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11th may 99

31st May, 1999

new page design is up

Ever felt like adding "obviously" to something :)

The new design is courtesy of UndeRTakeR - thanks dude! Make sure you all check out the cool banner at the bottom of the page!

30th May, 1999

ReDeMpTiOn 1.04 released

This version removes the weapon search AI until it all works properly, but the bots still break off combat when they get badly injured. I've also made a few other changes:

  • Changed bot artificial stupidity aiming routine to use a Gaussian distribution.
  • Altered aiming with RL to shoot at feet so "splash" damage is more likely.
  • Introduced limits to how often item and enemy selection routines run.
  • Added a movement safety check to deal with unusual states occuring at edges
  • Modified edge handling code in direction selection code
  • Altered ladder handling again
  • Added "gap" detection to help bots try to jump them
  • Tweaked node handling code
  • Increased bot accuracy and speed at lower levels (They were jus too bad!)
  • Increased bot aiming skill if you get close up :)

    This release runs faster and smoother than previous ones because of the cutback on how often the selection AI now runs. It used to go 10 times a second so I cut it back a little. The next release will need a lot of work and a lot of modification. The current node files will not work with the next release - be warned! I am going to add a dynamic route finder to the code to help the bots act more "human". Even though the current route finding system is fast as hell, it doesn't quite match the directness of a dynamic routine.

    This involves quite a bit of work so don't expect a release of it for at least 2 weeks (if not longer *grin*). I'll keep everyone posted on how things are going with it.

  • current version stability

    After getting two reports of page faults or GPF on 1.03 I ran soak tests on 1.04 to try to pin down any problem. On several occasions this release ran successfully for 2 hours without a glitch. In one instance the 4 bots in the test ran up combined frags of over 500. I cannot find any point that crashes the mod so, unless anyone can prove differently, there are no major bugs in this mod.

    29th May, 1999

    site redesign on the way

    UndeRTakeR has very kindly put together a new look and banner for the site so I'll be upgrading it as soon as he sends it all through to me. The new design is just as "tidy" as this one but looks more like someone knows some HTML *grin*

    bot AI work

    I'm going to remove the code that checks the weapon state of the bots at spawn time to let them start fighting with magnums again until I can implement the new path code to get them straight to a weapon. I just wanted to see how it would work, and it does. Until the new code is fully implemented though, it just looks a little strange - doesn't it?

    no coder still for WoS version

    Still no-one has come forward to offer to take over the WoS ReDeMpTiOn coding so the project is still on hold. If anyone wants the job, just email me! Remember you need to be up to speed on C++ and have a copy of MSVC5++ or 6++ to do this.

    26th May, 1999

    bot aiming changes

    I had a request to alter the bot aiming with the Rocket Launcher so I gave the artificial stupidity code a small overhaul at the same time. The general aiming is still related to the bot accuracy or skill level but now lands in a Gaussian distribution pattern spread across the X and Z axes (That's left to right and down to up for the non mathematically minded).

    I also implemented the requested RL change so as skill improves the bot rockets will tend to come in closer to your feet. In this way you are more likely to incurr splash damage from rocket hits and dodging them becomes a little harder. I'm considering implementing the same aiming function for the QD which pretty much depends on splash damage for most of the damage it causes.

    If anyone has any other tactical changes to suggest for the bots, drop into the forum and let's talk about them :)

    1.03 GPF reports?

    I have had two reports of a GPF under the 1.03 release of ReDeMpTiOn. Unfortunately, neither of them told me what they thought had caused it, or offered any information to help me recreate the problem - including what they were doing when it crashed. Since there are more than 2 bot users out there these may be unrelated incidents. Please, if you are reporting a suspected bug, I need a little more information than "I had a GPF with 1.03" *grin*.

    23rd May, 1999

    ReDeMpTiOn 1.03 released

    Although it may not look like there's a hell of a lot of work done on this version, you should try comparing the code with the last one! I have had to do a large rewrite of the code functionality to get ready for personality implementation. I still have other things I want to do too, like teaching the bots about weapon ranges, so take advantage of their few remaining weaknesses before I fix them!

    The main difference in this code is a rewrite of the unarmed combat code. Once the bots ran out of ammo they used to be easy pickings, well now they go into complete over-the-top Jackie Chan mode instead *grin*. The official history changelist is below, and in the archive for a change!

    1.03	- Changed botState to use flags instead of fixed values. This will allow 
    		personality checking later before the flag value is acted upon.
    	- Changed attack code for close combat to give bots a better chance of
    		kicking your head in :)
    	+ Added more code to help with finding a decent weapon
    	- Put the item collection node usage back in
    

    The next version will be even better - as usual guys :)

    WoS version still needs a coder

    Still had no offers of a coder to work on the WoS version so it isn't going to progress any further for a while yet. If anyone feels up to the job, just mail me. You will need Visual C++ v6.0, although you could get away with 5.3 at a push. Other than that, you just needs lots of time and enthusiasm and a desire for fame *chuckle*.

    It can of course be hosted on this site and have its own pages and use of the PQ mirrors for distribution. Someone must want to see the WoS version have working hoverbikes? I just can't spend enough time on it now owing to my commitment to the BattleCruiser 3020 add-on project and the standard ReDeMpTiOn bot. As I've already said, I'll be here to answer question on the bot implementation and help with code upgrades to the current standard functionality and the General will help out with the WoS specific stuff (whether he likes it or not *grin* ).

    22nd May, 1999

    improvements that were included with 1.02

    I forgot to include the history file with 1.02 so a few people aren't sure what changed from 1.01a. The relevant information is below, but hold off downloading until tomorrow if you haven't already got ReDeMpTiOn 1.02 because I'll be posting 1.03. I'll list the 1.03 improvements tomorrow when I've finished the update.

    1.02	- More accurate in pulserifle main fire mode 
    	- Tweaked ladder handling (Still not happy with it!)
    	+ Taught bots to use Secondary weapon modes.
    	+ Added item sampling to BMS files to store locations (old BMS files no good)
    	+ Added code that will enable personality development
    	+ Began improving combat AI 
    	+ Rudimentary self-preservation added. Break off combat when health is low.
    	+ Collect only armour and health when seriously injured
    	+ Run at maximum speed when hurt
    	+ Rudimentary code to find a better weapon added. Kicks in if 
    		bots only have a magnum or fists.
    	- Changed to internal function for WeaponUse.
    	- Extended height bots will jump from to 1024 units
    	- Removed direction changing from parts of code to allow jumps off buildings
    	- Improved bot handling of slopes and stairs
    	+ Extra functions introduced to deal with animation anomalies during
    		secondary weapon use.
    	# Discovered a bug that's been around since alpha 01! MaxHealth FIXED!
    

    arena mode explanation

    I decided to put a piece up here to explain more about the Arena mode in ReDeMpTiOn since there still seem to be a lot of people who don't know it's there!

    In Arena mode (+set b_arena 1) you meet a progressively difficult level of bots on different maps and have to make a set number of kills to progress to the next map. The bot skill increases with each 5 kills on a particular map, and the overall bot skill is stepped up at each new map. Your aim is to fight your way through to the final level, beat the single bot waiting for you and then you are taken on to the final confrontation. I won't say exactly what this is since it might spoil the surprise for people who've not got that far yet.

    The whole Arena mode is controlled by the arena.ini file in your redemption directory, so you can change it as much as you like. Each line of the file holds the following information:

    MAPNAME	NumberOfBots	BotSkillLevel	Fraglimit
    

    Here's the one that ships with the mod.

    sincity		5	0	20
    eisenblatt	4	3	15
    sindm6		3	5	12
    sindm9		2	8	8
    spry		1	10	4
    

    If you find it starts too easy, or doesn't have enough bots, or doesn't include your favourite level, just change it to suit yourself.

    WoS version on hold

    I've mentioned this before, the WoS version of ReDeMpTiOn is on hold because I haven't got time to sort it out :) The General seems to be very busy too since I haven't heard from him in nearly two weeks. If anyone feels they can take it on, mail me. I can answer general questions about it to help you get up to speed, but it will need someone with a good understanding of C++ to get it all working properly. It doesn't crash anywhere, but needs attention to the hoverbikes and the sound system before it will be complete.

    I'm planning to work on the main SiN version this weekend so expect something to be posted by tomorrow night.

    18th May, 1999

    link fixed

    The link to the old news was broken - fixed now. Sorry :)

    I probably can assume that the 1.02 version is stable since I've had no bug reports. I'll start implementing more of the new features at the weekend. If anyone wants route files for particular levels let me know and we can always make a route file repository on the site.

    17th May, 1999

    it's not a bug - it's a feature!

    Hehe - I've had a couple of reports of a "bug" where the bots don't attack you util they are attacked. It's a feature guys. I'm testing out some new AI routines. The one that is kicking in here is a routine that tells the bot not to fight if weapon is a magnum or fists and not under attack by other until it gets a better weapon. Let's face it, taking out some poor schmoe who only has a peashooter against your pointy stick is not that challenging, is it?

    This code, and the run when health gets low routine, are being used to test parts of the future bot personality code. Snipers won't snipe with a magnum or fists, obviously, and bots with a reasonable self preservation index will run for cover and health when they get hurt. Please remember, this is early code guys :)

    old news archived

    Follow this link to get the old May 1999 (part a) news.

     

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