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Robot Arena => Discussion => Topic started by: The Marionette Man on July 16, 2012, 04:01:15 PM

Title: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: The Marionette Man on July 16, 2012, 04:01:15 PM

I don't know if anybody has done this, but is it possible to make lights such as rotary, strobe or headlights for bots? Maybe even music too, to give it an ice cream truck kind of feel, or a police car.

Basically, is it possible to make bots more vehicle looking?

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Philippa on July 16, 2012, 04:03:12 PM

I doubt it. Soundboard has been done though.

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Thyrus on July 16, 2012, 04:15:58 PM

Conraaa did something in Our Replicas Are Different
watch his piano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62JkitW_GNU&feature=player_embedded# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62JkitW_GNU&feature=player_embedded#)

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: cephalopod on July 16, 2012, 05:35:03 PM

There are music box components, I know that much.

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Mr. AS on July 16, 2012, 06:38:06 PM

Quote from: The Marionette Man on July 16, 2012, 04:01:15 PM

Maybe even music too, to give it an ice cream truck kind of feel, or a police car.

really its not that difficult... just copy the files for a rad/copal or some small motor and edit the motorsound = to the .wav of your choice and have it on infinite loop with a switch/have it disable when the bot is defeated with a button/analog or something

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: The Marionette Man on July 17, 2012, 11:18:25 AM

Quote from: Mr. AwesumSauce on July 16, 2012, 06:38:06 PM

Quote from: The Marionette Man on July 16, 2012, 04:01:15 PM
Maybe even music too, to give it an ice cream truck kind of feel, or a police car.
really its not that difficult... just copy the files for a rad/copal or some small motor and edit the motorsound = to the .wav of your choice and have it on infinite loop with a switch/have it disable when the bot is defeated with a button/analog or something

Oh yeah! What was I thinking? I've already done this! :rolleyes:

It was really the lights that I've always wondered about.

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Trovaner on July 18, 2012, 01:45:18 PM

IIRC there have been a couple components related to lights. For example, a lightbar component has been made (by either Darkrat or ACAMS). As far as projecting light, the closest thing would be to have a mesh that doesn't collide with anything (like the one used by the laser in Firebeetle's component pack). Unfortunately, this method wouldn't work well for strobe lights because you can't remove the mesh.

There are however a couple workarounds if you are willing to make a custom Arena or AI for the bot(s). In the same way that I made part of the robot invisible in my Online Arena, you could toggle the visibility of a single component (the light).

From either the AI or the Arena, you can monitor the status of a switch/analog/button. The caveat is that it wouldn't work for human players because there is, currently, no way of looking at their input statuses (the sergepatcher may be able to do this but I haven't had any luck with it).
In addition to the one above, you could make one of the camera's turn the light on/off for human players (Arena.py only). Unfortunately, the only working example of this that I have released is the Online Arena but I can help future proof it (the way that I did it doesn't support the action cam that I created and I have yet to release the update for it)
From either the AI or the Arena, you can track when a wheel (it doesn't have to look like one) touches the something that isn't attached to the bot. Looking past the obvious issues with complexity and airtime, this method has some benefits. For one thing, it would work for both humans (Arena.py only) and AI (either Arena.py or AI.py) without anything special. However, the best thing about it is that it wouldn't affect bots that didn't have a light on them.

I would be glad to help if you need any assistance with this.

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Clickbeetle on July 18, 2012, 02:41:27 PM

My last Christmas BOTM entry used a lot of special light effects.

The red lights on the disc "rotate" around the edge, the green lights on top "move" up and down, and the light on top changes colors.

You can easily make "lights" that are always on using a reflection map and additive transparency, but I needed to make a custom .py for that bot in order to make them turn on and off, which won't work for any other bot.

So, to answer you question, it's possible, just not practical.

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Madiaba on July 26, 2012, 09:30:39 PM

You can also change the arena during the game (and thus lighting, and any/every thing else in it)... :)
(I miss this... :( )

Title: Re: Special effects for robots (lights, music, etc)
Post by: Sage on July 26, 2012, 10:30:39 PM

MAD. WE MISS YOU TOO.

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