New brainstorming : Track stunts & features

[Funto]

I would just trigger an animation, not modify the physics world and bump the karts that are within the corresponding range. If two karts are following, the animation would be only played once as it shouldn't be re-triggered when it's not finished.
That could result in a small visual glitch which would be hardly perceived anyway as the player is just jumping ^^

[Arthur]

Uh, what would the bump be good for?

[Funto]

I can think of a shortcut (well, an alternative, shorter path) that would need you to go to the up of a hill for example

[Arthur]

Ah, there's a spring under the platform! I missed that when I first had a look, so I didn't get it at all.

[Kinsu]

If it should stop (like hitting a wall), we would actually need to modify the physics as well, which is when things are getting more complicated.

Yes, I was just thinking about making karts jump, without changing physics (even an animation is not needed I think, if we choose an explicit enough texture, and a nice "boiimp" sound). Just like zippers : you drive on the texture, you trigger the physical effect. The spring on the draft is just to explain, it won't be required in game

[Iridium]

My concept images (part 1) are up! Find them here:
http://drifttech.deviantart.com/art/STK-Concepts-Vol-1-253245800
Enjoy!

-Iridium

[Kinsu]

Nice ideas, Iridium !

Should I open a ticket for this feature request : add different texture-triggered physical effects as the zipper. Ice, bump, etc.(other ideas ? maybe one which sets the kart on 2 wheels so it can take a narrow shortcut -- see attachment) ?

That could be also part of the physics improvements... ?

2wheels.jpg (13.82 KiB) Viewed 9008 times

[Funto]

(other ideas ? maybe one which sets the kart on 2 wheels so it can take a narrow shortcut -- see attachment) ?

Teleportation to a fixed place?

[Kinsu]

Yes, good idea ! Maybe it requires some help for players to understand well how it works, because it could be a little disruptive to be teleported just like that in a new place... But great potential : can you imagine The Cube with teleporters ?

[hiker]

Yes, good idea ! Maybe it requires some help for players to understand well how it works, because it could be a little disruptive to be teleported just like that in a new place... But great potential : can you imagine The Cube with teleporters ?

I am not too sure if some of the ideas here will work too well in the actual game:

• driving on two wheels is difficult with the physics (and if we cheat and only do the graphics, the karts will still not fit into the gap, unless we make them smaller, and then we might affect the handling of the kart again)
• the 'bump' can already be done with a jump, which would have none of the graphical glitches the bump might have (though I agree they are probably minor). It might be visually more appealing for the right track.
• teleport would need some nice graphical effect, otherwise it would be too confusing for the players. And I would actually prefer the kind of 'canon' used in Mario Kart Wii, since this shows off the track nicely

But saying 'not too sure' certainly does not mean I am against those ideas I am more than happy to try (and even more happy to accept a patch ). But as always: I think it would help us a lot if we had a nice track that would use this feature (e.g. esp. a nice track that doesn't work till we get this feature), since with the ever growing todo list I don't think that we will implement any of this with the hope it might be used by artists. Driving this from the track design point of view (this track is really great, and feature X is nicely integrated) will remove any objections

Cheers,
Joerg

[Kinsu]

I don't think that we will implement any of this with the hope it might be used by artists.

You're right, we don't have enough work-power to do this.

Actually, I was originally asking for the bump with some track project in mind... so maybe I'll come back later for this, when the track will be more advanced than only a project ^^.

So it's up to you, track designers & makers ! And if people have other ideas, don't hesitate to post them here

[asciimonster]

[*] teleport would need some nice graphical effect, otherwise it would be too confusing for the players.

In BZFlag they have a simple but very effective graphical effect: As you get close to the teleporter the screen get progressively yellow. Crossing the threshold the screen is completely yellow and an electronic sound is played. For other players, they get increasingly transparent as they approach the teleporter.

Implementing this needs weapons testing, as they are also influenced by the teleporter... Imagine dumping 5 bowling balls in the teleporter and missing it yourself, wicked!

[Funto]

I agree with hiker, a canon would be better than a teleporter in most cases I think, as the player has a better idea of where he is going.

On the other hand, teleporters would be really useful for accessing tracks from a "main" track or room for an adventure mode

As for designing tracks, I unfortunately don't have enough time to invest in making one, but the feature for track makers I'm really eager to see is gravity shifting, for some "physics lab" track

EDIT: ah, another effect that could come from such special textured zones: scaling up or down the kart

[Kinsu]

gravity shifting, for some "physics lab" track

I've recently imagined a track which would be a planet, little enough to see we're turning around its center while going forward... This would also require some gravity change, as karts at one side of the planet would have the head up-side down for the karts at the other side... (I remember of similar Ratchet & Clank level with a big robot running on a small planet...) ^^
Just brainstorming

[Funto]

Love the idea!