Quake 'em/QUAKEEM.BIN/quake/programs/dropde_1/dropdead.txt

Text File | 1996-08-28 | 9.3 KB | 194 lines

                                DROP DEAD v1c
                ADVANCED DEATHMATCH VARIATIONS FOR QUAKE v1.01
                               By Walter Lord
                          With Inspirations by Many


PRELUDE:

This is the third release of a set of alternative Quake source devised to
make deathmatch and teamplay more enjoyable.  It will be updated with new
features and will be recoded as dictated by each new version of Quake.
Future versions of this set of Quake source will have the following naming
convention:

     DROPDEADqqqVvv.ZIP

Where DD is the Drop Dead abbreviaion, qqq is the version of Quake for which
it is coded, and vv is the version of the source.  The first release could
have been aptly named DROPDEAD101V1A.ZIP, but I choose DROPDEAD.ZIP to better
attract attention.

A registered version of Quake is required along with the Quake C compiler.
To use Drop Dead features, you must create the following directory structure:

    /QUAKE          - The root Quake directory.
    /QUAKE/DD       - The base directory for Drop Dead files.
    /QUAKE/DD/PROGS - The location of the all Quake and Drop Dead source.

Copy all the original Quake source modules into the /QUAKE/DD/PROGS
directory and then overlay them with the Drop Dead modules.  Be sure to
include the Drop Dead PLAYER.MDL file in this directory.  Now compile the
Quake source by typing QCCDOS or QCC (depending on whose Quake compiler you
are using).  Drop Dead should now be ready to go.  Simply add "-game dd"
to the command line when you run Quake (i.e. QUAKE -game dd).  When running
an internet server, I request that the server name include Drop Dead or DD
to aid players in identifying use of this program.

To report any bugs, make comments, or provide suggestions, please Email me
at [e-mail].


REVISION HISTORY:

The games of tag are now turned on by setting teamplay to -1 or -2 instead
of 5 or 6.  This allows easier configuration of more than four teams.

The suspended corpse problem was readdressed and corrected.  It seems that
the builtin function droptofloor() does not properly discern between a body
and the ground so when it lands in always returns true.

Sound effects were added for the bouncing gibbed head.

Crucified zombies are no longer mere wall decorations.  See below.


HISTORY:

As much as I love Quake, I was a little disappointed by its Deathmatch /
Teamplay capabilities.  Sure, you no longer get the lockups that were
prevalent in Doom, but I missed the monsters in Deathmatch and found
Teamplay allowed way too much cheating.  I'm sick of some Joe belonging to
the RED team temporarilly changing colors so he slip in amongst the ranks
of the BLUE and then change back to RED and massacre the lot.  Sure the
carnage is neat, but the gameplay sucks!

Then I recently came across some source written by Dennis Noordsij that
offered skin textures for teamplay.  It still linked each team to a color
but definitely made it easier to tell friend from foe.  Included amongst
the textures are Duke 3d, Terminator, Stormtrooper, and about a dozen or so
others.  With keys linked to impulses, a player could select which texture
he or she desired.  Better yet, a player, without the source installed at
his/her end, could still play but would only see the default Quake Guy.

I took off with this concept and have added the features listed below.


PREDEFINED LOCKED TEAMS:

The server can now be easily configured for multi-team play.  Up to four
teams can be defined with each team having its own skin texture and its own
color.  The default teams include RED (Default Quake Skin), YELLOW (Duke 3d),
WHITE (Stormtrooper), and GREEN (Toad Skin).  By adding a line which reads
teamplay followed by a 2, 3, or 4 to the CONFIG.CFG file, the server will
track two to four teams.  This line can also be typed in Quake's console
which is displayed during gameplay by pressing the '~' key.  Better yet,
players CANNOT switch teams!  When a new player enters the server, he is
automatically assigned to the most needy team - the team with the fewest
players.  In case of ties, he is assigned to the team defined first.  Using
this logic, players on a local network can still choose sides.

The default teams can be reconfigured by editing the WEAPONS.QC source -
look for the section near the top dealing with teams.  I pretty much leave
editing the source up to experienced programmers adding that the
actual_teamX variables, the DisplayTeam function, and the ConfigTeam
function need only be changed.  Note that the actual_teamX variables pertain
to the team color plus one.  Also note that there are 19 skins numbered 0
through 18 and listed in the DisplaySkin function.  I would prefer to have
placed all the teams options in variables, but the current version of the
Quake compiler is not happy with string constants.  : (


TEAMMATES NO, SELF YES!

Teamplay has also been slightly altered.  Teammates still cannot be hurt by
other team players.  However, a player can now injure himself - so beware of
genade and rocket blasts!


GAME OF TAG:

If teamplay is set to -1, Quake takes on a variation of tag.  One player
is IT and the other players must "tag" him.  The player who frags the IT
player gains three frags and becomes IT.  If the IT player can survive, he
will earn a bonus frag for each minute he remains alive.  The IT player
takes on the features (color and skin) of team two while the other players
take on the the features of team one.  By default, the IT player has a
Duke 3d skin - thus everyone is out to get Duke!  : )  However, note that
team damage rules are turned off - any player can hurt any other player.

For a different variation of tag, set teamplay to -2.  This variation allows
an IT player to tag another player IT by touch.  Now the IT player can sneak
up on another player, tag him IT, and gib him to earn three frags.  Instead
of fleeing, as in the first tag variation, the IT player tends to actively
pursue.  Note that, after becoming IT, a player cannot tag another for two
seconds.


DEATHMATCH MONSTERS!

Yes, one thing missing from a Quake deathmatch is monsters.  Now the
deathmatch variable can be set to 3 to indicate play with monsters.  It can
be added to the CONFIG.CFG file or entered at the console.  Note that when
a Quake server is configured from the menu, the deathmatch variable is
ALWAYS reset to 1, so you must then manually rekey it to 3 at the console.
You may also want to key "restart" to respawn the level and add monsters.


SOLID, GIBBABLE CORPSES:

Now anyone or anything that dies (but is not gibbed) can be blasted into
pieces!  This makes for some nice bonus carnage and some interesting piles
of bodies.  The corpses are also solid and serve as speed bumps and
sometimes blockades.  I do not claim to have originally penned this
concept - merely refined it by including player corpses as gibbable and
allowing jumps while standing on corpses.  I also fixed a problem with
corpses becoming suspended in mid-air when corpses beneath it are gibbed.


NO MORE SKIN CHANGES:

Sorry, Dennis.  Skin changes can no longer be made on the fly.  With the
team concept in mind, this feature became unwanted.  As mentioned
previously, a player is automatically assigned a skin based on his team.


BEWARE CRUCIFIED ZOMBIES!

Now crucified zombies are much more than mere wall hangings.  Get too close
and they'll getcha!  Try launching a rocket into one.  Oooow!  Fireworks!
Yes, they're gibbable wall art.  But this art fights back, so be careful.


KNOWN "BUGS":

Currently, the only known bug is the occasional stuck fire button.  This
appears to take place when DD is doing a player color change, such as when
assigning teams or when an IT player is tagging another player, and a
weapon is being fired the exact same time.  As soon as the fire button is
pressed again, the stuck condition is relieved.  I've spent a good deal of
time trying to remedy this condition, and I've concluded that it is an
internal problem in Quake and NOT my code.  It appears that when a color
change takes place Quake momentarily stops monitoring the fire button and
sometimes loses the button state.  It does not happen often, so the game
play is rarely interrupted, but if anyone has a solution for this problem,
I would like to hear from you.  Please Email me at [e-mail].


A FINAL NOTE:

To use this DD source, the server should be version 1.01 Quake.  Future
versions may work with this source, but then again...  The Quake compiler
should be intended for the version of Quake being used.  I do not know the
memory requirements caused by addition of several player skins, but I
venture to guess that 10 MBs may be in order.  If people report memory
problems, I may simply reduce the number of available skins or may make a
generic MDL and and extended MDL (a superset of the generic).

Other than altering teams, I do not recommend changing the layout of the
team code.  Quake is rather particular about when certain functions and
code can and can't be performed - especially during the think processes
and level changes.  I've taken alot of care and time in laying out this
code.  If you see any necessary improvements, have any useful suggestions,
or find any bugs, please contact me (Walt) at [e-mail].