Re: [palito-dev] musings

[zed]

Michael Devey <address@hidden> wrote:
> I was thinking it may be better to focus more on the console than the key 
> interface.  Zed was talking about playability without mouse, I think now 
> would be a good time.  Doing it to such a level that clicking the mouse 
> button is actually a bind to "moveunits current_selected_array x y" or 
> some such thing.

i was thinking the same, and actually something like that is
running on the new client-server network design... the network
commands are like console strings to command the game from 
a well defined interface between the user-interface and the game-server

> so yeah instead playing with the keys I'd rather just use console for the 
> time being and work out some logical bindings at a later date.

and this would allow a interface for some automated tests or
even some kind of script/configuration files.

like a timed sequence of movements from both players
that test a situation of combat (somewhat like a quake demo-file.)


> I intend to implement it in such a way that you don't have a unit selected to
> place the route and can have it finished before units start following it.  
> This will help stop the "clumping" of units that is so common in large groups 
> when you're too slow setting your waypoints.  On that note it'll need some 
> code to select which waypoint the unit is closet too so they don't all go the 
> start.  

this would be very good, and not only for patrols, for
moviment routes also. i am thinking specially about
factory production exit waipoints. if there were a route
marked on the ground and the units picked the closest (next)
waypoint to exit the factory area to the "parking lot"
it would cause so much less trouble on the base traffic.
 
> starting to think about how to do better patrolling techniques with this 
> second method - back to my plane patrol route protecting my base model - 
> setting the related distances between units - 
> 
> a maximum distance:  ie all units wait at the highest (or a selected?) 
> waypoint before progressing - ie wipe the floor with the first couple of 
> units they find
> 
> an average distance:  maximum coverage over the patrol route
> 
> a minimum + maximum distance:  most effective fighting distance - far enough 
> apart not to get slaughtered by area effect weapons but close enough to 
> support (helps stop getting annihilated by units you can't see yet too)
> 
> anyway for starters, setting up your scout planes with an average distance 
> would be a good. 

it should be good not only for visibility and avoid
get all units killed by an area attack, but also
to bet better path following and less traffic overall.
 
> and the trickier related code to allow units to diverge from this behaviour 
> when in the thick of the action so they don't wait around to form up into form
> ations(oh yeah formations we should think about that and units weightings - 
> just stop me if I start sounding like a TA2 freak)

brainman already commented about the importance of formations,
and i found it very adequate way to handle group movements.
(not that freak, i guess it will be implemented much sooner that 
deformable terrains, for example :)