Brainstorming: Stronger vs. Faster?

[hiker]

In the statistics branch, I disabled the creation of a new window when running --no-graphics from the command line. I did a fair amount of testing, but let me know if you run into any instability. I'll leave it to the discretion of the leads as to if/when this gets merged into the trunk.

All applied - thanks a lot!

Now: good luck to all of you with testing the physics

Cheers,
Joerg

[Kinsu]

Great ! I'll try this ASAP to confirm the 3 kart configs have same chances to win.

Regarding the configs, I think it would be cool if the medium-sized config had a special ability, instead of simply being average. Heavy karts have a high max-speed & are good at crushing others, light karts have a high acceleration & an easy handling... Maybe when skidding will be implemented we can make sure it is possible to set medium karts very good "skidders", so they can easily hold long drifts... like the Tuner cars Iridium described ?

[hiker]

Regarding the configs, I think it would be cool if the medium-sized config had a special ability, instead of simply being average. Heavy karts have a high max-speed & are good at crushing others, light karts have a high acceleration & an easy handling... Maybe when skidding will be implemented we can make sure it is possible to set medium karts very good "skidders", so they can easily hold long drifts... like the Tuner cars Iridium described ?

Perhaps being less impacted when driving off road?

Note that someone would also have to come up with the necessary GUI elements to show the differences of the karts in the kart selection screen (at least before we can use this in a release).

Cheers,
Joerg

[Kinsu]

Perhaps being less impacted when driving off road?

Yes this kind of ability... but I would prefer to use this one only if we don't find another, because there's no real reason for medium karts to be better offroad (whereas heavy karts yes, and it really fits the driving style I note this in the todo-list of karts configs)...

Any other ideas ?

[hikari.to.yami]

Perhaps being less impacted when driving off road?

Yes this kind of ability... but I would prefer to use this one only if we don't find another, because there's no real reason for medium karts to be better offroad (whereas heavy karts yes, and it really fits the driving style I note this in the todo-list of karts configs)...

Any other ideas ?

I'm with you Kinsu, since AI prefer on-road rather than off-road, it hardly makes difference for them.
I just found another idea, what if Tuner kart got the advantage of collecting nitros when skidding or/and slipstreaming. What do you think guys?

[Kinsu]

This is not a bad idea... Or simpler : just get more nitro from nitro tanks (or even the 2 ? )

[hikari.to.yami]

hmmm, lets combine all of them then. xD

Get more nitro from nitro tanks is really simple, but not to multiply it by 2, that's way too much Kinsu

[Kinsu]

I've packed the work done on kart params, with a little documentation about how the params are, possible improvements (including what we said above), and why every parameter has this value.

To test (these configs are very similar to the last released file) :

kart_test_light_heavy_2.zip

Ready to test package : copy & paste the kart folders in the STK/data/kart/ folder.

(2.43 MiB) Downloaded 374 times

To tweak :

kart_test_lt_hv2_sources.zip

Doc & config files

(8.61 KiB) Downloaded 377 times

So if anyone wants to add his two cents, just go on

Extract of the doc :

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

Current params of the package :
    Heavy karts
        MASS        : High, can crush light karts
        ENGINE      : Powerful, high top-speed
        GEAR        : Low accel. at low speed, high accel at high speed
        TURN        : Not very reactive, unwieldy
        SLIPSTREAM  : Weak
        NITRO       : Powerful but short
        STARTUP     : Weak boost
        EXPLOSION   : Reduced effect, to balance the low accel.
[...]

In game result :
    Heavy karts
        Hard to turn & to accelerate : only bad sides... A cake, an anchor, a
        wall, and it's hard to go back in the race. Hopefully, The powerful
        nitro boost can help in those situations.
        Also, can easily crush light karts, and go faster in straight line.
            -> Very different gameplay. Hard to handle at first, then it gets
        interesting. With heavy karts, it's "go as straight as possible to
        keep your speed as it's hard to gain it, and bump lighter karts".
[...]


I'm also thinking of uploading these tweaked karts on the addons server, so they can be tested by more people (and hopefully we could have their opinion)... Is it possible to create an addon with 6 different karts ?

[Auria]

Thanks Kinsu, I will try to give it a go soon

I'm also thinking of uploading these tweaked karts on the addons server, so they can be tested by more people (and hopefully we could have their opinion)... Is it possible to create an addon with 6 different karts ?

Sorry, no

[Auria]

Rehi,

I played a little with the settings. I like it Though we will need to improve collision physics, light karts are just way too easy to turn 180 degrees

[Iridium]

Rehi,

I played a little with the settings. I like it Though we will need to improve collision physics, light karts are just way too easy to turn 180 degrees

Agreed, in fact it's way too easy to turn any kart 180 degrees IMO
-Iridium

[hikari.to.yami]

Rehi,

I played a little with the settings. I like it Though we will need to improve collision physics, light karts are just way too easy to turn 180 degrees

Agreed, in fact it's way too easy to turn any kart 180 degrees IMO
-Iridium

After playing STK in my netbook for so long finally I got the chance to play it in a (powerful) PC, and I got surprised by how easy it is to turn kart in more powerful PC. It felt difficult at first but then I got used to it. It makes me realize that end-user with different computer specification will experience different difficulty.

I've packed the work done on kart params, with a little documentation about how the params are, possible improvements (including what we said above), and why every parameter has this value.

Ok, I'll test it and tell the result. Btw, after extracting that file in the specified folder it makes me realize that I can make as many kart group as I want to, and racing against karts in that group only, very-very useful for testing

[hiker]

I just found another idea, what if Tuner kart got the advantage of collecting nitros when skidding or/and slipstreaming. What do you think guys?

A speed bonus when skidding will most likely be introduced in 0.8.

Cheers,
Joerg

[Turtle]

@hiker after my last unexplained game problems, I rather leave it alone this time and not mess with the files (no addons except for tracks).

I am not sure where this project is headed, but please I beg you to keep it just pertaining to slipstream vs. bumping karts (It is easily avoidable by looking back). I think if too many differences are made in other areas, karts will get ignored. And, that is one of my main problems with Mario Kart 64. I loved Donkey Kong Kart model, but due to his lack of speed me and my friends use to fight over Yoshi vs Toad since they were the fastest kart.