[FVG]: Controls Round B2

[Mike Ciance]

Here is how this poll will work. Check all methods that you feel should be included. There are main control methods, and special features.

Main Contol Methods:

• "Analog Mouse"
  • mouse is aimed in circle on screen to determine speed and direction
  • keys are used to perform robot actions
• "Voodoo Mouse"
  • drive of robot is operated through keyboard
  • a second "voodoo" model of the robot is located in a box in one corner of the screen, which always corresponds with the one on the field.
    • players can click on servo-type mechanisms on this model to move them on the field model
    • players can click on special "handles" and drag arms and other parts of the bot that have many different possible positions.
    • players can rotate the model to reach all mechanisms
  • all "voodoo" functions will have corresponding keyboard functions for when the "voodoo" method is inconvenient
• "Mega-Config"
  • maps OI inputs to different keys and mouse functions
  • because input will be recognized by the robot as an OI input, less complicated programming is required.
  • may be harder to control than other methods

Special Features:

• OI input
  • using actual OI, contols for a robot can be exactly as they were in the competition.
  • many OIs are customized, and only certain OIs will work with certain robots.
• Mechanisms operated by "analog circle"
  • keys are set to different analog mechanisms. when these keys are held, the output from the "analog circle" (mentioned above under "analog mouse") goes to the movement of the part
  • makes mechanism movements more precise than with keyboard
  • takes control away from drive for a moment
• "Time Freeze Ghost"
  • when a certain jey is pressed, time freezes
    • while time is frozen, the player may move translucent "ghost" mechanisms on his robot.
    • when time is unfrozen, all robot parts will move to match the ghost positions.
  • allows for many precise movements to be done at once
  • would only be practical in 1-player games

Note: In the poll, "Time Freeze Ghost" is supposed to be a feature. i can't edit polls.

[Astronouth7303]

The Time Freeze Ghost is going to be difficult/impossible to use on a LAN/Web game. Cool idea, though.

Before we do all these cool ideas, Let's consider some questions:

• What is the spirit of the game? Is it a simulator of FIRST, or based upon it?
• who/what do we want to support?
• how complex should it be?
• how fast can one operate a control?
• does it improve gameplay, or does it detract from it?

[Ryan M.]

So, yeah, I vote for analog mouse.

And, "time freeze ghost" could be disabled during LAN/web play. The main problem with having to stop to move robot pieces during a local game is that AI don't have to stop, so they have an advantage...

But, during online play, everyone has the same limitations, so it doesn't matter as much.

[Mike Ciance]

Originally Posted by Texan

So, yeah, I vote for analog mouse.

And, "time freeze ghost" could be disabled during LAN/web play. The main problem with having to stop to move robot pieces during a local game is that AI don't have to stop, so they have an advantage...

But, during online play, everyone has the same limitations, so it doesn't matter as much.

i was only planning on having Time Freeze Ghost for 1-player modes, but it is true that computer players have an advantage that, unlike humans who will only use this when they really need to, the computer players could operate all mechanisms at the same time without trouble.

maybe, depending on the difficulty, we could hinder the computer players by limiting their control outputs to no more than a human could effectively do

[Ryan M.]

Originally Posted by afflictionblade

i was only planning on having Time Freeze Ghost for 1-player modes, but it is true that computer players have an advantage that, unlike humans who will only use this when they really need to, the computer players could operate all mechanisms at the same time without trouble.

maybe, depending on the difficulty, we could hinder the computer players by limiting their control outputs to no more than a human could effectively do

Or, depending on how well we do autonomous, we can leave it unlimited, and it's operation advantage would make up for it's lack of intelligence...