[Feature Request]Crawling through windows.

[dJm]

I searched for this and nothing came up so...

Crawling through windows:

basically my ideal would be to make windows kinda like barriers, where you can jump over them. I think the only extra thing needed would be a code check on whether or not the window has been destroyed. should be a pretty easy to add feature and also makes sense. why do I have to walk 20 grids to the door when I can just jump through this broken window* I guess the best way to balance it out would be to make it require a fairly decent amount of action points.

how does anyone else feel about this?

[Gorlom]

I think the major hurdle from the devs point of view was that the sprites would be clipping into the wall and it would look weird using the already existing sprite animation for jumping a hurdle.

They would have to make new sprites which probably is too costly/timeconsuming for the devs to feel that it is worth it.

[Gauddlike]

You can set the windows to be vaulted already.

As Gorlom says though there is a clipping issue with it.

Tiles are either in front of or behind your troops.

Passing through a window requires the soldier to pass over the bottom half and under the top half.

It also clips the sides of the next wall over sometimes as when vaulting the soldier becomes slightly wider that a single tile.

As a side note you can also set windows to be opened like doors rather than smashed.

You just need to add a new open state.

I had one set up where you could walk over to the window, open it, vault through and then close it behind you if you wanted.

Each tile state (normal, damaged, destroyed) has its own setting to determine if it is passable or vaultable.

You can set a closed window to be impassable and an open/damaged window to be vaultable.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Gauddlike

[dJm]

That's completely understandable, As long as I can mod it in myself I'll be more then happy . though, from the little test I made, it didn't look too bad(definitely not a game stopper for me.) but I made the request under the assumption that vaulting functionality was hard coded.

@Gauddlike:Thanks for the info Gauddlike,sounds easy enough. though I looked for quite sometime last night and couldn't find the lua/xml file that handled the ground combat props. could you kindly point me in the right direction?

Edited October 4, 2012 by dJm

[Gauddlike]

You need to edit the actual tile spectres individually to allow them to be vaulted.

I found it easier to use the submap editor rather than copying and pasting text into lots of different xml files.

Quick tutorial if you want to test it out.

Open up the submap editor in the xenonauts folder (not assets).

Choose a resolution lower than your desktop resolution in both directions so that both editor windows will be visible, although this is not essential as you are only using the editor window rather than the placement window for this.

*optional* Click new submap, add a name and choose the size you want to create, again it doesn't matter for this example as you aren't placing the tiles just editing them.

The spectres can be added without opening a new submap.

Now you can add spectres, which are the files that control the properties of the images used in the game.

You can either 'add spectres from directory', which adds everything (I wouldn't do this if you only want to edit windows) or click 'add spectres' to manually select them.

Click 'add spectres' and navigate to the industrial folder.

Open up one of the building type folders, e.g. factory, and select all of the window tiles (you can control and left click to select multiple tiles).

You can either directly select the spectre or select the image.

Note that you only want the normal window, not the damaged or destroyed versions.

Once you load them up you will have a list on the left.

Select one and you will see all of the info on the right side.

They are not all fully functional yet so some will not have the 'window' checkbox filled, I would do that while the editor is open.

I believe that should only be set on the default, undamaged state.

Under the picture you will have a drop down menu named 'state', if you select the other options in that menu you can see the settings for each individual state.

We want to make the window able to be vaulted when broken.

Select the damaged state and check the 'vaultable' box.

Personally I would also check the 'cover' box so anyone firing from the damaged window is classed as in cover, not sure if that is necessary though and it would need testing to see how it works.

*Important bit I missed out...

Remember to click on 'save spectre' at the bottom of the editor window for each spectre you edit or the changes will not be applied to all of the submaps that tile is used on.

I will add the steps to make it open like a door as well.

Not all windows look like they should open but you can set this on any that you want to.

Note that unless you edit the tile image to make a new one that looks like the window is open you will need to use the damaged image which looks like you break it to open it and fix it when you close it.

Click on add state, name the new state 'open' (no quotes) and alter the settings to match the damaged state.

Make sure vaultable is set on both.

Copy the texture name from the damaged state and paste that in to the open state.

If you have created a new open state image then put that in the same folder as the other images and select it using the '...' button.

You should now be able to right click the window to open it in the same way you do with doors.

You can also close it behind you.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Gauddlike

[dJm]

I'm glad you told me about the submap editor. you've just saved me alot of time and effort. Also that tutorial helped immensely, thanks . I've already got most of the windows done(including window_open sprites for each) and will probably post the mod when it's done.

thanks again for your help.

[Gauddlike]

No worries.

Just remember to back up all of the files you alter otherwise the next update will wipe all your work.

That would be the reason I no longer have the ones I altered .

[Max_Caine]

dJm, would you consider putting your modded window spectres onto the Mod forum so everyone can enjoy the fruits of your labours?

EDIT: Ignore me. I should READ POSTS before posting myself.