Question: Modifying Species Statistics?

[legacy-Kkalis]

There are some nice new models out there already.

When adding a model to UT2004, the normal process is to download the zip file, open it, extract the files to the appropriate UT2004 folders...

... and finally to add a line of character info to the XPlayers.int file.

Which is all fine... until you want to play with the Species Statistics mutator. Only the new models do not come with species statistics.

The question, then, is what file to I open and what lines to I add to it to create species statistics for new models?

I really appreciate the help! Thanks!

--Kkalis

[jaybud4]

I'm pretty sure it's the species that the model is, meaning what it is under in the player select filter, like Hellions, Cybernetic, Thundercrash, etc...

[legacy-Kkalis]

Understood. Therefore, if I add a new model, and thereby add a new species, how do I add a new set of species statistics to go with that model?

--Kkalis

[jaybud4]

I don't think you CAN make new species, but I'm not sure.
The species is assigned to the model, and that's where it shows up in the player species filter thing, and it gets assigned the species statistics from THAT species. So if your model showed up in the Hellions filter, it would get the SS statistics of Hellions.

[legacy-Redqueen]

Does Species Statistics even work?

It didn't in 2003.

[jaybud4]

Originally posted by Redqueen
Does Species Statistics even work?

It didn't in 2003.

There wasn't even one FOR UT2003. yes, it works.

[legacy-Kissamies]

Actually Hellions, Thundercrash, etc is the model's "Race". Team in other words and it doesn't affect species mutator, at least I don't think so. It is easy to create new races. What is counted in species mutator is actual species. Look at the upl files and you'll see entries like "species=xGame.SPECIES_Merc" or "species=xGame.SPECIES_Bot". Those are species and it's not a simple thing to create new ones.

[legacy-Kkalis]

Originally posted by jaybud4
So if your model showed up in the Hellions filter, it would get the SS statistics of Hellions.

Okay. Well, I have downloaded a couple modles that actually had a species built into the models themselves. And therefore, it shows up in the settings as being part of that species. Complete with modifying the droplist of potential species to include them.

So the species is there. I just need to know what file the species statistics info is in. Hopefully, it is a file I can open and edit to give the new species some species statistics.


And yes, the Species Statistics does indeed work. Normally, I play one of the Gen'. Lousy race for deathmatch, as they take extra damage. But awesome for CTF and Bombing Run. That little bit of extra running speed really makes a difference!

--Kkalis

[legacy-Kkalis]

Originally posted by Kissamies
What is counted in species mutator is actual species. Look at the upl files and you'll see entries like "species=xGame.SPECIES_Merc" or "species=xGame.SPECIES_Bot". Those are species and it's not a simple thing to create new ones.

Thanks! This, it turns out, is exactly what was needed to solve my problem.

Most new models out there come with the Merc species by default. This gives them the default Merc species statistics (none) and Merc taunt animations. To give a new model a different set of statistics, you need to edit this line. For example, I downloaded Marygold model and the associated "Cat" race skins. I have now gone in and changed...

species=xGame.SPECIES_Merc

to

species=xGame.SPECIES_Alien

...using the Gen's species statistics in order to make them the fast, lithe sort of creatures a feline race ought to be.

--Kkalis

[legacy-Kissamies]

Doesn't that make their blood green? I made them egyptians for higher jumps and better air control.

[legacy-Kkalis]

Yeah, which is a little weird.

So what I've done now is set Marygold to _Egypt, as you have. Very nice. But I have left the cheetah-like girl as _Alien. She should be a quickie!

--Kkalis

[legacy-butcherboy]

You will need to add to the "Species Statistics" mutator to add any classes to the game. I believe the species mutator code will be located in the xGame/classes directory once you extract all the scripts out via unrealEd. Adding a new class shouldn't be much more than cutting, pasting, changing a few numbers, and recompiling the mutator. Of course, your better bet is to change the name of the mutator to something else for best online compatability.

[legacy-Kerensky]

Well, Indeed I found the entries (Already finished learning how to basic script, learning how to do the advanced stuff). However, they usually look like this:

class SPECIES_Alien extends SpeciesType
abstract;

static function string GetRagSkelName(String MeshName)
{
return "Alien2";
}

I will continue the search and report back later.,

[legacy-JaFO(JBE)]

*ahem* You should ask this in the programming-section.
This section is for beta-releases or else you might get kicked ...

// --
You should never under no circumstance whatsoever just switch the 'species'-item to whatever you feel like.
It does a quite a bit more then merely defining running-speed & other species-statistics.
It also defines the skeleton, ragdoll, default voicepack & deathsounds for the characters.
So if you alter the species-setting then you've got to make sure that the skeleton & ragdoll-items in the character-definition are set to the ones for the original species.
If you don't do this then at best you get weird results (such as the alien skeleton appearing for humans) and at worst you get crashes (since the ragdoll doesn't match the model's structure ... ).

[legacy-RegularX]

horrible, blatant, pimpage for SSP belongs here:

http://unrealmods.org/view_mod.php?modid=15