Question about controlling marines

[Parias]

Alright I _may_ come away from this sounding like a fool, but I haven't seen it in any other threads (although I may have missed something) so if it has been covered already I'll just go look harder >)

Anyways, when you take control of your marines in Bc3020, er.. how will the control scheme work out? I'm thinking something along the lines of Quake/Half-Life.

My proposal (just basic controls mostly)

Have it so you can have 2 different control schemes. I know it's possible because I saw it in Redline. While on your BC you are using a control config called something like BC.cfg or whatever (.cfg is just a placeholder extension, for the sake of the post).

Then when you go on foot, it unbinds BC.cfg and uses marine.cfg or something similar. This cfg file will have all of the commands you are used to. Basically what I would like to see is controlling a marine being similar to Half-Life. AKA, I could use the mouse for aiming and looking around, the W, A, S, D (configurable to arrow keys or something else if other people want) for moving around, say, Q to use your thrusters (this is like my Tribes config >)), V to use your gravity boots, ESC to head back to your BC, or if you wanted to take control of one of your interceptors flying overhead (like was suggested in another thread by SC), you would target it and hit r or something. Plus a few other various buttons for any other items you may have (medipack, grenade, etc), as well as a button to chat/use voice. Tell me what ya think... just some ideas from me >)

And like I said, if this is covered in another thread, then just ignore my drunken ramblings hehe

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Elite Commander Parias

ICV-Galatae

ICQ:1293359

"I took this job because I love to blow sh*t up!"

[SpacePhish]

NIce Parias. I like the sound of that. But it's not my game, I'm not developing it. But I like getting off imagine things Especially the inventory part, imagine me on the planet, surronded my ahhh Insurgent marines. Pull out my grenade, run toward nearst Insrugent. BOOOOOOMMMMMMM hehehe

I also would like to see the 'A'S'D control. But I think it's covered in some other post that S.C said you are able to reconfig the keys. ALright then I just got a new job today. No more sitting around at home and spending all day on this forum

Peace.

GCV "Cap Of Delight" B.C#2

"Imagine things is the name of the game"

[Guest RiEvEr]

We could always make it unfriendly and unconfigurable if enough people wanted it that way though

Hehe - I'm a "Thresh" config player myself so no probs on that front

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RiEvEr

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BC3020AD Strike Pak Team

[Supreme Cmdr]

Well, there are TWO first person interfaces in BC:3020AD and the Strike Pak BC level included in it.

The BC3K kernel version which allows you to switch to any deployed person and controlling that person in first person, will have default key controls and you can change them be editing the bckeys.cfg file. In fact, all the keys for the game will be in this file. I'll probably do a GUI interface too. Dunno yet.

Controlling a person who has been deployed is a simple matter of either targeting that person and pressing a key (the way it works now in debug mode. Testers, already know this) or by using the switch-to menu command. Switching to crafts will remain unchanged. If the person you are controlling dies, you will be switched back to the BC. Jumping from a marine into one of your deployed ATV, is a matter of colliding with said vehicle if there is space, you get to control it. Marines not trained to fly Interceptors or shuttles so you can only switch to these crafts if you are controlling a certain type of officer or a pilot.

When you drop into the BC using the Strike Pak BC add-on, you can only control your alter-ego and if you die, the SP switches back to the BC3K kernel and the game ends.

So, there are two different engines at work. The BC3K kernel using the PTE-II surface engine and the skeletal animation based personnel created for the Strike Pak for its personnel. There will be all the normal functions such as run, jump, crouch, prone, grenade throwing, with various combos etc.

You will be able to run around or walk around your ship's hull with magnetic boots (press a key to disengage them and float off). You can also use your jetpack in space or on planets.

The personnel HUD is a simple affair that just shows your LF/FF/AI, name of person you are controlling (ie Marine 10), weapons, eye-piece mounted radar, jetpack charge etc.

The usual weapons will apply but is restricted to the list below. Again, what BC3K uses, is what the SP add-on will use. However, officers and marines are equiped differently, so for instance, deploying officers won't give you access to grenades, pulse rifle or the sniper rifle. No, you won't be able to configure what a person carries, so, don't ask. The existing Combat Kit used to equip marines, has been extended to two different classes. One type for officers/pilots and one type for marines. So if you deploy marines, they will have the entire arsenal. You will have the ability to pick up weapons in BC3K and the SP kernels dropped from the fallen.

Because BC3K already has engines that are closely tied into each other, you should be able to radio in an airstrike by pressing a key and any ICs in the area (or launched from the BC), will fly to your vicinity (using your location as a waypoint) and attack detected hostiles. The same applies to ATVs.

With the exception of the ability to control

personnel using the new animation engine, most of this is not new and is already supported in the game engines. They just need to be refined and exploited. In fact, you can currently switch to any object in the game (in debug mode), even stations and personnel on the ground. A lot of work went into these engines over the years and even BC:3020AD won't have tapped into their full potential.

Now you see why I'm not going to bother with ACM scripts? There is going to be soooo much going on, you won't need any missions. The new PTE-II surface technology is just plain awesome in terms of rendering and ease of use. With the new 16-bit graphics, you can call up the map for your entire quadrant (as a person deployed on the surface) about 5 miles and see everything if you have a probe in orbit (orbscan mode), otherwise, you will only see your own forces. Of course from the BC, you can see the entire planet and everything on it using tacops.

Since you will be able to buy units from stations and build based on planets, those Insurgents will probably carve a fine piece of Earth turf and set up camp. For once, I can stop hearing people asking if they can deploy SAMs, SALs, EWRs etc. Units such as the current radars, EWRs etc, will work using the new fog of war technology, so if you have an EMD in your base, you will be able to jam everything (as it currently works now in 2.0x) and nobody will see any clearly, any units in your base using tacops etc. I am not putting in any restrictions on what you can do, so, if you have a P200 and think you are going to be setting a base all over the galaxy, you only have yourself to blame for the 2fps you will be getting. No, like the restriction on switching to the SP in multiplayer, you won't be able to build anything. Several high-end features will be disabled in multiplayer for obvious reasons.

Anyway, in answering this post, I decided to get these things out of the way. If I don't mention it here, don't ask, because there is a 99.999% chance I'll say no to your question. So, save yourself some typing.

weapons arsenal

quote:

---

pistol

- a dual fire mode side-arm.

Mode 1: fires a steady laser beam in short bursts, low damage

Mode 2: single burst

Projectile: Internal charger which infinite power (needs time to recharge)

pulse rifle

- a dual fire mode rifle, looks like the one in Aliens

Mode 1: Fires steady particle beam in short bursts (less power, med damage)

Mode 2: Fires steady particle beam in rapid bursts (more power, high damage)

Mode 3: Fires standard grenades

Projectile: pak of 10 (also uses grenades in Mode 3)

sniper rifle

- a standard high-tech sniper rifle with zooming capabilities.

An infrared laser sight is built in.

Projectile: pak of 10

grenades

- hand thrown. Works like standard grenades.

combat knife

- combat issue double edge knife. Can also be thrown. Distance thrown is dependent upon time held before the actual throw. Can be picked up after throwing.

perscan

- Allows the person carrying it to see personnel within a certain range in the current area. Friendlies are green, hostiles are red bleeps etc.

medkit

- standard issue. Provides some increase in LF/FF

repair kit

- standard issue. Provides some increase in object damage integrity

jetpack

- standard issue.

power: rechargeable cells

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[This message has been edited by Supreme Cmdr (edited 04-25-99).]

[SpacePhish]

SWEET JESUS!!!

THe ground ops's like a whole new ball game!

Mother of Christ, I'm going nuts just thinking about the things I would be able to to in BC32K. S.C you're so darn right, who need anymore ACMs? Especially with the AI trying to taking over the Universe mode, that should make things really really intresting. Boy am I drollinnnngggg.......

Did someone say promote S.C to god status?

I'm down for that , if I get the starion

class for free that is.

[This message has been edited by SpacePhish (edited 04-25-99).]

[Rico Jansen]

Excuse me Phish, but the SC has allways been the BC3K-God. Hence the game. His idea, his life, his world. Him.

As for the kits/arms, the Combat knife idea is real COOL. Martial arts in the year 3020? Who would have known. You don't see it in (many) other 1pers games, or are there?

Rico

[This message has been edited by Rico Jansen (edited 04-25-99).]

[Guest]

What? No TAZER? *grin* (those who have played "Syphon Filter" (or something like that) in PLAYSTATION may know what I'm talking about. hehehehehe.BZZZZZT!

Wicked cool chief!

Prone=crawling or upright? SEAL TEAM had a prone position,dont remember if it was upright or belly-crawling :-).

[Badgerius]

Heavily armed soldiers who debark from spaceships and carry jetpacks? These aren't marines, they're Robert A. Heinlein's Mobile Infantry from Starship Troopers!!! (the book, not the movie)

Tres cool!!!

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Commander Badgerius, GCV Diligence

[Commander Brett]

Hey haha you know what came to mind when you mentioned starship troopers hehe.... this is off topic but that would be cool if you could find a bug planet deploy some troopers and watch them fight the bugs....heheheheheheh

[Bad Mojo]

Personally, one of my favorite weapons of all time was the 'Captn Claw' doll in Shogo. ("NOT THE CLAW!")

But I gotta kinda a little question about that loadout. First off, I gotta say, it'll kick ass. But something keeps bothering me. Grenades? On a space vessel? Umm...

Maybe it's just me, but the idea of high powered hand carried explosives wandering amidships is kinda unsettling. Of course, there's the very distict possibility that anti-personel weapons would have no effect on ship structure. However, after watching my BC crumple up like a like a cheap protitute's skirt on the floor of a motel 6 after I perform one of my little love taps a little too hard, I am kinda lacking faith in the vessel's integreity.

shrug.

Cmdr Bad Mojo

GCV Vae Victus

PRIME Fleet

"Oh LochNess Monsta, what do you need?!"

"bout tree fiddy."

[Guest Neath Southern Skies]

Who needs Doom, Civilization or Wing Commander now?

With 3 games for the price of 1 how can you go wrong?

Roll out the barrel, BC3020 is coming to party!

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'Neath Southern Skies

Commander Robertson

GCV Southern Skies

[Belial]

Hey, speaking of which, how about buying alcohol lowers fatigue factor, but also lowers AI? I mean, those marines gettin' all liquored up in the bar can't be combat ready when they get out. That would be a fun bit o' detail to have. It would make for some interesting stories, too, I'm sure.

Mutiny, anyone?

[Bad Mojo]

Easier (and more fun!) solution:

play the battlecrusier drinking game. Everytime Paul reports the status of a marine, take a shot. Who needs the AI to go down when the commander's bombed enough for everyone?

Cmdr Bad Mojo

[Guest]

Geez, this is gonna be Conquest, Star General, Wing Commander, and Command and conquer all in one game. Accept I get to do whatever the He@# I want to!!! No "Your mission is" crap. Right on SC!!! This game is gonna rock!!! When is the official date? still 4th qtr or will it be before? Hurry, I WANT MY BC3020!!!

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CMDR Jaguar

GCV Excelsior

This is not just a game, It's a life unto itself!!

[Guest Fury]

Taking Mojo's fanatical way of "despatching" BC's, will there be damage sustained by troops running into troops and other objects in the BC universe?

I can just imagine Mojo's alter-ego popping out for a quick EVA, seeing an enemy BC/INT he doesn't like the look of and then blasting off to give it a damn good head-butting.... )

[This message has been edited by Fury (edited 04-29-99).]

[Bad Mojo]

Actually, you gave me an idea. What happens to troops that are EVA when ya get rammed?

Do the get squished? or Do they fly off into the cosmos never to be seen/heard from again?

Can you ram troops that are EVA?

Okay, one last question: I can't remember where it was said, but I recall you saying that in FPS mode, the 3D mode is suspended. I believe someone asked what would happen if you were running about in the ship while you were being attacked or something. Maybe I am mis-remembering. But I also remember you say how sweet it was going to be to sit on the hull of the ship and snipe people on the hulls of other ships.

Assuming that the second is true, will it be possible to jump from one ship to the other, fight your way into their airlock, and make their decks run red with the blood of the unbeliever?

Wow, what a dream. I can see it now. Your ships all tore up after ramming those 6 carriers and that star station into rubble, you can't make it much further, you decide to scuttle the ship. Then, in a fit of rage, you hurl your tiny body across the great black void of space to an enemy cruiser. You become an unstoppable machine of death and destruction, dispensing justice with a curse and a smoking barrel. you fight your way to the bridge, and kill their commander. Holding a gun on the flight crew, you commandeer the vessel AND RENEW THE ASSULT! RAAAAMMMMMIINNGGG SPPPPEEEEEDDD!!!!

*ahem*

'scuse me, It appears that ah got a little carried away.

Cmdr Bad Mojo

GCV Vae Victus

Prime Fleet

"Hey son, you ever seen a grown man nekkid?"

[Belial]

Mojo, how long does one of your carriers last, on average?

[Hector Socas Navarro]

quote:

---

Okay, one last question: I can't remember where it was said, but I recall you saying that in FPS mode, the 3D mode is

suspended. I believe someone asked what would happen if you were running about in the ship while you were being attacked

or something. Maybe I am mis-remembering. But I also remember you say how sweet it was going to be to sit on the hull of

the ship and snipe people on the hulls of other ships.

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Hey, Mojo, I think you got it wrong. The Strike Pak (hereafter SP) has nothing to do with controlling marines on the hulls of the ships. With the SP you can walk inside ships and facilities (although the lite version that will come with BC3020 only allows you to move within your own BC) and it shuts down the external 3D world when started. Now if you want to control your marines in space you can do it within the BC3k engine (therefore the 3D world keeps running). You can set waypoints for them or switch to them as you would do with any other support craft.

Hope this helps to clarify the issue.

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See you out there, among the stars

Cmdr Nava, GCV Nemesis (Official BC3k tester)

[Guest Fury]

If Mojo's gonna keep doing "die hard", i want big blades on the side of my bc to be able to plough through all those marines zooming around

hey - a quick thought.

How about being able to route partial power to the ships hull for those nasty boarders?

Shocking!! (pun intended)

[Bad Mojo]

From the 'Meet the Starion MK3 Battlecrusier' topic.

quote:

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04-13-99

Firehawk, thats a docking airlock. There are smaller personnel airlocks scattered around the ship which also has a spider web of waypoints to assist AI personnel wander around all over the ship (outside) without walking into the path of firing turrets or a retracted stabilizer. hehe, I can't wait to crawl around up there and take pot shots (with a sniper rifle) at passing ships or some idiot on top of another ship or station.

---

That's what was giving me the idea that you could hop around outside. Maybe I'm misreading it. Oh well, coulda been cool.

What am I saying, it still IS cool.

Rock on with your bad self SC!

Cmdr Bad Mojo

PS: And If I can't have a ramming spike, why should you get anti-personnel blades? eh?

[This message has been edited by Bad Mojo (edited 04-30-99).]

[Rico Jansen]

Sorry, nothing here. I noticed got off-topic after I posted, but it's in the 'new shuttle texture'-topic if you wanna read it.

Rico

[This message has been edited by Rico Jansen (edited 04-30-99).]

[Bad Mojo]

Oh yeah, thanks alot.

Make >ME< look all off topic and looney.

[This message has been edited by Bad Mojo (edited 04-30-99).]

[Hector Socas Navarro]

quote:

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That's what was giving me the idea that you could hop around outside. Maybe I'm misreading it. Oh well, coulda been cool.

---

Mojo, I think I didn't make myself clear in my previous post. You _CAN_ hop around outside. That feature uses the existing BC3k engine, not the Strike Pak.

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See you out there, among the stars

Cmdr Nava, GCV Nemesis (Official BC3k tester)

[Guest Fury]

Ramming spike - something at the fore of the BC, hard and pointy.

You've already got one - you assign a marine to it (preferably Mr Resnig) and fly it in front of the BC

I call it a "shuttle"