5 replies to this topic

[shoak1]

It seems that no matter how high I make mountains, units can still shoot thru them.  Is this correct?

[DIGI_Byte]

it has to do with the way the RTS mechanics is worked into the game

 

The Sage engine, BFME, CnC RA3, etc etc. all units are actually on a plane above the terrain and they are projected down onto the terrain mesh.
its an arcade style for working with units. you can see it when units walk up a hill, they seem to speed up. the movement is independent from the terrain and so is the eye sight, that includes attacking with range

[shoak1]

Is there no code I can add to mountains to make them impossible to shoot thru?  ie something that makes them impassible for projectiles regardless of elevation?

[hoogan]

There is an object in Civilian Structures called "Invisibe Collide". It's geometery is a medium length rectangle. Place a line of these along the top of your mountain and the units will not shoot through them. It has no effect on sight or shroud clearing, but it is an structure obstacle they cannot shoot through.

 

I have created three different versions and modified their geometry and code to various sizes of long, thin and tall rectangles to place, unseen, on maps to prevent just the issue you are having. They are useful in areas that are made impassable anyway.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

Yeah, but won't that also collide with units themselves?

[hoogan]

Precisely.

It is a way to allow smaller maps, or more tactical areas within any map. By putting "shot blocking" invisible structures on the tops of impassable moutains, you don't have to contend with lazy rangers standing there slaughtering orcs in the next valley by shooting over the Alps..

 

Otherwise you have to make your impassable high grounds about 500 wide to keep rangers etc from firing into unintended areas. This makes those impassable areas take up way too much space on a map. The same basic idea is found in EA's Erebor maps. The structures of the corridor walls keep archer units from attacking enemies in nearby cooridors. By using invisible collides you can acheive the same effect outdoors. It allows you to set up maps with areas where "you want to shoot 'em, you got to meet 'em face to face." It makes infantry much more effective vs archers in those areas.