Serenity Jedi Engine

[Serenity937]

So some time has passed and i want to make SJE available to people so they can test it take a look and maybe give me some feedback.

 

The Serenity Jedi Engine is a small project I am doing on the side.  SJE =Serenity Jedi Engine

The aim is to provide a new engine for modders to use ,replacing the normal JKA engine.

Why?
Well this engine has many more features animations and a new sabersystem .
Over 40 new animations and able to run multiple _humanoid folders simultaneously with a built in class system that is animation specific (Superbattledroid has its own animations etc,etc). Some examples are provided in SJE asset.pk3
It can run jedi outcast or jedi academy and most of the popular mods available.Script edits provided in SJE.

Many of the limitations of JKA have been increased to fit with modern modding .IE entities limit code rebuilt to play much more detailed maps.(Ever tried playing battle over coruscant map and got the max entities crash...fixed in SJE).
It has many many fixes that plagued the JKA engine.

It is used to power Evolution of Combat 2014 version soon to be released .

The point is this...

The engine comes with all the files ,assets required to run it and is only 47mb.The rest is up to you to add new effects,maps or use it to power your mod project.

The engine comes with full permission to alter anything you want in the files ,IE change the animations if you are an animator.

But must be credited in your readme files with "Contains SerenitySaberSystems".. Thats not too much to ask...?

The SDK for the Serenity Jedi Engine will be released with Evolution of Combat 2014 edition. 

The Serenity Jedi Engine will come as part of the package with the new Evolution of Combat 2014 edition and SDK, Soon to be released.

Or if you cant wait until then and you are a modder working on a project or wishing to start a new project with a new engine then get it here now.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/v8sf3iiw54bq3aa/Serenity+Jedi+Engine+V0.7.rar

 

The engine is still in its beta phase but i think its in good enough condition for people to test

[katanamaru]

Is it possible to use the original JA saber system? I like a lot of the features listed, but what if I don't like the new saber system?

[Serenity937]

Is it possible to use the original JA saber system? I like a lot of the features listed, but what if I don't like the new saber system?

 

When the code is released then you would need to re-edit the code and put it back to base .That wouldn't be too difficult to probably copy paste the sabering code back in but it does kind of defeat the purpose of the engine ,maybe openjk would be suited better to some people for this reason.This is more of a "Modders mod" as opposed to playing base.

The code is heavily modified and will be available for people to use in any way they see fit.So you could just  copy the parts you like and use them to build your own code/mod.

 

 

I really just put the engine here to get a feedback of gameplay /possible bugs i missed and get a general feel of reaction before i release it in full with EoC.It will come as part of the EoC pack with the source and all the assets.

[afi]

This sounds great. Is there some kind of readme/documentation?

[Lamented]

I love how you sponsor all your mods using your name.

 

Serenitysabersystem.

 

Serenity Jedi Engine

 

lel.

[Serenity937]

This sounds great. Is there some kind of readme/documentation?

 

Not yet! Its going to be more of a path of discovery until i get enough time to sit down and write a change log.There is a small read me in the files explaining some basic use instructions.However ,If people want to know anything then they can PM me or ask here and ill be happy to help.

 

I love how you sponsor all your mods using your name.

 

Serenitysabersystem.

 

Serenity Jedi Engine

 

lel.

 

Yes im trying to standardize the name to all the stuff i did.I use the name Serenity only concerning jedi academy matters mods/playing online , forums. etc.

My facebook page does not say serenity lol.

I chose the name Serenity as it is part of the Jedi Codex and i like its meaning...http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/serenity

"steadiness of mind under stress"   Im ex Forces and have served in some "HOT" places and i think it describes me well.

 

So there is actually a reason why i chose this name.

[eezstreet]

Eh, call me skeptical..but I wouldn't exactly call this an engine. I mean sure, there's a few engine-related changes, but I wouldn't go out and call it a whole new engine based on that. Is the code for it on GitHub? (source code in .rar/.zip is sooo 2000 ) Plus, I wouldn't call it an "engine for modders" if it's got the saber system, as @@katanamaru mentioned.

 

One thing I'd like to critique specifically: it's actually very easy from a code perspective to make the original scripts from JK2 work in JKA, all you need to do is change the script_targetname of the player from "player" (JKA) to "kyle" (JK2). I suggest cvaring this. This will cut down significantly on the file size of your SDK.

[Serenity937]

Eh, call me skeptical..but I wouldn't exactly call this an engine. I mean sure, there's a few engine-related changes, but I wouldn't go out and call it a whole new engine based on that. Is the code for it on GitHub? (source code in .rar/.zip is sooo 2000 ) Plus, I wouldn't call it an "engine for modders" if it's got the saber system, as @@katanamaru mentioned.

 

One thing I'd like to critique specifically: it's actually very easy from a code perspective to make the original scripts from JK2 work in JKA, all you need to do is change the script_targetname of the player from "player" (JKA) to "kyle" (JK2). I suggest cvaring this. This will cut down significantly on the file size of your SDK.

 

 

Thats some really valid points you make about the word Engine and i totally accept your opinion, but i don't make the claim that its a "Whole new Engine".Its just a modified code and i choose to give it a name to make it recognisable.

 

If I may direct your attention to Part 2 of GNU GPLv2.

 

 2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be

     misrepresented as being the original software.

 

So if i Give the code a name then there is no legal issues about alterations

 

As for the Github issue ,Im happy to answer that in full.

 

I live in a very small village in the Yorkshire dales,less than 2000 people. When i left the Army i used the money i saved to move to the smallest ,quietest country village i could afford to buy in to.

Some people say its like middle earth here!

 

https://imageshack.com/i/ndcg6qj

 

This is the main street in my village.

 

One of the downsides of living so far away from mainstream life is bad quality internet. You might even say "Its sooo 2000  ".The internet is an Expensive privilege not enjoyed by all.As i have a 9 month old baby, I have to prioritize my money .So uploading , maintaining code on a web site is "FOR ME" a total waste of money. This is why i choose to do the old but tried and tested method of rar/zip. Hopefully you can understand my point.

 

 

As for running Jedi Outcast in Jedi Academy , you are absolutely correct it was easy to do.But that isnt the main aim of SJE .

 

As i stated in my original post.

 

The point is this...

The engine comes with all the files ,assets required to run it and is only 47mb.The rest is up to you to add new effects,maps or use it to power your mod project.

 

SJE is defiantly not going to be everybody,s "cup of tea" and thats ok because the community has Openjk .For these people the only response  i can give is Dont download SJE. Obviously if SJE has a very bad reception and nobody likes it or the idea of it then i wont be releasing it and then there will be no need for me to release any code either,

 

Some things go down well some things go down badly, that's the point of putting it here to get some feedback.

 

 

Thank you for your response 

[eezstreet]

Aha, you make a valid point about the engine thing. I just hope it doesn't confuse anybody is all.

 

GitHub is actually probably easier on your bandwidth. The hosting services are entirely free, and instead of re-uploading all of your code, it simply uploads changes, and people are able to download a .zip from that. Also, you can revert to previous changes (in case you make a mistake) and you can accept outside changes to your code (pull requests). It's all pretty right-up-your-alley in terms of what it can provide for you.

 

i understand where you're coming from, thanks for the clarity.

[Boothand]

I've given you some feedback before, but I decided to stream myself playing this, with some clumsy commentary, and uploaded it to youtube. Hopefully it's not too long for you to watch it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZVqi3uk_ak

 

 

tl;dw - Some animations could be improved, some personally undesirable things happening in the saber combat such as being stunned.

 

Some days ago I tried the EoC for multiplayer and I really liked it, thought it was much better to fight in than this. A lot smoother, and possible to fight with as long as the bots don't do special moves which they unfortunately do very often though. But why are SJE and EoC so different?

[Serenity937]

I've given you some feedback before, but I decided to stream myself playing this, with some clumsy commentary, and uploaded it to youtube. Hopefully it's not too long for you to watch it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZVqi3uk_ak

 

 

tl;dw - Some animations could be improved, some personally undesirable things happening in the saber combat such as being stunned.

 

Some days ago I tried the EoC for multiplayer and I really liked it, thought it was much better to fight in than this. A lot smoother, and possible to fight with as long as the bots don't do special moves which they unfortunately do very often though. But why are SJE and EoC so different?

 

 

Well the first thing i have to say is thankyou for your time and effort in actually making a video.

 

The main thing i picked up for me is I really got to make a read me with a Sabersystem manual. You we playing the saber combat like its base ,running and swinging and expecting the autoblocking to pick up a lot of the accuracy for you. 

 

Now i see someone else playing I realize that's totally normal and to be expected and i ask myself "How is he supposed to know how to do it without a Saber manual?"

 

For this  i have to apologise , I'm going to make this my next mission.

 

You have this problem of not understanding the blocking and how it works and that is totally my fault and i apologise.

 

I have to say LOL to not knowing where to go on the map,Under the room turn off the generator ,follow the path past the generator ,up the lift, in to the control room through the floor grate ,Kill the sith and open the switches to open all the doors.

 

Ok the first response i can give you about the stormtroopers kicking you is in the form of a video with an explanation. 

 

http://www.moddb.com/mods/serenitysabersystems/videos/stormtrooper#imagebox

 

 

When in close proximity to an enemy the absolute worst thing to do is start running.

 

You need to stand your ground holding your block button ready to do a direction block.

Or if you are attacking and swinging your saber ,then you need to be walking also,running and swinging makes your attack very inaccurate and easy to block and knock you aside

 

There are lots of new saber moves designed specifically to defeat certain classes of enemy's for example the saber flick as seen in the video for beating stormtrooper

 

You were correct in your video when you said holding the block button to deflect shots with accuracy, However i must also tell you if you are saber attacked and you are not holding the block button and your opponents saber hits your saber.

So effectively your just holding your  saber,,,,when the enemy's saber attack hits your saber he will knock you back.This is what was happening to you alot and making you stumble back so you can not attack.

 

Here are some quotes from the saber manual i started after seeing this video that may help.

 

You can now only walk during a Knockaway

 

Manual Blocking.  Hold down Block button and use your movement keys to set a direction.

The current controls are inverted (backwards for upper positions, forwards for lower)  The available positions are Lower Left, Lower Right, Upper Right,Upper Left, Top.

 

Sabers now bounces off players (and other damageable objects) when the saber does non-lethal damage.  Layman translation:  NO MORE GROSS SABER PASSTHRU.

 

sabers now use actual saber radius's for saber collision checks

 

Saber behaviour completely rewrote.

 

- Running or moving faster than a walk greatly increases your chances of screwing up.

- Manually block an attack has a high probability of creating an opening in your opponent's defences

 

Your Force Points now regenerate at a slower rate and most combat actions cause Force Points.  Attempting a saber move that costs more than your current FP will result in you doing the move much slower than normal.  The objective of this system is to make players concentrate on fighting smartly by effective mixes of attacking and defending.

 

Force Regen Rates 

Standing = Standard

Running =  No Regen

Walking = Standard/2

Meditate (using the meditate taunt) = Standard * 3

 

Force Costs:

Standard Saber Attack = 1

Standard Saber Spin (transition) = 1

 

Parry block (this is the most important technique): Hold the directional key to move into whatever side your getting hit on. A and D for side hits, S for high swings (up-down swings) and W for lunge and low hits. This move lessens hit damage on you greatly.

Regular swings require holding down the attack button for at least half the swing, otherwise you will perform a basic/start fake

 

 Tavion's and Desann's and duel and staff saber styles are now accessible with single saber and are coloured on the FP hud 

 

All styles can kick by using the alternate weapon attack

 

Proto Visual weapons code - While you're not using your saber, it will appear on your belt

 

Moded Force Fall so that it gradually slows down = instant slow down.

 

 - Saber Fakes - pressing the block button before an attack starts will make your player do a fake.  Using Block + a direction will transistion the swing into different attack (based on the direction pressed).  Using Block without movement will cause the player to abort the attack and resume the ready position.

 

Watch the angle at which your opponent's swing. Watch whether it's a high swing, coming from the side, or a lunge. Also watch the angle at which it is about to hit you.

Use your forward, back, and side keys (w, a, s, and d) to move into the swing. It is important to remember that the direction for high swings is inverted from what you might expect. You parry high swings by pressing the back key (s). Side swings are parried by moving into the swings with the side buttons (a and d).Lunges or low swings can be parried by pressing forward (w). 

Note: The parry is determined based on where you get hit. For example: If your player gets hit lower on their body with a high diagonal swing, the proper parry direction would be to move to that side.

 

Check if your opponent has been parried and/or if you do a knockaway animation or lost less FP. You will do a one handed block and your opponent will bounce slowly if you do it correctly. If you opponent was very low Fp, he might max out and fall over or lose his saber.

 

Block-to-swing or swing-to-swing transitions:

This technique allows you to bounce out of your block into a swing faster than you usually would and allows you to combo easier in different directions when your swing bounces off an opponent's saber. It is a very effective way of countering after you have blocked or hit.

 

Step 1: Watch for a saber block or a bounce hit off an opponent. If your opponent parries you, You'll bounce slowly and will not be able to do the transition.

Step 2: Hold the attack button and press a different movement direction than you blocked or swung in, or just keep holding it and what ever direction your were holding before and it will automatically switch.

 

Step 3: Watch and see if your transition was successful. If it was successful, you will usually get the first hit and force a block by your opponent. If used correctly, you can chain several of these swings and do a lot of FP drain on your opponent.

 

Attack Feints:

Attack feints are a very useful technique allows you to fake swing in one direction and hit in another. The Attack fake also causes one-third more damage than the regular swing. There is also a cost of 1 FP for each change of direction you do in the faking. The Attack fake also does 1.25 times the damage of a normal swing

 

Step 1: Look for an appropriate situation to use an attack feint. While usage of this technique is more personal preference than anything, the best times to use this technique is starting at a distance in order to avoid getting hit in the process. 

Step 2: While pressing and holding block and attack, use the directional keys to change direction of the swing. By default, the attack fakes will usually change directions at a 90 degree angle unless you press in a different direction

 

Step 3: Hit your opponent with the attack feint at any part of their body where their saber isn't in front of or in a place where you don't believe it will be parried. As with any swing, you have to be careful about where you hit. Watch you opponent's movements because if you hit high and they are moving backwards for example, you will get parried. It is also good to transition into another swing if you can in order to do more damage. You will know if you have successfully hit your opponent without getting parried if you see both of you go into a quick saberlock animation in which you win automatically (this is more for visual effect than anything).

 

Start Fakes (Occasionally referred to as wind up fakes or basic fakes):

These are a lot more straight-forward than attack fakes, but still useful in many ways. They cost no FP to use

 

Step 1: Look for the right situation to use the windup fake. Attack fakes have many uses depending on your personal preference. You can use them to fake out an opponent, disguise a parry (which can be done during the fake), and even block a swing for no fP cost if you move your saber in front of the opponent's swing (this is a very hard technique to do). It also causes a little fP damage on your opponent at very close range.

Step 2: Tap the attack button and press the directional buttons in the direction you want do the basic fake or simply let go of the attack button during a windup or transition

 

Step 3: Watch your opponent's reaction to the fake and plan your next move based on that reaction

 

 

Thats all for now ill do a proper sabersystem read me tonight.

[Boothand]

That's very useful information! I'll play around with the newly acquired knowledge. Interesting.

 

Even when knowing all these things though, I still feel there are a few things could be cleaned up, like as I mentioned when the enemy seemingly out of nowhere does an instant counter, and all the instant-death related things. It also seemed that when Tavion was merely touching my saber without attacking, mine bounced back as if she would have hit. I'll look more into this though. It just seemed problematic to be awaiting a move from the enemy if their saber was crossing yours.

 

I seem to remember I liked better the animations and the "cleanlyness" (don't know how else to put it) of EoC. What would you say the main differences are between SJE and EoC, if put very shortly? 

 

 

EDIT: I just noticed now I did an INSANE totally random block at 14:21 in the video. Don't even know how to block behind your back. Can't stop laughing.

[katanamaru]

@@Boothand, try increasing your force powers too. Maybe the system takes offense and defense powers into account. You were fighting boss characters without force.

[TheWhitePhoenix]

Will you be able to use your custom player models and stuff with this, Serenity? I love your saber mods, but it wouldn't feel the same if I couldn't play with all the mods I use. Ones that don't modify the game too much.

[Serenity937]

That's very useful information! I'll play around with the newly acquired knowledge. Interesting.

 

Even when knowing all these things though, I still feel there are a few things could be cleaned up, like as I mentioned when the enemy seemingly out of nowhere does an instant counter, and all the instant-death related things. It also seemed that when Tavion was merely touching my saber without attacking, mine bounced back as if she would have hit. I'll look more into this though. It just seemed problematic to be awaiting a move from the enemy if their saber was crossing yours.

 

I seem to remember I liked better the animations and the "cleanlyness" (don't know how else to put it) of EoC. What would you say the main differences are between SJE and EoC, if put very shortly? 

 

 

EDIT: I just noticed now I did an INSANE totally random block at 14:21 in the video. Don't even know how to block behind your back. Can't stop laughing.

 Im currently making a Sabering tutorial Video. Ill get back to you with answers as soon as i finish.

 

The difference between EoC and SJC 

 

If you play EoC MP  and SJE SP  its 2 different engines EoC sp will use SJE.

 

@@Boothand, try increasing your force powers too. Maybe the system takes offense and defense powers into account. You were fighting boss characters without force.

 

Absolutely correct, couldn't have said it better myself.

 

Will you be able to use your custom player models and stuff with this, Serenity? I love your saber mods, but it wouldn't feel the same if I couldn't play with all the mods I use. Ones that don't modify the game too much.

 You can do pretty much anything with this build,Ive tried to make it as flexible as possible. Add your own models, maps ,etc..

 

I will run any or all singleplayer mods

EXCEPT : Movieduels 2 .

Why? .

because movieduels 2 runs its own specific _humanoid folder and in the movieduels 2 humanoid gla the new animations are missing  , this would result in the movieduels mod showing the jesus pose when the code tries to run the new animations. IE Fatigue animations.

 

FIX: Would be to add all the new animations in to the movieduels 2 humanoid 

 

But it plays Movieduels 1 fine

 

Basicly it will run any singlplayer mod that does not need a specialized _humanoid gla.

 

The trick is not to remove anything from the SJE .pk3 but you can alter the humanoid for animations or replace/improve any of the other assets in the pk.3

 

Supported mods that have been tested

 

survival mod

escape yavin

movieduels 1

ALL the Nina mods

Dark forces mod demos 1+2

redemption mod

syndicate mod

crash on tatooine

resurgence mod

 

it also play many outcast mods

[Stoiss]

 Im currently making a Sabering tutorial Video. Ill get back to you with answers as soon as i finish.

 

The difference between EoC and SJC 

 

If you play EoC MP  and SJE SP  its 2 different engines EoC sp will use SJE.

 

 

the 2 different things with this is, it's SP and it is build up in C++ and a lot of the dynamic codeing in it is not just something you can take a old saber system from MP from 

and then just put it over to SP, SJE CodeBase is a lot about how to make it right as it never will be the same as MP, when you use Manuel block you can see

the block make a bounce movement in it, mp does not do that becours it do not have that sort of implanted codeing in it as SP does a lot of stuff to make a MP Saber System From OJP/EoC would need

a lot of work to even make it work 50 %

[Boothand]

@@Boothand, try increasing your force powers too. Maybe the system takes offense and defense powers into account. You were fighting boss characters without force.

 

 

Absolutely correct, couldn't have said it better myself.

 

 

 

Hmm, but it doesn't seem to respond at all when I try to use cheats.

[Xycaleth]

I haven't tried your mod, but the problem with the lack of saber system manual intrigues me. A problem I've found with other saber system rewrites is that even with a manual or videos it's difficult to understand how to make good use of the saber. A good idea (if not now, then perhaps in the future), would be to have an in-game tutorial telling and showing you how the new saber system works. Completing certain tasks would green light the player, and they can progress on to the next part of the tutorial. Maybe it could be Kyle or some other Jedi teaching you

[Stoiss]

give the man a jedi training map

[TheWhitePhoenix]

Hmm, but it doesn't seem to respond at all when I try to use cheats.

If you use devmapall, it won't work. Try using helpusobi 1 instead.

[Boothand]

If you use devmapall, it won't work. Try using helpusobi 1 instead.

 

Yeah I tried both, none worked

[Stoiss]

there is no cheat mode in this, he want to keep it so players not can cheat their way in the game.

[TheWhitePhoenix]

there is no cheat mode in this, he want to keep it so players not can cheat their way in the game.

Let me guess...coding modification?

[Boothand]

It should be enabled during beta at the very least, or the saber skill should be set high enough to block hits that "should" work 

[Stoiss]

Let me guess...coding modification?

yep