Lightning gun -- help

[Orion]

Hi..

I'm trying to make a QuakeC-made LG without using builtin functions.
I've removed traceline, WriteByte, WriteEntity, and WriteCoord lines from W_FireLightning().

A little time ago, I've seen in slow-motion (host_framerate 0.001) the original one fires dozens of bolt2.mdl forward. And I've seen that they've avelocity_z set to some very high value. And I've noticed that the first bolt spins slower that the second, that spins slower than the third, and so on.

So, I need some help on how to make a QC made one, putting a bolt in front of another, limiting the distance of 600.
And removed after 0.2 seconds, and every frame pointing at the player's view angle like ezquake's fakeshaft.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

[frag.machine]

Just for curiosity: why are you trying to replicate the lightning beam in QuakeC ?

EDIT:

A little time ago, I've seen in slow-motion (host_framerate 0.001) the original one fires dozens of bolt2.mdl forward. And I've seen that they've avelocity_z set to some very high value. And I've noticed that the first bolt spins slower that the second, that spins slower than the third, and so on.

AFAIK this is just coincidence.

[Orion]

To use with different models without replacing.
And to make similar things.

[frag.machine]

Ahh, I see. But you still need traceline() to determine if there's something in the way of your beam. Take a look at the original grappling hook code. It simulates a "chain" with spikes placed along the way between the axe and the spike. I suspect it's the nearest thing you'll get without custom builtins, though.

[Orion]

I did it.
I've made a function that will spawn a bolt 32 units forward of each other, to make a line. The only problem is that the lightning goes through walls, I have a demo showing that.
And, 19 bolts reaches 608 units, because each bolt have 32 units of length. And the aiming is better, it's not exactly equal to fakeshaft, but the lightning looks more precise, each bolt have a touch function, and they're solid.

[Urre]

That's a weird way to do it. Just trace 600 units forward, and place bolts at 32 units from eachother until they reach trace_endpos, then stop, and just set their .think to SUB_Remove and .nextthink to time + 0.2, and damage whatever was hit by the traceline. Why'd you make them solid? I don't see any sense in not using traceline, since then you can't hit world geometry. You can hit entities without traceline, but not the world.

[Preach]

How are you spawning entities without using builtins? I thought that there was only one way...

[Urre]

Right on

[FrikaC]

Three cheers for packet overflow!

[Urre]

Bah! Packet overflows are for sissies!

[Orion]

Take a look:

Code: Select all

void() BeamTouch =
{
   if (other == self.owner)
      return;
   if (other.takedamage)
   {
      if (self.t_width < time)
      {
         particle (other.origin, '0 0 100', 225, self.dmg*4);
         if (self.owner.classname == "player")
         {
            if (other.classname == "player")
               other.velocity_z = other.velocity_z + 400;
         }
         T_Damage (other, self, self.owner, self.dmg);
         self.t_width = time + 0.1; // don't do damage every frame
      }
   }
};

void(vector org, string bolt, float damage, float numbolts) ParseBeam =
{
   local entity beam;
   local float fwd;
   
   fwd = 0;
   while (numbolts > 0)
   {
      fwd = fwd + 32;
      
      beam = spawn ();
      beam.owner = self;
      beam.movetype = MOVETYPE_FLY;
      beam.solid = SOLID_TRIGGER;
      beam.dmg = damage;
   
      makevectors (self.v_angle);
      beam.avelocity_z = 99999999;
      beam.angles_x = self.v_angle_x * -1;
      beam.angles_y = self.v_angle_y;
      beam.angles_z = self.v_angle_z;
   
      beam.touch = BeamTouch;
   
      beam.nextthink = time + 0.1;
      beam.think = SUB_Remove;
   
      setmodel (beam, bolt);
      setsize (beam, '0 0 0', '0 0 0');
      setorigin (beam, org + v_forward*fwd);
      
      numbolts = numbolts - 1;
   }
};


The bolts are SOLID_TRIGGER, which don't block the way of any entity. But I really should use traceline() to avoid going through walls.

[Sajt]

Yes, you should. I really don't know WHY you are doing this.

[Orion]

To create another type of instant weapons..

[Sajt]

I mean, why are you doing it without traceline and all that... :O

[Orion]

Just for testing...
But to the bolts reach the trace_endpos, how can I do that?