vplay animation idea.

(iwound) #1

After seeing the nice animations in the game and just watching The True Partners (Crysis 2 Machinima) . i had this idea.
Add another bank of vsays numbers say 9, 9,1 ; 9,2 ; etc
But instead it vplays an animation for your player.
examples could be. Wave, beckon, [SIZE=2]celebrate, tatical hand gestures, warning (two arm wave), Follow me[SIZE=2] etc etc.

You could have one for e[SIZE=2]very vsay and combine into the one vsay command, but the problem is a player might not want to use the animation. might cut down on vsay spam though[SIZE=2]. thats why i think i would prefer [SIZE=2]separating them. Also it lets a player choose the combinations they want. ie vplay anim wave, vsay you suck.

I dont think they would interfere with the game. And i think it adds a little humor.

Any takers?[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

[/SIZE]

(potty200) #2

Not overly impressed by animations like this. Probably because I don’t focus on the actual graphics its more the game play I am interested in.

(tokamak) #3

It IS gameplay. It greatly increases the fidelity of your team communication.

Raven Shield has this. All those fancy SWAT animation under the vsays. Even UT99 has at least an animation of the guy putting his hand to his ear. Even if that animation is too much just a hud indicator on top of your team-mate saying something is already HIGHLY useful.

(potty200) #4

It IS gameplay. It greatly increases the fidelity of your team communication.

I promise you this will have next to ZERO effect on the game play.

(RasteRayzeR) #5

The idea could be cool, but only a distraction from combat I believe …

Unreal Tournament had the taunts animations, placed on keys j, k and l but I only used them once the match was over to piss my opponents off ^^ I think using these in combat for DB would only slow down the gameplay’s action, which imo is one of the most likable fact about this game.

Maybe a single specific animation, class-dependent (like the class announcement) ? All the classes have specific goals and types of weaponry and we always have to write such announcements in the chat anyway, so here we could gain some time. Some random thoughts :

  • Soldier : an animation to signal others he/she will cover the group, so you have to follow him.
  • Medic : an animation to show he is out of med packs, so you have to be careful.
  • Engineer : an animation showing he/she requires cover in fire.
  • Ammo specialist : an animation to signals others an airstrike is going on, so they should stay clear.
  • Recon : an animation to signal others he/she covers an area.

Upon triggering one of these, the player starts an animation and put the voice-message in team-chat so everyone in the team knows by hearing, seeing and reading, and the enemy team only by seeing the animation.

Then the enemy team could also exploit these, if a recon spots some signals from the enemy team he could inform his mates, thus providing a new strategic element to the game.

This is just an idea, what do you think iwound ?

(tokamak) #6

Yes that stuff was great. Anything that can be animated should be animated. Anything that can’t be animated should have some symbol or colour-coded indicator on the player. And there NEEDS to be a base signal indicator coming from the player using a vsay.

Vsays are an integral part of the ET style gameplay. However, they’re still highly flawed because they’re general comments that could come from anyone. However once you can visually tie those comments straight to the person using them in your direct environment then you will have a much better way of knowing what people expect of you.

(Runeforce) #7

Only problem is that animation is expensive and time consuming. But tapir dancing would be great :stroggtapir:

That’s just stupid. It would heighten your immersion and the escapistic effect. But it would not be a better tool for communicating your intentions more clear, in a fast paced FPS. A mix of sound (vsays and targetting/spootting) and icons are better. Together with VOIP it is even better.

(RasteRayzeR) #8

As much as I agree on this with you, I still doubt characters animations are the real answer to this. Animations will make the game look more fancy, yet I believe only HUD elements can truly help you notice your objectives since they can be made extremely visible without altering the realism of the graphics.

So maybe HUD elements linked with a dynamical management of secondary objectives with extra xp upon accomplishing them could be nice. Like if you’re a medic you get the guys to revive or requiring medical attention as secondary objectives (with icons of objectives + distance so you can move there quickly) and you gain more XP if you deal with them, thus promoting teamwork (especially on medics) without forcing it.

(iwound) #9

[QUOTE=RasteRayzeR;428076] I think using these in combat for DB would only slow down the gameplay’s action, which imo is one of the most likable fact about this game.
[/QUOTE]

you would only use it when you chose to at a suitable time. ie not in a fight. your not going to flick someone off mid knife fight although you could if you had the skills.:slight_smile:
If you press vplay, then during that animation you should be able to drop out of it by some other action. best would be fire. so you dont get locked into the animation. because its getting locked in that would slow it down.

  • Soldier : an animation to signal others he/she will cover the group, so you have to follow him.
  • Medic : an animation to show he is out of med packs, so you have to be careful.
  • Engineer : an animation showing he/she requires cover in fire.
  • Ammo specialist : an animation to signals others an airstrike is going on, so they should stay clear.
  • Recon : an animation to signal others he/she covers an area.

all good ideas. the more the merrier as far as im concerned.

Upon triggering one of these, the player starts an animation and put the voice-message in team-chat so everyone in the team knows by hearing, seeing and reading, and the enemy team only by seeing the animation.

my preference is not to link with message as i said above.

Then the enemy team could also exploit these, if a recon spots some signals from the enemy team he could inform his mates, thus providing a new strategic element to the game.

yes, yes and yes.

what do you think iwound ?

of kittens with bombs mainly. :smiley:

i think i’ve always wanted this since i saw that episode of south park set in world of warcraft. Were they wave at each other. just for the lolz really.

(rookie1) #10

We had that in Renegade …but you are vulnerable when the animation run…Would like this only in warmup …ingame =at your risks but fun

(MrFunkyFunk) #11

Replace the EV by a Tapir!

Back on topic I wouldn’t mind it but I doubt that some of the things as fancy as mentionned in the posts above would be of much use in frantic firefights (except maybe warmup & match end?).
Imo it won’t be used much at all by players who’re just running & gunning around, still I’m in favor of a few short taunts animations (and the speech type bubble).

(RasteRayzeR) #12

[QUOTE=iwound;428083]you would only use it when you chose to at a suitable time. ie not in a fight. your not going to flick someone off mid knife fight although you could if you had the skills.:slight_smile:
If you press vplay, then during that animation you should be able to drop out of it by some other action. best would be fire. so you dont get locked into the animation. because its getting locked in that would slow it down.[/QUOTE]

The animations should be quick and fast, chances are other players might not even see them. We need it to be linked with the written chat. And most of the useful communications would happen during fights I believe.

But interesting stuff guys, very constructive ! The VSAY menu is essential and if we improve it right, could make the game so much funnier (we need the german “HEAL ME!” from W:ET btw) and provide new strategic elements, also with regards to e-sports.

And as far as I’m concerned with kittens, remember Postal 2 ? xD

(Runeforce) #13

Flipping the bird mid-fight would be so cool :cool: …the first few times…dancing would probably be better :slight_smile:

I imagine seeing it: “You Can’t Touch Me!”

(rookie1) #14

like Rayze said would have to be fast and quick…im for depend of what kind of animations …could make the game more real behaving …I would certainly like if works well

(ImageOmega) #15

Quake 2 had this. It was only used to taunt other players. =]

(iwound) #16

i expect to see flashing iff for this.
Also why not be able to hear the enemy vsays if your in the vicinity. would add to atmosphere and gameplay. <- off topic

useful uses.
require a medic then wave while incapacitated. at least in ET you could tell who needed help and who was a corpse.
shouting incoming isnt much use if you dont know where the player saying it is.
at least with a linked incoming vsay and get out of here animation, arm wave forward. you would recognise that as a danger area.
but just as easy to vsay, vplay and use a combination that you feel fits the situation. you want to warn of an incoming but you also want to beckon the player because its nearer to them.

im still not convinced of combining the vsay with an anim as some people will want to just use a say and not have any animation play. plus if you vsay the wrong thing you could end up dancing instead.:penguin:
and just that fraction of a second as an animation starts might interfere with a fight. so best left to the discretion of the player to only play anims in safer situations.

(tokamak) #17

Like I said, animations were possible, icons everywhere else.

(RasteRayzeR) #18

That’s why I proposed to make a VSAY menu entry only with animations specific to the class played, so that the usual chat entries remain without animation to not disrupt fighting actions, and only specific VSAY will have animations, these you do while moving to your target (when you have time to do these and team mates near enough to spot your moves).

I still think it should be linked with HUD elements like objectives, in a dynamical objective management system, with extra XP for doing these (mostly to stop these solo medics).

Off topic --> I would love to be able to spawn a wave of tapirs to clear mines in game xD

(Runeforce) #19

Aawww, that’s so cruel. You should leave that stuff to the kittens.

(RasteRayzeR) #20

Ok, leave it for the kittens … they are faster and more agile anyway ^^

I just finished a session of play in DB and I was more careful to the VSAY menu, and I noticed these :

  • The VSAY won’t work while you are dead : this is an outrage, I’m dead and I can’t taunt the enemy team meanwhile … xD
  • The anti-spam filter is way to strict. I can’t tell that i need a medic and then say thanks for this without being blocked. Two or three messages in a row should be possible imo.