Jump to content
The Dark Mod Forums

Newbie DarkRadiant Questions


demagogue

Recommended Posts

The biggest problem I've found with AI using stairs is they don't actually seem to have a stairs animation, they just use the walk animation and translate up and down. Spent a few hours the other day trying to design some stair profiles, the best I could come up with for tread depth was 22.5 units per stair leaves the feet at about the same position for each step, but without making the staircase hideously long and thus stretching out the buildings, the AI still not only clips their feet through the stairs, but will generally skip every 2nd or 3rd stair depending on where they are in the walk animation before entering the staircase. I got this to work somewhat predictably by using a short path_wait (stop walk animation) at the top and bottom of the stairs so that they'd start the animation from the beginning when they use the stairs, but it still looks meh.

Intel Sandy Bridge i7 2600K @ 3.4ghz stock clocks
8gb Kingston 1600mhz CL8 XMP RAM stock frequency
Sapphire Radeon HD7870 2GB FLeX GHz Edition @ stock @ 1920x1080

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if it would be possible for the AI to have a different walk animation when they travel elevations. The AI would need to detect an elevation difference and then temporarily choose a different walking animation. I know some games have special stair anims for AI.

Clipper

-The mapper's best friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could probably do a canned animation if stairs were always the same size. But it wouldn't work well for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as I know, foot placement on elevations and terrain is not a canned animation, but procedural.

If I remember correctly, it uses the regular walking animation and uses IK to account for the height difference. This is also why it only works fine for not too steep slopes. Also, I believe that this system works not too bad for AI walking upstairs and is less effective for walking downstairs as this movement differs stronger from regular walking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just some quick questions about the direction visportal brushes should be oriented in, as I'm testing their basics for the FM map I'm building:

 

Which side of an already created VP brush should be facing outwards ? Is it the reddish placeholder texture "Portal" ?

 

Will a duo of VP brushes not work properly if the sides with the above mentioned texture aren't facing away from each other ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An example of something that matters is that you want the VP surface touching a closed door, like embedded in the model, so it closes when the door closes. Aside from that, you just want it placed to be most efficient.

 

Also it's really important to use nodraw for the non portal sides. If you use any other texture it'll either kill the VP or AI will not walk through it. So you have to watch those other sides to that extent.

 

I can't really envision what your second question is asking. You can have 2 VP surfaces on 2 brushes flush with other and they'll act like one VP, useful for non rectangular gaps. But if that's not what you're asking, could you describe the phsycal arrangement better and what you're asking about it?

What do you see when you turn out the light? I can't tell you but I know that it's mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Planes are patches.

 

So there are two reasons to use a brush instead of a patch:

 

1 - To make a patch, you'd first make a brush and transform it into a patch, so there's one extra (unnecessary) step.

 

2 - Also, using a brush for a visportal makes it easier to see in the orthogonal views in DR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, Create Simple Patch Mesh and Make Plane are the same thing :wacko:

 

Usually you would draw out a brush in the ortho views, then select the view you want to have the patch facing, then Shit+P to convert it into a patch.

Or

You could draw out a brush in the shape of the visportal, (to fill a doorway for example)

 

post-529-0-26068600-1489944423_thumb.jpg

 

then right click and select Make Visportal

 

post-529-0-79729500-1489944423_thumb.jpg

I always assumed I'd taste like boot leather.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

is there a spawn_arg I can set on a lever/button/switch which is connected to a door, so that an AI never uses that lever?

I have a hidden door, and when fleeing and in proximity, the AI uses the lever to open the hidden door.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just press Shift+P, hit Enter and I have a plane, not sure what you're talking about.

 

Yes that works for a generic sized patch, not that useful as you'll have to resize it to fit into the space where you want a visportal.

So there's still multiple steps.

I always assumed I'd taste like boot leather.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could someone satisfy my curiosity? In video #8 Monsterclips & AI of Sotha's Bakery Job, there is a monsterclip set around the bed. How do the AIs use the bed, do sleeping and sitting "commands" (not the right term) somehow overrule the monsterclip?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think of monsterclip as basically just an invisible solid brush. The AI can lie on top of it, or walk on it if it covers bumpy ground, it has pathfinding computed on its top surface, etc. (In fact you may want to have it go to the ceiling to cut down the pathfinding overhead too, not for beds, but other things). It's not like they're forbidden to touch it, only they can't clip inside it and can't touch its contents.

  • Like 1

What do you see when you turn out the light? I can't tell you but I know that it's mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, ok I see what I missed there, he lowered the mc to the height of the bed, I missed that on the first watch. I saw him raise the other mc's, and he even mentioned he did that to prevent AI from trying to walk on their top surface. Thanks, AluminumHaste and demagogue, appreciate your time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Ah, ok I see what I missed there, he lowered the mc to the height of the bed, I missed that on the first watch. I saw him raise the other mc's, and he even mentioned he did that to prevent AI from trying to walk on their top surface. Thanks, AluminumHaste and demagogue, appreciate your time!

 

 

To the ai there is box bed, just monsterclip.

I was actually a little saddened to learn that the AI only see an empty room, must be kinda boring for them. Would explain why they always seem to be able to find me when I think I'm in a nice little hiding spot!

 

wow, I just managed to quote myself, I'm going to blame Sotha for keeping me up so late last night. :D

Edited by montag
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Recent Status Updates

    • nbohr1more

      TDM 15th Anniversary Contest is now active! Please declare your participation: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/22413-the-dark-mod-15th-anniversary-contest-entry-thread/
       
      · 0 replies
    • JackFarmer

      @TheUnbeholden
      You cannot receive PMs. Could you please be so kind and check your mailbox if it is full (or maybe you switched off the function)?
      · 1 reply
    • OrbWeaver

      I like the new frob highlight but it would nice if it was less "flickery" while moving over objects (especially barred metal doors).
      · 4 replies
    • nbohr1more

      Please vote in the 15th Anniversary Contest Theme Poll
       
      · 0 replies
    • Ansome

      Well then, it's been about a week since I released my first FM and I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised by its reception. I had expected half as much interest in my short little FM as I received and even less when it came to positive feedback, but I am glad that the aspects of my mission that I put the most heart into were often the most appreciated. It was also delightful to read plenty of honest criticism and helpful feedback, as I've already been given plenty of useful pointers on improving my brushwork, level design, and gameplay difficulty.
      I've gotten back into the groove of chipping away at my reading and game list, as well as the endless FM catalogue here, but I may very well try my hand at the 15th anniversary contest should it materialize. That is assuming my eyes are ready for a few more months of Dark Radiant's bright interface while burning the midnight oil, of course!
      · 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...