Single Player Framework for UT2004!

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Parser

Hello
May 7, 2002
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England baby!
fraghouse.beyondunreal.com
Right, I've been doing some coding, and lately I've coded up a Single Player Framework.
I don't really know how to describe it other than it gives modders an out-of-the-box single player structure to build single player mods with! It's not a reconstruction of Unreal's SP structure but it's pretty similar.

Here are the features:

  • Fully working audio triggers which work online and can be configured to affect all players or just one.
  • Checkpoint system! (something Unreal lacked). You can disable previous player starts and enable new ones, meaning a fully working checkpoint system.
  • Skill system. You can gain skills which then affect you permanently unless you reinstall. The ones I have now are primitive - enabling dodge jumping (to get to previously inaccessible places, perhaps?), extra health, jumping height and faster weapon firing.
  • Keycard system! Pick up a corresponding keycard and you can use the door panel. If you haven't got the keycard the door panel will let you know.
  • Player messaging. Quick and efficient. Can choose either console or critical (blue text) messages.
  • Triggered monster spawning. This stops the engine's resources getting bogged down since monsters are only spawned when and where they are needed.
  • Destroyable objects! Doors, frames, random decorations, you name it. Anything that is a static mesh can be used as a destroyable object.
  • Health Stations - recover some health at these, but you can only use them a limited number of times.
  • Ingame messaging system. A bit like Unreal's translator except it's more futuristic, using the lovely blue UT2004 interface.
  • Inventory system. Not quite as easy to code as simply adding inventory items as pickups, but it works nonetheless. The items I currently have are: Suit Light, Blinders, Stealth Power. You can pick up extra fuel or stocks for each item too.
  • Everything works online! Cooperative play was taken into account right from the start, so everything is designed to work online properly.
  • Shop system. You have credits (of course you can collect more) and can buy various weapons and stock up on inventory and health.
  • Hackable devices! You have to stand by the device to continue hacking it. Once it's hacked you can then use it.
  • Music tracks will come with the download for certain situations, usually described in the title.
  • Transition system - your weapons and inventory status are saved as you are transferred to the next level, just like in Unreal!
Click to expand...

I'm hoping to add transition support, so that you keep inventory and other attributes when "teleporting" to a new map, and if you have any ideas (I'm in a coding frenzy mood, so give me ideas now!) for more features that should go into the framework, let me know!

I'll finish off with some screenshots. (Click to view full size versions)

Below: The ingame messaging system.



Below: A destroyable object (door) before...



Below: Annnd after!



Below: The effect of a Blinder (inventory item). Ouch!



Any comments/questions/feedback/ideas? Post 'em! :)
 
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rajput_warrior

rajput_warrior

The World's Favorite Flak Monkey
Feb 26, 2004
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well u have a coop mode, and to me thats the most important, ummm what about talking to other bots, like say its a marine game, and u have a team behind u, u wanna be able to communicate with them? Like pretty much how ut2k4 already does it, i dont know if u need to add that or its already there
 
Radiosity

Radiosity

Minty Fresh!
Jan 3, 2003
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Parser, I want to have your babies :eek:

.....uh, ok, maybe not, but you get the idea :D I'm playing around with some SP action at the moment for a personal project (not to be released as it involves Doom 3 quite heavily hehe ;) ), and this will come in extremely handy I can tell you :tup: Transitions aren't that difficult to achieve, it's just a simple teleporter to teleporter between two map url's, and you should be able to add a script to save all current inventory etc to an ini when the map exits easily enough.

Great work dude, you never cease to surprise me with the stuff you come up with :)

edit: In fact, thinking about it, you could subclass Teleporter and add a trigger function that auto-saves all the required info to an ini before teleporting the player to the next map. Then, add an extra function in the teleporter subclass to load the required inventory and so on from the ini when the next map loads. Maybe not the most efficient way of handling it but it should work nonetheless :)

edit #2: obviously the level designer would need to be proactive and specify the .ini to use in the maps.
 
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Sir_Brizz

Sir_Brizz

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2000
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Parser:

For your next project can you get multiplayer cinematics working like I specified in this thread?

Post #7 and beyond. I think it's possible, I just don't have the time to work on it.
 
SlayerDragon

SlayerDragon

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLADIES
Feb 3, 2003
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Parser strikes again! Freaking brilliant man!

Parser said:
Skill system. You can gain skills which then affect you permanently unless you reinstall. The ones I have now are primitive - enabling dodge jumping (to get to previously inaccessible places, perhaps?), extra health, jumping height and faster weapon firing.
Click to expand...

However, this sounds kinda bad. :(
 
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