Training missions

Nightflame · Post by **Nightflame** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:28 pm

After looking at the code a little, I've determined that I can make new training missions.

Archangelus has volunteered to provide the voicing, so that just leaves design.

Given some experience with this community, I will provide my suggestions. Unless anyone has good reasons not to use them AND has a better suggestion within a week, I will start.

Default keymap: This has to be set before anything else can be done. I propose a modified steady hands:

Code: Select all

Movement:
wasd: sidethrusters
f: backthrust
F: forward thrust
qe: roll left/right
W: increase thrust
S: decrease thrust
mouse wheel up: max thrust
mouse wheel down: no thrust
space: boost
tab: toggle mouse control
shift-space OR alt-r: ripcord
A OR p: autopilot

Combat:
LMB: shoot
RMB: missile
R: reload
r: drop
t: chaff
g: cloak

Inventory:
default, cargo button moved from 's' to '/', switch ctrl for shift, shift for alt.

Targeting:
MMB: center
E: Enemy
Q: Friendly
zZ: bomber/friendly bbr
xX: miner/
cC: con/
vV: scout/
bB: base/
jJ: pod/
h: aelph
D: cycle radar modes

Among other things, this has the advantage of being relatively close to a normal FPS's controls. There are also quite a few free keys for anything it doesn't cover.

Missions:

Code: Select all

1st: More or less unchanged.

2nd: Movement controls and HUD are explained while flying next to a con. After going through a couple aelphs, and finishing the explanations, the cadet uses the controls to attack a con and ram it to stop it planting. After a successful ram, figs ripped in from the new tele kill the con. If the ram is failed, mission rolls back to first spot of the con. If cadet is still alive after the ram, cadet is congratulated, and killed to demonstrate a pod.  Cadet learns to use `np to get a pickup.

3rd: Basic inventory management is explained to the cadet. The cadet is controlled to fly in front of a second op con. In the new sector, the cadet obey some basic orders to pickup pods. The con is attacked, and the cadet learns to switch in and use a nanite to keep it alive. Con plants, cadet docks, dead or alive. Reset to con attack if cadet or con dies.

4th: Cadet loads up probes and a nan. Cadet learns to use command view to find the unseen aelph to the enemy home. Cadet learns probing, and sig/scan while in the enemy home. Cadet finds more aelphs, and goes through the aelph to the enemy's short planted op. Cadet drops more probes, and gets attacked. It's explained that getting podded doesn't help, and to use the ripcord key to escape.

5th: Lesson picks up in the teleport sector. Cadet is lectured on using command view and the minimap for sitAW. A miner in the sector is under attack. Cadet uses command view to order himself to the miner, and vice versa. Cadet saves miner with nan, reinforcements kill the enemy. A bomber is spotted by the cadet's probes. Cadet learns to use ripcord and station transfer to get to the techbase that will be under attack quickly. Cadet loads up with prox, and goes to the aelph. Cadet's prox obliterates the bomb run.

6th: Commander calls for a bomb run. Cadet uses voice chats and normal chat to organize the bomb run on enemy home. (while their team is still podded) Cadet doges a prox, and uses AB to end the game.

7th: Int training. Boost, guns, stfn, (all skippable) and a dogfight like old mission 6.

8th: Fig training. Using DF (missile training in general) to spike a bbr. 

9th: SF training. How to kill a miner, and how to lob hunters at a bomb run from far away.

Missions 2-6 constitute something resembling a normal game, where the cadet is taught how to do basic actions that really matter. That doesn't handle everything, but it seems like the best way to do training. Bios vs. IC. HiHigher.

So. Hit me.

Spunkmeyer · Post by **Spunkmeyer** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:01 pm

Here's my comments on controls, and I'll keep it in to the most important ones since I realize there is no optimum set up.

1) This is VERY confusing to me:
f: backthrust
F: forward thrust

I can't fly like that, no way. These have to be separate keys IMHO. Also see 2b and 2c

2) The mouse-hand position dictates two things:

a. Mouse toggle can be achieved by a thumb-toggle w/num keypad enter or . without involving the left hand. That frees up a strategic key location.
b. The left shift key, as it falls under the pinky, is premium space and should be used as such. Reverse thrust is one option for this.
c. Space key, most of the time, negates the need for forward thrust

So if left-shft/space is reverse/boost respectively, then I don't mind f/F for forward/backward thrust (because I'd never use it and I wouldn't teach them to a newbie)..but then it's a waste of a key.

3) Moving the cargo key away from S will create a mismatch between the screen, which is hardwired to say S for cargo in the F4 display. We should consider leaving it there and use a WXAD layout instead. I can live with it though.

4) Definitely don't 'switch ctrl for shift, shift for alt.' - there is a paradigm for it, I can't explain cargo management to a newbie if you switch modifier keys around.

5) Personally, I'd rather see a non-shifted (and central) cycle radar modes key if you can swing it. This is crucial for a newbie and you want to make it easy for them.

My only comment about lessons is that there was a suggestion to map them directly to AFS material.

Post by **pkk** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:07 pm

Don't waste time on finding a new default keymap, people on training zone (@cdt) already developed a new concept:
http://www.freeallegiance.org/FAW/index.ph..._my_controls%3F

Spunkmeyer · Post by **Spunkmeyer** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:23 pm

It's not that simple. The inventory keys overlaid on top of targeting keys in steady hands is a singularly bad idea. For the other setup, I don't get how thrust is supposed to work.

Post by **pkk** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:26 pm

Talk to training zone personal, which keys should be default keys has nothing to do with coding at all.

This is the wrong place to discuss this.

Nightflame · Post by **Nightflame** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:59 pm

Spunkmeyer wrote:QUOTE (Spunkmeyer @ Dec 31 2011, 11:01 AM) Here's my comments on controls, and I'll keep it in to the most important ones since I realize there is no optimum set up.

1) This is VERY confusing to me:
f: backthrust
F: forward thrust

I can't fly like that, no way. These have to be separate keys IMHO. Also see 2b and 2c

So you can press both at once? Actually, just removing forward thrust altogether probably makes more sense.
QUOTE 2) The mouse-hand position dictates two things:

a. Mouse toggle can be achieved by a thumb-toggle w/num keypad enter or . without involving the left hand. That frees up a strategic key location.
b. The left shift key, as it falls under the pinky, is premium space and should be used as such. Reverse thrust is one option for this.
c. Space key, most of the time, negates the need for forward thrust

So if left-shft/space is reverse/boost respectively, then I don't mind f/F for forward/backward thrust (because I'd never use it and I wouldn't teach them to a newbie)..but then it's a waste of a key.[/quote]
Wait, you want to use shift for reverse thrust? That mean you can't use ANY shifted keys! There simply isn't enough room on the keyboard to have everything unshifted and hittable with one hand. Even just the stuff that's needed for combat is too much.
Freeing up tab IS doable. For the sake of clarity though, having tab switch between chat modes and mouse modes makes more sense.

QUOTE 3) Moving the cargo key away from S will create a mismatch between the screen, which is hardwired to say S for cargo in the F4 display. We should consider leaving it there and use a WXAD layout instead. I can live with it though.[/quote]
I'm already messing with the source code to change the training missions. Changing that would be a joke.

QUOTE 4) Definitely don't 'switch ctrl for shift, shift for alt.' - there is a paradigm for it, I can't explain cargo management to a newbie if you switch modifier keys around.[/quote]
Eh, I'm not exactly worried about confusing vets. How many vets know the current default keymapping? The main point behind that is to leave ctrl open for mumble. How about I switch all the alts to ctrl instead? That leaves inventory management like it is.

QUOTE 5) Personally, I'd rather see a non-shifted (and central) cycle radar modes key if you can swing it. This is crucial for a newbie and you want to make it easy for them.[/quote]
Please, propose your own keymap. The one I made had a few reasons behind it. 1) It's WASD with space for jump (boost). That is by FAR the most intuitive setup, as it is used for practically every FPS in existence. Everything else is just stuffing important keys around wasd.

As for my genius pkk. None of the keymaps on the wiki are at all intuitive. Skutch's are just the defaults with sidethrusters and some targeting shoved to the left. As such, it's crappy, just easy to learn for newbies used to the old default. Further, the training missions NEED to have the default keys voiced. As such, the default keymap is directly related to remaking the training missions.

Post by **pkk** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:06 pm

Nightflame wrote:QUOTE (Nightflame @ Dec 31 2011, 05:59 PM) As for my genius pkk. None of the keymaps on the wiki are at all intuitive. Skutch's are just the defaults with sidethrusters and some targeting shoved to the left. As such, it's crappy, just easy to learn for newbies used to the old default. Further, the training missions NEED to have the default keys voiced. As such, the default keymap is directly related to remaking the training missions.

Finding a default key map is the first step and has nothing to do with development. That's why I said that this is the wrong place to discuss this.

Many people have many different opinions and some people have learned from experience with new players (training zone)...

Writing training missions which depend on that key map, is the second step.

Nightflame · Post by **Nightflame** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:23 pm

I am not willing to wait two months for the community to debate this. I'll open up another topic to discuss the default keymap, but I start coding in a week.

MrChaos · Post by **MrChaos** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:18 pm

Hi

I am not willing to let you do a bunch of work, have me swoop down, and @#(! all over it in six months cause you didn't ask the right questions. This usually leads to you leaving in a huff calling everyone but mostly me bad names. The alternative where you hang around endlessly calling me names is even worse.

That is the way things have worked in the past and trust me it isn't productive.

There are people in place who you can help, and even someone very capable who is willing take on the task. Check your ego in, grab a shovel, and earn the respect. The best way to do this is to pm pkk on how to fix any of the open tickets. There is an entire system set up. When HE tells me you show some competence as coder then we'll get you on a project.

Lord knows we can use C++ programmers who are competent. I appreciate your get this done now attitude. PM me your details and I will bring this to the ZLs and this project's tentative shot caller... but first go fix a ticket. Consider it a training mission on how things are done around these parts.

The alternative is * points to the first paragraph * fraught with disappointment and drama. Not on my watch.

Bear with me Nightflame as I ease into the seat of pain

MrChaos

Spunkmeyer · Post by **Spunkmeyer** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:26 pm

I've moved the keymap discussion over here:
http://www.freeallegiance.org/forums/index...c=64829&hl=
...as pkk requested.