XS Prototype: Condor

[Xyx]

Condor

The Condor is a fast fighter/bomber built for strafing runs.

[shot]http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/43096/8001.jpg[/shot]

Prototype preface
XS prototypes are built to see if certain concepts work as well in practice as they look on paper, to see if our ideas can be realized and whether they are fun. This thread is meant to gather feedback and suggestions. Please post your thoughts and crazy ideas!

Current features

• Aim at suitable targets to lock them. You can lock different targets and you can lock the same target multiple times. You can have up to 16 locks.
• Press Fire to fire missiles at all locked targets. After that, the missiles reload, which takes a while. Best use is to lock many targets before firing.
• Hold down Altfire to charge up a big energy bomb. Release to drop.
• When a bomb has been charged up, a targeting display will activate, highlighting the predicted trajectory and impact location of the bomb.
• Charged bombs cannot be held forever. Wait too long and they'll dissipate. You'll get a warning before that happens.
• Bombs bounce, and explode every time they land until they run out of momentum.
• An energy shield protects the entire craft. The shield recharges slowly.
• If the shield goes down, it must recharge all the way back up before it is raised again.
• Hover near a powernode or a powernode skybeam to draw power with which recharge the shield really fast.
• Information is displayed on the HUD explaining the status of various features; shield, locks, missiles, bomb charge status. The vertical bar in the lower right corner displays the bomb charge progress.

Known issues

• The craft is a bit hard to control on small maps.
• The bomb sound is hard to hear in the distance, as is the case with nearly all UT3 sounds. Go Epic.
• If you have installed a more recent XS prototype, the bomb's explosion will crash the game. This will, of course, be fixed in the next version.

Plans

This concept did not turn out as intended. The idea was to create a vehicle that encouraged hit-and-run gameplay and in particular strafing runs. The hitting-and-running is there, but the strafing is lacking. I wanted to create a vehicle that would "draw lines in the sand", similar to the strafing runs WW2 planes make in movies. However, it is generally more effective to fly straight at the target and saturate a relatively small area with fire than to "draw a line in the sand".

The missiles are the third incarnation of the Fire button weapons, replacing ultra-rapid fire vulcan guns and plasma guns. The missiles may still be replaced, but the replacement is not set in stone. Possibilities include:

• Laser fence posts that form a fence. Finally an excuse to "draw lines".

I attempted to make the craft handle less like the Raptor/Cicada/Fury and more like a jet fighter (though with the ability to hover). This is, unfortunately, not an easy feat in UT3.

Prototype disclaimer
XS prototypes are not meant to represent finished products. Custom graphics, balance tweaking, bot support, net support and extensive bugfixing are not part of the package.

Download

• MediaFire
• FileFront

[Bl!tz~]

the back look like a spaceship but when u watch the front part only....it look like a submarine with that "shark" face nice

[Vicious3745]

Why does this download lead to the Quantum Bender

[Xyx]

Download links fixed!

[ThaMarine]

I can see that the idea of firerate proportional to the flying speed is taken from the Classic Gunship idea.

[Vicious3745]

Considering this vehicles primary weapon, i think that the option to give it First Person view would greatly benifit one's aim. On Suspense, i hardly ever found myself going fast enough to properly use it's bomb, and the times i finally got the hang of it, i couldn't hit anybody with it. xD

I've found the vehicle to be ALOT more useful on larger maps, like my own Kaufman Overpass. You really get up the speed to use the autocannon on the front. Can i ask why the gun fires more quickly the faster you go?

[Xyx]

Can i ask why the gun fires more quickly the faster you go?

Because, uhm... the craft's chassis is laced with a special compound grid that generates enormous amounts of energy as it passes through the planet's magnetic field.

And because I wanted the craft to serve in a hit-and-run and strafing capacity, rather than something that hangs back and peppers things at the edge of its range. We already have a Raptor for that.

[Vicious3745]

I posted a video of it in action if anybody's curious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqlTi...e=channel_page

Because, uhm... the craft's chassis is laced with a special compound grid that generates enormous amounts of energy as it passes through the planet's magnetic field.

And because I wanted the craft to serve in a hit-and-run and strafing capacity, rather than something that hangs back and peppers things at the edge of its range. We already have a Raptor for that.

Do you like, Roll for techno-babble? Thats pretty impressive.
I like it, but i do find it a dash annoying when the innacurate thing can't hit that one guy infront of you after 3 shots. Don't make it more accurate, but perhaps make the ammo do a slightly more amount of damage.

The only other complaint i have about the craft would be how slow it Strafes. It's kinda like tugging it around. The turning is slow, but i like that, honestly, however i have a habit of strafing into and out of turns, and often find this thing lurching out of my banks.. I didn't realized Aircraft suffered from Understeer. xD I'm having alot of fun with this thing though!

[Wacky Ninja]

The only other complaint i have about the craft would be how slow it Strafes. It's kinda like tugging it around. The turning is slow, but i like that, honestly, however i have a habit of strafing into and out of turns, and often find this thing lurching out of my banks.. I didn't realized Aircraft suffered from Understeer. xD I'm having alot of fun with this thing though!

I beleive the slow strafing is to make it feel more like a fighter plane (even though it is a ultra futuristic plasma bomberthingy) Ive never seen a real plane strafe.

Nice video btw

[Wacky Ninja]

I attempted to make the craft handle less like the Raptor/Cicada/Fury and more like a jet fighter (though with the ability to hover). This is, unfortunately, not an easy feat in UT3.

Could you use some of the redeemers flying script to make to fly like that. Or would that probably not work becasue it is a weapon not a vehicle.

sorry for double post

[Xyx]

The Redeemer is not a vehicle, and the things done to the Redeemer to make it fly do not work on vehicles.

[CaptainSnarf]

Technically, the redeemer you can control *is* a tiny flying vehicle .

from UTRemoteRedeemer.uc

class UTRemoteRedeemer extends Vehicle
	native
	notplaceable
	abstract;

[Xyx]

You're absolutely right. It is technically a vehicle, just not the right type. I'd need an UTVehicle, not just a Vehicle.

[Xyx]

New version uploaded. See first post for updated details and download.

Highlights:

• Vulcan guns replaced with missiles. See first post for details.

[Wacky Ninja]

Hmm I may have a brainstorming breakthough here.

How did "AFF: Planetstorm" make their space fighter thingys?