I'm trying to do a couple of things for an upcoming mod I'm working on and I'm not sure how to accomplish them.

1. a torpedo style weapon that will fire to the rear or sides, but lock on to enemies in the front as well. (picture a torpedo that launches from the rear or sides of the craft then turns around after launch to go at a target in front)

2. an energy based weapon system which uses fuel on a per shot basis only. I dont want it to drain if its not in use. (I gather from resources that the Vell-os weapons drain all the time, not just when firing)

I'm not sure if the first one is possible and its more for effect then anything but if it is and anyone can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it

------------------
"Well, I've been thinking. How'd you like to steal $750
million worth of illegal equipment from a GENOM subsidiary and put it
to a use that will benefit society?"
Gryphon, Hopelessly Lost Vol. 4

1. I suppose checking the flags for giving the weapon (?) blind spots for the rear and the front but also giving it a good AI and turn rate will allow you to do so, especially if you set it to come out weapons exit points on ships that you have defined near the sides.

2. There's a flag that makes the weapon drain fuel when fired. It's been there for a long time (was used for the tractor/repulsor beams and the Zidagar beam in EVO).

------------------
(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ue_rd")Fatal Alliance- an upcoming quasi-TC for EVN.(/url)
Secret Project: Nearing Completion. (No links available)
Visit the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=20&SUBMIT;=Go")Chronicles(/url) today! Be sure to read the short story ' (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics &number;=20&forum;=*EV/EVO+chronicles&DaysPrune;=100&article;=000262&startpoint;=")Fiery Descent(/url)'!
(url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")Sephil Saga(/url): An upcoming TC, visit the web page today.| || Both the best and the worst plug-in editor for Windows! (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW")EVNEW(/url)!

Quote

Originally posted by UE_Research & Development:
**1. I suppose checking the flags for giving the weapon (?) blind spots for the rear and the front but also giving it a good AI and turn rate will allow you to do so, especially if you set it to come out weapons exit points on ships that you have defined near the sides.

2. There's a flag that makes the weapon drain fuel when fired. It's been there for a long time (was used for the tractor/repulsor beams and the Zidagar beam in EVO).

**

on 1. thanks I didnt even think of that but it certainly should do more or less what I want.

on 2. I checked the Nova datafiles and the only weapons that I could remember as draining fuel were the Vell-os and Cpl's. both of those had a straight Fuel scoop negative value and I thought that meant constant drain? is there another flag I'm not seeing? I'm using Novatools and res-edit so thats the only one I see in Modval.

------------------
"Well, I've been thinking. How'd you like to steal $750
million worth of illegal equipment from a GENOM subsidiary and put it
to a use that will benefit society?"
Gryphon, Hopelessly Lost Vol. 4

Kagato, you may want to check the weap resource. If you give the ammotype a value of -1000 or below, abs((ammotype + 1000)/10) units of fuel will be used per shot.

MickyBIs

------------------
Who is John Galt?
"I've never heard maniacal laughter from a robot before. It's good to have brought something new and wonderful into the world"-(url="http://"http://freefall.purrsia.com/")Freefall(/url)

(This message has been edited by MickyBIs (edited 12-04-2003).)

There are no flags to set for making a weapon drain fuel when firing. That function is handled by the AmmoType field in the wëap resource:

Excerpt from the Nova Bible:
(b)AmmoType       What kind of ammo the weapon uses
               -1               Ignored (unlimited ammo)
                0-255           Draws ammo from this type of weapon. (Usually,
                                  if your Hector Cannon was of ID 131, you'd
                                  set the AmmoType to 3 so it'd use Hector
                                  Birdseed Pellets or whatever. However, you
                                  could conceivably set it to use ammo from
                                  another weapon's supply by setting the
                                  AmmoType to something else.)
               -999             Ship is destroyed when weapon is fired
               -1000 & below    Weapon uses abs(AmmoType+1000)/10 units of
                                  fuel per shot.
                                  (example: -1005 = 0.5 units per shot)(/b)

------------------
“So they've finally toppled the mad, deadly, world-wide, gangster, communist, frankenstein computer god.”
(url="http://"http://www.ev-nova.net")Everything you’ll ever need to know about Nova(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com")EVula’s Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.org")evula.org(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.net")evula.net(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.ariossoftware.com/")Arios SoftWare(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ariossoftware.com/products/evone/")EVONE(/url) | (url="http://"http://w00tware.ev-nova.net")w00tWare/Nova Tools(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=9&SUBMIT;=Go&urgaylol;=yes")EV Developers Corner(/url)
(url="http://"http://customs.hyberia.com/")Mac Customs Lair(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.diabloii.net")DiabloII.net(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.mythvillage.org")Myth Village(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.playmyth.net")PlayMyth(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.mythdev.com")MythDev(/url) | (url="http://"http://myth.bungie.org")myth.bungie.org(/url)

The CPL and Vellos weapons may have a constant fuel drain, but they also drain per shot. You don't need both.

------------------
~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by MadFax7:
**There are no flags to set for making a weapon drain fuel when firing. That function is handled by the AmmoType field in the wëap resource:

Excerpt from the Nova Bible:
(b)AmmoType       What kind of ammo the weapon uses
               -1               Ignored (unlimited ammo)
                0-255           Draws ammo from this type of weapon. (Usually,
                                  if your Hector Cannon was of ID 131, you'd
                                  set the AmmoType to 3 so it'd use Hector
                                  Birdseed Pellets or whatever. However, you
                                  could conceivably set it to use ammo from
                                  another weapon's supply by setting the
                                  AmmoType to something else.)
               -999             Ship is destroyed when weapon is fired
               -1000 & below    Weapon uses abs(AmmoType+1000)/10 units of
                                  fuel per shot.
                                  (example: -1005 = 0.5 units per shot)(/b)

**

Ah dont I feel like an Idiot now. I actually looked at the Weap resource first, couldnt find what I was looking for, and then went to outfits.. sometimes I guess I just need somone else to point at the obvious thing and slap me on the head with it. Thanks guys.

------------------
"Well, I've been thinking. How'd you like to steal $750
million worth of illegal equipment from a GENOM subsidiary and put it
to a use that will benefit society?"
Gryphon, Hopelessly Lost Vol. 4

Quote

Originally posted by KagatoAC:
**a torpedo style weapon that will fire to the rear or sides, but lock on to enemies in the front as well. (picture a torpedo that launches from the rear or sides of the craft then turns around after launch to go at a target in front)
**

There is an undocumented way to do something very similar to this. Unfortunately I'm not at my Mac at the moment and I don't remember the exact key to it - something involving the weap resource deviation field - but perhaps pipeline can chime in, since I put it in for him originally.

mcb

------------------
"If it's not on fire, it's a software problem."

(quote)Originally posted by mburch:
**There is an undocumented way to do something very similar to this. Unfortunately I'm not at my Mac at the moment and I don't remember the exact key to it - something involving the weap resource deviation field - but perhaps pipeline can chime in, since I put it in for him originally.:frown:

Dave @ ATMOS
**

From what I can remember (I've never actually tried this, and I can't lay my hands on the email right this minute) I'm almost certain it's a special negative value in either the "Inaccuracy" or "ExitType" fields. Can't remember what, or which, or even if those are the right fields, though. :frown: I'll look up the mail when I get home from work!

Dave @ ATMOS

Come on Dave! Inquiring minds NEED TO KNOW!

And besides, how many of these undocumented features are there!? They should be documented ASAP, says I.

------------------
~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Well setting the Flags for Blind spots did not work. I set the flags for blind spot to Front and Sides and the torpedo in question still fires forward no matter which direction the ship is facing. Dangit.

so if there is a special value to be placed somewhere to make em fire to rear or sides for guided weapons I'd love to know it.

Wow I guess I asked a good one. got responses from both of the local Gods!

------------------
"Well, I've been thinking. How'd you like to steal $750
million worth of illegal equipment from a GENOM subsidiary and put it
to a use that will benefit society?"
Gryphon, Hopelessly Lost Vol. 4

Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**Come on Dave! Inquiring minds NEED TO KNOW!

And besides, how many of these undocumented features are there!? They should be documented ASAP, says I.

**

Azzy would love to know too. I have a few uses for weapons like this, and someone asked about them a few weeks ago, I believe.

Well, if they were documented they wouldnt be undocumented features now would they? Doesnt that defeat the point? They'd lose thier aura of black-magic . (Also, I get the idea that rather than something neat like the documented features in the bible, this undocumented feature was just kinda "tacked on" for the one weapon idea)
-Az
Honestly, as for documenting them, i would like to see these undocumented, (presumably unwarranteed and unsupported) features listed somewhere. I think were they to be documented in the Bible, since they presumably wernt as thoroughly tested and do wierd things, people might say "Waaah! This feature doesnt work quite perfectly! Fix it for us!" - which would annoy Matt, Dave, and the mods.

------------------
It is here. EVNEW Public Beta (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW")www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW(/url)

(This message has been edited by Azratax2 (edited 12-04-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by pipeline:
**From what I can remember (I've never actually tried this, and I can't lay my hands on the email right this minute) I'm almost certain it's a special negative value in either the "Inaccuracy" or "ExitType" fields. Can't remember what, or which, or even if those are the right fields, though.:frown: I'll look up the mail when I get home from work!

Dave @ ATMOS**

Well I attempted putting several different negative values in the Inaccuracy field to no noticeable effect, just to see what would happen. as I've made a back-up of my plug at this point I guess I'll try a couple of others. I'm not sure what it will do but who knows, maybe I'll get lucky.

------------------
"Well, I've been thinking. How'd you like to steal $750
million worth of illegal equipment from a GENOM subsidiary and put it
to a use that will benefit society?"
Gryphon, Hopelessly Lost Vol. 4

Are you sure?

I just tried putting -180ş into the inaccuracy field for a weapon. The result was that the weapon always fired backwards.

With a value of -90ş instead, the shots go flying off in two streams in opposite directions, both 90ş from the front of the ship

With an inaccuracy of +180ş, the weapon would have shots flying in a general circle around the player's ship. I use something like that for flak explosions.

Am I right in thinking that the negative value tells Nova to always set the shots at that angular deviation from the front, instead of just randomizing up to this number?

e.g.
Inaccuracy: Xş, random angle selected up to this number.
inaccuracy: -Xş, angle from front is always this number.

------------------
"Trust me, this'll work..." - Me.
"WARPCORE BREACH IN 10 SECONDS." - Computer.
"... Of course, I could be wrong..." - Me.

Yeah, that's what I got too. Hmm. That's a pretty cool effect!

------------------
~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Hot fudge sundae!

I'd always kind of wanted a feature like that (as have others, I remember)...thorough testing must ensue.

It WOULD be nice to have the undocumented features documented, maybe with a disclaimer that they aren't official features and were just added quickly to create certain specialized effects, and shouldn't be considered full features to be expected to work properly or be fixed. Gravity should then probably be moved to such a list...

Of course, with the great job pipeline and co. did on Nova, and how busy they still are, it wouldn't be too cool to ask them to quickly write up a complete and thorough Unofficial Bible thing. Sometime though, perhaps?

------------------

(This message has been edited by Weepul 884 (edited 12-05-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by Eugene Chin:
**Are you sure?

I just tried putting -180ş into the inaccuracy field for a weapon. The result was that the weapon always fired backwards.

With a value of -90ş instead, the shots go flying off in two streams in opposite directions, both 90ş from the front of the ship

With an inaccuracy of +180ş, the weapon would have shots flying in a general circle around the player's ship. I use something like that for flak explosions.

Am I right in thinking that the negative value tells Nova to always set the shots at that angular deviation from the front, instead of just randomizing up to this number?

e.g.
Inaccuracy: Xş, random angle selected up to this number.
inaccuracy: -Xş, angle from front is always this number.

**

Hmm.. I'll go check that again. Maybe I just missed something did you put it in just like that "-180" because I tried -5 -10 and a couple other random numbers it didnt seem to change anything.

------------------
"Well, I've been thinking. How'd you like to steal $750
million worth of illegal equipment from a GENOM subsidiary and put it
to a use that will benefit society?"
Gryphon, Hopelessly Lost Vol. 4

WHEEEEE! It works! just tested and it worked
And by the way, ANY negative value works. Wonder if this means we can make weapons that split into two do so evenly? (subtheta 0, negative inaccuracy).

KagatoAC Are you sure you arnt using an editor that errorchecks? I had to fire up my mac and use novatools cause EVNEW wont allow negative values in that field (i have emailed Adam about this, and hope he can undo this "feature" in a future version).
-Az

------------------
It is here. EVNEW Public Beta (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW")www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW(/url)

If I had time, I would do a systematic search of hidden features by placing negative numbers in many of the fields in which you are required to put in a value (usually positive). Of course, I'm far too busy to do so, but I bet if anyone decided to do it, they'd uncover at least something else :).

------------------
(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ue_rd")Fatal Alliance- an upcoming quasi-TC for EVN.(/url)
Secret Project: Nearing Completion. (No links available)
Visit the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=20&SUBMIT;=Go")Chronicles(/url) today! Be sure to read the short story ' (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics &number;=20&forum;=*EV/EVO+chronicles&DaysPrune;=100&article;=000262&startpoint;=")Fiery Descent(/url)'!
(url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")Sephil Saga(/url): An upcoming TC, visit the web page today.| || Both the best and the worst plug-in editor for Windows! (url="http://"http://www.aznt.com/EVN/EVNEW")EVNEW(/url)!