NavAdder mutator

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Nelsona
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

First Post Update:
Added patching files for Map MH-LandsOfNapali for game-type MonsterHunt and similar ones.
Map's checksums:
  • CRC-32: 620b75b0
    MD5: 6afebc36db3e1170e131ee797f265504
    SHA-1: 6bf3fe08a1fd98a923be7d184056ac809530728f
    SHA-256: 3bd72fa84abe77d94c8dfbfea9f7879835b81a115074c2ba1b8ab14672d3c2ea
Goal for tweaking this overloaded done by a bad mixing idea is reducing paths seeking load done by any A.I. For playing OFF-Line Newer created Navigation Network will fade to invisible mode after spawn trying to not bug visibility around.
Due to this problem and to the map-load, patching goes slower, mutators based on navigation will require to "wait" else... results are funky. Given said problem - solvable, I can say that this patch is... a little nasty or tricky or... maybe even obsolete, definitely I'm not gonna debate in particular a few hundreds of bad NavigationPoint actors and... done quickly, UE1 won't allow such stunts.
Whoever has problems at using these files might have an alternate option to play map in Monster Gaming Server.
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Nelsona
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

Beep like a Bump
I've studied another Map which is not that mentioned in MH lines, some MH-Purgatorium[final] (no worries, it's not final at all - fake news as usual).
After primary work and testing I could draw some conclusions about it and I still have to do some tests and various tries.
Due to various MH types and tools, this map can go mainly messed up in almost all cases:
- defalt MH = Cheating Movers and ending map in less than 2 minutes;
- other MH with Translocator = the same crap - throwing translocator through grates and... voila it ends.
- jumper types MH are making those "doors" USELESS and ending map in the same way due to unlocking top area which is not for action but it will be a default goal in such case - it was such a map where all Player was upper and nobody on ground;
- By tweaking Mechanics with attached counters will have chances to boost monsters out of playable area and guided redeemer will be the default game else will break counters. By Having a redeemer game, there is no fight just a stupid camp guiding rockets before to open doors - :( there is no FUN AT ALL in the way how it's done as concept to not forget lower frame-rate because it's an UNI-Zone type map for no reason.

What I did toward these ?
Trying to connect a counter with Bot objectives has failed because funky flies went into the top area totally unreachable - wrong monster I suppose. Method applied then was to deploy blockers for preventing stuff to fly away into WC area. No luck, that spot did not accept collision for my blockers and here I suspect some BSP bugs as long as map has very ugly BSP cuts passing around. The end is active by default having no connection with anything. Else if it's connected and monster is flying away, redeemer stays as the dumbest MH game option ever developed by zero skilled players. However, because I worked enough so far I will try to do some blockers - small and many of them, maybe engine will accept my requests at end and we can return this thing back to MH. So far I have only a few hopes, else lousy creatures are going to be replaced with bigger ones in those trap types and... keeping them in a "WarZone" as much as possible. If everything stays in "MAP" then we can connect TheEnd with a counter or a monster and then... action is back to normal.

Bringing lost actors back in map was a piece of cake, fighting with collision stuff is not that nice. Paths, Lightning and Decorations are easy to fix. I even added some glass type obstructions in first combat area preventing that Big Krall to fly through a window and almost being lost behind the grates which are open only after its death :? .


Edit: Typo fix about map-name - it was a conflict in the past toward an already done map having exactly the same name - that was messed up too... this one was renamed to Purgatorium rather than Purgatory.
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Nelsona
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

First Post has been Updated
Patch files for map MH-Purgatorium[final] are available.

Map's Checksums:
  • CRC-32: 6d22795f
    MD5: 609ce96ce7aba7ed29f04bc0fac62c4c
    SHA-1: c348f4af7832a4e15ef771ad2a4070ae46508b65
    SHA-256: e554f2e3e9bcc917d1c30f09ce6eef76e4adf7f9cd59989ef61de3d4178b5faf
Changes/Tweaks done here are quoted in spoiler below - I don't want to write too many things.
Curious?
- File ORIUM[FINAL].u is the server-side working around authoritative parts more or poorly replicated to clients - different said, server requirements. This file should stay in server only without any editing of any INI file. Quoted changes:
-> completing and tweaking original Navigation Network – removing that bunch of InventorySpot actors generated around Author's ”Statue”. Setting up Some protectors – Bots were annoying while were trying to pass primary grates-gate – will update network in this Server-Side thing if on future Bots will do nasty things;
-> adding MH objectives and connecting one of them with a Counter for making A.I. to have a ”revenge” toward the trap room in cause and forcing them to insist in killing powered prototypes;
-> removing all dumb GRAB cheating for doors – THIS was TRASH not MonsterHunt since forever – I really do not have a clue why do we need to use sh!t for frustrating good players;
-> actors falling because are out of usable zones are pushed back in map, including that never seen Mercenary which was always dying killed by nobody;
-> End actor is quickly connected with a Monster for preventing any stupid game-end with no play and inactive and... Moved BACK ON THE GROUND. Various MH2 types should be fine here – mine has no problems. Other stuff messing up such ”Grate” type maps are not my problem;
-> other 2 factories have been decollided from touching as long as a trigger is intended to start them and not other way;
-> other 2 grate-gates are opening now because this won't cost a penny, and other 2 ones are locked completely because we don't need them ever opened;
Purgatory_final_00.png
Purgatory_final_00.png (843.48 KiB) Viewed 9723 times
This file has to be simply dropped in System folder or the path to U type files used OFF-Line or ON-Line (XC_Engine based games/servers), all hacks are authoritative Server-Side so client will have map hacked properly replicated from server without any other file.

- File P_ORIUM[FINAL].u is a file used by both client and server. Here I mention that no editing is required in server configuration (for net gaming) because file is mapped as package by NavAdder mutator. This file can go directly in System folder and the rest is automated.
Quoted changes:
-> adding some light in start spot. C'mon, we can see sky but here is dark for no purpose, next spot having even too much lightning – I should attack lights here...;
-> adding some HEALTH in start area (not getting this difficult start) looking as the rest from map because not everything in MH means UTJ – replacements will mess up here in primitive and obsolete MH replacements;
-> setting up Level name for figuring presence of patch files;
-> changing prototype from a trap factory and slowing down the factory's spam values. Several flies were always migrating in top of map which has no logic here creating cheating routes;
-> said cheating routes from top, usable without to open doors have been mainly covered with blockers, around 241 pieces added and colliding jerks;
-> a few monsters have been powered up, including Lost Mercenary (my personal fun here), Queen is NOT Translucent because this property is pointless at this monster capable of morphing and teleporting itself without mapper's brain-farts;
-> secrets ? Which are not secrets after knowing map are found by Bots too... Visible Redeemer has been normalized as long as the secret one is... a NORMAL one with another Skin;
-> IntroDude actors as an always BAD idea for mapping have been attacked before to mess spam in console with null animations which nobody can see – now they DO HAVE the right animations from time to time, LOL;
-> MonkStatue actors crashing and spreading chunks consuming Net channels have been stabilized and their net-update decreased for less bandwidth consumed ON-Line – here Epic forgot to explain why these actors need to be updated so often, doesn't make any sense, really;
-> A mover opening and still sitting to hit your legs is forced to have a more large opening for a more clean navigation around.
This file will be placed in System Folder as default or folder with U type files declared in Paths used by your game. A Server will map this file as ”ServerPackage” when said map is running.
...
Patch files have self protection against running in clan-tagged maps with actors screwed up. They aim map MH-Purgatorium[final] and not something like MH-<}WHATCLAN{>-Purgatorium[final], going inactive if are loaded for no purpose due to the name used. Updated NavAdder has a ”black-list” option in some ini file preventing patching for listed maps which are not a patching goal. Tagged maps can be patched in ”LongName” format without to have any conflict if they are a goal for gaming.
Testing notes:
- map was using an average of 300-500 Net Channels running at a Net Speed 3-5 kb/s, so we can speak about running with enough resources and if player has a better Video Card it should run more than properly;
- did not see nasty A.I. issues so far - bot roaming too much can be called for support and freelanced after a few seconds to regain objectives;
- in original MonsterHunt MonsterWayPoint might break A.I. because that's garbage - by visiting a wrong spot. This is not happening in Monster Gaming Server and my MH games generally.
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Nelsona
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

Bump, hard task to post next find because I'm laughing a lot about next theme...

I found an old version of map series LongCorridor called MH-LongCorridor_a.unr which somehow has a Bot Support but is not that... nice, I mean paths do seems OK but Start Spot has ugly borks specific to overloaded spots, mindlessly generated by Editor.
Very harder my MBot_G can pass over that spot and... dying quickly killed by Behemoths which are completed by other 10000 pieces brought to game by two CreatureFactory actors - pretty much a stupidity for no purpose. I'm not supposed to play a small map for 5 hours...

Using NavAdder and required plugins which I'm about to start writing them, I think I can have a lot of fun by only working here, much before any game-play.
Spam from those factories might go in multiple patch tasks - I must decide which one is more suitable for Unreal Engine 1:
a) Using 100 pieces for each Factory - End of mooing;
b) Using a MonsterLimiter easy to write, keeping Behemoth health to... 60 HP :lol: ;
c) Changing prototype with something imported from elsewhere - some lousy creatures easy to kill and gain proper scoring for score hunters.

Start area containing bad paths:
How_Do_Look_BAD_Spots.PNG
How_Do_Look_BAD_Spots.PNG (456.35 KiB) Viewed 9706 times
This is for whoever wants to check what is about in detail. 7 InventorySpot Actors are referencing PreviousPath as Being a stupid PlayerStart. Processing here goes crazy and default Bot is looping. No worries, there are other such borks in the same area, it's a pathetic mess over here.
These are not documented because Epic did these properties hidden from default mapper eye in order to annoy him/her and to check map during game which was the only way for doing tests and TIME consuming. More mappers did not understand why that dumb Bot is looping. It's not about the dumb Bot is about ENGINE else UNREAL EDITOR, yeah guys, this is not Bot's fault for making such a mess. With other words this spot is garbage a la Editor.
Fixing methods by me - others might have different solutions.
a) Getting rid of those InventorySpot Actors and deleting their ReachSpecs using XC Power and making fast natives to work properly;
b) Using a RadiusMove actor managing Bot in range and forcing a spot (teleporter here) making Bot to change direction - slow UScript solution working all time during game.
Detecting these bad loops is exhaustive with old methods, for making a smart general fixing mutator, here are required way too many iterations. The best way is addressing these maps in particular...

Here I think is time for some "texturing" as well toward these poor monsters...
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Nelsona
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

A new update is about to come but... not before testing it a few time.
Map "MH-LongCorridor_a" by "[SW]strangelove" was promising in terms of solidity and stability regarding to some "warp" troubles which might occur. After playing with primary patch junks (not for public because are parts more or less completed ) I could figure some funky behavior at Pupae supposed "Boss", all these happening even after heavy patching native hard-coded in XC_MonsterHunt. Monsters mindlessly screwed up have been NORMALIZED properly because I don't need garbage issued from a random strange love or a strange addiction or whatever similar issue... cough, making me to change feeling toward this "mapping" task done here - give me a f...g break. A monster is not a rock and a rocket in the same time unable to jump or heading a never get "airspeed" and we don't have ammo and health for 10000 brutes anyway, you have to be kidding here... First time I was intended to restore properties of then Final Boss but... I think a replacement by Kelly is a better option. A new re-skinned boss is now available working properly in that last area (an awesome cube with very plain walls and extremely straight lines... :lol: ).
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Nelsona
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

First Post is updated.
Patch plugins for NavAdder are available for map MH-LongCorridor_a. In original-like MonsterHunt game-types not incomplete MH2 types has even Bot Support but... some fixes have been added to this "awesome" original setup.
Target map file in cause has following data:
  • File Name: MH-LongCorridor_a.unr
    CRC-32: acdc164b
    MD5: 032c2efd1af19fa7e3b47f7a24df616b
    SHA-1: 58358d1ce0125352a9e6a57a678812e4c43607e3
    SHA-256: 5fc046ecfe56a528fd75673f2a2711ff03430503d931c97a96330931ce5ad33d
I'm not going to explain all patch details, they are listed in document coming with patch files. Looking On-Line for figuring net resources used it's not needed as long as map is not huge and won't devastate any server (not even those hosted in ancient machines). The rest of Net stuff works fine here.
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

Changing tempo.
I have inspected some "map" - confusing if this was not some BT stupidity combined to MH in order to make new comers to leave MonsterHunt - were too many players in that time, I'm supposing. While I was about to ruin all that unfriendly zone VIA run-time patching I could see visual borks because Mr. Bean has no clue how to place zone portals making a mess over there to not forget a duplicated portal. Yeah, no kidding, map it's signed "Bean".

In order to setup a party in such ambience probably map will need some direct editing as long as geometry has problems and miss-aligned textures. I'll think about this later. If Mr. Bean has nothing for New Players like a better "Welcome to Server" then perhaps I will switch some stuff there and... this will not be announced, just because I don't need any debate toward this type of mapping habits. If this is the way of a MH intro definitely this junk won't be added in this stage... but in another formula with less BT addiction. I'm hunting monsters in MH not jumping like a goat on drugs.
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

Bumping Tweaks chapter.
At a moment it's frustrating to see how addicted are mappers at screwing up MH servers. In this stage we have to do something for both parts: Creative Mapper and Admin getting mad at dumb stuff.
In order to not Edit an "awesome" map and maintain original format we can apply some patch over it, letting player to have a joy.
MH-ScrewedUpMonstersV2 (any Vx after all) it's a MESS from all angles - a trash - creative mapper was never looking into console, a spammer after all. Perhaps it would be fair to leave original creativity - not editing map, but... using a mutator. We can throw patch files here and... let's play. Right ? Good... but...
If this will be a subject for a MH server, it will be under study, map is... very static, nothing is changing, no random action, just a nonsense really screwed up, not as a title as the Level itself. I'll see if worth some work around or not...
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

Ahah, I found a remake of this V2 abomination done by Barbie in a supposed V3 - way better but still spammer. I don't get why those messages over an over even if almost all monsters are eliminated. Words used also are not impressive. Maybe V3 it's more suitable for some mechanics tweaking... If it's about a patch Dumb triggers are firsts things to be removed, that stuff has nothing to be proud about hosting it - including that useless Super Nali whatever junk.
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Re: NavAdder mutator

Post by Nelsona »

First Bump for 2019.

Initial post has been updated with a simple patch plugin for NavAdder working in map DM-Curse][ by Cliff Bleszinski.
Patch summary:
- removed some paths causing A.I. loops;
- added new paths - described in document;
- connected missing ThigPads from network and moving these a bit for being accessed properly;
- added a sort of climb-dodge in a slanted wall for accessing UT_FlakCannon from lower area if Bot difficulty and Game-Speed has good values for this stunt.
Setup/Install:
Drop U file from archive in System folder, or UT's path for U packages in a custom installation/setup. NavAdder will load it if package is found. ClientSide is not available here, map is originally well designed and don't need extra adds - unless we need some G00gle Adds :? - Who pays for them ?
When this map is voted next time, patch will be activated automatically by NavAdder if this map is not listed in NavAdder's evil list from INI - last updated version has such INI required for preventing a patch scanning task in good maps that won't need patched ever or... maybe later. As usual No ServerPackages mention is ever needed, NavAdder knows what to do here itself mapping packages when it has to.
Uninstall:
Remove/Delete Curse][.u file from System folder, or whatever U packages specific folder used when DM-Curse][ map is Not Running. At next vote, map won't have any patch, and it will run in original formula.

Note:
NavAdder and its plugins can run Off-Line for local gaming not only On-Line.
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