Legacy:Mapping For AS (UT2004): Difference between revisions

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Adding Assault Basics (taken out stuff in as mapping tut)
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Recently, while helping PointlesS with his Assault map AS-CityInvasion, I realised that many mappers are having trouble mapping for Assault. Having completed a fully-pathed and co-ordinated Assault map myself I'm pretty well-versed in the subject. As such, I'm posting a bunch of random Assault Mapping tips (most of which I gave to PointlesS) for mappers to use as a reference:
==Gametype Basics==
==Gametype Basics==


'''SuperApe:''' The basics of Assault mapping for UT200x have been skipped over.  This needs to be at least outlined.  I am not the expert on AS mapping, so perhaps someone could review the tutorial links at the bottom and fill this in?
Assault is a team based gametype where one team is attacking the other - a progression of objectives must be completed to finish the round. Objectives usually consist of driving a vehicle to a check point, holding a lever to progress to the next area or destroying objects to get past.
 
===Default Gametype===
 
Set LevelInfo -> DefaultGametype to <tt>UT2k4Assault.ASGameInfo</tt>.
 
===Progressive PlayerStarts===
 
Use TriggeredPlayerStarts and a PlayerStartManager.
 
==General Assault Pathing==
 
First things first: NEVER use the autodoor/door actors. They are bugged. I have noticed bots often get confused when [[Legacy:Door|Door]]/[[Legacy:AutoDoor|AutoDoor]]s are used. Use 2 pathnodes and force a path between them accross the door.
 
For every single vehicle path you have, try to have about 3 normal paths nearby. This is good for two reasons: bots on foot will attack/defend from different directions and if the vehicle gets off track, it can use the normal paths to find it's way back.
 
BlockedPaths, ForcedPaths and ProscribedPaths are your friend. Sometimes, bots just need to be forced:
 
===ForcedPaths===
 
Even if the editor doesn't make a link, you can force it yourself by first finding out the name of the node you want the path to (Properties -> Object -> Name), then selecting the node you want to make the link from and going to it's properties. Here, go to the Navigation group and head down to ForcedPaths. In the first item in the list, add the name of the pathnode you are forcing a link to. The next time you rebuild there will be a yellow line between the two nodes. This is one-way. To have it two way like a normal link, do the same thing, starting with the second node and linking back to the first.
 
===ProscribedPaths===
 
Set them up exactly like ForcedPaths, but they tell bots that they SHOULD NOT take this path, no matter what. This is useful as sometimes bots keep taking some stupid route and end up stuck, confused etc. When you [[Legacy:Rebuild|Rebuild]], they will be red paths.
 
===BlockedPaths===
 
Sometimes you want bots to follow a path until something happens (a door closes, something falls in the path). This is what blockedpaths are for. Say you have a blast door that is shut and opens when a particular objective is completed. Put a [[Legacy:BlockedPath|BlockedPath]] in front of it then make sure that its bBlockedPath property (or whatever it is called) under Navigation is set to true. Seeing as though you will already have nodes on the other side of the door, force a path from the blocked path to one of the nodes on the other side (and back again). Set the tag of the BlockedPath to whatever event opens the door, and when it is triggered (when the door opens), the bBlockedPath property will be toggled to false which lets bots know they can now go down that route.
 
==Vehicle Assault Pathing ==
: More: [[Legacy:Pathing For Vehicles|Pathing For Vehicles]] and [[Legacy:Pathing 2k4 Flying Vehicles|Pathing 2k4 Flying Vehicles]]
 
ANY objective that requires the bots to use a vehicle, even if it is not mission-critical, should be given a VehiclePathName. You may have noticed this property before, here's how to use it:
 
In the GameObjective group of the objective, there is the VehiclePathName field. Here, you enter the name of the ''vehicle-accessible pathnode closest to the objective they should be trying to reach''.
 
Another thing about vehicle pathing: When vehicle Assault mapping, remember ANY navigation points can be used by vehicles as long as bVehicleDestination (under Navigation) is true. In fact, you don't even need RoadPathNodes at all. The only benefit of using those over normal PathNodes is the distance they link over.
 
Vehicle paths should be as simple as possible: try to keep them as curves as opposed to sharp bends. The reason is this: If you have an L-shaped bend with one pathnode, it looks like an L to the bots. They don't slow down for it and generally crash. If you use a lot of pathnodes close together to round off the corner (say, 5 pathnodes, 300 Unreal Units apart in a curve, making up the corner), the bots will better judge the corner and slow down.
 
Defensive bots will not use their vehicles unless they see an enemy to attack with. Not by default. It is turned off in the vehicle code. Turning it back on is a simple matter of adding a few lines and saving it in myLevel. These scripts are like those used in AS-Confexia. These are as so:
 
<uscript>
class Blargh extends Foo; //Foo can be any one of the Vehicle classes
 
var (Vehicle) bool bDefensiveUse;
 
function PreBeginPlay()
{
bDefensive = bDefensiveUse;
Super.PreBeginPlay();
}


defaultproperties
The style of assault maps can vary greatly between maps and you can do pretty close to anything you want in terms of size and layout.
{
    bDefensiveUse=True
}
</uscript>


==AI Scripts ==
The default assault maps that come with the game are fairly linear and players have to follow a set route with usually one or two alternatives but then centralising around the objective.


The AI scripts system is bugged. I noticed this early in the making of HighRise. Here is the way it works:
If you are looking to make an Assualt Map with no experience about assault you will want to read through the [[Legacy:Assault Mapping Tutorial|Assault Mapping Tutorial]] which is a fairly comprehensive tutorial on making assault maps.
 
In an Assault map, every AI script ''must'' be linked to an objective. The AI in UT2004 is very intelligent, but not intelligent enough to be able to decipher a mapper's random tags and events. :p
 
You do this: The group of AI scripts you want defenders to use when they defend an objective you give the same tag to. MyTag. Then in the properties of the objective they are to defend, go to the GameObjective group. Look for the DefenseScriptTags field. Enter MyTag (subbing in your actual tag obviously). The bots will now know what to do come that objective.
 
This must be done for every single AI script in the level, there cannot be one single one that is not attached to an objective of some kind or ''all of them will fail''.


==Optimization ==
==Optimization ==
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'''MarZer:''' Indeed, thanks :) . *edits page*
'''MarZer:''' Indeed, thanks :) . *edits page*
'''Blip2:''' Moved pathing stuff to [[Legacy:Pathing For Assault|Pathing for Assault]] - I'll add more general stuff about assault later and finish tidying up


[[Category:Legacy Mapping|{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Legacy Mapping|{{PAGENAME}}]]

Revision as of 06:25, 31 January 2007

Gametype Basics

Assault is a team based gametype where one team is attacking the other - a progression of objectives must be completed to finish the round. Objectives usually consist of driving a vehicle to a check point, holding a lever to progress to the next area or destroying objects to get past.

The style of assault maps can vary greatly between maps and you can do pretty close to anything you want in terms of size and layout.

The default assault maps that come with the game are fairly linear and players have to follow a set route with usually one or two alternatives but then centralising around the objective.

If you are looking to make an Assualt Map with no experience about assault you will want to read through the Assault Mapping Tutorial which is a fairly comprehensive tutorial on making assault maps.

Optimization

More: Map Optimization

Fog

No further than 20000 units for the max distance is sufficient for outside levels, assuming you have antiportals and other optimization methods in place. See also fog.

StaticMesh CullDistance

(Properties -> Display -> CullDistance): If you have an indoor Assault Map, there is a good chance you won't be using fog, but there is also a good chance that most of the Static Meshes in the level won't be seen at the same time. By setting the static meshes a CullDistance, they won't be rendered by the engine when they are further away from you than this distance, even if they aren't occluded by fog, AntiPotals or Zones.

Checkpoints

Another thing that you can do is have 'checkpoint' areas close off as previous parts of your map become empty (as the mission progresses). This allows you to trigger antiportals to hide these unused inaccessable areas, making rendering much less taxing.

Doors

Make an antiportal that is the same size of your door but a bit wider (a few pixels, so it covers any zoneportals you may be using in the doorway when it is closed). Put it over the door. In the properties of the door, go to the Mover group. In AntiPortalTag set it a unique name. Then in the properties of the AntiPortal, go to the Events group and set its Tag the same as what you just entered in the mover's AntiPortalTag. Go to the Movement group and set the AntiPortal's AttachTag to that of the tag of the door. Then go to the Object group (still in the AntiPortal's properties) and set InitialState to TriggerToggle. This will stop whatever is behind the door (line of sight, unless the door is a zone portal as well) being rendered when the door is closed (when the AntiPortal is active and down) but when the door opens the AntiPortal gets turned off and moved out with the door, so it is as if it was never there. When the door shuts again it turns back on. This is very useful if you have a lot of indoor-outdoor areas.

Hiding Areas

When you place an AntiPortal it is turned on by default. Triggering it will disable it (provided it's Object -> InitialState property is set to TriggerToggle). You can use a sheet AP to stop rendering of all the behind bits of a map until players can actually get in there, at which point you turn it off.

AntiPortal size

Remember, one big antiportal is always better than lots of little ones. Always.

Zoning

Try to place ZonePortals in a place where they won't be seen that often. This causes the other zones to be rendered less often.

External Links

Tutorials

Related Topics

Discussion

That is all for now, I hope it helps some people. I will update this later, as well as writing a decent Assault mapping tutorial that gets into the nitty-gritty, evil, nasty bits of it at some point. Feel free to add things to it (hey, this is the Wiki after all!) - MarZer

Tarquin: I've tidied up a bit. Some bits are general and could be moved to other pages (eg cull distance)

Catdæmon: Hope this is the right way to comment... oh well. Nice tutorial!

MarZer: Cheers Cat! I'm not done yet though. Over the next week or so I will be working with PointlesS to write a fully-fledged Assault Mapping Tutorial - one that *attempts* to cover all the bases.

Boksha: "Make an antiportal that is the same size of your door but a bit narrower." Wouldn't it make more sense to make the antiportal WIDER than the door? That way you could also have it block a zoneportal that's also in the door, and make sure nothing on the other side of the door gets rendered if it doesn't have to be.

MarZer: Indeed, thanks :) . *edits page*

Blip2: Moved pathing stuff to Pathing for Assault - I'll add more general stuff about assault later and finish tidying up

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