Ramming speed! Collision stuff.

[Winterhome]

Okay, I know, Collision Damage isn't a high priority. I get that. But I think it's time to revisit its code - if only for an hour or two.

It's simple. You hit another ship while their shields are up, you deal damage equal to the difference of each ship's mass*velocity to both ship's shields.

If the damage put out is less than the shield capacity of both ships, then a push force equal to the amount of damage dealt is applied across the angle of impact to both ships - or, rather, if both ships' shields are up, then both get blasted away from eachother.


Bonus idea: Compare impact surface areas and mass of impacting objects to determine severity of damage. With shields down, ideally, you'd be able to punch through a wide and flat object by using a long and narrow one. Possible implementation method: Soften up the collisions a bit, allow for at least one or two frames worth of block overlap before doing collision calculations to determine comparative surface area in one go.

 

[Mortiferum]

I dont think this is a good idea till collision lag is sorted.

Imagine the horrors of 2 500m ship ramming each other? Then imagine the horrors of 2 700m ships ramming each other.

The lag would be unbearable :p

 

[HerrColonel]

I dont think this is a good idea till collision lag is sorted.

Imagine the horrors of 2 500m ship ramming each other? Then imagine the horrors of 2 700m ships ramming each other.

The lag would be unbearable :p

Somehow I think the server owner should be able to set the max limit for ship size. With features like collision damage, it'll be a shame if we have nothing to scale it down to our hardware

 

[Zackey_TNT]

Somehow I think the server owner should be able to set the max limit for ship size. With features like collision damage, it'll be a shame if we have nothing to scale it down to our hardware

Its up to the server owners and admins to set rules to do this. It doesn't need to be a feature if the admins are not lazy.

 

[Winterhome]

Its up to the server owners and admins to set rules to do this. It doesn't need to be a feature if the admins are not lazy.

A feature would be nice regardless. Pinning it on the server owners is nice and all, but that's like saying that we don't need admin commands or creative mode when we can just get our blocks by mining.

 

[Zackey_TNT]

A feature would be nice regardless. Pinning it on the server owners is nice and all, but that's like saying that we don't need admin commands or creative mode when we can just get our blocks by mining.

The admin commands are in place to enforce the rules.

And TBH I don't think its a feature worth delaying other features for. Its a minor thing and should be added in beta not alpha.

Right now the game needs its core mechanics

 

[Winterhome]

The admin commands are in place to enforce the rules.

And TBH I don't think its a feature worth delaying other features for. Its a minor thing and should be added in beta not alpha.

Right now the game needs its core mechanics

Without knowing what the code looks like, you can't say whether it's a tiny job or a big job. If it's a small job that takes under a day, then there's no real cost to trying to implement it.

Core mechanics are good and all, but they need some supporting structures as well.

 

[Zackey_TNT]

Without knowing what the code looks like, you can't say whether it's a tiny job or a big job. If it's a small job that takes under a day, then there's no real cost to trying to implement it.

Core mechanics are good and all, but they need some supporting structures as well.

I can tell you its not going to be a small job. You are also not looking at the full picture. Now let me tell you it's very surprising how a little change can create 20-50 different bugs and problems.

 

[Valiant70]

Its up to the server owners and admins to set rules to do this. It doesn't need to be a feature if the admins are not lazy.

Do YOU want to be the one to go around and jump in every ship core on the server to check mass and disintegrate the ones that are overweight? I don't. I don't think anyone should have to do that. I think there should be a configurable limit. Exceed the limit, and the ship cannot move until it's light enough.
[DOUBLEPOST=1434722974,1434722498][/DOUBLEPOST]

Okay, I know, Collision Damage isn't a high priority. I get that. But I think it's time to revisit its code - if only for an hour or two.

It's simple. You hit another ship while their shields are up, you deal damage equal to the difference of each ship's mass*velocity to both ship's shields.

If the damage put out is less than the shield capacity of both ships, then a push force equal to the amount of damage dealt is applied across the angle of impact to both ships - or, rather, if both ships' shields are up, then both get blasted away from eachother.


Bonus idea: Compare impact surface areas and mass of impacting objects to determine severity of damage. With shields down, ideally, you'd be able to punch through a wide and flat object by using a long and narrow one. Possible implementation method: Soften up the collisions a bit, allow for at least one or two frames worth of block overlap before doing collision calculations to determine comparative surface area in one go.

The energy in a collision is fairly simple. Doing shield damage before hull damage is the first step toward collision damage actually being playable. Another thing would be using a more optimized method for doing the damage, like spawning a small pulse sphere at the point of contact that damages both ships.

The whole problem could be solved temporarily by simplifying it from a per-block algorithm to an event-based, weapon-like one. At the point of contact, spawn an invisible plane as close to perpendicular to the surface as possible, then move it into each ship a certain distance based on the energy of the collision, then stop. Anything the invisible plane passes through is destroyed, and the ships rebound when their planes touch again, making it look like the blocks were crushed. Actual block physics are ignored throughout the process as they just cause lag and weirdness.

 

[Winterhome]

The whole problem could be solved temporarily by simplifying it from a per-block algorithm to an event-based, weapon-like one. At the point of contact, spawn an invisible plane as close to perpendicular to the surface as possible, then move it into each ship a certain distance based on the energy of the collision, then stop. Anything the invisible plane passes through is destroyed, and the ships rebound when their planes touch again, making it look like the blocks were crushed. Actual block physics are ignored throughout the process as they just cause lag and weirdness.

I might find this agreeable as a *very* temporary solution.

Again, we'd need surface area and mass consideration for the shape of collision damage. At least that way we could start up on rewarding players for making improvised weapons.

 

[mo05mAn]

I do agree on the collisions doing damage to the shields but i think that the push effect will be kind of annoying. i think when the movement of the ships should be determined by the speed of travel, the mass of the ship, and the points of contact. Shape is a hard one to implement though. For example, a ship that is very streamline should penetrate through a high mass flat surface like a bullet and should not take as much damage as the flat surface. A small ramming ship should also be able to be reflected when impacting a target at a high angle just like how bullets reflect off of armor.

I don't think this would be a default feature in the game but even if it is an optional feature, it should be polished.

 

[Valiant70]

What if instead of destroying blocks, collision damage just wrecked shields and armor HP?

 

[Winterhome]

What if instead of destroying blocks, collision damage just wrecked shields and armor HP?

Defeats the purpose of ramming spikes, boarding spikes, etc.

 

[mo05mAn]

What if instead of destroying blocks, collision damage just wrecked shields and armor HP?

Yes, I do agree with that, the damage should be determined on the parameters of the collision such as speed, angle of approach, mass, points of contact, and such things like that. Then that damage should go into shields, then individual blocks.

 

[Valiant70]

Defeats the purpose of ramming spikes, boarding spikes, etc.

It would work better as a default feature, though. Block destruction might be better as a a secondary, optional feature.

 

[mo05mAn]

Defeats the purpose of ramming spikes, boarding spikes, etc.

well, lets say a ship without boarding/ramming spikes rams a ship, i think that should do damage to shields then when shields are down, blocks.

 

[hunterRAE]

I agree with the above, because boarding ships that could ram the opening into the ship and unfold inside the crater would be insane and absolutely a blast. :p

In all seriousness, do you guys have an intended calculation system, because I see the factors of speed, mass, angle and surface of projectile?

 

[mo05mAn]

I agree with the above, because boarding ships that could ram the opening into the ship and unfold inside the crater would be insane and absolutely a blast. :p

In all seriousness, do you guys have an intended calculation system, because I see the factors of speed, mass, angle and surface of projectile?

I don't really have one in mind but I have an idea of how it may work.

 

[Jh]

More collision stuff:
http://starmadedock.net/threads/collision-damage-shield-bubble.8331/
Just an idea and i have already been told its stupid but...why not?

 

[mo05mAn]

More collision stuff:
http://starmadedock.net/threads/collision-damage-shield-bubble.8331/
Just an idea and i have already been told its stupid but...why not?

I see your point, but i do not agree having a bubble, I think it should just be with the shape of the ship but i do like the idea of the full power to the frontal shields. The new block would have to give ships 2 types of shields and i think there should just be 1 type of shield