Shalinor posted:

So is the thing I am missing that cancels ignore the input buffer, whereas "combos" do not ignore the buffer? So - if I am setting up a "dodge cancel," I want that to scan immediate input and ignore the buffer, whereas when I'm setting up my "combo cancel," I want that to read the next move on the input stack and, if it matches, pop the button off the input stack and play the next move?

Or is there some other way of doing this?

r2x posted:

Is the dodge an invulnerable roll or like a Viewtiful Joe dodge?

But yeah either way top priority is definitely having the dodge immediately stop everything as possible. When the button is read just completely delete any prior input, stop the attack animation and go into the dodge asap (especially if the combat is based around it being invuln or semi-invuln).

Shalinor posted:

It's a bit of both. I'm undecided as to whether I want the entire thing to be invuln, or just the first few frames. It isn't something I can tune until I've got enemies with actual AI that are fighting within a completed combat system.

In any case, so, to make sure I've got this straight in my head:

- I track an input buffer as well as immediate-to-frame inputs
- I track button-down events only, or specific singular button-held events (ie. holding X won't fill the input buffer with a bunch of single Xs)
- The buffer has a max size, and just throws away input if it at max size
- Cancels check immediate-to-frame inputs, not the buffer
- Combos check the buffer, not the immediate-to-frame inputs
- A cancel move clears the input buffer when it hits
- A combo move just pops the top input item off the buffer

Sound about right?

r2x posted:

Sounds about right, but how many moves are you holding ahead? Probably should not be able to queue more then a couple of moves or combo (if it is dial-a-combo). Is the fighting system freeform or dial-a-combo based where it has a preset end?

Super Slash posted:

Try not to let it get you down too much, I'm in the same situation and I'm sure many others are too. Recently I've been interviewing with Playground Games (Telephone, then face-to-face) and got shot down in a blaze of hopes and dreams, blocked by the experience barrier again.

Shalinor posted:

Free-form. There is a "combo system" only in that if you mash XXXX, having the same punch come out each time would be a little dull.

You're looking at XXX, YY, and XY/XXY/XXXY/YXY Y-terminated combos to put some delays into button mashing, that's it.

Each of those X and Y is meant to be modifiable with direction (ie. X is punch, toward+X is a punch with a bit of forward slide, up+X is a pop, down+X is a low forward slide), and down+Jump is a back-dodge doubling as your primary cancel. Down+X is also evasive, and it might be another almost uniform cancel. Up+X/Y will likely be laggy terminators regardless of position.


I really, really don't want dial-a-combo. I've never been a fan, and I've never seen them mesh well with a game focused on flow and movement.

EDIT: You know, given that, I wonder if a typical buffer actually makes sense? A "buffer" that held a single keypress and was filled by whatever the most recent non-cancel keypress was would seem to be sufficient, no?

r2x posted:

That was kind of what I was assuming. Also maybe you should consider putting the dodge button on its own button which then modifies on direction (think like God Hand). Combining jump or really anything with Dodge generally is not the best idea if you can dedicate it to a button.

Edit: In response to your edit, in this freeflow scenario you should probably just queue the next move at maximum. As a player if I press X to get a move going and then pressed X twice during that move, I would really only want the next move to come out, not two attacks. It should probably only queue many moves in a dial-a-combo system (like in NG you can mash out the XYX as soon as you are in the air for the ID).

Aliginge posted:

Same happenned with me, Playground can really pick and choose the best candidates right now.

Chin up, I'm sure either me, Akuma, SnafuAl or Analu (However the silly sod spells his goon name) will let you guys know if there is anything going at DNA (also in Leamington ) and we for some retarded reason want the goon percentage to go even higher at our place.

GeauxSteve posted:

Just sent out some apps for QA Lead to Zenimax and Respawn. Hopefully I hear back.

Shindragon posted:

I've seen a lot of programs used to make 2D gaming, whether it's a side scroll shooter or a platform game. My question is, what do people use when they make the level layout?

Splat posted:

Hey, I've worked on combat a ton! I can help!

In general:

You buffer one input. If the player hits anything before that buffer executes, you replace the buffer.

Inputs have a 2 phase window.

Start listening for input - Execute input - Stop listening for input

If you press the button before the execute frame, it waits. If you press it after, it happens instantly.

Dodge cancels and other things are slightly different since you never want to buffer a dodge or jump.

Here's some more indepth stuff:
http://pushing-buttons.blogspot.com/2008/01/combat-cancelled.html

BizarroAzrael posted:

Yeah, Shalinor linked me that in the UDK thread.


I applied for one of the QA Lead jobs on Zenimax/Id too. Don't know if it's something they'd look abroad for.

Shindragon posted:

Normally I would go to the game idea thread for this type of question, but it is rarely active. I actually had this question in my mind for a bit. I've seen a lot of programs used to make 2D gaming, whether it's a side scroll shooter or a platform game. My question is, what do people use when they make the level layout? I've seen stuff in Stencil used tile based programs. My question is, is it possible to import a level layout into one of these programs? If you want to know, I basically drew out my levels in photoshop, etc.. (yeah i know crazy)..but at the same time I think I"m probably taking the long way on this..

Superrodan posted:

With regards to the sexist character designs or concepts and such, I've not yet been made to work on something I've thought went down that path, but many companies fall trap to pushing forward character designs that do fall into that category so I was wondering if anyone here had any stories about the things that they've worked on and how that came to be. I remember reading in the DotA 2 thread that Valve has been really good about that and how they purposely didn't put "sexy" characters in skimpy clothing into DotA 2 even though they got feedback regarding that. It's kind of cool that they made that decision, and I sort of wish I could know more about their philosophies.

Pfhreak posted:

I've been integrating DAME with Psychopomps, and once you get over the eye melting color scheme, is actually quite useful. See: http://dambots.com/dame-editor/

Shalinor posted:

You know, I know this is a near double-post, but gently caress, that's the way I roll

It seems like we have a few combat-knowing people in here, and I am neck-deep in designing a combat system right now, so now seems like a great time to ask questions.

The present system has a concept of damage frames and cancel frames, and I can put as many "blocks" of them as I want scattered through an animation. Cancel frames can cancel into any other move, so - I could put cancel frames before damage frames that cancel into a dodge, and then cancel frames after that cancel into the next move to make a combo (combos and cancels are effectively the same). If you fail to cancel out of the move's leadout, it resolves as usual and drops you back to neutral stance.

... but where I am running aground is in figuring out how the input buffering works.

If I do straight up input buffering with no limit, well then hey, I can buffer 2 minutes of combat and then I'm screwed. So clearly there's a limit. But even if I limit it to a buffer of X moves, and then even if I make certain moves (the end of a combo chain / dodges) clear the queue, it will mean the player is left there in a 3-punch combo mashing dodge but - oh hey, they already queued up 5 punch buttons, too bad, your dodge is move 6 on the buffer.

So is the thing I am missing that cancels ignore the input buffer, whereas "combos" do not ignore the buffer? So - if I am setting up a "dodge cancel," I want that to scan immediate input and ignore the buffer, whereas when I'm setting up my "combo cancel," I want that to read the next move on the input stack and, if it matches, pop the button off the input stack and play the next move?

Or is there some other way of doing this?

Archetype posted:

Looks like Turbine is hiring a Console QA Lead, for those of you interested.

devilmouse posted:

Just Say No to QA positions at Turbine (or positions in general).

Shalinor posted:

Not a great place to work, I take it?

M4rk posted:

Very cool. Also, anyone else get out of memory errors with Stencyl? I've got 12 freakin jigawatts of memory, I shouldn't be having this problem. :l

M4rk posted:

Very cool. Also, anyone else get out of memory errors with Stencyl? I've got 12 freakin jigawatts of memory, I shouldn't be having this problem. :l

SpecialAgentCooper posted:

How does a position at a VFX company look on a resume for a game studio? Obviously it's not worth as much as something like working on shipped titles, but at the moment, my chances at getting a job at a local VFX house seem a lot less slim than game studios for someone with no real work experience. I'm just curious how much mobility there is between these industries. Would it even be worth it to include stuff from there on a games portfolio, or is it considered irrelevant?

devilmouse posted:

It's a fine enough place to work these days if you want a paycheck, but I left over 4 years ago and that was 2 years after they had released their last game... and they're still a ways off from shipping anything new. Glacial doesn't even begin to describe the pace.

Watchlar posted:

Did you work on LOTRO? If you did, I'd love and adore hearing snippets about the development, especially the art side. I've spent an obscene amount of my life playing that game.

Applebee123 posted:

What area of VFX? If you are good at 3d modelling, texturing, animation, special effects etc all the game studios care about is how good you are. I think most game studios would rather hire an amazing 3d modeller who formally worked at a vfx company rather than someone who is just average but worked in the game industry.

I think it has been said before, but basically with any art position your portfolio is 90% of your application, your experience, past job etc is a small part.

SpecialAgentCooper posted:

devilmouse posted:

Ha! Yeah, I did, for some impossibly long number of years but wasn't very involved in art (though as a designer/engineer, I managed to slap in an awful lot of programmer art that made it live-- the combat reticule and the lightning systems would be the most in most user-facing). It's been so long that I'm not sure I even remember any interesting trivia, just a lot of goofy implementation details.

The original game pitch, Middle Earth Online, was so far from what it became. It was akin to a SWG in Hobbiton, replete with growing pipeweed, crafting smoke rings, and generally frolicking in Middle Earth. Then the movies came out....

Watchlar posted:

Though what the hell drove you guys to think the nonstop stun/slow wound spamming was a great idea

devilmouse posted:

There were like 2 stuns and 2 snares total when I worked on it!