Bubble-Gum

[Totoplus62]

I regret that in STK there is no weapon that is able to protect you (but this is important for races and also arenas). In most of these games there is at least one passive weapon that could protect you (Swatter is a way to attack, not a way to prevent attacks; so I think this game needs this kind of weapon.)

The idea is that basicaly there are 2 ways to use each weapon in STK (as the other weapons).
Here is the idea for bubble-gum:

- The kart is insid a bubble gum and protect you from one attack (But the bubble explode after 20 seconds approxymately: it does not last forever)


-The other way to use it is the same as nowaday.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... m-icon.png

Maybe we don't need a 3D model for the bubble-gum; a simple .png file can do it nicely (In a way that this particle is always directed towards the player)



Edit:
-The bubble-gum should explode as soon as it is affected by a weapon.
-It is usefull against one swatter, one cake, one bowling ball, one plunger and you can drive on bubble gum without being affected. It useless against dynamite (if you already have one) and Basket-ball, but you can't be affected by dynamite when someone touch you.
-Looking backwards would put the bubble gum on the ground while using it the regular way would create the shield.
-The gum splatting could be a texture a bit larger than the original gum model but more transparent and also less powerful than the current gum.
-The bubble should not explode when you touch a kart or a wall but is "deactived" when you fall into the watter...


Sound for exploding gum:

[Arthur]

Yeah, we need some kind of shield, and I like this proposal a lot! Only thing is that it would probably have to be a 3D model since looking back and other karts using it will not look right with only a PNG.

[Ludsky]

Not Bad but created an other item for slow down the kart if we change Bubble Gum.

[Funto]

I like this idea too
At some point (around one ago) I remember there was discussion on the topic of a shield on IRC, and we ended up thinking it would be cool to a weapon similar to the swatter but where the hand would hold a shield instead of a swatter, and this arm would adapt to protect you from the incoming attacks.

It's harder to do than your bubble-gum idea, and there remain design decisions as for the behavior to have when we are attacked by several weapons...
I remember Hiker and Auria liked the fact that this was different from other existing go-kart games, but personally I prefer your idea
Plus, when I get the bubble gum, I tend to think of it as a useless weapon in the immediate moment. This would make players more happy to get the bubble gum, IMHO.

I would add that the bubble-gum should explode as soon as it is affected by a weapon.

In order to trigger one or the other of the bubble-gum behaviors, looking backwards would put the bubble gum on the ground while using it the regular way would create the shield, right?

[RaceAce]

Maybe have a soap bubble instead of bubblegum? Then you could put cool swirly rainbow effects. The icon could be a bubble wand. Maybe when you use it, a bubble wand would come up in front of you and blow a bubble that would cover you and then disappear. I think the shield should protect against bubblegum without popping, but would pop if DIRECTLY hit by any explosive weapon/swatter/banana. (Indirect would be where the weapon lands/explodes right beside a kart, blowing it only a little in the air. This would not effect the shield.) It should also remove bad items like the swatter does. Maybe also have the shield have more repulse force so if someone else runs into it they would be repulsed more than a normal kart-on-kart hit.

[Totoplus62]

I would add that the bubble-gum should explode as soon as it is affected by a weapon.

In order to trigger one or the other of the bubble-gum behaviors, looking backwards would put the bubble gum on the ground while using it the regular way would create the shield, right?

This is EXACTLY what i thought (I will be more precise in my first post --> EDIT)

It should also remove bad items like the swatter does.

I think we have to keep the swatter

Maybe also have the shield have more repulse force so if someone else runs into it they would be repulsed more than a normal kart-on-kart hit.

Good idea

Not Bad but created an other item for slow down the kart if we change Bubble Gum.

Don't this is a good idea...Maybe a new icon but not a new item.

[Ludsky]

Perhaps change your item : soap bubble (just change texture and created a new icon)



and we let a bublle gum item ^^ (for slow down the kart)

[Totoplus62]

Sorry ludsky but i currently disagree, I don't think we need a new item . The "gum on the ground" function is still there; you just have to look backward (And maybe when a bubble-gum explode, it can also let behind you the current bubble-gum on the ground... )

[Ludsky]

Sorry ludsky but i currently disagree, I don't think we need a new item . The "gum on the ground" function is still there; you just have to look backward (And maybe when a bubble-gum explode, it can also let behind you the current bubble-gum on the ground... )

ahhhhhhhhh ok I understand.

[hiker]

I like the bubble gum idea. While the soap bubbles potentially look nicer (not sure how nice they will actually look in game, the photo benefits from the reflection), the advantage of the bubble gum is that it makes clever use of existing features - more variety (and therefore more choices for the player) of an existing item.

I also thought that an exploded bubble gum could then stick on the road ... but that might make this weapon too powerful.

Cheers,
Joerg

[Arthur]

Not really... now with AI avoiding bubble gums it's a less useful weapon and can almost only be used effectively by using it right in front of an AI kart. Compared to other weapons it almost feels like deadweight, except for turning them into big nitro the lap after with the swapper.

[antoine]

The bubble could be a shader that grows quickly from the driver's mouth until it covers the kart. If it is not popped within a determined amount of time (say fifteen seconds), it shrinks back into the players mouth and then it can be dropped like it is currently in the game.

It could add more strategy if, and only if, a large splat of gum is left on the ground if the shield is popped by an enemy's weapon. The gum splat could be a texture larger than the original gum model, but have the same effect of slowing down drivers. This would make players hesitant to attack anyone with the gum shield because they'd have to swerve out of the splat's gummy radius.

http://wiw.org/~jess/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/splat1.gif

[Totoplus62]

more variety (and therefore more choices for the player) of an existing item.

Yes it makes the bubble-gum be interesting

It could add more strategy if, and only if, a large splat of gum is left on the ground if the shield is popped by an enemy's weapon. The gum splat could be a texture larger than the original gum model, but have the same effect of slowing down drivers. This would make players hesitant to attack anyone with the gum shield because they'd have to swerve out of the splat's gummy radius.

http://wiw.org/~jess/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/splat1.gif

I also think the gum splat could be a texture larger than the original gum model but more transparent (that's logical ) and is less powerful than the current gum (that's also logical , it slow you down a bit) So people will have to think and change their position when they want to attack you. But if they ride on this gum that's not so serious .

[Binky]

Would the bubble pop if you crashed?

[Funto]

Would the bubble pop if you crashed?

I'd say yes...

[Totoplus62]

The bubble should not explode when you touch a kart or a wall, but if you fall in the water or something else...

[antoine]

I agree with the decreased slow down from the running over the splat.

In the adventure mode the challenge areas have force fields around them. Could the bubble gum be built off this with a pink color?

[Totoplus62]

I don't think making a 3D sphere (without the force field of cource) is the most difficult but i think we currently have to define all its specifications.

[RaceAce]

Let's see, time for an overview:

This is what I think it should be like.

Bubblegum Shield:
Fire bubblegum to use. Normal use of bubblegum by looking back and firing.
Bubblegum shield lasts 10-15 seconds then pops leaving larger, less powerful gum splat on track.
If popped, leaves larger, less powerful gum splat on track.
Removes baddies.
Has stronger repulse force.
Will not explode by crashing/running into wall.
Will not explode by an indirect hit.
If you run over a bubblegum while you have a shield, add an extra hit to the shield???

[Totoplus62]

If you run over a bubblegum while you have a shield, add an extra hit to the shield???

I don't know... currently (description in the first post) the bubble gum is balanced, and an extra shield will make it be too powerful. Moreover when you win 3 bubble gum with a gift your idea means that you also can have a "three layer" bubble maybe too powerfull. Maybe a limit of 2 bubbles will be correct ?

I have an alternative: If you run over a bubblegum: your bubble is less transparent (logical ) and do not add an extra hit BUT the splat gum behind you (when someone hit you) will be more powerful !

[S@f]

Hello everyone!
I like very much the idea of the Bubblegum because the bubblegum become a more powerful item, that's very good.
I agree with the alternative idea of Totoplus62

But I have some questions :
- The gum splat that you let behind you, when the bubblegum have popped, is less powerful and bigger than a normal bubblegum. But how many karts have to pass through it (and being slowdown) before the splat disappears? 2-3 karts, or more?
I think it depends of coding possibility, because just a larger texture of a normal bubblegum will disappear after only one kart pass through it, it might be a little strange, no?

- When the Bubblegum pops, have the other karts, who are in a short range of the kart with the Bubblegum, some pinky gum splats on their head ? If it's possible, the view of the player can be also block by some gum splats, like in the picture below.

[Totoplus62]

-"When the Bubblegum pops, have the other karts, who are in a short range of the kart with the Bubblegum, some pinky gum splats on their head ? If it's possible, the view of the player can be also block by some gum splats, like in the picture below."

Hum...why not ?

[Auria]

I also like the idea of a shield. Now, someone to code it?

[Funto]

I'd like to but don't have time right now...
Plus I think there is room for some cool shaders

[antoine]

- The gum splat that you let behind you, when the bubblegum has popped, is less powerful and bigger than a normal bubblegum. But how many karts have to pass through it (and being slowdown) before the splat disappears? 2-3 karts, or more?

2 or 3 would be good, because there can only be four in multiplayer. In the future when wan multiplayer is implemented, the number of passes could increase or the splat could just disappear when someone starts a new lap.

- When the Bubblegum pops, have the other karts, who are in a short range of the kart with the Bubblegum, some pinky gum splats on their head ? If it's possible, the view of the player can be also block by some gum splats, like in the picture below.

This is a fun idea. It would encourage drivers to try to get close to their opponents while the force field is up. It's like a time bomb (which maybe the time bomb could also affect opponents near them). I really like the idea of drivers with the time bombs and gum trying to position themselves near opponents. I think it would make the game feel more hectic. "Oh no, don't you come near me with that gum! Get away!"