- added optional roof destruction feature (by Flugente) (set ROOF_COLLAPSE = TRUE in [Extended Options] section in ja2_options.ini)

How about some cooler/better looking bullet effects? The white dot sometimes looks weird and displaced... and it's been around since forever.

<NAME>
<uiIndex>1</uiIndex>
<Enabled>1</Enabled>
<szGroup>Rebel</szGroup>
<AddToBattle>1</AddToBattle>
<Loyalty>1</Loyalty>
<Side>2</Side>
</NAME>

SetCivGroupHostile( Group.REBEL_CIV_GROUP , Civ_status.CIV_GROUP_HOSTILE )

Slax wrote on Tue, 28 June 2016 04:31

How about some cooler/better looking bullet effects? The white dot sometimes looks weird and displaced... and it's been around since forever.

Any ideas?
Showing bullet as a sprite doesn't seem like a good idea to me.
Changing bullet color is easy, you don't even need to code that, for example, you can make bullets completely invisible.

Update with some more fixes:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7o9nz1k1hqyrrk/ja2_7609en%2BAI_r234.exe?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdkcpras5talafd/ja2_7609ge%2BAI_r234.exe?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rn8sa1priuv44kw/ja2_7609ru%2BAI_r234.exe?dl=0

Seven, what's going on with the AP count now? I've only had time for a few short playtests (of other stuff), but have noticed that when PCs get brought to zero AP they stay at zero for at least a couple turns. Is it that negative APs are being shown as zero APs?

Cool, thanks for the explanation. Some of that I had modified similarly through the XMLs (shock, suppression, vertical bias, et al). Question: when you say "always use" does that mean the XMLs will not modify the behaviour anymore?

AI soldiers also use morale for shock calculation, they start with max morale depending on soldier's level, every successfull suppressive attack redices morale for AI soldier, every turn that AI soldier is not under attack his morale is restored up to max value depending on his exp. level

Quote:

AI soldiers also use morale for shock calculation, they start with max morale depending on soldier's level, every successfull suppressive attack redices morale for AI soldier, every turn that AI soldier is not under attack his morale is restored up to max value depending on his exp. level

Do you mean AI morale is restored immediately to max level, or that morale steadily increases until it reaches max level?

Sevenfm do you plan to add Flugentes "interactive actions" feature in future?

Every turn, morale for AI soldiers is restored by value equal to soldier's exp. level (1-10), to max value of (60 + 2 * ExpLevel).
This means, if AI soldier will be under heavy suppression fire for several turns, his morale will drop to low level, so he will play defensively and also will be more vulnerable to suppression attacks, but if he will avoid suppression fire for several turns, his morale will restore to max level.
In stock 1.13, morale value for AI soldiers is not used at all.

I like this feature and it should be relatively simple to implement I think, but it will need support from modders to become really useful.
In general, I want to avoid adding features that require new XML data or breaking compatibility with stable 7609 in any way.

I find it very strange that soldier's stance changes vertical distribution, it doesn't happen in RL and doesn't make any sense in the game.

sevenfm wrote on Thu, 04 August 2016 21:42

I find it very strange that soldier's stance changes vertical distribution, it doesn't happen in RL and doesn't make any sense in the game.

The reason for decreased vertical distribution most likely is that the soldier can rest his elbow on something (upper thigh or ground). In that regard it makes perfect sense to have vertical distribution depending on stance.

BASE_STANDING_STANCE
BASE_CROUCHING_STANCE
BASE_PRONE_STANCE
AIM_STANDING_STANCE
AIM_CROUCHING_STANCE
AIM_PRONE_STANCE

We already have
Quote:

BASE_STANDING_STANCE
BASE_CROUCHING_STANCE
BASE_PRONE_STANCE
AIM_STANDING_STANCE
AIM_CROUCHING_STANCE
AIM_PRONE_STANCE

for that.
Also, as far as I know, in RL firing prone does not change aperture from circle to oval, instead it will make it smaller.

For example try to move your rifle up or down when your arm is rested on your upper thigh. You will find it harder than moving it to the sides. That's what is represented by the oval aperture.

I'd like to keep that functionality in 1.13.

Also I don't like the idea of showing something to the player (always a circle) and calculating something different for shooting (the oval) afterwards.

Of course you can do whatever you want in your experimental project. I'm merely presenting my opinion here.

Can you make separate exe and XML? I know it's tedious job to maintain several exe versions!

Toma777 wrote on Sat, 06 August 2016 18:46

Can you make separate exe and XML? I know it's tedious job to maintain several exe versions!

I don't understand what you mean. Ja2+AI is already a separate exe.
Or are you talking about adding another exe that will support new features requiring XML changes? I think if you really want new features from trunk it's better to play with latest unstable exe. I don't plan to add more features from main trunk, at least not in near future.

That's why it's called Experimental project - it allows me to implement some ideas that I cannot implement in stock 1.13 and also test some experimental concepts.
Anyway some constructive critique is always welcome.

Actually I like a lot of the stuff you have done in your experimental builds especially the AI changes/fixes. I would like to see more of this implemented in the development builds. After all they are called "development" or "unstable" builds for a reason. Players shouldn't expect to see all the features fully polished. So in the end they are "experimental" builds as well. If you don't mind please incorporate more of your changes to the 1.13 dev version.

Btw. you are right about some hidden features. Target movement only shows in the form of a larger aperture. I'm not sure how movement penalties could be properly displayed to the player. If someone has an idea - let's hear it.

I used some simple display with arrows in old project: like "<<<" and ">>>" but it was more a test feature to give player at least some information.
I think one solution could be to find an icon of running man and show one or several icons somewhere in the target cursor to represent that target was moving a lot during it's turn.
Another possible solution would be to actually shift targeting cursor or show additional grey target cross showing where will be actual center of shooting circle.
Also maybe it would be good to show actual movement offset when player presses 'f' key, for example, to allow modders to find balanced values for movement cth options.

Update with some more fixes:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7o9nz1k1hqyrrk/ja2_7609en%2BAI_r234.exe?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdkcpras5talafd/ja2_7609ge%2BAI_r234.exe?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rn8sa1priuv44kw/ja2_7609ru%2BAI_r234.exe?dl=0

Congratulations! I just had the best battle I ever had -- the enemy actions were incredible! When I got them down to 5 left (out of 20), 4 stayed in cover and fought from there while 1 snuck around behind me. I had all 8 of my Mercs left at that point, but when the battle ended there was just 1 Merc left. It was a ferocious battle!

One caveat -- I got an endless clock at one point -- at the very end of the enemy's turn -- but when I went back to the last save the battle continued without any more trouble.

sevenfm wrote on Sat, 06 August 2016 19:32

That's why it's called Experimental project - it allows me to implement some ideas that I cannot implement in stock 1.13 and also test some experimental concepts.
Anyway some constructive critique is always welcome.

Actually I like a lot of the stuff you have done in your experimental builds especially the AI changes/fixes. I would like to see more of this implemented in the development builds.

silversurfer wrote on Sat, 06 August 2016 20:57

sevenfm wrote on Sat, 06 August 2016 19:32

That's why it's called Experimental project - it allows me to implement some ideas that I cannot implement in stock 1.13 and also test some experimental concepts.
Anyway some constructive critique is always welcome.

Actually I like a lot of the stuff you have done in your experimental builds especially the AI changes/fixes. I would like to see more of this implemented in the development builds.

Me too!

Btw, did anyone mention how smilies everything suck in this forum? Older forums had them way better.