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InfiniteDice -=Skillful=- Combat Damage & Weapons Mod


InfiniteDice

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And they have. They've learned that people are incredibly impatient and that they'll make an absolute fortune if they push the game out on release date regardless of how ready it is or isn't.

Hilarious!

In any project like this there are a number of complex issues that need to be sorted out. Generally you build it up from a very basic level of functionality and have intervals throughout the project where you decide to inject other ideas/features into it so that it can be 'better' :)

So you may start with Code A. Then Implement Code B. Then C... Testing is constant as it should be - to identify issues as they are created. Well at some point by time you are adding Code C to the project something bad happens with Code A. This forces a partial re-write of A and C and then you need to check that Code A B and C are all working together... using this as a basis for thought, Skillful is A, B, C, D, E, F, G. with an option for H and I. LOL

Sometimes adding a feature at this stage seems to be so easy! Then when you go to play-test it, another part of the code stops working. Not only on the code front but then I have to work on models, textures (where I spend the least effort!) and finally balance. On top of that there is PR (talking and showing things to you fine people) and prepping documentation.

It seems PR like videos and forum activity should be last on the list, but I'll tell you, it's not. In order for me to work a few hours up to 6 hours a day on this I need a somewhat steady stream of motivation. There is only so much someone can motivate themselves.

That being said... Skillful formed from an idea to compliment the R2 Boat Parts release (the first carrier), that quickly went from a somewhat easy idea, to a much more complicated set of challenges (at least for me). This thing changes how you play the game in more than a few ways.

One example is how fires can break out on a part that has taken damage. I did a little test yesterday, launched a rocket into orbit(5 tries! lol I don't get into space much) - the goal being to test those rocket pods in space... (they work by the way)... My first attempt to get into orbit, the engines overheated.... In vanilla the engine would have just exploded. With Skillful the engine caught fire before the terminal temperature limit was reached... in the end I had one engine out of 4 explode... the other 3 were destroyed but fixable.

In another example I was talking with Snjo on support for his parts. After that conversation I decided to go ahead and whip up a new bit of code to allow other mods to 'tap in' to Skillful if they are using custom modules. So Snjo's wing code can now intercept signals from Skillful which lets it know if the part is shiny new, or to what degree of damage it has, or if it's totally damaged. Modders can take that value and assign it to their own code to change how the rest of their code would interpret that damage. So in short, they have full control over the damage effects.

As you know all modded parts that use stock modules for engines, control surfaces, cockpits, etc. will be affected by Skillful and experience variable performance loss.

That's all for now... my hands need to rest and I need a coffee :)

Edited by InfiniteDice
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Question: will objects flying into something at high speeds cause damage to parts with Skillful, or is it just specialized bullets?

The armoured parts that come with Skillful have stout non-weapon impact resistance. For obvious reasons, a tank can smash right through cars, motorhomes, even most buildings all day long, while only getting some superficial damage. You'd need to toss a stock object at a very high velocity to destroy it. Is it possible? Sure. Would it be an efficient way to take out a carrier? No. :)

Even without Skillful the probability of destroying a part is based on the velocity in the collision, the impact resistance and the mass of each part. I've crashed many aircraft into the carrier before... the carrier shrugs it off.

Skillful was made for this very reason, a big heavy gas tank is not going to do much to a tank, or a battleship. Sure it might cook the crew out over time, but structurally, the tank would still be there. Vanilla KSP is all or nothing (except the wheels) Skillful reverses this and only removes a 'destroyed' part based on what has hit it. A 127mm tank round vs an aircraft fuselage... say bye bye to the fuselage. A 7.62mm to the fuselage? You could shoot at it all day and the structure would still be there. I remember in the army out on the range, the target vehicles must have been nailed by .50 cals, 7.62, 5.56 for years... they had lots of holes in them, but they were still there.

Anyways good question! I seek to find a good balance for all of it, I'm sure some people will find it much better!

Stock parts for the most part will stay as they are in terms of impact resistance. Armoured parts from Skillful could be rammed to death, but are much stronger in this regard than stock KSP parts.

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Until this point I was only interested in this mod as a cool idea (I don't see much point in weapons for KSP)- Now I understand that there'll be proper damage it's worth getting just for that!

Don't get me wrong I'm not badmouthing your mod; regardless of whether or not I would use it it's still a genius idea that looks to be extremely well implemented.

Anyway, as I say, I might well get this when it's out just for the sweet sweet damage...

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Maybe a good option is something like flares. So something shoots a target locked missile at you, you chuck KerbFlares out the back and the missile follows that?

KerbFlares...sounds like you're just dumping Kerbonauts out the hatch with flares strapped to their helmets. XD

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It would be cool if tanks with fuel set fire to things they crashed into, so dropping a full orange tank of fuel on something would give it a very bad day.

no i don't think that would work. to make a fuel tank that size hit and also blow up/ catch fire on the said target it would just need to be dropped yes but from personal experience i've dropped oil drums filled with kerosene (plane fuel) and it just went "DONGING doing doing..." then rolled off trailing fuel (which i lit then saw pretty fires!) the only time i saw a barrel explode (catch fire) is in movies...

also ksp would just make the fuel tank explode anyway and it would damage the armour in some way but i'm not sure if it would destroy a tank... well a tank with this armour plating

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Calm down there Teepee2345, mod makers spend their three time creating content for you to enjoy. They don't get paid or anything and do this beside any other activity they may have (school, work, family...). Please respect that things may take some time as a result, and that modders are under no obligation to work on their mods.

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CAN SOMEONE TELL INFINITEDICE TO HURRY UP?! IM TIRED OF WAITING!!!:huh:

Dude, show some respect!

ID uses his free time to work on this mod and, being ID, he uses alot of time making sure it is working as it should do.

It will be finished when he says so, and until then, we all have to wait.

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CAN SOMEONE TELL INFINITEDICE TO HURRY UP?! IM TIRED OF WAITING!!!:huh:

I'm sure that you meant "Oh, this mod just looks so cool! I can't wait for it to be released, you're killing us with those teasers!". Wasn't that what you meant?

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