Cliff climber propulsion

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Emdek
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Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

After watching this documentary on National Geographic channel I've got idea for possible cliff climber propulsion.
Basically it would allow attacking bases through cliffs without need for VTOLs.
To make it more fair (to be not abused) it could be expensive and placed somewhere between half tracks and VTOL.
Here is image how looks real one vehicle:
Image
Additionally, if it is possible it should be limited up to medium weapons and / or bodies.
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cumandgetit
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by cumandgetit »

cool idea. :)

pic makes me think of scav tech.

or new type scout.
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Emdek
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

Yeah, this is currently discussed on IRC with aubergine and Wolftrak. ;-)
As possible weaponless cheap unit for scouting, maybe with special ability.
But maybe with very different design.
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Iluvalar »

Cliff climber, cliff hanger (only on cliff) and civilian wheel(can't go on mud) are part of my near goal as well :) . I asked the dev a propulsion/passability behavior only axed on the terraintable.txt file . Which would make possible to easy describe new propulsion and run tests in mods (along with fixing naval units).

For now they looked busy and that doesn't look a priority for them. I might do it myself. I might...
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Emdek
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

With some algorithms available areas for given propulsion type could be calculated using tile type, but it would be better to have them defined (at least initial ones, as building structures changes availability for land units at least).
There was ticket for improved save game / map format, with used PNG encoded bitmaps to save tiles data (one pixel -> one tile probably, using RGBA values to store attributes).
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Iluvalar
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Iluvalar »

Sorry I was not so precise in my explanation. The terraintable.txt file is what describe how each propulsion accelerate into a tile, this is what make the units slower on mud. We could say that a 0 there define impassibility and instead of using hard-coded rules, using that file to do it.

The factories could use the same rules easily, and i guess by pushing it a little, we could start to treat the structure type (wall, bunkers, soft structure) as propulsion and with that we could start describe that a shipyard and a bridge can be built on water.
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

Well, acceleration could be guessed too from tile type (and it for sure makes sense to cache that data since currently tile type won't change during game). ;-)

And how is actual vehicle done, from documentary:
- it doesn't have axles between wheels
- it uses chains to power each wheel separately
- each wheel could be moved up and down separately
- that fifth wheel was added as support only

It behaves like some models of mobile probe vehicles designed for Mars exploration. ;-)
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Iluvalar
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Iluvalar »

Emdek wrote:Well, acceleration could be guessed too from tile type
That's what I say ! The stats file linking the speed, the propulsion and the tile is named terraintable.txt XD .

However, the actual code seems to have a superfluous hardcoded layer for passability. which should be replaced.
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

Yes, I know what you said. :-P
I only said that it could work without it (it is anyway required to update that data after creating structures). ;-)
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zany
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by zany »

I see trucks climb cliffs all the time in 2.3.9! :lol2:
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Shadow Wolf TJC
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Shadow Wolf TJC »

I believe that someone earlier suggested the addition of a spider-like propulsion system for the same purpose.
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Emdek
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

zany, yeah, me too, I've seen tanks in master which managed to do that too (month before branching 3.1, but probably fixed).
Shadow Wolf TJC, yes, but mech propulsion is much harder to animate than static body with a bit different shape.
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Emdek
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Re: Cliff climber propulsion

Post by Emdek »

Another interesting propulsion:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=271_1330077192
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