The Physics and Combat Realism Rant

[Neryam]

Each time you start your client and log in. That\'s not so much.. Besides, since it would only contain A few equations and code, so it would be very small... No more than a few kilobytes I would expect. Instead of locked I would say in an unused format that can\'t be opened in notepad or whatever.

[Externals]

Well, im not a programmer.. im taking an AP programming class in school this year but for now, im really no help. You would have to ask one of the devs for now.

[rosmerelmer]

well the part of the fighting animations IS possible..
you just need to make an other movement, it doesnt need to be much, just a few (like 3-5) and about the hard smack on the ground, you can just make the character walk a bit backwards and bend over, nothing more.
if somebody can export the cal3d models to anything blender can use i want to make some of those animations....

anybody feels the same?

[dfryer]

Having all sorts of attacks (and attack animations) \"would be cool\", but really, the question is who is going to do all the animating?  Characters *do* have skeletal animation, but we don\'t have ragdoll physics (yet), although I could imagine it happening in the distant future I don\'t see it as a priority.  The combat will also never be \'twitch\' based, although I\'d like to see a wider variety of attack styles, but this would wait for different types attacks dependant on skill.

Once we have a way of applying an animation to all character models (we don\'t yet), and perhaps an easy way to create skeletal animations (for various slices, dodges, etc.) matching the different animations to random attacks would be easy.

[Externals]

So, a possibility of a more variaty based combat structure in the future.. Hm, maybe my programming class may be of a bit use at the end of the year  

[Kristan]

in my experience (and this is by using my eyes as debuggers) there is no real reason behind client crashes. (not for the previous reson) There is also no good reason to make a program that you have to recompile, and I have seen many perfectly fast examples (good luck finding them).

Back to the name of the post, physics info can be transferred by seperate reader/writers* that are extremely small and are virtually invisible - therefor no hacks are possible. And they can use the lowest level, binary, to communicate, so no huge data transfers.

Also, packet tracking, by putting ids on each item sent online will keep creatures from pseudo-rubberbanding. You just make sure that the \'client\' only accepts the most recent i.d.

As for recieving attacks, since it is easy to detect whether you are in battle or not, a reader/writer can be loaded for each individual battle, and send binary (meaning very easy communication) signals for ragdoll stuff.

To those innocent bystanders, if the system detects that you are watching the battle, then it loads the reader/writer and feeds you the info. If not, you only see a simple distress animation in the corner of the screen.

By the time this game needs any of this, there should be a movement for adding servers. Each server could take care of each individual system, like earth, gravity, combat, sky, chat, wind, water, plants, etc. This way the server vs. players ratio could be cut down.

_______
*reader/writer is not the standard name, I have never heard of them, I know they exist the way they do because I could program one.

[cwazierussian]

i just read through all of your suggestions and while some of them i can imagine happening now (like strafing and dealing more damage from behind a monster) the others are just too complex for an mmorpg my computer barely runs PS as it is and i dont want to stop playing this game because ppl want it to surpass the greatest technologies of the day

[Arklari Rereler]

you know... there is an amazing concept called:

Upgrade your computer.



I would rather 10 people still on a pentium II to just get a new comp. or something rather than the rest of us have to suffer if the PS Team has the ability to do any of this realistically.

[Black_rose]

Originally posted by Neryam




Secondly,  in every game the base combat is generally hit - hit - hit... Or hit run.. etc. And there is a few diffrent animations for combos and the such, but this of course is not true-to life. Using a skeleton, one could accomplish such things such as slashes, parries, flips, backstrokes, and pretty much unlimited moves. of course, with a low level in a weapon, one would not be experienced enough; the character would do slashes and stabs or whatnot. Complexity would increase with level. when you block an enemy your sword could actually move up to block or stave off the enemy. it would not be turn based either. Each would attack at his own speed, and if the level is high when there is an opening in the enemy defense therefor a greater chance of hitting. If facing with your back to the enemy, unless your level is very high you would not be able to block attacks at all. When moving it would give you a better chance of being hit and missing because you are not concentrating of fighting. Such a combat system would be truly astounding.
.

wait do you mean something like the 3d zelda combat stylee (i like stylee better then style)? because THAT WOULD FUDGING OWN! yes i said fudging

[zanzibar]

Originally posted by Arklari Rereler
you know... there is an amazing concept called:

Upgrade your computer.



I would rather 10 people still on a pentium II to just get a new comp. or something rather than the rest of us have to suffer if the PS Team has the ability to do any of this realistically.

Agreed.  Further, planeshift is a long term project.  5 years from now, do you think we\'ll all be using pentium IV technology?  No.

[Neryam]

Yay my thread was ressurected

For this one I heartily agree with shal.

Umm black_rose, perhaps cause I don\'t know the 3-d zelda fighting style

Probably. Cause this will fudging own yes

[Omnia Mortis]

Originally posted by Arklari Rereler
you know... there is an amazing concept called:

Upgrade your computer.



I would rather 10 people still on a pentium II to just get a new comp. or something rather than the rest of us have to suffer if the PS Team has the ability to do any of this realistically.

Can they all afford it?  Is it something they feel they need to do(upgrade for just this one game)?  Quite possibly not.  I know that there hasnt been a single game I have that I upgraded my PC JUST for that particular game.  My PC is almost 2 years old(2600XP, 1GB PC 2700, Audigy2ZS(NOT getting Platinum, no need), FX5900 video card), and it runs all the games I play just fine, so no need to upgrade for me.  BTW, my net connection is a Netgear 54MB Gigabit(Comcast is provider), and Im getting lag....  FIX LAG!

[Neryam]

No, well in 5 years I doubt you have that same computer and I assure you when a computer passes the 3 1/2 year mark almost no games run on it. :/

Lag is not you connection or your computers fault. There are faulty connections and bad wiring and Fragnetics is working to fix it. Everybody is getting bad server lag as of now.

[Omnia Mortis]

Originally posted by Neryam
No, well in 5 years I doubt you have that same computer and I assure you when a computer passes the 3 1/2 year mark almost no games run on it. :/

Lag is not you connection or your computers fault. There are faulty connections and bad wiring and Fragnetics is working to fix it. Everybody is getting bad server lag as of now.

Up until 1 1/2 years ago. I was using a Dell Dimension 4400 (866Mhz P3, 512MB(256MB stick upgrade)ATI 128MB 8500 AIW(upgrade), 16-bit SB sound card, that was was about 3 years old then, still ran my games.  BTW, Im not one of those who goes out to buy \"the latest thing\".  Id prefer to let others deal with bugs, exploitss, and the like.  Ill wait from 6 months to a year on average to buy a game, because I get a well patched version at a lot less cost.
Im glad they\'re working to fix lag, would help alot.