Jetpacks
Chopper_Dave1
Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2353Members
Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2353Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Is this how they were intended?</div> Now before you flame-happy posters say anything, this is NOT about a marine getting on top of a hive and killing it.
My problem is that jet-packers seem to get way too much out of their fuel. As most good players know, it's possible to stay airborne near infinitely just by tapping the jump button. I don't think this is right. It seems that the jetpack is intended to run out after a certain amount of use, but right now, fuel isn't really much of an issue to a decent marine. For the aliens, this means that nothing short of a fade can kill a jetpacker easily; you just try to kill a half-decent player with a leap/bite combo, if he doesnt kill you, Flarya's anti-script code will. And the lerks, with their awkward flight style, have a troublesome time catching a circle-strafing infini-jetter.
My suggestion: the jetpack should eat up a small block of fuel when it starts up, then slowly drain fuel until it is shut-off. That way, tappers waste fuel just as quickly as people who hold the button down. Hopefully, jetpacks will then be used more for what I think is there original purpose - getting marines in vents.
My problem is that jet-packers seem to get way too much out of their fuel. As most good players know, it's possible to stay airborne near infinitely just by tapping the jump button. I don't think this is right. It seems that the jetpack is intended to run out after a certain amount of use, but right now, fuel isn't really much of an issue to a decent marine. For the aliens, this means that nothing short of a fade can kill a jetpacker easily; you just try to kill a half-decent player with a leap/bite combo, if he doesnt kill you, Flarya's anti-script code will. And the lerks, with their awkward flight style, have a troublesome time catching a circle-strafing infini-jetter.
My suggestion: the jetpack should eat up a small block of fuel when it starts up, then slowly drain fuel until it is shut-off. That way, tappers waste fuel just as quickly as people who hold the button down. Hopefully, jetpacks will then be used more for what I think is there original purpose - getting marines in vents.
Comments
0mfg!!!!1111one l3rk5 c4n f1y inf1n1t3ly w1t4 ADRENALINE!!!!111one. 5O u/\/F41|2!!!!!111one
Also, jetpackers(like me) like to fight in combat, using our increased mobility to its full extent, dodging acid and leaping skulks as we rain hmg fire down upon them. Paying 9 rps JUST to get in vents seems kind of strange, although vents give complete access to the map.
As I've heard before, Fades use there mobility to get away from fights...Jetpackers deny that mobility.
Another note, shouldn't this be in suggestion forum?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My suggestion: the jetpack should eat up a small block of fuel when it starts up, <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I suppose that "My suggestion" answers my question.
Try it yourselves - type "fps_max XX" in console - first do it with XX = 100, and then with XX = 20 (obviously, your average FPS has to be decently higher than 20 to see the effect!).
This bug unfortunately affects many facets of the game - build speed, for example, and ROF as well. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> Apparently it also crops up in other mods - in DOD, the MG overheat was altered by FPS. However, DOD fixed the problem, and I would assume that Flayra will figure out how to fix it as well in the future.
Thats brilliant (thou a bit unfair), as I get 100fps constant, so I have the advantage on ROF and jetpacking!
I already knew the building thing, thats y I always build stuff in matches, as I have seen that I DO build faster than ne1 else in the clan <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
If u can kill fades while flying around or the more power to u.
They do their job quite nicely. I don't think fuel issues should be a problem beyond the FPS bug - an experienced jetpacker is a good threat for the aliens, just like an experienced lerk or ANY alien is a good challenge for the marines. Yes, they are only 9 credits a pop, but I'm sure that most public teams only have 1 or 2 "l33t JPx0rs" or whatever on their team. Everyone else is still banging their heads into the ceiling and crashing back down to the ground, like me. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
I would suggest however, Jetpack physics be more Tribes-ish. If the JP didn't give as much upward thrust, this would become non-existant. (Any make the JP easier to use, lol)
1. you can move faster in vents than anywhere else.
2. you can stop completely in midair without having to slow down first.
3. you can smash into walls and ceilings as hard as you can without taking any damage.
the physics for lerk and other things needs to be changed as well. the air control in half-life is just ridiculous.
i think in general the flying in this game should be made so it gives alot more maneuverability to players than it does now but the downside should be that players have to be skilled coz they will take damage from crashing into things too hard and scraping things too fast.
Try it yourselves - type "fps_max XX" in console - first do it with XX = 100, and then with XX = 20 (obviously, your average FPS has to be decently higher than 20 to see the effect!).
This bug unfortunately affects many facets of the game - build speed, for example, and ROF as well. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> Apparently it also crops up in other mods - in DOD, the MG overheat was altered by FPS. However, DOD fixed the problem, and I would assume that Flayra will figure out how to fix it as well in the future.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I suppose the fuel is updated every frame... It should be updated every 1/10 of second for example and the "bug" goes away.
It reminds me something I have read in my OpenGL book: If you want to make a rotating object, recompute its angle every frame instead of just adding the difference.
I suppose you drain some fuel every frame... It's like adding the difference between the angles.
A Jetpacker can easily be killed by a fade and in most rooms and corriders by good skulks aswell. Obviously its difficult for skulks to take down a JP but thats sort of the entire point of the item, Manouverability at the cost of armor.
Dont even dream of changing the physics of its movement thought as it is 100% perfect how it is.
Regarding amount of fuel - it's pointless to argue, because everyone has a different experience based on their FPS. According to Cyanide's own experimentation, "A person with 100FPS can basically FLY, whereas a person with 30 FPS, can only hop for about 10 feet without falling down, using the SAME amount of energy."
Until that bug is fixed, it's impossible to say "jetpacks are fine" or "jetpacks are too good." As the geeks say, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).
Regarding amount of fuel - it's pointless to argue, because everyone has a different experience based on their FPS. According to Cyanide's own experimentation, "A person with 100FPS can basically FLY, whereas a person with 30 FPS, can only hop for about 10 feet without falling down, using the SAME amount of energy."
Until that bug is fixed, it's impossible to say "jetpacks are fine" or "jetpacks are too good." As the geeks say, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think the only change to jetpacks needed here is the FPS fix. Otherwise it is fine. We just need it to perform the same for everyone. My NS runs at about 20-25 FPS most of the time, and at marine base and other heavily fortified areas, around 10 FPS. And I think the jetpack works fine like that. If it worked like that for everyone I think it would be fair. I can zoom around on my jetpack, but not for too long.
consider the advantage of jetpacks on maps liek caged, to maps like bast's refinery area and nothing's viaduct area...
same with lerks really..
1) Fuel capacity and/or fuel return should be lowered
2) If carrying a HMG you cannot fly
3) Ceiling cruising should be removed
Oh my! I can feel the flames already!
Flying marines in the air that no skulk can attack and kharaa with not near enough res to go lerk. I don't have a problem with jetpacks mid - late game since there are fades and lerks that can actually kill jetpackers. But when its in the first 5 minutes of the game its pretty much impossible when they are flying inbetween the ground and ceiling for minutes at a time.
IP: 22 RPs
Armory: 25 RPs
Arms Lab: 50 RPs
Prototype Lab: 45 RPs.
Research Jetpacks: 25 RPs, plus research time (which I know is at least 1 minute).
Jetpacks for a 6-man team: 54 RPs.
You're not rushing Jetpacks in the first 5 minutes.
I just tried it on a lan game and I built a jetpack within 5 - 6 minutes with building everything by myself(jumping out of com chair and building it).
[Edit]Oh yeah, I like Jetpacks just fine. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
This pretty much describes the problem...
Yeah you can fly around a lot but if you decide to land, it's sometimes instant death;
A jetpacker shouldn't always be the one who decides when it's time to land.