[WIP] Orbital (and bot) balance mod

It's not a tactical missile, it's just a re-purposed fighter missile. It doesn't seem to have a spawn layer.

The fighter missile inherits from base_missile_aa_seeking.
base_missile_aa_seeking inherits from base_missile_seeking
base_missile_seeking inherits from base_missile
Base missile:

{
"base_spec": "/pa/ammo/base_ammo/base_ammo.json",
"damage": 0,
"events": {
"died": {
"audio_cue": "/SE/Impacts/missile_tactical",
"effect_specs": "/pa/effects/specs/default_proj_explosion.pfx"
}
},
"fx_trail": {
"filename": "/pa/effects/specs/rocket_proj_trail.pfx",
"offset": [
0.0,
0.8,
0.0
]
},
"initial_velocity": 70.0,
"lifetime": 30,
"max_velocity": 70.0,
"model": {
"arrows": 3,
"filename": "/pa/units/air/missile/missile.papa"
},
"physics": {
"add_to_spatial_db": false,
"gravity_scalar": 5,
"ignore_gravity": true,
"push_class": 1,
"radius": 1
},
"spawn_layers": "WL_Air",
"splash_damage": 0,
"splash_radius": 1,
"turn_rate": 150
}

oh, ok thanks.

No problem.

ok, it still doesn't work. The unit just does not have a weapon ingame.

without being able to see your code I wouldn't know what's wrong then.

I know what's wrong.

Your weapon uses a decimal range, AND you didn't start it with a zero. Tell me I am right?

fyi: I mean "range": .4 instead of "range": 0.4

This is usually the most common result of this in my short modding experience. We all learned a lot of troubleshooting this kind of stuff in a short time sadly. The same crap always causes the same crap, its like a crap signature showing crap was here.

If my pot shot was right, you are welcome.

nope. Weapon range is 300. I'm probably missing a colon or something, somewhere, but I cannot find it.

Here is the code:

orbital_bomber.json:

Code:

{
  "base_spec":"/pa/units/orbital/base_orbital/base_orbital.json",
  "display_name":"Excalibur",
  "description":"Analysis: Orbital Bomber - Slow moving, for use against orbital defenses.",
  "build_metal_cost":950,
  "max_health":175,
  "gravwell_velocity_multiplier":6.0,
  "wreckage_health_frac":0.0,
  "spawn_layers":"WL_Orbital",
  "attachable":{
      "offsets":{
        "root":[
            0,
            0,
            0
        ]
      }
  },
  "unit_types":[
      "UNITTYPE_Mobile",
      "UNITTYPE_Orbital",
      "UNITTYPE_Bomber",
      "UNITTYPE_FactoryBuild"
  ],
  "command_caps":[
      "ORDER_Move",
      "ORDER_Patrol",
      "ORDER_Attack",
      "ORDER_Assist"
  ],
  "guard_layer":"WL_Orbital",
  "guard_radius":200,
  "navigation":{
      "type":"orbital",
      "acceleration":40,
      "brake":50,
      "move_speed":30,
      "turn_speed":90,
      "circle_min_time":2,
      "circle_max_time":4,
      "hover_time":-1.0,
      "aggressive_behavior":"circle",
      "aggressive_distance":150,
      "bank_factor":1
  },
  "physics":{
      "radius":5,
      "push_class":15,
      "gravity_scalar":0.001
  },
  "recon":{
      "observer":{
        "items":[
            {
              "layer":"orbital",
              "channel":"sight",
              "shape":"sphere",
              "radius":350
            }
        ]
      }
  },
  "model":{
      "filename":"/pa/units/air/bomber_adv/bomber_adv.papa",
      "arrows":5     
      },
      "animtree":"/pa/anim/anim_trees/orbital_fighter_anim_tree.json"
  },
  "tools":[
      {
        "spec_id":"/pa/units/orbital/orbital_bomber/orbital_bomber_weapon.json",
        "aim_bone":"bone_root",
        "muzzle_bone":"bone_root"
      }
  ],
  "fx_offsets":[
      {
        "type":"moving_forward",
        "filename":"/pa/units/air/bomber_adv/bomber_adv_jets.pfx",
        "offset":[
            0,
            0,
            0
        ]
      }
  ],
  "events":{
      "build_complete":{
        "audio_cue":"/SE/Build_Complete/orbital"
      },
      "fired":{
        "audio_cue":"/SE/Weapons/orb/orb_fighter_fire",
        "effect_spec":"/pa/effects/specs/default_muzzle_flash.pfx socket_muzzle"
      },
      "died":{
        "audio_cue":"/SE/Death/orbital",
        "effect_spec":"/pa/effects/specs/default_explosion.pfx"
      }
  },
  "mesh_bounds":[
      23,
      9.5,
      4.8
  ],
  "TEMP_texelinfo":17.7177
}

orbital_bomber_ammo.json:

Code:

{
  "base_spec":"/pa/ammo/base_missiles/base_missile_orbital.json",
  "damage":1000,
  "splash_damage":0,
  "splash_radius":0,
  "initial_velocity":150.0,
  "max_velocity":150.0,
  "turn_rate":360,
  "lifetime":4
}

orbial_bomber_weapon.json:

Code:

{
  "base_spec":"/pa/tools/base_fighter_turret/base_fighter_turret.json",
  "ammo_id":"/pa/units/orbital/orbital_bomber/orbital_bomber_ammo.json",
  "rate_of_fire":0.25,
  "max_range":300,
  "firing_arc_yaw":45,
  "firing_arc_pitch":45,
  "auto_attack":true,
  "target_layers":[
      "WL_Orbital"
  ]
}

I probably made some really obvious mistake :/

Invalid json on your main bomber file.
run it through a json validator (I suggest jsonlint)

Your animtree isn't correctly housed in the "model" array... which means it can't aim, and therefore means it can't shoot.

Code:

"model": {
        "filename": "/pa/units/air/bomber_adv/bomber_adv.papa",
        "arrows": 5,
        "animtree": "/pa/anim/anim_trees/orbital_fighter_anim_tree.json"
    },

oh, huh. The validator I was using wasn't finding that. Odd.

Sublime text 2 is free and has an inbuilt (and very reliable) josn format checker.

Edit: there's nothing "wrong" with your json per-say other than, because of that superfluous end-bracket, your json was ending after the model and not loading anything from "tools" onward.

Maybe I was wrong then, and that was why it wasn't firing, rather than not having an animtree...

...

Probably a mix of both tbh.

That's odd. The dox model code has the same strucutre as the "incorrect" orbital bomber code, but works fine...

Code:

  "model":{
      "filename":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot.papa",
      "animations":{
        "death01":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_death01.papa",
        "walk":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_run.papa",
        "idle":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_idle.papa",
        "aim_up":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_aim_up.papa",
        "aim_down":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_aim_dwn.papa"
      },
      "animtree":"/pa/anim/anim_trees/bipedal_mech_anim_tree.json",
      "walk_speed":20
  },
  "tools":[
      {
        "spec_id":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_tool_weapon.json",
        "aim_bone":"socket_aim",
        "muzzle_bone":"socket_rightMuzzle"
      },

No, it doesn't. It has an "animations" array contained within the "model" array.

looks the same to a newb at coding like me.

Note the number of brackets that open and close an array:

"model":{
"filename":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot.papa",
"animations":{
"death01":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_death01.papa",
"walk":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_run.papa",
"idle":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_idle.papa",
"aim_up":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_aim_up.papa",
"aim_down":"/pa/units/land/assault_bot/assault_bot_anim_aim_dwn.papa"
},
"animtree":"/pa/anim/anim_trees/bipedal_mech_anim_tree.json",
"walk_speed":20
},

Now look at your previous version:

"model":{
"filename":"/pa/units/air/bomber_adv/bomber_adv.papa",
"arrows":5
},
"animtree":"/pa/anim/anim_trees/orbital_fighter_anim_tree.json"
},

^
|
Notice this one doesn't have a partner.

Ah, yes. I see it now. I didn't see the bracket after "animations":

Thanks for the help!

Odd. As soon as I fix it, I am no longer able to build the unit at all.

Doesn't the orbital fighter animtree have lots of animations referenced in it that you have now removed?

Not that i'm aware of, unless they were referenced somewhere else. I just copied the fighter files and replaced the model and weapons.

But deleted the animations...