AI units off map

[appel]

Sending AI units off the map (beyond edge_path) seems to be possible in MP games. For long this hasn't been allowed in strategy games I've played in because those units can't be killed by humans, they are beyond reach.

So someone might send archers off the map, and there is no way to kill them while they are killing your base.

[MowerMan]

I agree that it is cheesy, and all units should take steady damage when they are OOB.

You can get OOB units by sending other AI units after them, but that's not always easy, and never quick enough.

[PhoeniX-FlamE]

and take for e.g quarry.. .scions vs isdf.. i dont think there is  a unit that can get on the hills there...

[Scout]

u can drive ass tanks onto the back base hills in quarry..

[DarkFox]

I always viewed the archer-off-map as ok, and in games I host I allow it, but assume that it's banned in other servers if I'm not told otherwise.

I see the ISDF APC as a simple answer to this, and about the only use of the APC.

[OvermindDL1]

Heh, APC's are floating death now.  Take about 4 or more of them, send some scavs into an enemy base to draw fire, send a few tanks in to draw fire and get bsic defenses, while letting APC's drop in and mop the base up.

[appel]

Enabling APC's is cool, but don't they produce lag?

[technoid]

Yeah, they'll produce lag, but I think 1.3 has kinda made it a little more stable.  Ten APC's, if all landing successfully, will garner 40 rocketeers all shooting missiles, sometimes in rhythmic beat.  The missiles will cause even more lag.  The APC commandeer could theoretically use this ~40-man lag as an advantage in strat if the other side weren't alert.  Or it could cause a lag out too.  

[MowerMan]

I don't understand DF...  I almost always agree with you, but not this time...

OOB is OOB.

[appel]

Still thinks it's a good idea df?

See:

Hey, kill my rec!! (see the mini map)

[Avatar]

Lol, that's one way of forcing people to use AI...

Mower, I agree and often make my maps an island or surrounded by lava for just such a reason.

I understand GSH added some code to kill off animals that wander off the map, I wonder if it could be extended to ANY unit off the map?  Make it an entry in the TRN for damage/sec and we'd have a winner....

-Av-

[GSH]

What I did kills any unit (human, AI craft, animal, etc) that's at the very border of the map. That's just the rectangular border of the map, a fast check to do.

Calculating position vs the edge_path (human player boundary) is much more work on the CPU, and why it hasn't been implemented.

-- GSH

[Avatar]

Ah, I see.  That's why it's not immediately apparent on most stock maps...  The edge_path doesn't seem to exist for AI but holds back the humans nicely.

-Av-