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Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
http://45.55.195.193/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9026		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Electroclan [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:18 am ]
Post subject:  Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Hey all, I'm just posting this here as an FYI. Please read and use this information for your mods, mostly the ones that eject many shells.

So, what's the problem? The problem is that shells stack. For the hunter on the move, this means nothing. But for the defender, particulary in a bunker, this means swimming through mountains of shells that build up as the fighting drags on. While it is.. somewhat.. easy to move and and fire through the shells, it's mostly a serious cosmetic problem. Mountains of shells filling your base and burying your defenders doesn't exactly help you immerse yourself in the action of fighting to the last gold ounce.

The below gif was taken using my WIP mod, the EE-1 Tempest. The Tempest has a 125 clip and was emptied 8 times before filming, totaling 1,000 shells expended.

Image

Not very good. So how do we fix it?

One solution I found out, is to tweak the shells to be made of an extremely weak material, while being heavy enough to crush it's shell siblings, thus limited the shell stacking to about a 4-5 pixel-high pile.

The Tempest uses a mildly modfied shell, mildly being a minor resprite. Otherwise it expels the exact same shell as all other shell spewing firearms do. Here's the code we have to modify.. it's a shell being defined, that's all:

Code:
AddAmmo = MOSParticle
   InstanceName = TempestShell
   HitsMOs = 0
   GetsHitByMOs = 0
   SpriteFile = ContentFile
      FilePath = Tempest.rte/Shell.bmp
   FrameCount = 8
   SpriteOffset = Vector
      X = -3
      Y = -3
   AngularVel = 5
   Atom = Atom
      Material = Material
         CopyOf = Bullet Casing
      TrailLength = 0
   Framerate = 10


The procedure is simple, we add 'StructuralIntegrity = 0.00001' just below 'CopyOf = Bullet Casing' to weaken the current material; and we add 'Mass = 5.75' just below 'InstanceName = TempestShell' to make it much heavier.

The weight is enough to kill an actor, but "GetsHitByMOs = 0" insures that the shells won't even touch actors. Here is the finished code:

Code:
AddAmmo = MOSParticle
   InstanceName = TempestShell
   Mass = 5.75
   HitsMOs = 0
   GetsHitByMOs = 0
   SpriteFile = ContentFile
      FilePath = Tempest.rte/Shell.bmp
   FrameCount = 8
   SpriteOffset = Vector
      X = -3
      Y = -3
   AngularVel = 5
   Atom = Atom
      Material = Material
         CopyOf = Bullet Casing
         StructuralIntegrity = 0.00001
      TrailLength = 0
   Framerate = 10


Now we fire 8 clips of 125 bullets, and let's see what 1,000 shells looks like now:

Image

Yes, those are 1,000 shells on the floor. Same exact amount as the previous example. Much better!

And that's it! Oh, and a bonus GIF:

Image
Author:  edthefirst [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
I love the bonus GIF, especially PAC man. Also I find this very useful, especially when you have a minigun.
Author:  war_man333 [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Ffff, but I like alot of bulets! 8)

Also, I've seen the pac man, the long cat, but not the.. fish thing.
Author:  Here for the mods. [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
That's the flying spagetti montster.
Know your internet fads.

That's a really simple solution to a really annoying problem!
I used to carry around a light digger just to get through the shells.
Author:  ProjektTHOR [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Electroclan continues to amaze the masses with his genius and sheer intellect. :]
Author:  Miles_T3hR4t [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
...Or you could just not eject shells.

also, i've been pointing out the FSM ever since i DLed B19.
Author:  Electroclan [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Miles_T3hR4t wrote:
...Or you could just not eject shells.

also, i've been pointing out the FSM ever since i DLed B19.

I don't think you understand the power detail in having a stream of shells erupt from your weapon, coating the area behind you in a thin golden layer whilst the front of you is torn to shreds by the sheer power of your weapon.

When I make a powerful weapon, I want it to feel powerful. I want to utilize every detail I can possibly add to achieve this goal. Shells is one of those neat little details that add alot of yards to the final product.
Author:  ProjektTHOR [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Miles_T3hR4t wrote:
...Or you could just not eject shells.

also, i've been pointing out the FSM ever since i DLed B19.
Its unfortunate that no one bothers to read your 20 million-page-long posts. If you posted as concisely and succinctly as EC, we might have noticed.
Author:  Orindell [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
THOR...is...BACK! *Jumps for joy* But the real question is: Why?
Author:  Grif [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Orindell wrote:
THOR...is...BACK! *Jumps for joy* But the real question is: Why?


Commissioner Gordon turned on the spotlight with the bat silhouette on it.
Author:  Nephilim [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 2:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Grif wrote:
Orindell wrote:
THOR...is...BACK! *Jumps for joy* But the real question is: Why?


Commissioner Gordon turned on the spotlight with the lightning silhouette on it.

I want to see Grif's meathammer silhouette. Really wide light.
Author:  Miles_T3hR4t [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
ProjektTHOR wrote:
Miles_T3hR4t wrote:
...Or you could just not eject shells.

also, i've been pointing out the FSM ever since i DLed B19.
Its unfortunate that no one bothers to read your 20 million-page-long posts. If you posted as concisely and succinctly as EC, we might have noticed.


and its unfortunate that you don't bother to pay attention to the fact that I haven't made many absurdly long posts in quite a while. A paragraph or 2 is all i post anymore, unless someone pisses me off, and I go off on a rant.
Author:  blipflip [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Offtopic to the MAX.

Clever idea, this should be the new way to do casings for all following mods.
Author:  ProjektTHOR [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Anyone who makes templates should modify their templates to do this.
Author:  capnbubs [ Thu Dec 13, 2007 2:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stacking Shells: The Problem and the Solution
Thank you very much chap, this is a big help
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