When creating maps programmatically and using ringAdd for player positioning: Does anyone know of a method for positioning starting fleets so that they face the center of the map?
I have seen rotation = “toCenter”, used in various maps within various mods, but alone it doesn’t seem to affect my starting fleets. Searching my rather large collection of mods I have found no code that enables a toCenter value so I am presuming, but have not noted via observation that the game simply does not recognize that value and defaults to a rotation of 180°.
I’m presuming ringAdd is a custom function that’s probably from Mikali. While I haven’t tested this out, you could try editing line ~112 of the file /scripts/MapFunctions.lua
Strangely enough and quite unfortunately, my version of MapFunctions.lua (mapFunctions_v1.52.lua - - Created: 10/07/04 by Mikail, Last updated: 04/08/08) has no lines that I recognize as kin to what you have suggested… as exhibited:
function ringAdd(tPos, tDst, tPar, tRot)
local tCoo = {}
local X, Y, Z = 0, 0, 0
local fAx1, fAx2, fThk, fHgh, tArc, iMod = tPar[1], tPar[2], tPar[3], tPar[4], tPar[5], tPar[6]
local minArc, maxArc = tArc[1], tArc[2]
for i, tTab in tDst do
local u, w, h, arc = 0, 0, 0, 0
local iNum = tTab[1]
for j = 1, iNum do
-- if set to random mode w/ even width
if (iMod == 2) then
u = random3(minArc, maxArc)
X = cos(u) * fAx2 - random3(fThk)
Y = random3(fHgh) - fHgh / 2
Z = sin(u) * fAx1 - random3(fThk)
-- if set to random mode w/ gradual width
elseif (iMod == 1) then
u = random3(minArc, maxArc)
X = cos(u) * (fAx2 - random3(fThk))
Y = random3(fHgh) - fHgh / 2
Z = sin(u) * sqrt((fAx2 - random3(fThk))^2 - fAx2^2 + fAx1^2)
-- if set to non-random mode
elseif (iMod == 0) then
u = minArc + arc
X = cos(u) * (fAx2 + fThk / -2 + w)
Y = fHgh / -2 + h
Z = sin(u) * (fAx1 + fThk / -2 + w)
arc = arc + (maxArc - minArc) / iNum
w = w + fThk / iNum
h = h + fHgh / iNum
end
tCoo = {X, Y, Z,}
appendShape(tPos, i, tTab, j, tCoo, tRot)
end
end
end
That said, perhaps I am missing something because of my unfamiliarity with the code? I am still searching for what I may have overlooked.
I’ve been at my computer for a bit, so I’ve been looking through MapFunctions.lua
Oddly enough, the version I’m looking at says it’s (Version: 1.23.5 – Created: 2004/10/07 – Updated: 2021/06/03 )
The change I’ve been making will cause any map to have the starting fleets all focus towards the center of the ring/map, regardless of if they where added by ringAdd or not. I might try later to modify the ringAdd function, rather then the appendShape function to orientate the starting fleets
My initial testing of your changes (swapping out the original code) resulted in no change; startingfleet maintained a 180° orientation.
When I awaken (It is 4:45 AM local time) I will replace my entire mapfunctions.lua for the one you so kindly referred me to above and then swap out the same code.
Although it should make no difference whatsoever I am using HW2, not HWRM.
Edit: My fault for being a bit hasty. Just noticed you said your using the classic version. Changes below are for the remastered version. When I get on my computer again, I’ll work on getting the classic version of MapFunctions working with the orientation.
Attached is a modified copy of the mapfunctions.lua file and a ring test map. (there are also other files from a stripped down version of mikalis mod that are required for the ring test map)
Main changes is the ability to have the starting fleet
Maintain the 180° orientation (Or what is set in the distribution table)
Face the center of the map
Face the center of the ring
How to do this is a change in the distribution table. {{2, "StartPoint", "StartPos", {0,0,0,}, {0,0,0,},},}
By changing the StartPos to either centerWorld or centerRing will change how the starting fleet orientates itself. *(Note: These are case sensative)
The last {0,0,0,} is the orientation of the starting fleet if not centering. Only the second value should be changed (Haven’t tested this, but that is how the code is written)
local StartDist1 = {{2, "StartPoint", "centerWorld", {0,0,0,}, {0,0,0,},},}
local StartDist2 = {{2, "StartPoint", "centerRing", {0,0,0,}, {0,0,0,},},}
local StartDist3 = {{2, "StartPoint", "StartPos", {0,0,0,}, {0,0,0,},},}
The included map ringTest is for 6 players.
Players 1 & 2 will face the center of the map.
Players 3 & 4 will both face the center of the ring.
Players 5 & 6 will both face the direction set in the distribution table.
Attached should be a working version of MapFunctions.lua and the RingTest level for Homeworld 2 Classic
Same as my previous post, there are 3 possible orientations. Default , centerRing and centerWorld
Changes to the MapFunctions.lua file was
including
function appendShape(tPos, i, tPar, j, tCoo, tRot)
tCoo = vaddV(vrotate(tCoo, tRot), tPos)
local objNum = tPar[1] --< This Line
local objType = tPar[2]
local objName = tPar[3] --< This Line
replacing
elseif (objType == "StartPoint") then
local name = "StartPos" .. iStartPoints
--addPoint(<sPointName>, <tPosition>, <tRotation>)
addPoint(name, vaddV(tCoo, tPar[4]), tPar[5])
iStartPoints = iStartPoints + 1
with
elseif (objType == "StartPoint") then
local pos = vaddV(tCoo, tPar[4])
local rot = tPar[5]
if objName == "centerRing" then rot[2] = 180 - atan2((-pos[1]+tPos[1]),-(-pos[3]+tPos[3])) end
if objName == "centerWorld" then rot[2] = 180 - atan2(-pos[1],pos[3]) end
objName = "StartPos" .. iStartPoints
addPoint(objName, pos, rot)
iStartPoints = iStartPoints + 1
I keep playing with this, but I still do not understand how to change the following example from one of my maps to work correctly with your modified mapFunctions.lua
Prior to the ringAdd call, you should have a distribution table looking something like local startRing= {{2, "StartPoint", "StartPos", {0,0,0,}, {0,0,0,},},}
Its this table where you will need to change "StartPos" to "centerWorld"
tDistribution: the distribution table used to populate the ring.
My distribution table (prior to any modification) is currently:
local startRing = { StartPos = {class = “Point”, name = “StartPos”, rotation = {0, 0, 0,}, number = 6,}, }
EDIT:
I just tried the 6p_RingTest.level and received the same “Fleet Defeated” error as I do on my own map.
Your distribution table is far different to what i was expecting to see. Are you able to upload the level and mapfunctions files, along with any other required files so i can test it?
@VaultHunter101
Thank you. It is nice to belong to a community with good manners.
@shadowwinterknig Leveldata.zip
You may need to comment certain scripts/objects out.
EDIT: If you need (or are curious about) anything not included, just ask and I will upload.
Hopefully this works, made some changes in map_functions_toys.lua and modified my ringtest map to work with it.
Edit:I found one error I made in this, if downloading the below map_functions_toys.lua, a change will need to be made. I’ll note it further down this post.
Changes
After line 18 in map_functions_toys.lua I added. Edit:Have slightly modified the code below to include a fix.
local rot = {0,0,0}
if iCount.rotation then -- this line is the ''fix''
if iCount.rotation == "centerRing" then
rot[2] = 180 - atan2((-tCoordinates[1]+tPosition[1]),-(-tCoordinates[3]+tPosition[3]))
elseif iCount.rotation == "centerWorld" then
rot[2] = 180 - atan2(-tCoordinates[1],tCoordinates[3])
else
rot = iCount.rotation
end
end -- end fix
Then a couple of lines below I changed addPoint("StartPos" .. startNum, tCoordinates, {0, 0, 0,}) to addPoint("StartPos" .. startNum, tCoordinates, rot)
and addPoint(iCount.name .. (i - 1), tCoordinates, {0, 0, 0,}) to addPoint(iCount.name .. (i - 1), tCoordinates, rot)
and lastly changed addSquadron(iCount.name .. (i - 1), iCount.type, tCoordinates, iCount.player, iCount.rotation, 0, 0) to addSquadron(iCount.name .. (i - 1), iCount.type, tCoordinates, iCount.player, rot, 0, 0)
Effect
So, these changes should allow a starting fleet to be orientated either manually, center to the ring or center to the world. To do this, change the rotation variable in the distribution table to either a xyz table ({0,0,0}) or the string “centerRing” or “centerWorld”
local StartDist1 = { StartPos ={ class = "Point", name = "StartPos", rotation = "centerWorld", number = 2,},}
local StartDist2 = { StartPos ={ class = "Point", name = "StartPos", rotation = "centerRing", number = 2,},}
local StartDist3 = { StartPos ={ class = "Point", name = "StartPos", rotation = {0,0,0,}, number = 2,},}
Thank you for all of your work @shadowwinterknig. I may have to put testing this off a day for personal reasons.
EDIT: @shadowwinterknig This system works perfectly. The centerWorld, centerRing and x,y,z rotation system are incredibly useful in so many situations. I am not aware of any such solution for center-facing StartingFleets
Unless you wish to add something to this topic, perhaps I should add [Solved] to the Topic header or rename it to “Center-Facing StartingFleets Solution”. Or, you may wish to write (or ask someone to write) a clear tutorial regarding this. Let me know what you think.
Once again, I am profoundly grateful for the extensive time and effort that you volunteered here in this pursuit. Thank you.
