Dev Update

[jb]

11/09/2004

Sorry for the lack of updates but dam you real life! Anways just wanted to get back and let you know that we have been hard at work on the next version of ChaosUT2. We have already had Two IR builds. We will have major tweaks to 3 of the weapons (you can almost say they are new weapons now). As well as a new gametype, new vehicle and other features that have been added. And of course some bug fixes and game play tweaks. Here is the edit change log combined from that last two IRs:

* Tweaked postion of the projectile offsets in Mug Fire class to aling them selves better
* Fixed issues with TeamTalk Indicator not showing team colors on line
* Applied fix to Claw Fire to correct the clients hearing the wrong sound on the last shot before the weapon changes ammo
* Tweak for Jump Boots to make bots use them a "wee" bit better
* Tweaked how the needle ball attached to players to avoid them from falling off
* Add smallview offsets for
* Fix fire/altfire random spread, add gangsta alt anims refs
* Fixed issues with Relics when you pick them up, and you saw the re/despawn effect at the old location
* Added in Shadows tweaks to Mug/CPP Emitters
* Added in charged fire to CPP (AWO Option)
* Make ChaosBike summonable, fix rider position
* ChaosBike now drives. Has experimental "clutch" altfire for switching gears
* Added in neo's shader for the Spirt hits player effect
* Added swtich to the chaos UT mut that allows to swap out the scorp for the bike
* Added in Shadows tweak to Relic effects (Strenght effect is more red now, and reedmer exposion is a bit bigger, tweak to spirt trailer)
* Added new sounds for venge and improved existing trail effect
* Added HH gametype
* fix AN in TurretTranslocator, remove prepivot hack from tank
* Added TalkIcon back into code
* Updated sounds for mug to improve quality and sync with new visuals
* Modified relics text in config menu + pickups to be in-sync with each other -
* Completly re-scrubed proxy sounds (bad ones removed, others changed, some tweaked)
* Added Shadows new mug tweaks to code base
* Vehicles enabled in T/KOTH
* Added in tweaks to Relic Config Menu (Allows user selectable respawn time from 30 to 180 seconds as well as drop relic on deaths)
* Tweak to Relic Sheild Low End Effect to fix issue with it staying
* Changed the Mug "ICE stuff" to use Shadow's new effects
* Basics of a credits menu
* Upgraded Melee Monster AI
* Semi-working Monsters: Chaos Knight, Gasman, Sharpshooter
* Added a new particle texture for MUG pilot light effect
* Added in new low-detial effects for Mug Ice
* Tweaked Headshoot code in Standard Crossbow bolt to avoid recent headshot issues
* Tweak to CUT Sniper Rifle to avoid other network clients from hearing the wrong sound when switching ammo on the last shot
* * More tweaks to Mug Projectiles and their interactions as per shadows feedback
* Added Pilot Light/Steam effect to MUG Attachment
* More Melee Monster work
* More semi-working Monsters: Star throwing Ninja Assassins, Imp-summoning Black Dukes
* First pass of the Spirt effect in for Vengance
* cpp reincarnation, phase 1

So as you can see lots of neato stuff coming to you very soon...

[jb]

11/16/2004

We are uplaoding and testing the final installs for PR3.6 version now. Release is coming sometime today.

[jb]

12/10/2004

Sigh. Sorry folks got stuck with RL issues and have little time to get back to my job on Chaos. We had a new IR go out a few days ago. It has the staff and many, many changes:

* Added a variable in MeleeMonster.uc which allow monsters of different types in their subclasses to have more of an effect when calling for a rally.
* Added some AI routine checks, prodominately the rally code. Monsters can now call for rallies and also respond to rallies somewhat appropriately
* Fixed log spam issue in HH_Scoreboard which also fixed the pts in a round not showing up
* Possible fix (meaning I could not get it to break) for not getting the weapon you wanted in HH on-line
* Added in Shuri's new icon for CPP
* Tweak HH_GameRules to remove another AN spammage
* Blanked out Directional Death for Imp as it did not have those animations
* Fixed typo in Credits page
* Tweaked Bot AI in HH so they dont get scared of the monsters as the monsters get harder
* Upped tweak in Duel Hud to prevent logspam
* added talk icon check box to ingame menu
* Updated the contents of CutServerInI.txt to reflect current changes
* Fixed AN in missing animations from Gasman/Ninja and TurretHud
* Tweaked all MeleeMonster collisions to better align with the model used
* BasePath keys now find closest monsters in HH
* Reworked Melee textures, and added Staff
* Added in the un-used battle axe
* Added in the un-used Gargoly axe
* Tweaked all melee pickups so they lay flat
* Altered melee animation code in hopes to streamline and simplify
* Allowed Melee pickups to exist in HH
* Disallowed Melee pickups in HH if the player already has a weapon
* Added in MutChaosMeleeInstagib and associated files
* Major streamlining operation on melee weapons
* Updated HH_GameRules to better had out points for damage
* Even more streamlining of melee weapons
* Made Melee random choice available for all games
* Melee choices now server configurable in ChaosUT Menu
* updated MeleeInstagib mut for new melee dagametypes.
* Added in HH Scoring changes (Points handed out based on damage done, points lost per death)
* Fixed bug where points were awarded twice
* Fixed bug when a player was killed by a Monster in HH it also counted as a sucide
* Fixed bug where melee pickups when throw "popped up" as well as tweaks to their rotation to lay flat "better"
* Added in missing sounds for many HH monsters
* Added in Shadows bone hit Fx as well as new Gasman sound
* More tweaking and moving around of Monsters sounds to better fit the monsters, old sounds and new sounds
* Fixed error with wrong animation called in the Gargoyle's speical attack
* Gasman/Ninja's now bleed green "blood"

So as you can see lots and lots of really neat stuff here...and more coming soon

[jb]

1-10-2005

Folks, we are back at with a new IR to kick of the new year. Lots of good stuff and tweaks in this one as here is the edited changelog:

* Added basic stats to HH to track monster kills
* Reduced Ninja HPs to 130
* fiX0r veng spirits not effecting tanks, and some other vehicles
* Fixed issues with Find Monster Basepath key's not working on-line
* Most monsters should at least head gib now
* Tweaked the ChaosMeleeWeapon class in hopes that the melee weapons can attach "better" to non-standard bones used in custom models
* Tried to make the monsters less chatty (meaning they dont player their idle sounds as often)
* Slight increase to vengance damage for both Sprit/Bomb to make them a bit more deadlier
* Chaos Bike now fixed for stearing and wheel rotation direction
* Fixed AN and wrong skin version on Skel head shot gibs
* Fixed Weapon stat tracking with HH (the "f3" stat menu) as well the bug that did not play the annoucer "Headshot"
* Vampire effect now "bleeds" green for Gasman/Ninja
* Fixed issue with Gasman/Imp spawning red blood (now spawns green) -
* Tweaked Imp's collision a bit
* Fixed issue with rotation of player causing the melee weapons in the chaos settings to be at weird angles
* Fixed error with trying to load the client side mut options twice (would get an error in the client logs chaos settings tab already exists)
* Fixed issue with gainskel's stats not being tracked
* Fixed it so bots in HH don't always try to kill when hurt by another player
* Tweaked monsters so only Ninja's and Knight's can dodge
* Make sure Gasman/Ninja's spawn the non-red skull when are killed with a head shot
* Tweaked ChaosArmor relic so it does not try to draw multi-sheild effects when taking damage
* Major tweak to chaos bike riding positions, the fit much better now
* Staff model finished and positioned properly
* Staff Animations Finished
* Added Light Skin to LadyChaos.upl
* Added Light Skin with LadyChaos_Skins2
* Added in new flags
* Added a Timer that will cause the monsters to die if they get stuck in one spot for more than 30 seconds
* Tweaked Monster AI so after the kill a player the wander around vrs standing over their dead body
* Fixed another bug with the "F3" stats not tracking weapon deaths in HH correctly

To that we have new testing blood to help us track down and elminate those nasty bugs! So should see more constant updates soon!!!

[jb]

01/24/2004

Folks,
just wanted to let you know that another IR went up. This was just a bug fix/tweak IR. But here are the detials:

Version 3.61 IR3
* Fixed issue with Staff as the Medium and Light Jump and Lunge animations where swtiched around
* fixed some staff anim problems, not holding the staff right when idle
* Compeltly new MeleeMonsterAI (mashed together the Inv Monster AI with what we had, now much better)
* Fixed bug in Napalm Status which caused vehicles to play an "exhausted sound" when the naplam wheres off
* Fixed issue with the netural stance on the sword for the heavy hitting the ground
* Fixed issue with relics allowing a player to pickup more than one in on-line games
* Fixed issue with CUTRocketluancher not reducing ammo as your loading it in multi fire
* Tweaked chaos vehicles so that flags are in correct places
* Re-sized Chaos flags as they were too small
* Fixed issue with chaosweapons allways "announcing" the pickup with weaponstay on
* Fixed issue with all Chaos Multi ammo weapons showing the wrong attachment class when the player runs out of ammo, swiches weapons, finds more ammo of a different type and changes back to that weapon
* Fixes AN and tweaked them to ensure the pilot light is on on the correct way
* Updates to the Flag bearer code

Yea not as big as I would have hoped. A couple of those bugs took a few days to kill and we still have one rathy nasty one left....Anyways just wanted to keep you in the loop. thanks again!

[jb]

02/08/2005

Just to let you know another IR went up last night. This one has a ton of changes:

* Fixed that darn ammo bug so that all weapons and ammo pickups give correct ammo when throw or picked up
* Tweaked the casing from CPP/Sniper to have a random spin when they are ejected as per Indent's feedback
* Updated Indent's flag model
* installed some shaders onto flag models
* Increased Damage that charge arrows do
* Slighly increase speed and default arrow size
* Xbow mult-arrow fire will now fire in a circle pattern (low/tight spread) if both fire buttons are being held (like the RL does)
* Fixed issue with Bots not being able to fire some of our weapons when using the ChaosArenaMut (Xbow, Sniper and Mug)
* Fixed issue with CPP and weapons stay not allow you to pickup until it was "fading out"
* Tweak fire of CPP so spead is less in normal fire, and more in alt fire
* Tossing out CPP (either dropped or killed) will now throw out two CPPs if the player had them in dual mode
* Added Staff/Claws into the code that adds melee medals in our DM games
* Added in Claws (and modify all "melee files" to support this action..there were a LOT Of them
* Added the Staff jump animations to the full body ones in the chaosxpawn
* Tweaked Mug, ERDW and Naplam nades to be more effective in vehicle games (ie cause damage to ons power cores and vehciles)
* Added new effects for the poison arrow/bolt
* Tweaked Gasman poison cloud to it stays "as long as" the poison effect
* All Chaoas weapons have been tweeked for Bot AI tweaks meaning the bots are now aware of the alt ammo, CWO and will try to switch to one of the ammo types or use the CWO depending on condtions (the main melee weapons file was also tweaked just a bit)
* TWeaked the VehicleDamageScaling to most of the ChaosWeapon damage types so that the chaos weapons will "hurt" vehicles a bit more
* Xbow Archers can now use the special ammo of the xbows, they are more likely to use it in later rounds of the game or if they are hurt
* The Chaoseffects (flash, napalm, fire, poison, ect) should no longer effect you when your in god mode
* Tweaked Neckspurts so we no long needed a file for each race (bots, aliens, humans) which allowed the removal of redundent files
* Melee weapons on head shots are not more bloody
* Tweaked MutChaosArena so it can use the multi ammo when basic weapon load out is used, also added the disrupter
* changed bCheapWallHack to bCheapWallHanging in proxymine to get past antiTCC checks, suggested by Wormbo
* Fixed bug with HH were it did not trak BlackDuke kills
* Fixed bug were Vampire rune was not using correct blood trails for the ninja -
* Fixed issue with Ninja/Gasman using Red Human gibs
* Updated Credits section -
* Removed the backwards block move from the melee for now as its was not in the best spot, can add it back later if we find a good spot for it
* Fixed Air time for bike
* Tweaked bike to get rid of leaning
* Added a (temp) Option for mouse steering for bike

Whew as you can see lots and lots of changes there. Some of the bigger ones were:

- Bots are now more aware of the chaos weapons and their ammo. In the current PR3.6 code the bots would only use the alt ammo of the weapon if the main ammo was out or they picked up a dropped weapon that was set to use the alt ammo. They did not try to swtich to "better" ammo. They also were aware of the CWO on some of the weapons. Now bots have some basic rules that they will use in order to make use of the alt ammo or CWO on their current weapon. For example if a bot has the CGL out wiht normal ammo as well as the disrupter ammo and your coming at it in a vehcile, it will try to swtich to the disrupter ammo in a attempt to blind you. Or if you have a flag then a bot will try to use the Alt fire of the ERDW to ensure that it kills you and recovers their flag. We tried to cover the most obvios cases but as well did not try to drill down too deep. We really could have checked a ton of things to make the bots super smart. However that would have slowed down your PC. So we keep them as simple yet with some detial to the logic. The first pass so far looks like a step in the right direction.

- The bike is not much more usable. It does not whipe out instantly at high speed and for now has an option mouse steering option.

- HH still keeps getting tweaked to try to polish that.

- Another melee weapon comes into the mix complete with new/custom animations.

- ONS damage scaling. Some of our weapons were pretty week against Power cores and the vehicles. So we amped them up just a bit. Now if you say use some naplam ammo in your nade on an emeny's core, it lowers damage each second till the effect wears off

So as you can see busy busy busy trying to make chaos better better better

[jb]

02/28/2005

Our 5th IR went up last night. Here is the edited changelog:

* Upped damage CPP bullet does from 8 hp to 10 hp
* Upped the sound properties that the sniper bullets use
* Added Snake's updated FlagBearer code -
* Added in Neo's texture to use for headlights on the bike, as well as more bike tweakage
* Fixed RL multi-ammo loading/ammo issues as well as overhaled the Alt Fire mode to remove some ANs
* Fixed issue with running out of ammo and auto-changing to a new weapons weirdness when you have CPP in on-line
* Fixed issue with CPP ammo not being swapped out in the chaos mut
* Added Shadows neweffects for posion arrow sparks, and gasman soke/sparts
* Another tweak to StatusPoison to prevent MMGasman from poisoning them selves
* A few tweaks to bike projectors
* Bike now has a slight lean to it when cornering
* Slight tweaks to Vampaire effects (blood trails now turn smoother, health points transfered when blood trials hit, ect)
* TWeaked HH to make use of the MaxLives setting (default is 0 so there is no limit to the players lives)
* Small tweaks to HH so it counts the time before the waves and does not try to show you the scorebord
* Minor tweaks to bot ai for chaos weapons as suggested by beta testers feedback
* Tweaked Bike so when you exit it ensure that the bike is set into first gear
* Tweaked Bike to allow for 45 cone of aiming, removed locked view
* Tweaked bike collision so it does not crash into nodes and stop as well as made it lean a bit more
* Fixed AN in the MeleeWeapons Giveto that only showed up in HH/DOC/Duel
* Fixed AN in turret translocator in on-line play
* Major changes to turret including optimization, fixed some AN, fixed some bugs and added remote control option so players can controll the turet, lots of turret files changed
* Tweaked the hoverboard
* Tweaked Chaos Models binary files to reduce file size

It may not look like much but A LOT OF WORK when into that. The bike is so much better now its not even funny. Tried to start working more on the hoverboard and have most of its off-line issues worked out. The on-line issues are still there but are getting better. Updates to the flagbeaer, bot ai and other tweaks are welocomed. And finally the turret is controllable. Its not like your normal turret where you walk up to it and controll it. but it does pack some good stuff in here. And more tweaks and bug fixes. Whish we had more screenshots but most of the stuff is not new..just tweaks...

More to come, stay tuned!!!

[jb]

03/17/2005

Happy St Pattys day to you. However nothing new to report as we should have had another IR update by now. I was out on vaction last week so did not get a chance to get any code updates done. And we hit a few team issues we need to work out. So hopefully we will be back on track very soon!!