An idea to vastly improve the skill ceiling of the flamethrower

CrazyFarmerCrazyFarmer Join Date: 2010-01-25 Member: 70306Members
edited July 2011 in Ideas and Suggestions
I've suggested this subtly in another thread, but the basic suggestion is to make the flamethrower napalm based.

If you've ever played Killing Floor, the idea behind is that instead of making a big puff of fire that you can sway around and light everything on fire, you shoot a small jet of flame that is pretty accurate (and curves over distance) and sets targets on fire (duh). I think this is worth looking into as the flamethrower in that game was literally one of the funnest iterations of one I've ever used in a game.

Here's the example (skip to about 1:00 in) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2GO4zfKZ4M" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2GO4zfKZ4M</a>

And here's an image of one

<img src="http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flamethrower-boat.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

I think you should definitely mess around with this concept as you could make the flamethrower actually powerful without it being a "spin in circles and kill everything around you" weapon
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Comments

  • SewlekSewlek The programmer previously known as Schimmel Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16247Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Developer
    edited July 2011
    I made this modification for the flamethrower:

    <div align='center'><center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RUaDI8zfeBA"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RUaDI8zfeBA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center></div>

    its not exactly what your idea was about, but its using actual "projectiles" instead of burning everything in a cone in front of you
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  • subshadowsubshadow Join Date: 2003-04-21 Member: 15710Members
    offtopic: Schimmel i just LOVE your changes to the gorge his building abilities.
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  • SewlekSewlek The programmer previously known as Schimmel Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16247Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Developer
    <!--quoteo(post=1863825:date=Jul 27 2011, 05:59 AM:name=subshadow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (subshadow @ Jul 27 2011, 05:59 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863825"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->offtopic: Schimmel i just LOVE your changes to the gorge his building abilities.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I changed just 1 variable, thats all :D
    but i want to make cinematics for it (spiting goo in first and thirdperson) which indicates that
    the structure is being build over some greater distance
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  • jergodzjergodz Join Date: 2011-05-20 Member: 99745Members
    UWE should just use that flamethrower, saves them the coding and makes it 20 times better, good work Schimmel
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  • SewlekSewlek The programmer previously known as Schimmel Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16247Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Developer
    <!--quoteo(post=1863845:date=Jul 27 2011, 07:59 AM:name=jergodz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jergodz @ Jul 27 2011, 07:59 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863845"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->UWE should just use that flamethrower, saves them the coding and makes it 20 times better, good work Schimmel<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    thanks :D
    but i dont know about the performance hit on a high populated server (could not test it so far). also, this version of the flamethrower would need a new firstperson cinematic (just a shorter "pulsing" flame indicating the bursts)
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  • jergodzjergodz Join Date: 2011-05-20 Member: 99745Members
    True, true, but you usually dont see more than 2/3 people with flamers so I guess it would be fine for the time being. Kinda like the old hydra it lagged the game but it was still in
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  • MOOtantMOOtant Join Date: 2010-06-25 Member: 72158Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1863823:date=Jul 27 2011, 11:47 AM:name=Schimmel)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Schimmel @ Jul 27 2011, 11:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863823"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I made this modification for the flamethrower:

    <div align='center'><center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RUaDI8zfeBA"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RUaDI8zfeBA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center></div>

    its not exactly what your idea was about, but its using actual "projectiles" instead of burning everything in a cone in front of you<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    This is exactly how flamethrower should be: made of flame particles not from silly "stream" that changes direction instantly. You should not ever be able to change direction of flames already in the air. People can talk about tweaks but this just has to get in the game.
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  • KoruyoKoruyo AUT Join Date: 2009-06-06 Member: 67724Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited July 2011
    Your flamethrower mechanic looks really nice, only the flame sprites need some work....

    I think it should be a mix between schimmels version and that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZs9OnW6o9c" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZs9OnW6o9c</a> (Return to Castle Wolfenstein) Depending on range and damage a movement slow while fireing could be a good idea to add too, and/or at least self dmg so you dont want to sprint into your own flames(or aim at a wall bouncing the flames back in your face) => you wanna go slower by yourself while fireing (=>no need to add a crappy slow on buttonpress)



    PS: killing floor ft is more like a railgun than a ft... Oo
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  • NixxenNixxen Join Date: 2004-02-11 Member: 26401Members
    edited July 2011
    Edit: Koruyo managed to give a superb video for what I was trying to explain while writing this - already implemented in a game.
    Edit2: I just realized the RTCW version is actually a generated model and not a particle effect O.o <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVVXKlohRgg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVVXKlohRgg</a>
    <i>Also, suggestion for secondary fire, unlit spray that sticks to surfaces(I have mentioned it in another thread, with a video but linking again). <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d27VZze5GA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d27VZze5GA</a> - Secondary fire at around 0:20.</i>

    <!--quoteo(post=1863823:date=Jul 27 2011, 11:47 AM:name=Schimmel)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Schimmel @ Jul 27 2011, 11:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863823"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I made this modification for the flamethrower:

    <div align='center'><center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RUaDI8zfeBA"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RUaDI8zfeBA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center></div>

    its not exactly what your idea was about, but its using actual "projectiles" instead of burning everything in a cone in front of you<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    IMO, Some variation of this, but with updated particle effects, where the flame is cone shaped at first(it's a spray after all) and when the heat of the fire over weighs the force of the spray and expands outwards while the heat pulls it slightly up. Gravity would pull the spray downwards after a while, causing both upwards and downwards expansion to the flame particles.
    Once the stream/flame hit a surface it would expand in a small explosion like(well, maybe not explosion, but use the videos linked bellow for ref) way depending on how far away the impact area is from your shooting possition(splash of the stream. It's only liquid, but on fire).

    All this of course shouldn't be generated on the fly using physics, but the general arch of the spray and the timer for the animations of the particles can with ease be hardcoded to look right. As for the impact, it looked quite good in Schimmels video, with the way it looks as if the liquid slides along the floor.


    Some reference videos to make what I'm trying to explain easier to understand.
    <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9DkciMTsLI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9DkciMTsLI</a> (0:50s into the video)
    <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmE-emrrAs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmE-emrrAs</a> (no target, so no impact)
    <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thaP_5d8ZpQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thaP_5d8ZpQ</a>
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  • DooM-AUDooM-AU Join Date: 2011-06-27 Member: 106715Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1863955:date=Jul 28 2011, 05:37 AM:name=Koruyo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Koruyo @ Jul 28 2011, 05:37 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863955"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think it should be a mix between schimmels version and that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZs9OnW6o9c" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZs9OnW6o9c</a> (Return to Castle Wolfenstein)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Wireframe version of RTFW flamethrower <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVVXKlohRgg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVVXKlohRgg</a>
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  • SewlekSewlek The programmer previously known as Schimmel Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16247Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Developer
    I will try to improve it. But keep in mind that my flamethrower has currently no photoshop work included. It took the graphics that were already there.

    I will try to let the flamethrower spawn a "trail" of smaller flames, and bigger ones in the end. currently the view is anyway obscured and this needs to be
    addressed, although i like this "terror" that the flamethrower is causing :D
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