Wolf Planet

[Schabbs]

Wolf 3D has 3 different types of guards.

The normal guard - this reacts when the guard either sees the player or hears a shot from the same floor code.

The moving guard - also reacts when the guard either sees the player or hears a shot from the same floor code, but may be in a different place each time it sees the player or hears a shot.

The deaf guard - only reacts when it sees the player, but has better vision than the other guards and can see through gaps in walls.

As well as the different types of guards, there are the different floor codes. It is possible to vary the number of rooms in which guards react by varying the number of rooms with the same code.

By using different combinations of guard types and floor codes, it's possible to make the guard actions less predictable.

I'd be interested to know how different mappers use this. For instance, do you always use the normal guards and have a different floor code for each room? Or do you use one floor code for the whole level, or use a mixture of normal, moving and deaf guards and different numbers of rooms for each floor code?
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Brian.

[Corran Horn]

I think it helps to mix it up. The worst thing someone can do I think is have lots of rooms with guards who are alerted only when you enter their room. Think about it...all you have to do is enter the room, pop off a shot, and every fool in the room runs out the door and right into your knife (or bullet or whatever). I think it's cool when people set it up so that you trigger guards in a room, and a little while later you come through a door and right into a guard who was on the same floor code on the other side of the level. I think it would be cool if the code that causes bosses to be alerted by floor code was used a little more, though it might be a pain to have to wander around a level looking for a boss who's gotten himself lost (or worse yet, wandered through a locked door you can't enter without his key or something).

Patrolling guards add a lot of realism...and it's fun to sneak around behind them and try not to alert them till the right moment (or at all). In my opinion, they should be used some if not a lot in levels. I'd like to see the "sitting" guard, who's part of a table sprite, but becomes seperate when he gets up (or gets shot). It could be a two phase thing, like mecha hitler. Sorry, though, I'm getting off topic now.
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"I only assume what I know for sure."

~ Theo ("Road Rules") ~

[Deathshead]

I read all the documentation I could first. I like to have a guard move through several rooms, with several floor codes.

I like the spawning guards stuff in EOD. You never know where the guards are...
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Myspace
VampireFreaks
Music4Life
Wolfing Time

[Conner94]

[ack]

I'm doing the brunt of the mapping for a project that has the guard spawning built into the code (much like EoD). All I can say is that as a mapper, that it opens so many doors in making a level fun to play. I'm not sure when the code will be released so that others can do this, but when it is, you guys will have a blast

[Corran Horn]

I never noticed the guards in EOD spawn. I just assumed it was clever guad placement that was allowing them to get the drop on me. I'm somewhat disillusioned now.
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"I only assume what I know for sure."

~ Theo ("Road Rules") ~

[ack]

Hmm... I may have spoken out of turn. I haven't asked Steve or MCS how they accomplished the spawning in EoD, but I am assuming it is the same way that it is handled in the project on which I am currently working. Based on the play testing I have done with EoD, I think I am correct, but figure I better apologize just in case I am in error.



Better safe than sorry

[George]

Nice topic Schabbs. At first, I thought this thread was going to talk about the different regular enemies and their unique qualities that benefit to the whole scheme of things. SS, for instance, are stronger than guards and use rapid fire, but slower than officers, and can drop you the machine gun if you don't have it. Mutants are good for silent attacks... and can work well as camouflage tricks (hiding behind vines). They also have the fastest reaction time, so the player must be very careful around them in tight situations. Dogs are the only enemy that can't open doors or attack behind poles, but they leave no ammo behind, so a large room of them may require you to switch to a lower weapon. They also walk faster than the other enemies when unalerted, so they shouldn't be on a similar path of movement.

I've always used all 3 types of guards (moving, standing, deaf), but I never really liked using too many guards that jump from one floorcode to another by going through doors, or having too many similar floorcodes in totally different areas, as I liked having a certain amount of control over everyone (leaving more surprised guards when you get to those rooms). Lately though, after playing alot of levels by Steve and ack, I've started become a little more liberal and appreciate more unexpected variations that could arise from these sort of things. E6L6 in wolf3d takes this idea to it's advantage well; for example. It's a cool craft to try and master (as a player or creator).

[Schabbs]