DB Mappers Entity Wish List

[HoundDawg]

I'm going to start this wish list thread to keep track of entity changes/additions mappers would like to see, and for Voogru to see what's being requested.

1. Ability to assign a target entity, rather than dynamically targeting a player. This will lead to the use of the spawner in creative scripted ways.
2. Ability to have rockets follow a path track. This will allow us to path a rocket from the spawner through some map geometry before cutting it loose on players. Will most likely require it to have an input so that we can trigger when to cut it loose on a player.
3. Add particles to the nukes so that they're easier to see. For example, attaching the teleporter particles that attach to player feet when they exit, placing this in front of nukes, which should appear as they're plowing through the air. Yes, this may double the nukes from 1 to 2 entities each, but it's better than having none or rare nuke spawns in maps.
4. Ability to group spawners together. This will allow having multiple spawn location possibilities (randomized) but with the single spawn tracking system (e.g. min/max timer, min/max rockets, etc...).
5. Add outputs like OnHitTeam1 and OnHitTeam2. This will allow us to trigger when players on a specific team has been hit.
6. Add outputs like OnKillTeam1 and OnKillTeam2. This will allow us to trigger when a player on a specific team has been killed.
7. Add flag to spawner allowing it to continue its course and hit geometry (even if a player is behind it). Call it "Fixed Tracking" or something like that. Currently, players behind solids cause rockets to re-track to another player. This flag will allow the rockets to stay on target even if it's going to hit a solid other than the player.
8. Add spawner flag for rockets to damage non-clients on impact. This will allow us to add func_breakables, such as walls and floors with a health value that rockets will eventually destroy.
9. Add Detonate input so that we can tell the spawner to detonate all of its rockets immediately.
10. Add option so that rockets stay within the airblaster's team. This will allow for new gameplay, where team players can pass the rockets to each other (much like a ball), allowing them to blast the rocket into some sort of goal, or spike it against the opposite team. Perhaps, we could get the primary flamethrower functionality so that it behaves like this, hooking it into the airblast mechanic as well. This would provide players the ability to pass the rocket to another team member (left-click) or to the other team (right-click).
11. Add output for when Nukes are spawned (e.g. OnNukeSpawned). We may need to kick off something special for nukes only.

Done and/or Released:

1. Ability to control nuke/rockets per spawner. This will allow having a separate nuke launcher and a separate rocket launcher within the same map. It will also allow mappers to set different settings for each (like speed and damage modifiers). I'm pretty sure this is coming on the next update.
2. Ability to attach a spawner to another entity with a Parent keyvalue. This will allow the ability to having a moving spawner (e.g. to a train). Also include an input that will allow for decoupling the spawner and have it function as is.
3. Add an output to the spawner like OnDodgeballDestroyed. This will allow us to trigger when a rocket was destroyed by either killing a player, by a player's flare, colliding into other rockets, or by hitting geometry.

[voogru]

1. Should already be possible, use the "m_iFatBoyChance" keyvalue.
2. Should already be possible, please test this.
3. Next build will have this, rockets will target an entity as their first target, if they reach that target they should explode. This target also doesn't need to be visible like players do.
7. Just added this in, next build will have it.

[HoundDawg]

Updated.

[HoundDawg]

Added:

1. Add output for when Nukes are spawned (e.g. OnNukeSpawned). We may need to kick off something special for nukes only.

[voogru]

New outputs added on the spawner entity:

OnFatBoySpawned
OnFatBoyDestroyed

New inputs on the spawner entity:

DetonateRockets
Should detonate all rockets, add these to your FGD for now, ill add these to my official FGD soon.

There is already a SetTarget input on the rocket entities, and an explode input on rockets.

In order to fire inputs on the dodgeball rockets, you must set a targetname on the spawner entity. Then all spawned rockets will have their targetnames set to the name of the spawner + _rocket or +_fatboy.

So if you name your spawner "evilspawner", rockets spawned by it will be named "evilspawner_rocket" and fatboys will be "evilspawner_fatboy".

On #8, they should already damage anything. They are standard TF rockets. If you set a "target" on the spawner, the rockets will target this entity first regardless if it's visible or not.

I really like the idea of #10 so I'm going to see if this is possible.

[HoundDawg]

Awesome stuff voogru! Last time I tested the "explode" output on a relay spawner, it didn't work. The nukes didn't actually explode. They disappeared, the spawner launched another one, then the last one appeared out of nowhere and killed a player.

I'll have to think up and create a map to test these entities out. I'l let you know how it goes.

[voogru]

Wierd. I essentially did the remove by forcing the rocket to touch the world. I went ahead and explode them manually now, which should absolutely work.

[HoundDawg]

Hey voogru, anything new with this?

[voogru]

Oh snap, you're back now?

I havent added anything new yet though no.

[HoundDawg]

Originally Posted by voogru

Oh snap, you're back now?

I havent added anything new yet though no.

LOL, yeah. Check out dbs_nuketoss_b6 on the server, worked on it yesterday. I'm also working on an update to db_bombing and will hopefully finish up db_wargames soon as well.

[HoundDawg]

Hey Voogru, how difficult would it be for you to make the flamethrower act as a player propulsion gun (e.g. on low-gravity maps/areas)? Maybe some sort of entity that will enable mappers to allow this functionality? We could even place ammo boxes around as well to refill it. This may work better as a brush entity so we can designate the area this works in (like the trigger_ entities).

[voogru]

Propulsion gun? You mean like force the player backwards like some sort of jerkpack?

[HoundDawg]

Originally Posted by voogru

Propulsion gun? You mean like force the player backwards like some sort of jerkpack?

Exactly! We don't want this on all maps, that's why it would be good to have an entity for this. Making it a brush entity will allow us more flexibility on where and when this functionality works.

Check out what Noum had to say regarding something similar:
db_freefall

The problem with that command, is that it propells the pyro upward. I'd rather see it just propel the pyro directly backwards. This in combination with gravity will open up DB to some really cool maps (e.g. Asteroids).

[voogru]

It shouldn't be too difficult but I wouldn't want to hack it in, I'd need to figure out a few issues with the weapons interface. I'd be wanting to implement it with PrimaryAttack on the flamethrower.

You would only want it to work inside a invisible brush entity? (trigger_pyrojerkpack) ?

[HoundDawg]

Originally Posted by voogru

It shouldn't be too difficult but I wouldn't want to hack it in, I'd need to figure out a few issues with the weapons interface. I'd be wanting to implement it with PrimaryAttack on the flamethrower.

You would only want it to work inside a invisible brush entity? (trigger_pyrojerkpack) ?

Yes, the primary attack with the flame... since it doesn't dmg players, it should at least propel them backwards. At this point, for initial testing, you can just have it work on the DB servers all the time like this, for some testing on all of the maps and players. Then we can decide with the player feedback on creating a map entity for it.