UE1 - UT [UNREAL] Skaarj Player - HELP

[Delacroix]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TKGPLOOQ - I need this player/bot class ported from 200 to 225 and I am unable to do it. Somehow, I always do stuff like that WRONG. Can anyone do this for me?

 

[Haadstall]

Hi, Delacroix.
NumPlayerClasses integer and PlayerClasses array (since 220) are configured automatically, when UnrealMeshMenu is loaded. It's done by searching through *.int files by the engine. So, first You need to add these strings to your UnrealShare.int (in Public section):

Object=(Name=SkaarjWarPlayer.SkaarjWarPlayer,Class=Class,MetaClass=UnrealShare.UnrealiPlayer,Description="SkaarjWar Player")
Object=(Name=SkaarjWarBot.SkaarjWarBot,Class=Class,MetaClass=UnrealShare.Bots,Description="SkaarjWar Bot")

You may change value of the key "Description" within these strings to whatever You like.

Next, open "Configure Individual Bots" menu: Game -> Botmatch -> Configure Game -> Configure Bots -> Configure Individual Bots.
Then exit game and check your Unreal.log - if You'll find the folowing string:

Warning: Failed to load 'Class SkaarjWarBot.SkaarjWarBot': Can't find file for package 'SkaarjWarBot'

that likely would mean that the mod was NOT ported to version 225. When I tried to open SkaarjWarPlayer.u package in UnrealED 1.0,
it crashed instantly (I utilize version 226, which doesn't differ so much from 225, I'm shure).

If You're on luck, the new SkaarjWar bots will be visible to You under "Configure Individual Bots" menu, so
You simply go to your Unreal.ini (under Engine.GameEngine section) and add five strings like these:

[Engine.GameEngine]
	...
	ServerPackages=SkTrooperskins
	...
	ServerPackages=PSkaarjProjectile
	ServerPackages=SkaarjEscapeGrenade
	ServerPackages=SkaarjWarPlayer
	ServerPackages=SkaarjWarBot
	ServerPackages=SkaarjWSkins

The last five lines are the strings that You've added yet

These cool releases were compiled by Doug 'Derelict' Wetzel (respect to him) when UnrealEngine was
significantly different from what we actually see at the versions 225-226. So his manuals have to be
updated according to final release specifics.

Maybe I should recompile these packages at 226th engine? Let me know.

Good luck.

 

[Delacroix]

Good lord, finally some help here

Do as you wish to make it work. I'd appreciate if you made it work on 224, it will work on later versions if you concentrate on 224. Can you do that? Pretty please.

 

[Haadstall]

O'kay, it works. I recompiled these classes into single package (also containing textures) using 226th engine. So You can cleanup all unnecessary entries in UnrealShare.int that we put earlier, and the only thing to do is to place these two files:

USkaarjEP.int
USkaarjEP.u

into Unreal\System directory, and then add USkaarjEP.u to ServerPackages list in Unreal.ini:

[Engine.GameEngine]
	...
	ServerPackages=SkTrooperskins
	...
	ServerPackages=USkaarjEP

All other packages we've added earlier might be removed from this list.

I'd be glad if You let me know how it works at 225th engine.

 

[Haadstall]

Hi again!
I just found Unrealv224Patch in my archives! Too late...
Excuse for this. If we'll need another try with recompillation - it's possible.

 

[Delacroix]

There are two problems here.

Firstly, the skins aren't choosable in the selection menu. The solution would be to remove the skins from the U file and make the class use the SkaarjwSkins files again. A second package it is, but it is necessary.

Secondly, the bindings. Look at UT coding... when you add the Bonus Pack 1 to UT, you also get another binding in the Options >> Controls section, that is Toss Relic, right? Now the Skaarj Warrior class has three bindings:

SpAbility1 - Toggle Superior Jump (when enabled, the Skaarj Warrior jumps very high, press the key second time to restore the jump distance to normal)
SpAbility2 - Launch Escape Grenade (when this key is pressed, the Skaarj Warrior teleports to one of the PlayerStarts, leaving a grenade behind.
SpAbility3 - Fire Skaarj Projectiles (when this key is pressed, the Skaarj Warrior fires a set of two projectiles, much like his ScriptedPawn brethren).

Now, all three skills work, I'd just like them to be configurable from within the Controls menu. The reason I mentioned UT Bonus Pack 1 is that the coding of that bonus pack does not modify the core files and still, it adds new bindings so you might want to look it up.

I changed my mind at the version compatibility also, 226 is fine. It works with 227 too!

Thanks for all your work!

 

[Haadstall]

I have completely forgot those naming conventions with skin detection. Thanks for your advisions. Skins are now back again in standalone package, as You said. And You have to place SkaarjWSkins.utx into Textures directory again.

Since (up to 226th version) Epic & DE haven't yet implemented any UT-like expandable mod menu system (however, You've already seen some basic UWindow code in UWindow.u), I've preferred to walk much easier way and created a special keyboard menu. It's name is USkaarjKeyMenu, and You can bind one to any key in your User.ini as follows:

[Engine.Input]
...
Up=ShowSpecialMenu USkaarjEP.USkaarjKeyMenu
...

While opened during the game, it also enumerates "Special Abilities" at the top of the list.

May be, if I once had much time for this, I should develope a complete menu system... Anyway, it's great that someone's still interested witht this cool stuff.
PEACE.

 

[Delacroix]

Since (up to 226th version) Epic & DE haven't yet implemented any UT-like expandable mod menu system (however, You've already seen some basic UWindow code in UWindow.u), I've preferred to walk much easier way and created a special keyboard menu. It's name is USkaarjKeyMenu, and You can bind one to any key in your User.ini as follows:

[Engine.Input]
...
Up=ShowSpecialMenu USkaarjEP.USkaarjKeyMenu
...

There is a menu in Unreal Gold which is 226 too, totally forgot that basic Unreal didn't have any such stuff.

 

[Delacroix]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/tpt1m4

A repacked version with all files and required docs. Check the ToDo list to see what's missing still

 

[Haadstall]

Greets, Delacroix!
Skaarjw mesh (resides in UnrealShare.u) has no "weapon triangle" polygons used by the engine to draw weapons. But Sktrooper (UnrealI.u) has one (You know for a long time that he is a gunner). Since weapon drawing in 3rd person is processed by native code, not UnrealScript, we have to create our own meshes with weapon triangles and firing animations. However, due to technical limitations and the lack of 3ds-sources, I'm not able to create and modify meshes for Unreal.

I think, there is no need to keep SkaarjWSkins.int anymore - all necessary skin entries are declared in USkaarjEP.int and will be found by the engine as well.

Players didn't appear to be introduced as a Skaarj Assassin in single player missions, because SinglePlayer.bHumansOnly value is set to true. So I have changed the value of SkaarjWarPlayer.bIsHuman to true for this class to be accepted. Skaarj Assassin is now available also in single player

As You said, Unreal Gold has UT-style menu system, so I guess that it's possible to base our content on UT platform, because all necessary resources (except maps and music) are available in UT. What do You think?

 

[Delacroix]

Well, I have 227 installed and it worked for SP games without that change. Anyhow, been locating custom Skaarj skins in various packs and whaddyaknow - they work!


BTW, I'd rather see it as dual format: U1 and UT, so two versions of the USkaarjEP.u and USkaarjEP.int file (since the UT one must be a subclass of Botpack.TournamentPlayer and Botpack.Bot respectively. Anyhow, I assigned this task to Gizzy now so as not to overburden you with it. Consult him and work in common if you'd like to.

 

[Delacroix]

Oh, another bug to add to the ToDo list. The skills are usable AFTER death. I personally witnessed this when my corpse shot the bot that killed me, by firing a Skaarj Projectile. Sucks being a zombie.

 

[Delacroix]

Also, there is a GREAT search for Skaarj scout/warrior/assassin/berserker/lord skins as they are compatible with this model! If anyone knows of any custom Skaarj skins, please direct me to them. So far I have located the following Skaarj skins:

- Crescent Moon Squad packs (2 skins)
- Master_Unreal's episode 1 (2 skins)
- HybridZ' First Dawn project (5 skins)
- Xidia & Seven Bullets (5 skins)
- Shrakith'a (1 skin)
- HourIceSkaarj.utx (1 skin)
- Legacy (1 skin)
- EXU2: Bat**** Insane (5 skins)
- Unreal Grief (2 skins)
- The Vigil 99 (3 skins)
- Skaarj Tower (2 skins)
- BloodyPawns.utx (1 skin)
- Myth's cancelled map or whatever (1 skin)
- CTF-ProjectX (2 skins)
- MH-USSRVolkovSectorAlpha (1 skin)