) since we could probably allow you to set the new target for it to follow via a keybind without you having to leave the turret)

That would be a lot easier on the server app too, because we wouldn't need to run a polling task in the background constantly to see if the autopilot has lost his target.


Iwar2 Multiplayer Fan Site

Oops, I sure did. [] Sorry.

mailto:second_chance@cox.net
The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
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