-= Gametoast.com =-

Holocron Mode (holo)

by [RDH]Zerted
August 27th, 2006

Source and Download link: https://www.se.rit.edu/~dpk3062/

Important:
-This map is a demo for the game mode holo, but uses g_1flag (because I forgot to change it).

Background:
-The idea for Holocron came from... I don't know. Teancum of GameToast.com asked me to make it.

Objective:
-Get your team points to match the score limit before the other team(s) does.

How to score:
-Hold the Holocron for a given amount of time. (demo map uses 2 minutes)
-If a player dies or drops the flag, the timer is reset.

Other Notes:
-The player holding the Holocron is given 'power ups'. Currently these power ups are: shields; shield regeneration; health regeneration; energy regeneration
-The Holocron score setting determine the map's score limit. If you don't have the shell currently in development, then use the CTF's score limit.
-The Holocron time limit setting determine the map's time limit. If you don't have the shell currently in development, then use the CTF's time limit.
-The Holocron bot setting determines the amount of AI units. If you don't have the shell currently in development, then use the CTF's bot count.
-The Holocron delay setting determines the Holocron's starting spawn delay. If you don't have the shell currently in development, the map will use the modder's value.
-The white bar on the left (for non-flying units) is the unit's remaining shield strength.
-Team killing the Holocron carrier will get you killed.
-Team killing may randomly cause you to die.
-The Holocron may not respawn in the same location after it is captured.
-Every unit starts off with a 1 point shield. This is required to prevent MP crashes.
-There is a delay from when the map starts and when the first Holocron spawns. This is to allow players who want to look at the last map's score the time to do so without being screwed by the glitching early spawners.
-The Holocron will spawn in random spots if the map developer wishes.

Tips:
-A 1000 paper cuts, so to speak, won't kill the Holocron carrier. Team work and ambushes are the key.
-The Bothan's incinerator is no match for a shield, but can do wonders aganist the defending units nearby.
-When a unit holds the Holocron long enough to score, the regeneration power ups are turned off. However, the unit keeps any remaining shield strength. Use this information to your advantage.
-Never kill a unit on your team. That unit just might come back to get you.

Tips for Map Makers:
-Set the carrier's max shield to withstand at least a direct missile/mine explosion.
-Its up to you to determine if a team can see, on the ingame map, where the enemy is holding the flag.
-Don't set the capture timer longer than the game's 'flag held too long' limit or it will be impossible to score.
-Holocron uses Objective.lua so you can combine it with other modes easily.
-Don't put heros in your map.

Spin-Offs:
-learned how to have more than 2 playable teams
-learned to edit a single unit's stats instead of an entire class' stats (think droppable kits like BF2)
-learned more about the game's Lua loading processes

Things not yet Finished:
-Adding mode strings to main core.lvl
-Documenting how to install the mode into a map
-Game Mode Installer plug-in
-Adding Holocron Options Menu screen in the shell.

Issues:
-(none so far)

Ideas, Questions, Comments, Answers?

------------------------------
The required WIP pictures
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(You might want to keep your eyes open to read the text) Close your eyes... Think of the first time you opened ZeroEdit on a non-space map. Now, with that image still in your mind, move ZeroEdit's camera slowly up into the air. You are high above the map. Feel the wind flow past you as you slowly turn to look down. Remember the map image. Using your mind, place a flag (the Holocron) in the middle of the map. This is what HMD looks like. If you don't like the pictures, its your fault .

Well, I heard about this a while ago. Reading through those questions to be answered I came across "-Should the Holocron game mode have support for spawning the Holocron at random locations instead of a single spot? "

I thought, well obviously not a random spot, we all are quite aware with what could wrong there, but maybe multiple spawning locations would suffice.

BTW, nice description of that map, I could really feel the wind swirling around me.

1 note: Holocron mode shouldn't have heroes, they become invincible. I got the holocron/flag with boba fett, and he just regenerated his life constantly, without killing any rebels. I went to the Rebels CP and stood there for a while amongst like 16 rebels but they couldnt kill me.

hey nice work on this, althogh i can't test it yet as rapidshare hates me yet again. So... do you think you could find the time to upload to filefront , after you've eaten of course also i like the WIP pic, it's actually really good.

-Should the Holocron carrier be given the normal bonuses instead of a shield?
i think without the shield it would be near impossible to stay alive for two minutes with evryone on the opposing team after you.
-Should the Holocron carrier be killed after scoring?
if after scoring the carrier continues to hold the holocron then yes as it gives the other team a chance, but if the holocron respawns then no.
-Should the Holocron carrier be allowed to gain the defensive and offensive bonuses while having a shield?
i'm not really to bothered either way with this one
-Should a teammate killing the Holocron carrier also be killed?
Y-E-S
-Should the Holocron game mode have support for more than two playable teams?
hell yes, i din't think that was even possible!
-Should the Holocron game mode have support for spawning the Holocron at random locations instead of a single spot?
same as what Tuskenjedi said^^

-learned to edit a single unit's stats instead of an entire class' stats (think droppable kits like BF2)

You are a genious

Hmm... A demo, for us? How sweet. jk.

Ill try it out when i get back from my country house. Ill c if there is anything wrong with it and ill report bugs or mess-ups later.

Ooooh sweet! I've been waitin for this for soooo long
must D/L.
If its half as fun as the DM mode I'll be thrilled!
Keep up the good work Zerted!

I like it! though I have to agree with The_emperor in saying that the heroes should be off, though it is fun being Han Solo with the flag and absolutely OWNING everyone in your way,:twisted: But I imagine it wasn't fun for the poor AI...

Otherwise, it was a great game mode! I found it hard to defeat the flag carrier, mostly because the map was flat so you couldn't even come close to the carrier, but It was fun trying!

I only post finished works on FileFront and this is not finished. However, I should be getting a router in the mail soon (Tue or Wed) and I will be back at school then, so I'll put up a server hosting it.

I think the problem with CTF is that many of the maps turn out to be stalemates, then last for hours. I'm thinking of a feature for Holocron that slowly reduces the time required to capture the Holocron as a map drags on. That way, the Holocron mode won't have such a low fan base like CTF.

Oh ok, no problem. would anyone else upload to filefront for me (if that's ok with you Zerted of course)

Questions to be answered before Public Release:
-Should the Holocron carrier be given the normal bonuses instead of a shield?

No. The normal bonuses wouldn't be enough. However I'd recommend toning down the shield's strength a little.

-Should the map makers determine the types of power ups instead of letting the game mode do it?

Yes.

-Should the Holocron carrier be killed after scoring?

No. That'd be confusing for players and it seems sort of unnecessary.

-Should the Holocron carrier be allowed to gain the defensive and offensive bonuses while having a shield?

No, I think the shield is good enough.

-Should a teammate killing the Holocron carrier also be killed?

I'm not sure what you mean here. Are you asking if a teammate team-kills you when you have the holocron if he should be killed too? If so, then my answer is yes.

-Should the Holocron game mode have support for more than two playable teams?

Yes. This would open up a lot of new options for modders.

-Should the Holocron game mode have support for spawning the Holocron at random locations instead of a single spot?

Yes. I think that's a really good idea. That way players won't camp by the spawn point and it will make Holocron mode more unique.

By the way, will the flag be replaced by an actual holocron like the one seen in the campaign?

The_Emperor wrote:1 note: Holocron mode shouldn't have heroes, they become invincible.

Agreed

I pretty much agree with everything Desann said as well. He's a smart guy.

thares a sluotin to the heros cut thir health to 15% (15% of a heros max health is a troopers max health and disable the kill to get more health thing for them and disable the limtee time thingy

srt for the ackward post but i just drank 2 wine coolers and am half way tho the third

Teancum wrote:I pretty much agree with everything Desann said as well. He's a smart guy.

You too! I just wish I could be as good as you at modding.

Hey Zerted, if at all possible, you might see if you can trump the SetHeroClass in a mission lua. In other words, if someone tries to set a hero, the Holo mode luas automatically get rid of the heroes. That way n00b mappers can't nerf the gametype with heroes.

Hmm, prevent heros from holding the Holocron. Sounds possible...

Or just reduce their health/the health regen so that they are about as vulnerable as a normal soldier with the holocron.

Nah, make it so that you are able to be the hero, but you can't hold the holocron if you are. That way heroes become support and not a one-man show.

Good Idea, but is sounds hard to implement. . .

Wait. . . >2 playable teams and individual unit stats? It shouln't be a problem lol/

About the multiple playable teams, is it easy to do, I mean was it a chance discovery of something very simple or did it take a significant amount of coding?

I added aa race mode to my map, but as of yet all it has is a starting gate and timer. I mean, it beats nothing, but If I could set up 100 teams and actually be able to determine a winner

Admitedly, there could be an easier way but its early here.

I can also imagine a tag/manhunt/hide n seek type modes.

If you have individual unit stats, you could make a only a single class of very weak troopers capacable of carrying the holocron, so there's truly teamwork required to bring it home.

Or you could make the holocron weaken all nearby units of the carrying team, so it's a bit more thrilling.

Its easy to move another player to a different team (2 coding steps), but to setup the game to let you pick to be on the other team and display the other team's points/reinforcments is a lot more work. It was a chance discovery. To get it working in a usable way, it will take a rewrite of all the Objective Luas and some of ingame.lvl's scripts.

I'm not adding droppable weapon kits to Holocron. Its just something I learned how to do while researching how to add the powerups to a single unit.

I don't think having the Holocron carrier weaken nearby units would be a good idea. Players might not want to stick around the carrier, thus the carriers will die more often.


The holocron object is up to the map developer. I just made a 1flag map and changed the script for the demo map. Thats why the holocron is a flag.