MAZE-A-TRON 1.2 - High Scores

[sinewav]

I got mad at this game because I can't beat slov's high score of 10400 , mostly because my connection is so bloody awful. So, I decided to rework the settings a little to compensate for my terrible ISP, and to correct some gameplay issues that came up when transferring this game from local to online (bot behavior, missing zones due to lag, etc...).

There have been tweaks to cycle delay and rubber (twice as much), cycle trails (shorter, don't disappear), and explosions (much larger). The result is this: If you have a bad connection, the game is much more forgiving. Zones are easier to capture, but the ends of the rounds are a bit crazier and more dangerous. Overall, it plays a little more how I imagined it originally.

The final adjustment is the scoring. No points for kills, 125 per zone, 250 for surviving. This makes it possible to achieve a perfect score of 12000. (I haven't don't it yet.) Yes, you can beat the game now.

Some of you who are already pro with good connections will find the new settings too easy, I'm sure. I'll keep your old high scores up until you feel like finally beating the MAZE-A-TRON.

[wap]

Is it possible to restart the match? I hate it when I fail in the beginning and have to suicide till the next match starts.

[sinewav]

I know, doesn't that suck? I can't figure out how to restart it. I suicide too when I screw up.

[wap]

Yeah it sucks pretty much, because rejoining the server also doesn't work.

Can't you make a command like /admin start_new_match?

I like the server by the way, it's really fun.

[sinewav]

start_new_match doesn't work because it still rotates through the config files. if there is a was to stop or reset the rotation I'll allow players to /admin include restart.cfg... if I only knew what to put in it.

anyone have some help to offer?

[INW]

re-including the original cfg file with all the maps on it and server settings should restart the map rotation right?

[sinewav]

You would think so, but that's not what happens.

[Slov]

great! I'll check it out

[dlh]

start_new_match doesn't work because it still rotates through the config files. if there is a was to stop or reset the rotation I'll allow players to /admin include restart.cfg...

Better rotation control is a good idea. I added this to trunk:

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Config and map rotation can be manually reset with the command “RESET_ROTATION”. Rotation can automatically be reset when a START_NEW_MATCH command is issued by enabling “RESET_ROTATION_ON_START_NEW_MATCH”.

[sinewav]

Better rotation control is a good idea. I added this to trunk:

Code: Select all

Config and map rotation can be manually reset with the command “RESET_ROTATION”. Rotation can automatically be reset when a START_NEW_MATCH command is issued by enabling “RESET_ROTATION_ON_START_NEW_MATCH”.

This is totally awesome dlh, thanks. Works perfect for that server. I upgraded and set "ACCESS_LEVEL START_NEW_MATCH 15" for players who login and want to restart.

Also, I finally defeated the MAZE-A-TRON. It took many, many hours, but that's mostly because it's hard to get through all 12 levels without a game-ending lag-spike. Damn Time-Warner Cable.

Anyone else should have an easier time. I realized yesterday I had the wrong AI file loaded, so I went and fixed that and made a few extra tweaks since the bots have more rubber to play with. The bots are less crazy, and there are a few patterns that work against them most of the time. Maybe a strategy guide is on the way?

[Phytotron]

I upgraded and set "ACCESS_LEVEL START_NEW_MATCH 15" for players who login and want to restart.

Doesn't seem to be working. I just get back "/admin denied, insufficient access level."

By the way, how did you reverse the AI's natural evasion tendency? Damn bastids always want to turn right in front of and at me.

(This goes for both before and after you changed the AI file. Actually, come to think of it, they seemed to do that in "Debris Field" quite a bit as well, and I didn't touch the AI config, so....)


Strategy Guide: Overhead cam.

[sinewav]

I got the /admin thing working now. I didn't know I needed to lower the admin access level. I made it available to everyone so you don't even need to login now.

I think the best AI settings seem to be a combination of reaction times and viewing distance relating to the size of the grid and speed of the game. At least, that's how it works for me. I remember the AI file for "Original Arcade" had some crazy jacked-up values because the grid was so small. (also, that AI file was the one incorrectly loaded into maze-a-tron, heh.)

[Phytotron]

Upon further examination it seems that behaviour actually has more to do with the 0.2.8 AI's innate (and incredibly annoying) compulsion to trace its own lines, and sometimes others'—overriding even basic self-preservation. That's also why you'll sometimes see one or two just "camp out" around a zone or two. Grr.

You know what else is annoying? The tendency for an overhead cam to make those interior map walls completely disappear when at a certain angle(s). Crashup!


Oh, more important functional thangs:

A) I've found that sometimes the zones won't register my passing through them, even if I do it multiple times. Have you experienced that?

B) Big lag spikes (from ~50 to ~250). Me, the server, the resetting of the rotation?

[Mkay1]

I wish the server had two slots as this is the only server you are even on sine! So close...and yet so far.

[sinewav]

Oh, more important functional thangs:

A) I've found that sometimes the zones won't register my passing through them, even if I do it multiple times. Have you experienced that?

B) Big lag spikes (from ~50 to ~250). Me, the server, the resetting of the rotation?

Yes, I'm pretty sure the zones not responding is due to lag as you drive though them. Which brings me to your second observation, yes, the lag in AoT servers is on the rise. I'll have to look into that.


Mkay: I thought about making it two slots so you can "put a quarter on the machine", but I won't be hanging out in there much now that I finally beat the goddamn thing, haha.