gametechmods

Robot Arena => Discussion => Topic started by: Clickbeetle on April 01, 2014, 09:02:53 PM

Title: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Clickbeetle on April 01, 2014, 09:02:53 PM
Hey RA2, long time no see!

Unfortunately, I don't have any grand prank like the DSL3 beta I released last year.  In fact, I don't have a prank of any kind.  But today did get me thinking about GTM, and how I always post on April 1st.  And how it's about time I came back.  Homestar Runner came back (AND IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, CONGRATULATIONS, GO CHECK IT OUT), so I should too!  It is a day for comebacks!

First off, let me apologize for disappearing for so long again.  I know you were all counting on me to make DSL3 awesome, and I just kind of left it after releasing a beta that still had problems.  I don't like leaving things unfinished (part of why I'm posting now), and I'm as frustrated with myself as you probably are with me.  So, I know how you feel, and I'm sorry.

I've lost interest in RA2.  Don't worry though, I haven't lost ALL of it, just some of it.  Enough that RA2 gets constantly pushed to the bottom of my to-do list.  I still want to finish DSL3, and I still want to run BBEANS7 (preferably in DSL3), and I still want to build bots too.  However, I no longer trust myself to stay motivated enough to finish DSL3 in a timely manner.

Therefore, I was thinking it might be time to "pass the torch", so to speak, and let someone else take over as "head" of DSL3.  I can't imagine you guys have been idle while I've been gone.  I'm guessing some tweaks have been made to the DSL3 beta I released last year.  What's the standard version of DSL you guys use for tournaments and showcases?  I know Naryar and 123savethewhales both had their own ideas for DSL3.  Is one of their versions the "standard" now?  Instead of me reinventing the wheel and making a new "official" DSL3, we could just use the current standard and work off of that.  Enough time has passed that you've probably got it properly balanced, or close to it.  I would still like to be involved in development, but in more of a testing and editing role.

Of course, it's also possible that there is no consensus on which version of DSL3 to use.  Maybe you're still playing DSL2.  In which case, I'll do my best to fix DSL3 and make it awesome.  I do have some fixes for the beta that I never released.  I will not abandon my responsibility to GTM.  Even if it takes years.  Which, just warning you, it probably will.

So tell me what's happened in the last few months!  What's popular right now, what big new things have happened?  I won't disappear again right away.  I'll stick around for the next few weeks, at least!  Hopefully months!
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: HurricaneAndrew on April 01, 2014, 09:05:12 PM
I was losing hope that you'd pay us a visit. It just isn't April fools' without you stopping by.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Mr. AS on April 01, 2014, 09:13:21 PM

Any updates on anything that happened to DSL 3 (replicas, components, AI, etc) over the past year? Glad to see you around even if its for a week or two.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: MassimoV on April 01, 2014, 09:17:00 PM
For getting some help Naryar and 123 are always good at this kind of stuff. 123 was actually making a stand alone mod for a while. Wham's been making these very detailed replicas aswell as Heretic Blue so you might wnat to see if they can help. You might also want to check out shedRift's work. He's good at arena creation and has gotten more than 4 bots in an arena without just editting botfiles.

https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15435.0 (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15435.0)
https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15620.0 (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15620.0)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: HurricaneAndrew on April 01, 2014, 09:18:20 PM
There is also an RA2-inspired game called Scrapmatch being developed by a member here. He's made great progress in the short time that he has been working on it.

https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15230.0 (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15230.0)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: helloface on April 01, 2014, 09:20:43 PM
DSL3 hasn't gotten major tweaks as far as I know of, however it's used by some IRL-style builders and has a WIP AI pack being made by Paranoia.

Also, hi   :3
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Badnik96 on April 01, 2014, 09:46:23 PM
Ermagherd its Click

I built a real life bot :3

Also yeah most of the stuff has been said already
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Clickbeetle on April 01, 2014, 09:59:54 PM
Thanks guys.

So... DSL3 is still pretty much where I left it?

I guess that makes things convenient.  I can pick up where I left off.  Time to dig back into my RA2 files and start working again.

Looks like I'll have new replicas to make too!  But gotta focus on getting a balanced, playable game out first.  That will be my goal.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: MassimoV on April 01, 2014, 10:05:22 PM
Looks like I'll have new replicas to make too!  But gotta focus on getting a balanced, playable game out first.  That will be my goal.
Naryar was starting to do that.
https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=1786.0 (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=1786.0)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: helloface on April 01, 2014, 10:06:19 PM
So... DSL3 is still pretty much where I left it?
Yep. Nobody really wanted to mess with it and it was mainly only used for showcase bots & Paranoia's AI pack.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Natef on April 01, 2014, 10:13:31 PM
is there a link to the nerd ^3 let's play?

great to have you back, dude.

i got third at motorama :)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Sage on April 01, 2014, 11:34:02 PM
Wassup click.

nice to see you
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Resetti's Replicas on April 01, 2014, 11:38:00 PM
Click!  Your annual appearance reminds me of how rare you're here.  I've made DSL3 an integral part of my building.  I got a job so my replica building time is severely reduced, but I always have a robot in the works.  Leighviathan right now.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: J on April 02, 2014, 12:41:14 AM
Click, should I send you another relative of the ACAMS family?
(In boy form, of course)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: TommyProductionsInc on April 02, 2014, 01:14:51 AM
HOLY BALLS IT'S CLICKBEETLE!
(Begins bowing down but has a seizure, just 'cause.)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: cephalopod on April 02, 2014, 02:35:52 AM
Oh hey Click, really good to see you.
Both DSL2.1 and 3 are both in usage quite a lot, I've personally been using WhamettNuht's new Robot Wars 2013 beta AI pack for DSL3 at least until something more official comes round - you should really check that pack out, he's got some excellent new replicas in there - you may want to collaborate, they're that good, as are the things we see HereticBlue pop up with every now and again.
https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=13673.0 (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=13673.0) (<- very large thread - you may be able to get some idea of the quality from Wham's Signature (https://gametechmods.com/uploads/images/70297sig1.jpg))
https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15064.0 (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=15064.0) (<- HereticBlue's thread)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: RedSawn on April 02, 2014, 05:47:31 AM
Things that happened while you were gone? Well I came back. That's cool, I guess.

Can't come up with anything else other then what's been said already, not to downplay what is going on. People are working on some cracking stuff.
Title: Re: Time for my anal April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Thyrus on April 02, 2014, 06:31:53 AM
I was actually working on the dsl 3 burst motors.. making them a bit strobger but also sligtly heavier.

also nerving the hp and weight of the plexy sheets
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: playzooki on April 02, 2014, 09:32:49 AM
Yay hes back! NAR AI 3 is my favoirite mod for dsl3. DSL 2.1 is still the norm :)
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Trovaner on April 02, 2014, 02:59:15 PM
Welcome back!

For the most part, everyone else has listed all the big things so here is what I've been up to:
Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help with DSL 3. I am capable of doing just about anything but I'm pretty busy ATM so I would prefer to keep it relatively simple.

Somebody should make a list of things that should be fixed/added. The one that you posted here (https://gametechmods.com/forums/index.php?topic=1305.msg295889#msg295889) is a little dated. Also, I think that after the AI is finished, a second set of component text files should be created to make all of the AI's components slightly stronger (since most of them are replicas). It would also be nice if the AI could navigate in all of the arenas (if there aren't any objections, I wouldn't mind doing this).
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: RpJk on April 02, 2014, 04:37:02 PM
Yeo its the Clickbeets what about ye man?
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: TheUnknownRobotics on April 02, 2014, 05:19:38 PM
Hi Click. Been a while, hasn't it?
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: 123savethewhales on April 02, 2014, 06:25:51 PM
Naryar actually went ahead and change a whole bunch of numbers on DSL3.  If you want to pass the torch to do the balance stuff, he's probably the go to guy.  The only thing that was missing was some kind of official recognition really, cuz no one took Naryar seriously at the time.

As for me..... I am about 2 steps away from finishing my own mod, literally just an UI and a few more AI team.  I manage to put that off for half a year.  So you probably don't want to pass the torch to me.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Kossokei on April 02, 2014, 07:35:55 PM
Did you miss out on Domanating's work? You might wanna go check out his showcase. He solidified a spot in being one of the bajillion psykers that we feed to you every day to keep your essence alive most awesome builders GTM has ever seen.

Also, the Price of the Replica Lord Resetti (TommyProductionsInc) has come among us. He's already proven to be pretty unbreakable with the completion of a Twn Trwn replica, and then a better version of said replica.

Doomkiller came back and we've all experienced an increase in razor-shaped lacerations amongst the populous.

BOTM also got ousted. Problems with Interest is what seems to be the perpetrator.
Title: Re: Time for my anal April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Clickbeetle on April 02, 2014, 11:10:32 PM
I was actually working on the dsl 3 burst motors.. making them a bit strobger but also sligtly heavier.

also nerving the hp and weight of the plexy sheets

I thought general consensus was that the burst motors were too powerful (the piston ones, at least).  I was planning to make them a bit weaker.  Opinions?
Title: Re: Time for my anal April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Thyrus on April 02, 2014, 11:20:55 PM
I was actually working on the dsl 3 burst motors.. making them a bit strobger but also sligtly heavier.

also nerving the hp and weight of the plexy sheets

I thought general consensus was that the burst motors were too powerful (the piston ones, at least).  I was planning to make them a bit weaker.  Opinions?

I was makinf them stronmger cause DSL3 was meant to be more "IRL" than DSL2 was right? In DSL 2 most people use the Judgeburst for theire flippers wich is a cheatbot component. Making the bursts legal would stop some people complain. As for tournaments you could make a "one burst per bot except it uses it as a srimech" rule. Also since DSL 3 isn`t meant to have popups it would be handy cause most flippers I`ve build can`t flipp heavies that great cause I use those metal and plexy sheets.
Title: Re: Time for my anal April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Clickbeetle on April 03, 2014, 12:14:21 AM
I was actually working on the dsl 3 burst motors.. making them a bit strobger but also sligtly heavier.

also nerving the hp and weight of the plexy sheets

I thought general consensus was that the burst motors were too powerful (the piston ones, at least).  I was planning to make them a bit weaker.  Opinions?

I was makinf them stronmger cause DSL3 was meant to be more "IRL" than DSL2 was right? In DSL 2 most people use the Judgeburst for theire flippers wich is a cheatbot component. Making the bursts legal would stop some people complain. As for tournaments you could make a "one burst per bot except it uses it as a srimech" rule. Also since DSL 3 isn`t meant to have popups it would be handy cause most flippers I`ve build can`t flipp heavies that great cause I use those metal and plexy sheets.

Good point.  However, the Judge burst is not really an "IRL" component by any stretch of the imagination.  It's far too small and light.  Probably why you were making the bursts heavier as well.

Let me know if you test your idea and it works.
Title: Re: Time for my anal April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Thyrus on April 03, 2014, 12:56:03 AM
I was actually working on the dsl 3 burst motors.. making them a bit strobger but also sligtly heavier.

also nerving the hp and weight of the plexy sheets

I thought general consensus was that the burst motors were too powerful (the piston ones, at least).  I was planning to make them a bit weaker.  Opinions?

I was makinf them stronmger cause DSL3 was meant to be more "IRL" than DSL2 was right? In DSL 2 most people use the Judgeburst for theire flippers wich is a cheatbot component. Making the bursts legal would stop some people complain. As for tournaments you could make a "one burst per bot except it uses it as a srimech" rule. Also since DSL 3 isn`t meant to have popups it would be handy cause most flippers I`ve build can`t flipp heavies that great cause I use those metal and plexy sheets.

Good point.  However, the Judge burst is not really an "IRL" component by any stretch of the imagination.  It's far too small and light.  Probably why you were making the bursts heavier as well.

Let me know if you test your idea and it works.

So are the BSGs but yeah you're right.
I will inform you when things work out. Last time i worked on a burst that weird "chassis attached to burstmotor" thing happend.
I was also thinking of smaller bursts for weightclasses like light/beetle/antweights with just enought power to work like flipperbots in reality.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Naryar on April 03, 2014, 05:28:29 AM
Click :O
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: 123savethewhales on April 03, 2014, 08:31:06 AM
If you want a burst motor to flip well without giving any advantage to popup, just keep the max speed at 10 and a really high burst (300+).  Really, the only bot type that benefits from higher than 10 max speed is popups.  Even hammer gets more mileage out of a 10 max speed 300 burst motor.

The piston burst was OP because it has high max speed and medium burst, making it great for popups but useless for flippers.
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Thyrus on April 03, 2014, 08:47:07 AM
If you want a burst motor to flip well without giving any advantage to popup, just keep the max speed at 10 and a really high burst (300+).  Really, the only bot type that benefits from higher than 10 max speed is popups.  Even hammer gets more mileage out of a 10 max speed 300 burst motor.

The piston burst was OP because it has high max speed and medium burst, making it great for popups but useless for flippers.

Thank you. Very helpfull information
Title: Re: Time for my annual April 1st reappearance.
Post by: Jonzu95 on April 03, 2014, 11:19:53 AM
Nice to see you back, Click.

After reading the whole thread through, I can say that the community still lives strong. There's many great members working with the game and all. I haven't contributed much in this year but it makes me happy that I've been part of this community for nearly 5 years.