Unvanquished Forum

In the meantime, perhaps you could work on some other concepts?

I'm currently working in the flamethrower. I'll have an update tonight. I'll be ready for more right after that one.

So, let's assemble a list of requirements first.

Positive:

• Needs an idle animation for the powered state so you can see whether it has power or not. → Moving parts visible.

• Should show a very quick animation (≤ 1s) when it is used. However, no actual interaction with the player needs to be visible.

• Needs to fit into a square footprint like any other structure. Doesn't need to be square itself though, a round design works, too (anything roughly equal-sided is fine).

Negative:

• Doesn't really interact with the player, the equipment will teleport.

• Doesn't show actual equipment to keep the interdependency between our models low. It can work as a black box.

How will it work ingame? A player approaches a powered Armoury. Ammo will be refilled automatically as soon as in range (standing next to it), indicated by a sound that all players can hear. The Armoury may show a smaller animation when this happens but doesn't need to. The player then uses binds or the menu to sell or purchase items, leading to a quick animation showing on the Armoury.

If you wanna try a new design I'd be interested in something round. The structure could have multiple (I guess three is nice) symmetrically aligned radial sliding doors (that never really open) in the size of an average locker door (nearly as high as a human but only half as wide) with a console next to each of them, so basically the combination of a locker, the lower third of an advertisement pillar and an electronic safe. For the animation, the structure could have a rotating ring right above the door that rotates slowly when the structure is idling and does a fast rotation and a sound when it's used. (gimhael/Ishq: Correct me if this is problematic with regards to animation blending.) Keep in mind the total height shouldn't be much higher than a human, so the structure can still be used for climbing. (Jumping on a Turret/Drill/Repeater, then on the Armoury and finally on the Reactor is an usual trick to reach higher ground as a builder while the jetpack is unavailable.)
Below the consoles there could be a smaller hole/slot/chamber without a door similiar to the area on an industrial coffee machine or water dispenser where you put your cup, which would serve as a convenient way to dispense ammo. Again no actual ammo would show there but we could use such a spot to spawn a particle effect (similiar to that on top of the Telenode) that would yield the structure's power state and would visualize the fact that it is capable of teleportation.

That could be an interesting approach. I'm willing to give it a go.

The only thing i'd like to clarify first is, about the three sliding doors. Suppose it's a roughly cylindrical structure, would they just be place around the cylinder? I'm just not totally sure I get your symmetrical description.

Such a cylindrical design would also be a good direction since it would be more consistent with the other structure designs that are more or less cylindrical.

alex_bo wrote:

The only thing i'd like to clarify first is, about the three sliding doors. Suppose it's a roughly cylindrical structure, would they just be place around the cylinder? I'm just not totally sure I get your symmetrical description.

I guess I have to show off my own sophisticated sketching skills!

Each section would have a console and a sliding door. The movement of the sliding door describes a circle. In my sketch there is no overlapping of the door in its opened position with the next section's console. However, it is also possible to make the door and/or the console wider and let the door slip partly under the adjacent console, as long as it doesn't get into the way of that potential ammo dispenser slot underneath.

alex_bo wrote:

Such a cylindrical design would also be a good direction since it would be more consistent with the other structure designs that are more or less cylindrical.

Exactly! Also the texture can have a higher resolution since you only need to store it for a fraction of the whole model.

Here's a sketch for a new Armoury idea. It's still pretty basic but do you like the direction?

Where is it?

It is a sketch that stupid people cannot see. Great job Alex. Love the radical new design.

eh. God I'm dumb, sorry.

Now you posted an image that is only visible when one is logged into dropbox … as you.