Base Cloaking Device

[DaJ4ck3L]

Next week when I have more free time I'll add in kill-able jail towers. I have a feeling it only crashed on 5.0 launch because I had exceeded the data limit.

[perrinoia]

LOL!!!

I'll use the inverse of the offensive turret prevention code.

I'm not sure if you've modified it in Legendz, but in Annihilation, the default minimum distance you could deploy a turret near the enemy flag was 40% of the distance between the flags.
This code only works on maps with 2 teams, and 1 flag per team, of course.

Code: Select all

function BaseCloakPack::deployShape(%player, %item)
{
	%team = GameBase::getTeam(%player);
	%client = Player::getClient(%player);
	if($TeamItemCount[%team @ %item] >= $TeamItemMax[%item] && !$build)
	{
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Deployable Item limit reached for " @ %item.description @ "s");
		return false;
	}
	if(GameBase::getLOSInfo(%player, 2.75))
	{
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Deploy position is too close");
		return false;
	}
	if(!GameBase::getLOSInfo(%player, 3.5))
	{
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Deploy position out of range");
		return false;
	}
	if(getObjectType($los::object) != "InteriorShape")
	{
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Can only deploy in buildings");
		return false;
	}
// check if object is in motion, for dropships and jail cell -plasmatic
	if(($los::object).inmotion == true)	 
	{ 
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Deploy area crappy, cannot deploy.");
		return false;
	}
	if(Vector::dot($los::normal, "0 0 1") <= 0.7)
	{
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Can only deploy on flat surfaces");
		return false;
	}
	if(!checkInvDeployArea(%client, Vector::add($los::position, "0.2 0.2 0")))
	{
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Not enought room to deploy here.");
		return false;
	}
	if(((Vector::getDistance($teamFlag[%team].originalPosition, $los::position)) < ($FlagDistance * 0.4)) && ($FlagDistance != 0)) 
	{	// Perrinoia was here!
		Client::sendMessage(%client, 0 , "You are too close to your team's flag.~waccess_denied.wav");
		return false;
	}
	%turret = newObject("BaseCloak", "Turret", BaseCloak, true);

	addToSet("MissionCleanup/deployed/object", %turret);
	GameBase::setTeam(%turret, %team);
	GameBase::setPosition(%turret, $los::position);
	GameBase::setRotation(%turret, "0 0 "@ getWord(GameBase::getRotation(%player), 2));
	Gamebase::setMapName(%turret, "Cloaking Device");
	Client::sendMessage(%client, 0, "Cloaking Device deployed");
	playSound(SoundPickupBackpack, $los::position);
	$TeamItemCount[GameBase::getTeam(%player) @ "BaseCloakPack"]++;
	echo("MSG: ", %client, " deployed a Cloaking Device");
	return true;
}

[0_-]

I find them a pain in the butt when they are in the base. Maybe make it so they can only be placed on terrain.

[perrinoia]

Due to the fact that you can have only one, it is very important that it is not buried in a wall or hidden under the edge of a base, out something like that.

It is currently designed to only work on a flat surface, to ensure it fits completely where it is deployed.

In order to deploy it on terrain, first, that would have to be an allowed surface, plus the terrain would have to be perfectly flat, or it would have to hover above the terrain to pass the deploy area check.

[AnniDv6]

I find cloaks to be almost useless when used on an enemy base considering the very high likelihood that there will be motion sensors placed and laser turrets covering the entrances or an enemy player looking in that direction while attempting to leave the base which causes the turrets to spot you regardless of cloak.

Consider that the classes that need to be sneaking into bases already have cloak beacons and are fairly balanced for that role i.e. not having very powerful weapons. If it is made to be viable I think we should at least consider what role a mass base cloak should play in the game. Do we really want frequent invisible tanks, trolls and titans at or at least around the enemy base in offensive roles rather than defensive ones at home as it is currently?

Either way the type of objects cloaked are the first thing that needs to be looked into. Do we honestly need invisible jump pads and force field doors being placed either at home or at the enemy base? If you take away the ability to make any sort of useful outside turret farm with the cloaks you may as well limit it to players only. I suppose invisible teleport pads could become a thing?

[Aaquib]

base cloaking device wtf is that





Edit: yeah i've once seen it kinda annoying, its very common to see players raging over it.

[Fixious]

If they are indeed to be used just for setting up turrets at the beginning or whatever, then perhaps they should have a finite lifetime? Maybe 5 minutes and they explode/get deleted?

[DaJ4ck3L]

best use of a cloak that ive seen is to camo a tele off site near the enemy base. this is what the distance code will help with. keeping base cloak outside of home base, and being used for off site air base / tele station.

[perrinoia]

I know that cloak isn't perfect, and it isn't intended to be. Chameleon was supposed to be perfect camouflage. But chameleon can't carry enough ammo to rape a well defended base.

Cloak is only supposed to give you a split second to dispense of a confused enemy. And that is all the heavier armors need, when attempting to rape a well defended base.

Especially when you are trying to disassemble the enemy defenses with a pitchfork... That's when you really want to be invisible.

But what is more important than the effectiveness of using it offensively, it's how bad it hinders your team when used defensively.

Yes, it makes your turrets invisible, but when most of the crap you deploy on top of turrets is not invisible, that really doesn't matter.

Also, the base cloaking device already has a limited lifespan. It damages itself slowly, until it disables itself. Then it sits there doing nothing until someone finishes the job or repairs it.

[AnniDv6]

Fair enough. Can you check and see what the values are for the z-axis range? If I remember right it has a fairly large width, but when deployed on Broadside it only covers about half of the base vertically. Maybe that could be extended to make it more useful on the larger maps.