VERY JERKY camera views when using stairs in maps...

BIGFOOT_PI · Post by **BIGFOOT_PI** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 9:18 pm

Sorry if this has been addressed in the past and I missed it- but I am making some stairs in a Duel Melee map and as I ascend and descend steps the default 3rd person camera is VERY JERKY with every step. (im still running 2.0 rev)
Basically its completely sickening to the eyes and stomach to go up and down staircases since the camera moves so exact to each step height. First person view is fine (as expected). Anyway- any devs have any info or suggestions?

Kyllian · Post by **Kyllian** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 1:35 am

I'm not a mapper(barely any clue how to make one)
But I believe about the only solution would be to make the stairs a ramp and just make it seem like they are stairs(probably a ramp shaped blocking volume sitting just above the stairs)

BIGFOOT_PI · Post by **BIGFOOT_PI** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 2:20 am

Kyllian wrote:I'm not a mapper(barely any clue how to make one)
But I believe about the only solution would be to make the stairs a ramp and just make it seem like they are stairs(probably a ramp shaped blocking volume sitting just above the stairs)

thats EXACTLY what i was thinking- but I would rather not do that if I dont have to

Kyllian · Post by **Kyllian** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 2:26 am

That's the only way to fix that I can think of.
But just hold off on doing that until some of the real mappers can get a chance to reply

Hammerman · Post by **Hammerman** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 2:45 am

I've only been mapping for 3 years, so I don't qualify as a 'real mapper' (ex. the barren wasteland of replies on my Duel-Chaos_Galleon map thread), but it seems to me that the blocking volume idea would be the quickest and easiest solution. NOW the pros can post and make me look like an idiot

good luck
---Hamm---

TKATK · Post by **TKATK** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 8:21 pm

make jumppads not stairs

FurrySound · Post by **FurrySound** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:28 am

Hey Hammerman, don't be so hard on yourself... bump your thread... although most people are playing ut2k4 demo now...

TKATK · Post by **TKATK** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 5:25 am

true oh true

Post by **Shadowstar** » Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:27 am

If it were me, I wouldn't really care, but try this: use the above mentioned blocking volume, but put it inside the steps, so that the sloped part of the surface intersects the steps, without going beneath or over them. This way, you'll still get a stepping effect, but it won't be as strong, so it should minimize the jerkiness of the camera. Make sure that the blocking volume won't block karma objects, so that corpses will still tumble down the steps the way they should. See if it works well!

BIGFOOT_PI · Post by **BIGFOOT_PI** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 4:59 pm

Shadowstar wrote:If it were me, I wouldn't really care, but try this: use the above mentioned blocking volume, but put it inside the steps, so that the sloped part of the surface intersects the steps, without going beneath or over them. This way, you'll still get a stepping effect, but it won't be as strong, so it should minimize the jerkiness of the camera. Make sure that the blocking volume won't block karma objects, so that corpses will still tumble down the steps the way they should. See if it works well!

thanks- ill try that- although it will be a pain cause I have CURVED staircases...
ps- ....and since they arent that high and the ceiling isnt too high, a jump-pad would be overkill..

Hammerman · Post by **Hammerman** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 7:14 pm

For a curved stairwell, you could use the Spiral Stair Builder tool with the Sloped Floor option set to True. Add that as a Blocking Volume and you're golden

Can't Wait to see the map

---Hamm---

BIGFOOT_PI · Post by **BIGFOOT_PI** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 3:31 am

Hammerman wrote:For a curved stairwell, you could use the Spiral Stair Builder tool with the Sloped Floor option set to True. Add that as a Blocking Volume and you're golden Can't Wait to see the map

---Hamm---

I tried that and ended up with BSP HELL!!!
I most have done it wrong- but I gave up on it temporarily anyway till I fleshed out the rest of the map- didnt want to be staggered by stupid stair issue at that point in the map design...

Hammerman · Post by **Hammerman** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 5:48 am

If the volume was too complex for the bsp, maybe adding it as an invisable semi-solid would work. As a last resort, adjusting the sliders and bsp optimization quality in the build options has saved me from many-a-bsp goblin. Hope ya get it sorted out.
---Hamm---

Moz · Post by **Moz** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 7:31 am

From a coding stand point, you could make the player cam lose, so that it doesn't follow the camera so sharply, but smooths out motions. Would make it alot easier to side slash if the camera didn't follow the player so sharply.

BIGFOOT_PI · Post by **BIGFOOT_PI** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 3:06 am

Moz wrote:From a coding stand point, you could make the player cam lose, so that it doesn't follow the camera so sharply, but smooths out motions. Would make it alot easier to side slash if the camera didn't follow the player so sharply.

i agree- but since its hard coded, either in ut2003, or the CHaosMod itself I wont be the one touching that

I got some slant blocking volumes working tthe 2nd time around ok- helps when you pay attention to make sure the slant has height...