Magnetic sections

[samuncle]

Hello everyone

As you might know stk supports magnetic sections (basically it means that now we can drive on the celling).

http://img42.com/5JNtX+ <- An example (Work in progress, yes I know colors are terrible).

This is quite a radical change in gameplay. So Now, how often should we use this ?

Currently my plan is:
Some tracks (maximum 4) like XR-591, STK enterprise might have a gameplay near F-Zero or wipeout, with crazy road and upside down section.
10 tracks like hacienda, chocolate in alternate roads but not upside down section, to race on walls or on the side of the canyon.
Other tracks like currently without magnetic section.

[leftisright]

I think this feature is great, and that it can be used as a feature/extra bonus for tracks yet to be unlocked by users. "Play these tracks as soon as you can so that you can unlock tracks for driving up a wall" seems a good motivation for players to play the game through and through. Should be implemented in select exclusive tracks only, imo

[sphyrth]

I'm kind of divided concerning this. I do like having that F-Zero feel on this aspect, but I'm having this "Super TuxKart should have a style tradition of it's own." feeling.

Anyway, I voted for only a few tracks just to see how it goes.

[charlie]

That's really cool. How does it work? Does a particular box have its own gravity direction? Or is it just specific to the piece of track? (How far off the track "vertically" relative to the track can you move before it reverts to the track default?

Fascinating stuff. As for "own style", I think this is an example of STK developing its own style - samuncle is only using the F-Zero comparison to help illustrate the feature.

[samuncle]

@Charlie it's by textures. Basically on the road, gravity direction is defined by normals.
Yeah we are trying to make something quite unique. Not the average go kart racing game but an epic go kart racing game.

The pool will help us to define how many tracks will be affected. There will be roughly 3 category:

Epic tracks with upside down section, loops etc (aka F-0, Wipeout).
Tracks with alternate roads that might use magnetic (as I said before, to be able to race on the side of a canyon).
Normal tracks (they will use magnetic section too, but only to help the physics (in climbing section or sharp turn).



I have another dream: Non euclidean track (a room bigger inside than what you can see outside). If we make this, we will be the first racing game to do that (as far as I know). But that's another topic.

[WillemS]

Epic tracks with upside down section, loops etc (aka F-0, Wipeout).
Tracks with alternate roads that might use magnetic (as I said before, to be able to race on the side of a canyon).
Normal tracks (they will use magnetic section too, but only to help the physics (in climbing section or sharp turn).

Having upside down sections for some tracks sounds really cool. Like I also voted in the poll, I'd say only do it in a few tracks, to have it as a "special effect" for some tracks.

I'm not totally convinced of having alternate roads using this magnetic feature... To me, it seems a bit "unfair" to the players not using the alternate roads.
I mean, assume I would be playing STK for the first time, and I would be of course just taking the normal route (thinking that the track uses normal physics, I wouldn't be tempted to try driving on the side of a cliff, for example). Then, I saw some video of someone using the alternate route, which is something that shouldn't be possible by normal physics. I would feel cheated probably I hope you understand what I mean?

Edit: by the way, is this already testable in the Git version?

Edit 2: never mind, I found the track

[samuncle]

To me, it seems a bit "unfair" to the players not using the alternate roads.

Why ?

I mean there is no particular advantage. It's a bit more difficult and the reward might be more nitro or a boost, but that's all.
You want to challenge yourself, to get more nitro you can try the alternate road but it's a bit more difficult than the regular one.

Also paths that are using magnetic textures will be clearly visible (except some little shortcut).

Then, I saw some video of someone using the alternate route, which is something that shouldn't be possible by normal physics. I would feel cheated probably I hope you understand what I mean?

We think it's a feature . It's cool if you don't discover everything all secret at the first time. Otherwise why would you play again ?

[WillemS]

If it is clearly visible that there is an alternate route, it is of course no problem I thought they would be "secret shortcuts".

Thank you for your work on improving STK

[Totoplus62]

As i said before Stk has to avoid straight lines, we really need sharp turns and craziness

Then this could be perfect for a track in space with moving asteroid etc... Like space mountain in Disneyland Paris x) but with an animated scenery
youtu.be/8ARQl-Z55BA.

(Not for Stk Enterprise that is a race inside a ship).

[hiker]

That's really cool. How does it work? Does a particular box have its own gravity direction? Or is it just specific to the piece of track? (How far off the track "vertically" relative to the track can you move before it reverts to the track default?

As a clarification: atm we have a 'partial prototype' implementation (for example, the AI can't drive on those sections, powerups like bowling balls, cakes will behave incorrectly, ...). A full implementation is one of our Google Summer of Code project this year.

Cheers,
Joerg