Question of ladders in TDM

[Summer]

Sorry if this sounds like a noob question, but I have a question about the use of ladders in TDM.

 

I can get on them fine from below and jumping on them from the opposite side if that's a possibility, but...

 

How does one get on ladders from above? No matter how fast or slow I try to get on the ladders I end up falling and taking damage. Is there a specific key or something to "grab" the ladders from above? Or a technique I'm just not getting...?

 

Summer

[aidakeeley]

I don't like it much either but I've kind of worked it out:

 

1. Have your blackjack out (or some weapon drawn).

2. Get as centered as possible with your back to the ladder

3. Slow/creep/whatever-it's-called backwards.

4. As soon as you see your weapon "holster" you are then ready to look down and start your descent.

 

Best I can do.

[Summer]

I don't like it much either but I've kind of worked it out:

 

1. Have your blackjack out (or some weapon drawn).

2. Get as centered as possible with your back to the ladder

3. Slow/creep/whatever-it's-called backwards.

4. As soon as you see your weapon "holster" you are then ready to look down and start your descent.

 

Best I can do.

 

Thanks for the really quick advice

 

I'll give it a try. It wouldn't normally be a problem, but there are a lot of vertical missions coming out lately.

[Fidcal]

Yes, exactly. Back on to a ladder. I don't use the blackjack trick though. I just back over the top of the ladder until I drop slightly onto it. Do the same with rope arrows. You 'feel' a little 'bump' as it 'grips' then you can descend. Once you are on you can turn and face outwards if you want.

 

If you think about it, this is how you would get on a ladder in real life. You wouldn't walk forward like you were going down stairs. You would walk up to it and turn and step down backwards.

[New Horizon]

Thirded. Yes, just walk backward onto it as you would in real life. Have never had a problem getting on ladders in the game myself.

[SneaksieDave]

Yes you're supposed to walk back to mount descending. The surface you attach to is in front of you (unless the mapper made it really big or odd). Once attached you can look around as normal.

[LEGION]

Yeah, I like the TDM-ladders very much. Never had problems. Even in Doom3 you would fall off when looking around. Oh hell, just think of the ladders in Thief 1, horribly cruel they were...

[SneaksieDave]

Right, this is actually a perfect example of a feature in TDM that is merely derived from the original Doom3 functionality, but greatly improved for better gameplay. This type of thing probably goes unnoticed in most cases, where a hater thinks, "so what? Doom3 already had ladders, big deal." And this type of stuff is everywhere in the mod.

[ungoliant]

people back on to ladders? i prefer the full frontal leap directly on to it. if its on a dropoff and i can't navigate to the other side to walk into the ladder, then i tend to walk forwards until i start to drop, and then back up to catch it. something about walking towards a 100+ ft drop backwards that makes me nervous. gotta see what i'm doing.

[Summer]

Huge thanks to everyone who replyed!

 

Ok, backing towards the ladders it is. Gotta take it slow first until I get the hang of it.

 

All in all, I love TDM. Mantling is so smooth that every time I play and then move onto T2 FMs I forget how awkward mantling is there... and curses start flying. But TDM... Smooth as silk. Thanks, guys!

[Fidcal]

Yes, don't think you have to walk backwards 10 paces though. Walk right up to the top of the ladder almost on top of it then turn and step back onto the ladder.

[SneaksieDave]

Hoping this will help with a mental image of it for those who don't use DR.

 

Here's a typical ladder in TDM. To start climbing, the game sticks your front end to that surface. Thus the reason you must back off ledges facing the ladder (though you can look down some to negotiate it more safely) for the initial stick (you can look around once stuck). If the mapper makes the brush thicker it can make it more sure that you'll grab it upon stepping off, but you'll be further from the ladder itself in game, so there's a balance. That little lip shown in the pic helps as well. Once you know how it works, you have far fewer (if any) problems anymore.

 

 

 

Bonus: yes climbable surfaces can be oddly shaped, angled, and even on ceilings in TDM.

[demagogue]

Yes I think that's one reason I've never had a problem with TDM ladders because sub-consciously I have that image from the editor in mind when dealing with them. Then you can sense where the ladder-brush must be and how you're physically attached.