#tribesrpg

One feature from T1RPG that I found neat was the “lastScent” data that the server stored for each player.  The idea is that every so often, the player will leave a “scent”, which is used when other players are trying to track them (with the #track skill).  But the higher a player’s SenseHeading skill, the less likely you are to leave a new “scent.”  The idea is that you are better at covering your tracks, since you are an experienced tracker yourself.  And if the player is actively hiding, then they never leave a new scent, regardless of their SenseHeading skill.

The server only stores one “lastScent” value per player.  So the #track ability only locates the last scent a player has left.  So if someone was trying to hunt you down, you could try to deliberately leave a scent somewhere (using #track on yourself to check) and then use #hide to stop leaving scents.  Sending the pursuer on a wild goose chase.

I added this functionality back into T2RPG.  In doing so, I found that T2RPG did not make calls to ZoneUpdate() (but has comments saying that they didn’t use it because they couldn’t get it to work), which is where the storeData for “lastScent” occured.  So, in order to get “lastScent” to work, I ended up implementing the RecursiveZone() function, which called ZoneUpdate() on all players ever 2 seconds.  Yay, scope creep.

ZoneUpdate() in Tribes 1 performed several things:

Update the player’s current zone

Perform environmental damage to player

Decrease ticks for temporary stat bonuses

Check to see if the player has moved, and potentially leave a scent

For Tribes 2, I left out 1 and 3.  Setting the player’s zone is now handled by entering and leaving trigger boxes around zones.  I think this is better than the old method.  And stat bonuses are handled be a work around, which was created because ZoneUpdate wasn’t working.  I’ll have to see if that method is better or not.

One of the neat things about Tribes 2 is the (theoretically) infinite map size.  The terrain of the map will repeat itself indefinitely.  Tribes 1 also had a repeating map, but it would eventually come to an abrupt end.  However, the repeating maps were generally large, which is what made large TRPG worlds possible. Most non-rpg maps have a set Misison Area which alerted players that they had left the boundaries of the map.  TRPG disabled this, because the whole map was used.

For T2RPG, the Mission Area is still there in map data, but it doesn’t alert the player when it has been crossed.  This posed a problem for potential new players, who could go out exploring for zones, but get lost in an infinitely repeating map.  So I added the alert back in with an audible beep, a chat message, and if those two weren’t enough, a zone change notification suggesting they turn back.

I’ve decided to start work on improving RPG for Tribes 2 known (aka Ironsphere).  I was a huge fan of Tribes RPG for Tribes 1 and used to work on making content for a few servers back in the day.  I’ve known about T2RPG, but it has always seemed unfinished.  So I’m taking up the torch and finishing it.

Really, this is more of a personal project.  There are no more dedicated servers for T2RPG.  I hope that may change with this effort.  But, I’m not going to get my hopes up.  If anything, I have something to play with friends on occasion, that can modified to evolve and grow to fit our interests.