OK, are the computer cars faster? And other questions.

[bovineuniversity]

1. I've suspected that the computer controlled cars are a little faster. They always seem to recover and get back up to speed much faster (e.g. if we both get his with a cake) Is that true, or is it just that they have perfect reaction times? Do all of the cars have the same acceleration?

2. I was in a Grand Prix, and I started out at the front of the pack. I had a good start. And then zoooooom a computer cars goes right by me. There was no nitro, presents, or zippers. Is there the concept of "drafting"? I can't think of another way he could have zoomed past me. Unless maybe he got bumped from behind?

3. What determines how long you have the parachute? Sometimes it's very short, sometimes I seem to have it forever.

4. I'm on the latest SVN version. I see some source files that are updated that are related to addons. Is this "hidden" functionality that is being worked on that can be "unlocked" or is is just under development. I don't see the addon manager anywhere in the app, but I know it's on the roadmap to be worked on.

[Crendgrim]

1. I also think so sometimes. Don't forget the speed boosts which the PC will get more often than you (I don't know why, though, or if I only think so - there are more AIs then me.. )

2. Again: Speed boost or starting nitro which is given sometimes ( I don't know when, though)

3. I think it lasts for a certain amount of speed that you have to lose. So, always use breaks when you're getting parachutes
However, that's really, really annoying if you get an anchor and immediately afterward a parachute. You have no chance to speed up again...

4. You have to compile STK with "./configure --with-addons", IIRC.


Crend

[hiker]

1. I've suspected that the computer controlled cars are a little faster. They always seem to recover and get back up to speed much faster (e.g. if we both get his with a cake) Is that true, or is it just that they have perfect reaction times? Do all of the cars have the same acceleration?

All karts should be completely identical, except their shape - which on the other hand can of course have an impact on the physics. We had some advantage for the AI in 0.5 (or so), before we fixed the steering (it didn't have that much slow down when skidding round a corner iirc), but that should all be gone. Though I better double check that

2. I was in a Grand Prix, and I started out at the front of the pack. I had a good start. And then zoooooom a computer cars goes right by me. There was no nitro, presents, or zippers. Is there the concept of "drafting"? I can't think of another way he could have zoomed past me. Unless maybe he got bumped from behind?

Yes, there is slip streaming. If you drive close behind another kart, you will after some time get a zipper-like bonus push (you can see that a kart is ready by a little bit of blue nitro being shown). You will see a graphical slip stream effect. Admittedly it's atm very hard (probably even too hard) to make much use of it, more balancing of this will be done at around 0.8*.

3. What determines how long you have the parachute? Sometimes it's very short, sometimes I seem to have it forever.

A banana parachute and the item (parachute to all players ahead of me) have a different time. Also, when you get the parachute it will be removed earlier if you lost 30% of the speed you had when you got it. So braking will remove the parachute very quickly (and this fact should be part of the tutorial, unfortunately it looks like the person who worked on the tutorial has abandoned it ).

4. I'm on the latest SVN version. I see some source files that are updated that are related to addons. Is this "hidden" functionality that is being worked on that can be "unlocked" or is is just under development. I don't see the addon manager anywhere in the app, but I know it's on the roadmap to be worked on.

I assume you are on linux? Use --with-addon in configure to enable it (and make sure that internet news is enabled). On windows, use the curl-debug configuration. But be warned, this is atm still experimental, see entries in trac I think it's enabled by default on OSX(?)

Cheers,
Joerg

[bovineuniversity]

1. I've suspected that the computer controlled cars are a little faster. They always seem to recover and get back up to speed much faster (e.g. if we both get his with a cake) Is that true, or is it just that they have perfect reaction times? Do all of the cars have the same acceleration?

All karts should be completely identical, except their shape - which on the other hand can of course have an impact on the physics. We had some advantage for the AI in 0.5 (or so), before we fixed the steering (it didn't have that much slow down when skidding round a corner iirc), but that should all be gone. Though I better double check that

I knew the cars behaved a bit differently because of the physics, but didn't know if maybe that led to some being "ligther" and therefore able to accelerate faster. (or act completely squirrely like the duck) I honestly don't remember which car I had or the computer had that passed me, and haven't really tested this theory. I guess I could do some acceleration tests with different cars.

2. I was in a Grand Prix, and I started out at the front of the pack. I had a good start. And then zoooooom a computer cars goes right by me. There was no nitro, presents, or zippers. Is there the concept of "drafting"? I can't think of another way he could have zoomed past me. Unless maybe he got bumped from behind?

Yes, there is slip streaming. If you drive close behind another kart, you will after some time get a zipper-like bonus push (you can see that a kart is ready by a little bit of blue nitro being shown). You will see a graphical slip stream effect. Admittedly it's atm very hard (probably even too hard) to make much use of it, more balancing of this will be done at around 0.8*.

Ah, ok... I think that's what I always called the "spider sense".

3. What determines how long you have the parachute? Sometimes it's very short, sometimes I seem to have it forever.

A banana parachute and the item (parachute to all players ahead of me) have a different time. Also, when you get the parachute it will be removed earlier if you lost 30% of the speed you had when you got it. So braking will remove the parachute very quickly (and this fact should be part of the tutorial, unfortunately it looks like the person who worked on the tutorial has abandoned it ).

I thought this might have been in the wiki or somewhere, but haven't looked at it in a while.. and thought while I was typing questions I'd ask. But this info will help, instead of using nitro to counteract the parachute, I should brake. I also didn't realize that they were different if you got them from a banana. I of course try to avoid the bananas and when I get one am not focusing too much on the differences in the parachute times. In fact my kids loved watching me play the game, and they don't call it SuperTuxKart, they call it "No Bananas". haha

4. I'm on the latest SVN version. I see some source files that are updated that are related to addons. Is this "hidden" functionality that is being worked on that can be "unlocked" or is is just under development. I don't see the addon manager anywhere in the app, but I know it's on the roadmap to be worked on.

I assume you are on linux? Use --with-addon in configure to enable it (and make sure that internet news is enabled). On windows, use the curl-debug configuration. But be warned, this is atm still experimental, see entries in trac I think it's enabled by default on OSX(?)

Cheers,
Joerg

Yes Kubuntu 11.04 64-bit. I may give it a try, thanks! (and thanks for your replies too Crendgrim)

[Auria]

Hi,

I would also like to add, regarding the AI kart zooming past you, it may be the start boost feature; at the start of a race, if you start accelerating very quick after "Go" is shown, you get a speed boost

[Kinsu]

You will see a graphical slip stream effect. Admittedly it's atm very hard (probably even too hard) to make much use of it, more balancing of this will be done at around 0.8*.

It's a quite powerful bonus so according to me it's a good thing it's not too easy to get... and I don't have too much difficulties to take it (might be because I played a lot, and it should not the same for more casual players ).

Maybe if it's re-balanced in a future version it could stay like this on the hardest difficulty mode ?

[bovineuniversity]

I assume you are on linux? Use --with-addon in configure to enable it (and make sure that internet news is enabled). On windows, use the curl-debug configuration. But be warned, this is atm still experimental, see entries in trac I think it's enabled by default on OSX(?)

Cheers,
Joerg

Sorry, for the basic questions, I hate to be a pain.
I recompiled it with --with-addons... but I don't see anywhere in the UI. Should I be seeing it in the game UI, or is it a separate executable that needs to be run?

[KroArtem]

What commands did you use?
I usually type the following commands:

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

./configure --with-addons --enable-debug --with-irrlicht=/home/place_where_I've_compiled _irrlicht
make -j2

You can also make './autogen.sh' before configuring. And you can start the game from stk directory like this:
./src/supertuxkart

[bovineuniversity]

I just have a script I run, here's what's in it.

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

svn update supertuxkart
echo ""
echo -n "continue with build? (ctrl-c to cancel) "
read ans
cd supertuxkart
./autogen.sh && ./configure --with-addons && make
sudo make install
echo ""
ls -lah /usr/local/games/supertuxkart



[Arthur]

I dunno, but it might be required that you use --enable-debug as well as --with-addons.

[hiker]

Sorry, for the basic questions, I hate to be a pain.
I recompiled it with --with-addons... but I don't see anywhere in the UI. Should I be seeing it in the game UI, or is it a separate executable that needs to be run?

Also did all the files get recompiled (do a 'make clean; make ...')? I am not sure that this is triggered automatically when you recompile.

Cheers,
Joerg

[bovineuniversity]

Sorry, for the basic questions, I hate to be a pain.
I recompiled it with --with-addons... but I don't see anywhere in the UI. Should I be seeing it in the game UI, or is it a separate executable that needs to be run?

Also did all the files get recompiled (do a 'make clean; make ...')? I am not sure that this is triggered automatically when you recompile.

Cheers,
Joerg

Ugh! That was it.