UT4 AkEO Framework

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MÆST

Active Member
Jan 28, 2001
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Akimbo Excessive Overkill or "AkEO"

Unless otherwise mentioned, the game mechanics should be assumed to be based on Excessive Overkill for UT99. The main divergence is the dual wielding of two unique weapon classes.

Currently, UT4 has 11 weapons with two firing modes each. The Ripper (not counted in the 11) exists as a community prototype but probably won't make it into the game. I think it's important for an EO-type gametype to keep the vanilla UT weapons and make them excessive without adding whole new weapons (we can leave that to ChaosUT4). But AkEO goes even a little more excessive and allows each player to dual wield an offensive weapon in their right hand and a movement weapon in their left hand. The offensive weapons will be familiar to UT players and each will have two firing modes. The movement weapons will only have one mode each.

Right Hand (Offensive Weapons)
1) Enforcer
2) Bio Rifle
3) Shock Rifle
4) Link Gun
5) Stinger Minigun
6) Flak Cannon
7) Rocket Launcher
8) Sniper Rifle
9) Redeemer

There is not much to be said about these weapons. AkEO is to take Epic's version from UT4 and make them excessive overkill in the traditional EO fashion. The only thing I'd like to add is a toggle in the options to determine whether these weapons are to have self-damage. Since they are not designed for movement, in order to minimize spamming, it may make sense to diverge from classic EO into the popular among some half-EO realm with self damage on.

Left Hand (Movement Weapons)
1) Translocator
2) Momentum Hammer
3) Rocket Jumper
4) Rip Rider

More needs to be said for these movement weapons. UT's claim to fame has always been dual firing modes. As I don't think we want to force players to make 2 more firing binds I'm limiting these movement weapons to one firing mode each but players will need to make one movement weapon bind.

Because there is only one bind that must operate the translocator, its mechanics must change. It will be press to fire, release to translocate. It would be nice to be able recall the puck (or cancel the translocate if the puck is damage) but that would have to be linked to the throw weapon bind or something.

The Momentum Hammer would use the vanilla UT Impact Hammer's model and secondary fire. It would serve two purposes. The first, similar to its use in UT would be a defensive burst of shield that could block incoming projectiles. The second would provide a little burst of momentum adjustment. If you are standing on the ground, the user of the weapon would not have their momentum adjusted rather it would gives other players/projectiles/objects a little bump. However, if you are in the air (say mid rocket jump), you could course correct a little to the left by switching to the Momentum Hammer, looking to the right and firing. Also, if you are coming in too hot towards the ground you could look down and fire it just before you hit the ground to slow your momentum down a little bit and decrease the damage you take from the fall.

The Rocket Jumper needs no explanation. Hold down the button to charge up rockets and release when you have the force jump required. It'll be a little different from traditional EO in that enemies nearby your launch won't die but rather would be launched off in their own direction. There doesn't really need to be actual rocket projectiles, just an explosion from the muzzle of the gun.

The Rip Rider will require a new bind. It can use the prototype Ripper model. The discs might be better modeled as discs of energy as opposed to physical ripper blades that fizzle out after five feet for so. But it's movement should be similar to the Ripper secondary in EO. Sort of buzzing you along the floor or walls with a faster rate of fire.

I may add to this later but wanted to get the main framework down. Feel free to comment.
 

Rip

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Nov 12, 2014
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I protest the use of the 'Rip Rider' name!

It sounds interesting Maest, reason I didn't reply before though is because I have to say that messing with dual weapons can be complicated and painful stuff, and that's just the coding part. I'm not sure if it's different in UT4, but in UT99 the enforcer in the other hand is invisible. It would probably need modeling and animating work to look right. Even the coding aspect of something like that is just more than I'd want to get into. :( I like your ideas with the impact hammer, but that's super complicated too haha. I'm just not up to par. :p
 

MÆST

Active Member
Jan 28, 2001
2,898
13
38
40
WA, USA
I protest the use of the 'Rip Rider' name!

It sounds interesting Maest, reason I didn't reply before though is because I have to say that messing with dual weapons can be complicated and painful stuff, and that's just the coding part. I'm not sure if it's different in UT4, but in UT99 the enforcer in the other hand is invisible. It would probably need modeling and animating work to look right. Even the coding aspect of something like that is just more than I'd want to get into. :( I like your ideas with the impact hammer, but that's super complicated too haha. I'm just not up to par. :p

I remember most versions of UT have had an Akimbo Arena mutator allowing you to dual-wield most weapons. Exactly how the animations looked in first and third person I don't remember. First person probably a little better than third since the games allowed you to choose weapons hands in first person view. UT4 right now only has a right hand first person weapon model so you'd have to wait for the left hand versions to be completed (assuming they will be.) UT4 Akimbo enforcers work in first and third person already. The lefthand movement weapons won't really fire projectiles so really just the muzzle flash animation would have to be coordinated. The third person left hand weapon would be weird without revised modelling I'll concede, but if the gameplay was fun, it might be possible to recruit a modeller to improve the visuals later.

The UT4 impact hammer secondary already has a small momentum push on its secondary. UT ADR had an alternate enforcer (forgot what it was called) which had a good midair momentum effect when fired.
 
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Rip

Member
Nov 12, 2014
262
1
18
You've really thought this through. :) I've never tried the Akimbo mutator and maybe I should. But, it was only duplicating the weapon you'd have up, I assume, and not creating/mixing weapon classes. Maybe it's not as hard as I made it out to be but I had issues with it in UT99, and I can't even code in UT4 only use blueprints. The thing that gets me though is the invisible weapons in third person. I know that wouldn't bug many people and most EO players though ;). As for the IH momentum, yeah, but I think the problem is making it additive to your current momentum and not just cancel it out in favor of the new. Or maybe not, and like I said I can't look at UT4 code. *shrug* I may try to do something like that with the IH and who knows it might be easy. Just wanted to chime in the dual style is not something I'm capable of since I did make a post asking for feedback myself. :)
 

MÆST

Active Member
Jan 28, 2001
2,898
13
38
40
WA, USA
It wasn't really meant to be a Rip-Please-Make request. Just an idea I've had for a few years that I wanted to put down on paper.

Though proper third person modelling of left-handed movement weapons would be ideal, I think as long as you can hear the loading effect, see the xloc flying etc. most players will forgive the incompleteness since the movement weapons aren't really a threat to them.