Scripting Tank Datablocks: Balanced Tank Ideas

[Disturbo]

Ok, I don't want to start a new thread again, but I'll start this one anyway.

Here, you may throw in any ideas, planned projects, or built projects for balanced tank datablocks. By 'balanced', I mean a tank that is not too strong nor too weak, like the stock Heavy/Medium/Light trio. I do not mean overpowered kill-all admin tanks and I do not mean BabybossUFO-style weaklings, which are not what I'd call balanced. Even if you don't build them, you may suggest the combo. The 6 balancing stats are speed, acceleration, turn rate, armor, firepower and fire rate. Bravetree's 3 tanks are balanced mainly on a speed/armor tradeoff, and it wouldn't be bad to try out some more creative combos. Also, don't mind about the physical appearance, this is more of a scripting thread. The tank datablocks must be balanced through the tank only and not it's projectile. Thus, all balanced tanks must use the standard Light/Default/Heavy projectiles. Here are my datablocks:

EnduranceTank:

datablock TankData(EnduranceTank : MediumTank)
{
misc = "DefaultTankMisc"; // ©Hhal and Disturbance.
camera = "DefaultTankCamera";
category = "Tanks";
fx = "DefaultTankFx";
shapeFile = "~/data/shapes/tanks/tank03.dts";
brainShapeFile = "~/data/shapes/tanks/brainjar01.dts";

accelRate = 13.0;
deccelRate = 19.0;
turnRate = 82.0;
antiSlideRate = 11.0;

turretHorRange = 53.5;
turretHorRange = 68.0;
turretAutoLevel = 1.0;
turretVerRange = 30.0;

maxSpeed = 15.0;
damageAmount = 55.0;

damageScale = 0.4;
armorScale = 0.9;

defaultProjectile = "DefaultProjectile";
ai = GoldHeavyAI;
};

Code: /meatshield

Balance: Ton of armor balanced by weakling cannon and medium stats.

Made by: Hhal & Disturbance.

Physical: Heavy tank shape with light tank brainjar.

RapidTank

datablock TankData(RapidTank : MediumTank)
{
shapeFile = "~/data/shapes/FlashTank/tank01.dts";
brainShapeFile = "~/data/shapes/FlashTank/brainjar01.dts";
turnRate = 90.0; // degrees per second
accelRate = 15.9; // increase velocity this many meters per second
deccelRate = 17.0; // when breaking, decrease velocity
// this many meters per second
coastDeccelRate = 8.0; // rate of decceleration when coasting...
antiSlideRate = 30.0; // dissipate sideways velocity by this many meters
// per second
maxSpeed = 25.0; // meters per second (in forward direction)
turretVerCenter = 2.0; // vertical resting angle of turret in degrees
turretHorRange = 58.5; // range in +/- degrees of turret horizontally
turretVerRange = 21.0; // range in +/- degrees of turret vertically
turretAutoLevel = 0.5;
suspensionRange = 0.1; // proportion of wheel size for wheel to move up/down
springRangeX = 0.01;
springRangeY = 0.01;
springVelScale = 0.1;
springCorrectScale1 = 2.0;
springCorrectScale2 = 0.99;
damageAmount = 4.0; // total amount of damage tank can withstand
damageScale = 2.0; // multiply damage we do to others by this amount
armorScale = 1.0; // multiply damage we take by this amount (note: smaller better)
fireScale = 0.1; // adjust inter-fire interval by scale (2 means twice as slow)
defaultProjectile = "LightProjectile";
ai = GoldHeavyAI;
};



Code: /rapidblitz

Balance: Superb stats, all weighed down by extremely little armor, less than even the Babyboss UFO.

Made by: Disturbance, makers of Rollerball(for physical stuff).

Physical: Light tank shape with Rollerball red skin, slightly modified Rollerball brain, medium tank brainjar, switching treads, Rollerball Speedy reticle-turned-muzzleflash.

FixTank

datablock TankData(FixTank : MediumTank)
{
shapeFile = "~/data/shapes/tanks/tank05.dts";
brainShapeFile = "~/data/shapes/Africa/animals/vulture/vulture.dts";
fx = "BabyBossFX";

maxSpeed = 16.0; // meters per second (in forward direction)
accelRate = 15.0; // increase velocity this many meters per second
deccelRate = 16.0; // when breaking, decrease velocity
turnRate = 61.0; // degrees per second
antiSlideRate = 10.2;

turretHorRange = 33.5; // range in +/- degrees of turret horizontally
turretAutoLevel = 0.92;

suspensionRange = 0.8; // proportion of wheel size for wheel to move up/down

damageAmount = 2.0; // total amount of damage tank can withstand
damageScale = -1; // multiply damage we do to others by this amount
armorScale = 1.0; // multiply damage we take by this amount (note: smaller better)
fireScale = 0.2; // adjust inter-fire interval by scale (2 means twice as slow)
defaultProjectile = "DefaultProjectile";
ai = GoldHeavyAI;
};



Code: /birdbrain

Balance: Unarmored medic tank with stats equal to those of the babyboss UFO. Can use any weapon to heal targets.

Made by: Disturbance and whoever made the vulture shape.

Physical: Small UFO with no brain, but a vulture perched on top instead. The vulture flies away when the tank is destroyed.

Hhal also has some datablocks(charger, racer), although I don't know much about them. Also, any feedback on the FixTank's concept and appearance are welcome. Thanks for your ideas. [/u]

[Hhal]

Ah, my Charger. Wonderful tank. I'll post it here:

Code: Select all

datablock TankData(Charger : MediumTank)
{
   fx = "DefaultTankFx";
   misc = "DefaultTankMisc";
   camera = "DefaultTankCamera";   
   category = "Tanks"; 
   shapeFile = "~/data/shapes/tanks/tank02.dts";
   brainShapeFile = "~/data/shapes/tanks/brainjar04.dts";

   maxSpeed = 60.0;          // meters per second (in forward direction)
   accelRate = 60.0;         // increase velocity this many meters per second
   deccelRate = 50.0;        // when breaking, decrease velocity
   turnRate = 61.0;          // degrees per second
   antiSlideRate = 10.9;

   turretVerCenter = 2.0;    // vertical resting angle of turret in degrees
   turretHorRange = 53.5;    // range in +/- degrees of turret horizontally
   turretAutoLevel = 0.92;

   damageAmount = 1.0;      // total amount of damage tank can withstand
   suspensionRange = 10.0;    // proportion of wheel size for wheel to move up/down

   damageScale = 0.0;        // multiply damage we do to others by this amount
   armorScale = 1.0;         // multiply damage we take by this amount (note: smaller better)

   defaultProjectile = "LightProjectile";
   ai = GoldLightAI;
};

Code: /charger

Balance: Super fast, but extremely flimsy. Also has bad turning speed. Also has ZERO power. In other words, this tank is not meant for firefights. The idea is to bump people off the map.

Made by: Hhal

Physical: Medium tank shape with UFO brainjar.

[Big Show]

it'd be nice to see the projectile powerups for the tanks because in mobility they all outbalance the original tanks.
I did this by adding the accelrate+Maxspeed+turnrate+damage amount.

this is what i came up with:

med: 105.9
light: 102.7
heavy: 120.6

meatshield: 170
rapid: 134.9
fixtank: 94
charger: 182

fixtank is pretty much weak

[Disturbo]

You calculated by adding up stats. Yet, I would say that's wrong. Adding up accel + speed + turn rate + armor gives you zilch. It's no indicator of a tank's performance. Multiplier values and concepts mean a lot.

I have no idea what you mean by projectile powerups. These tanks are all built around the stock projectiles, and get the same weapons as any other tank would get when they pick up a powerup. However, the fireScale and damageScale multipliers modify the performance of any weapon in firing speed and damage dealt.

As everyone has seen, the Light Tank proves slightly better than the Medium, although the medium gets a higher 'number' by your calc. Also, the Light is well competitive and equal to the Heavy, despite the Heavy having a higher 'score'. The FixTank is not weak. Didn't you read the post? It's a medic tank! It's designed to heal it's teammates, not to fight the enemy. That's why I have a neutral red-team bot playing as a FixTank, since maybe players would not like to play as a medic for the game length.

Also, I've played the Charger, and I'd say that it's about level with the medium tank, balanced in it's unique ramming-attacker style. It's battle tactic, as Hhal said, is a reckless charge-ram while shooting. If it hits, you immediately score a kill and the target gets fogged out. If it misses, you fly into the fog and get killed(like i did) or get shot by your target.

[Disturbo]

Alright, my next tank project will be:

A very, very fast, medium-armored tank with a normal cannon and a lightning-quick turn rate. The balancing factor is super-stiff suspension, no reverse gear, and no brakes! The idea is to make a more conventional version of the wild all-out Charger, a ramming attacker with a backup plan. I'll find some parts and make this thing whenever I get time sometime this week.

[Downgrade]

^ it would be kinda hard to play it it, since it turns so fast

[Hhal]

^Actually, a faster turning circle makes tanks more deadly. That's why veteran heavies can pwn waves of attackers coming from different directions.

[Disturbo]

The point of having a fast turning circle is to iron out a weakness in the Charger: the Charger is only effective at ramming Medium, Heavy or Endurance tanks. Light and Rapid tanks can simply see the distinctive 'flying treads' of the Charger coming at them and simply drive out of the way, sending the drag-racer Charger over the a or into a fire storm.

I'm thinking of making a weak electric-shock weapon for this tank in order to match it's lightning acceleration and turning. I'll call this tank the Electric Charger.

The purpose of the electric-shock weapon will be to create a projectile that moves with the same speed of the tank, such that it forms a blanket of emitter over the tank while it's charging and awards the credit to the player for scoring a ramming kill, all while preventing any other player from freeloading and stealing the point(which is what Hum bot does).

However I don't know what shape, what skin and what brain I'll use for this tank. The shape/skin ideas have been a choice between using the spiked KingBoss UFO shape that UAE Dragon made, and between using a black-and-yellow re-skinned Babyboss shape. I plan to use the brain from the RapidTank here.

[Disturbo]

Help! The Electric Charger project is out of control! I can't control the tank, and it takes a ton of effort just to score a single kill. Here's the datablock for the prototype Electric Charger, which currently doesn't feature the electric weapon the final version will have:

datablock TankData(ElectricCharger : MediumTank)
{
shapeFile = "~/data/shapes/Electric/Electric.dts";
brainShapeFile = "~/data/shapes/Electric/brainjar01.dts";
turnRate = 150.0; // degrees per second
accelRate = 168.0; // increase velocity this many meters per second
deccelRate = 168.0; // when breaking, decrease velocity
// this many meters per second
coastDeccelRate = 0.0; // rate of decceleration when coasting...
antiSlideRate = 30; // dissipate sideways velocity by this many meters
// per second
maxSpeed = 42.0; // meters per second (in forward direction)
turretVerCenter = 0.0; // vertical resting angle of turret in degrees
turretHorRange = 0.0; // range in +/- degrees of turret horizontally
turretVerRange = 0.0; // range in +/- degrees of turret vertically
turretAutoLevel = 0.5;
suspensionRange = 0.1; // proportion of wheel size for wheel to move up/down
springRangeX = 0.01;
springRangeY = 0.01;
springVelScale = 0.1;
springCorrectScale1 = 2.0;
springCorrectScale2 = 0.99;
damageAmount = 10.0; // total amount of damage tank can withstand
damageScale = 0.5; // multiply damage we do to others by this amount
armorScale = 1.0; // multiply damage we take by this amount (note: smaller better)
fireScale = 0.1; // adjust inter-fire interval by scale (2 means twice as slow)
defaultProjectile = "LightProjectile";
ai = GoldHeavyAI;
};

At first, it was supposed to have no brakes, but then it wouldn't even manage to turn around and I had to give it brakes. It still has no friction, though, maybe I'll try adding friction...

Also, it's turret can't move at all. I plan to change this so that it can move vertically.

Test runs are being conducted at Freudian Flats. According to Hhal, the Charger is best on flat terrain... and the Freudian forest is knocking me crazy. I'll have to see if I can make a mission file out of -z-'s Arena, but that'll be some way off.

[Hhal]

^I'm working on a different EC: a red UFO. So far it's a bit harder to use but works better than the orginal Charger.

EDIT: Turn the acceleration wayyyyyyyyyyy down. If you set the acceleration to 168, your tank will take off at 168 before reaching 42. Same with the brakes.