Firing arc, setup & recovery display?

[XViper]

Just managed to get the Shuriken Cannon platform as an upgrade for the Guardian squad, and it seems to work ok. However the platforms firing arc, setup or teardown displays aren't appearing.

Anyone able to tell me where I can find these particular settings amongst the files?
I'm guessing I they might be within the sbps of the Shuriken Cannon team, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

Thanks in advance.

[XViper]

*bump*

I usually don't bump my threads, but this was getting a little far down the page for my liking :)

[XViper]

help :(

Tried a whole heap of things, and still cant figure this one out.

What I'll do when I get home, is post the .rbf's for my Guardian Squad, and maybe that will help to find out what I need to add or change.

[Sastopher]

I don't know, but my guess is you could find it comparing the relative files for your guardian/shuriken-cannon squad and a regular shiriken, looking for differences. I'm also interested in how you implemented this, so I'll help you look after you reply.

[Zetrial]

Haven't tried it but have a strong feeling it could be the facing_arrow entry in the sbps files for the squads as regular squads seem to have a default arrow entry there and setup teams have ui\area_outlines\shapes\arrow\setup_weapon_arrow.
Though that will probably change it to always have the arc setup, haven't looked into how it would only be that way with the upgrade purchased though, have a feeling it would be some entry in the wargear file for it though.

[XViper]

I tried that Zetrial, but didn't seem to work :( (It wouldn't really bother me if it was on all the time).

Sastopher, I'll post a quick rundown of how I did this when I get home. Incase anyone else is interested aswell.

[Sastopher]

Could this issue be related to something in squad plan? Depending on how to implement the switch to a shuriken platform, it might have the wrong squad AI, which might affect the display UI for platform weapons in some way.

[XViper]

As promised Sastopher.

First you need to make an upgrade for the Shuriken Cannon (unless you want it to start in the squad from the beginning, in which case you'd just add the ebps for the Platform into the squad loadout area.)
I called mine: eld_shuriken_cannon_platform.rbf

simulation\attrib\upgrade\pvp\race_eldar\troops\eld_shuriken_cannon_platform.rbf

I used the Warlock upgrade as a template, then modified certain parts as required. Bits in bold are things to take note of.


| upgrade_bag: {
| | actions: {
| | | spawn_entity: {
| | | | $REF: "actions\ability\spawn_entity";
| | | | add_to_target_squad: true;
| | | | clear_area: "";
| | | | duration: 0f;
| | | | entity_blueprint: "ebps\pvp\race_eldar\troops\eld_shuriken_cannon";
| | | | facing: 0f;
| | | | facing_variation: 0f;
| | | | load_executor: false;
| | | | offset_pos: {
| | | | | x: 0f;
| | | | | y: 0f;
| | | | };
| | | | passability_validation: "";
| | | | player_owned: true;
| | | | spawn_actions: {
| | | | };
| | | | spawn_with_level_of_executor: false;
| | | };


| | requirements: {
| | | required_local_entity: {
| | | | $REF: "requirements\required_local_entity";
| | | | entity: "ebps\pvp\race_eldar\troops\eld_shuriken_cannon";
| | | | maximum_allowed: 0;
| | | | minimum_allowed: 0;
| | | | reason: "usage_and_display";
| | | | ui_name: 9200003; -- Can only have one weapon platform


| | ui_display_when_purchased: true;
| | ui_event_cue: true;
| | ui_group: "command_panel";
| | ui_group_position: 6; <--- Determines what upgrade/wargear slot it will appear in. Normal squads have 3,6,9,12 (top to bottom)
| | ui_info: {
| | | brief_text: 9200002; -- Add a Shuriken Cannon platform
| | | extra_text: 0;
| | | help_text: 9200001; -- Adds a Heavy weapon platform to the squad, effective against infantry.
| | | hotkey_name: "";
| | | icon_name: "upgrades\icon_package_flamethrower";
| | | screen_name: 9200000; -- Shuriken Cannon Platform
| | };
| | user_interface: {
| | | icon_file_path: "eldar\icon_upgrades\eld_shuriken_cannon_wl"; <--- The icon it uses. I used the Wraithlord upgrade, as I couldn't find anything else more suitable.
| | };
| };
};


Then you need to add the upgrade to the squad.

simulation\attrib\sbps\pvp\race_eldar\troops\eld_guardian.rbf


| squad_upgrade_ext: {
| | $REF: "squad_extensions\squad_upgrade_ext";
| | defaults: {
| | };
| | upgrades: {
| | | upgrade: "upgrade\pvp\race_eldar\troops\eld_warlock";
| | | upgrade: "upgrade\pvp\race_eldar\troops\battle_equipment";
| | | upgrade: "upgrade\pvp\race_eldar\troops\eld_shuriken_cannon_platform";
| | };
| };
};

and that was pretty much it.

[Sastopher]

I see. Yeah, that's pretty straightforward.

I looked through some files for useful fields. After looking to confirm, I'm fairly certain it isn't in any of the ebps files. The only critical differences I can find are in the sbps files under the plans sections:


| | plans: {
| | | idle_retaliation_plan: "squad_plan\idle_retaliation_default";
| | | melee_plan: "squad_plan\melee_plan_default";
| | | ranged_attack_plan: "squad_plan\pvp\race_eldar\eld_grav_platforms"; --eld_range_guardian for both of these
| | | setup_weapon_attack_plan: "squad_plan\pvp\race_eldar\eld_grav_platforms"; --in the eld_guardian.rbf file
| | };

However, these differences most likely influence AI rather than any sort of UI.

This is sort of a tedious solution, but why don't you try starting with a shuriken squad, remove the platform ebps from the unit list, and reimplement the upgrade with a different unit base? Chances are it will work, and if it doesn't, you've isolated the problem to the ebps/weapon sections.

Edit: strike that, I think it's a horrible solution.

I thought I had a great idea, but I wasn't able to find anything on my first glance. I know there are a number of orc units that upgrade to setup weapons. Maybe you can find the answer to your issue by looking at their data instead?

[XViper]

Yeah, I already tried those attack plan changes, didn't do jack :P

I didn't think about that.
I'll check out the Ork Mekboy and his weapon upgrades! :)

[XViper]

I'm at my wits end with this!
Couldn't find anything specific in the Mekboyz files to help.

I decided to try working backwards using the existing Shuriken Cannon squad and making it so the arc disappears.

Removing the Shuriken Cannon ebps from the Weapon Squads sbps squad loadout makes it disappear.
So this points to the Shuriken Cannon ebps. So I change the wargear on the ebps, firing arc disappears.
So this points to the wargear.
So I change the weapon on the wargear, firing arc disappears.
This points to the weapon file...

but wait.... how can this POSSIBLY be true, as my squad is using the same Shuriken Cannon ebps, which means everything else is the same aswell!!

So I tried adding in the Shuriken Cannon to the squad loadout of the Guardian squad, still no firing arc (when moving).
HOWEVER after it stops, the deployment timer appears, then the firing arc appears (after its deployed).

IT MAKES NO SENSE!!
*cries* :(

[XViper]

Interesting development with this.
I was testing something else just before, when suddenly I realised one of my squads was getting the firing arc (after deployment) and setup timer.

It seems that whenever the number of guardians in the squad gets to a low number (2-3), the arc appears. When the Guardians have more, the arc no longer appears.

Perhaps something to do with the majority units in the squad?
Anyone able to offer any insight?

[Wildcard84]

well, attack plans generally may not affect much, but for general info, theres attack_plan_max_range for example, that is used with snipers (so that they dont just rush into a melee, or halfway towards enemy just to get into cover).. so, yeah, i think those plans are just guidelines for the AI to move your troops passively..