Why doesn't alt-fire in .npc files work?

[Dusty]

Talking about JA mostly even though I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case in JK2 as well...

 

Why doesn't the alt-fire stat in .npc files work? All the proper code seems to be in place...

[Asgarath83]

Works only for saberist. it's really strange. for that motivation i asked to @@eezstreet to improve the sniper code AI also for other classes. :\

[eezstreet]

That field isn't even used to my knowledge, so..

[dark soul]

Talking about JA mostly even though I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case in JK2 as well...

 

Why doesn't the alt-fire stat in .npc files work? All the proper code seems to be in place...

 

In JK2 there was a npc in cairn_bay i think, which uses alt-fire. Stcommander, two of them are place on the top of the elevators and using alt fire mode.

 

Dunno if they are scripted or using npc files.

[IrocJeff]

It's scripted in Behaved. Most of my Stormtroopers use alt fire throughout my project. 

 

set ( /*@SET_TYPES*/ "SET_ALT_FIRE", /*@BOOL_TYPES*/ "true" );

[Barricade24]

I believe in Outcast, there was a specific NPC called stofficeralt that shot with the alt effect.

[Dusty]

^In JA (and JK2 I bet) alt-fire can't be given to NPCs in their files but must be scripted to them through the map.

 

I don't understand why it doesn't work though. In NPC_stats.cpp the stat correctly refers back to a hardcoded define called SCF_ALT_FIRE or something.

[Dusty]

After staring at the code for a while, I'm not able to understand it, but my hunch is that the if statement starting at line 3532 in NPC_stats.cpp doesn't apply the SCF_ALT_FIRE script flag correctly to the NPCs.

[Dusty]

So SET_ALT_FIRE, which comes from icarus scripts, activates the SCF_ALT_FIRE script flags, and so does altFire in an NPC file, or at least it's supposed to.

 

Perhaps therein lies the problem. My expertise ends right there though. I'm unskilled enough to analyze the code further.

[eezstreet]

Almost all of the NPCs are hardcoded to act a certain way with the weapons. CLASS_IMPERIAL with the right rank will always use alt fire, regardless of the altFire flag. Snipers always use alt fire except with the player being really really close (and even then, their firing routine is really broken).

 

Like I said, it's quite hardcoded and I'm pretty sure it doesn't work as intended.

[Dusty]

^Icarus doesn't have any issues with hardcode conflicts though...

 

Reason I'm making this topic, is that for JA, I would like to have this feature work. Not a huge deal, but it would save me some ent-modding trouble

[Asgarath83]

^Icarus doesn't have any issues with hardcode conflicts though...

 

Reason I'm making this topic, is that for JA, I would like to have this feature work. Not a huge deal, but it would save me some ent-modding trouble

without code hacking, you need just to add the spawnscript to the NPC and set in the spawnscript SET_ALT_FIRE, true.

also, you can check code part about the set_alt_fire of icarus for see how is working the declaration and the "altfire" parametrer of NPC files for see what's is of wrong.

altfire NPC however work well for saberist. if you use on saberist with saberthrow, they ever fight throwing the saber. if the saber is not throwable, they execute the Special kata and take kicks, if they rank is upper of lt.

but , yes, not work on shooters class, i not know why. :S

[Dusty]

So, any chance of getting this working or naah? I can't figure it out, mainly seeing as I don't understand the operators used to set spawn flags in the code so I have no idea how it even works honestly.

[Asgarath83]

i not know too, but in icarus, if you use  aspawnscript with SET_ALTFIRE, true. the enemy shoot with alt fire if you are far and with normnal fire if you are close. O.o

search in the code the SET_ALTFIRE icarus definition and see how is programmed.

[Asgarath83]

In JK2 there was a npc in cairn_bay i think, which uses alt-fire. Stcommander, two of them are place on the top of the elevators and using alt fire mode.

 

Dunno if they are scripted or using npc files.

Yes, i remember the two foes. are scripted by icarus with set_altfire. in the mod escape from yavin 4 the lost map there is a level in a lava caves full of tusken raiders, velociraptors and imperials and reborn into a facility. the reborn soldier use every kind of altfire shoots. O.o

[Dusty]

Okay, sooo, I really want this to work, but I cannot for the life of me figure it out.

 

Yeah yeah the icarus system is great and all for specific npcs in maps, but if I want one kind of NPC to always use alt-fire then it would be nice to be able to just set it in one spot in their .npc file instead of ent-modding it into every map :/

[Asgarath83]

I think that the best way for make this is to create a new fighter AI class that use only altfire atk. o.o

maybe you can use AI_imperial.cpp how base for work following the lines of altfire shoots ratio at high rank.

[Dusty]

^That's a good idea.

 

While I would like this sort of thing externalized outside the code, as a temporary (assuming one day this may be fixable) fix I could just use specific classes. Like the Rodian gunner for example, I want him to use alt-fire, so maybe NPCs with class_rodian and an E11 will be coded to use alt-fire.

 

EDIT:

Maybe what happens in the code is something overrides the alt-fire script flag canceling it out. Icarus scripting and the alt-fire npc field seem to work in the same way, so the only difference that I imagine could happen is the "when" of when the game applies each to an NPC. Maybe there is some AI code that says "if this, use primary fire", and that's why I can't find anything, because it's not alt-fire that's being applied incorrectly but rather primary fire, so I should really be looking for wherever "primary fire" is coded in. Just a theory.

[Asgarath83]

mmmm, have you found in the code the code part of SET_ALT_FIRE boolean of Icarus functions? should exist. some time ago, Kenoi has fouind the line codes of the facial animation that interact with icarus. so should exist code line command of every icarus script function. incluse the set_alt_fire command. can you watch how that work, what the icarus "SET_ALT_FIRE, true"  activate into the code.

search in the entire solution SET_ALT_FIRE

[Dusty]

So I tried to find where class_imperial gets it's alt-fire thing, but no direct references. Another indirect code thing? Ugh.

 

@@eezstreet: I call on your superior programming knowledge.

[eezstreet]

It's bound by rank. RANK_COMMANDER (or whatever) and above always use alt fire.

[Asgarath83]

in my modding work i noticed that the saberist with ltcomm , commander or captain rank using also the altfire attack: they make the kata atk many time twist and swing the saber with A1 \ A2 \ A3_SPECIAL attack.

also, if NPC have FP_SABERTHROW 1-2-3 level they throw the saber

For the shooting weapons, instead, that works only for CLASS_IMPERIAL, i think. you need to check the rank code, as told @@eezstreet, and maybe you can find some reference about the altfires.

[Dusty]

@@eezstreet:

 

Are you saying commander ranks pretty much regardless of class will use alt-fire? Gonna test that I guess...

[Dusty]

It's crud like this that confuses me:

if ( ent->NPC->rank >= RANK_COMMANDER )
					{//commanders use alt-fire
						//ent->NPC->scriptFlags |= SCF_ALT_FIRE;
					}

That's in NPC_spawn.cpp, and the only reference I can find related to commander ranks using alt-fire, but it's commented out, so I'm kind of baffled as to what makes Class_imperial NPCs at commander rank use alt-fire at all...

[Dusty]

Silly me. Never assume because it makes an *** out of you and me.

 

In JA imp commanders don't use alt-fire by default, precisely because that part of the code is commented out for JA. Still doesn't explain why alt-fire in .npc files doesn't work... but that's for another day.