Fast seeds can't plant on small roids

[annikk.exe]

I've been meaning to mention this one for a while.


TO REPRODUCE THIS BUG:


1.  Create a level with very fast seedlings (say, minimum speed 1000)

2.  Then you create an asteroid which has a radius of -for example- 150.

3.  The bug becomes evident when you instruct the seedlings to plant a tree on the asteroid.  They cannot seem to slow down enough, so they end up circling the asteroid endlessly.  After a long time they usually all manage to stick their noses into the soil, but it takes a LONG time, and this gives the player a false visual of how many seedlings they have at the asteroid.



The obvious fixes from a level designers perspective are thusly:

1) Reduce the speed of the seedlings
2) Increase the size of the asteroid


Either of those - or both in some kind of combination - will produce acceptable planting behaviour, however this can mean a level where seedlings are too slow to catch up with fast-moving asteroids, or a level filled with over-sized or same-sized asteroids that have to pass through each other in order to maintain complex orbits.




Here's sample code that should produce the problem:

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Code: [Select]

function LevelSetup()


SetBackdropColour(0,0,0)
SetVignetteAlpha=(255)

Globals.G.EnemyFactionsMin=0
Globals.G.EnemyFactionsMax=0
Globals.G.MinAsteroidSeparation=1250
Globals.G.MaxAsteroidNeighbourDist=4000
Globals.G.GreysProbability=0
Globals.G.Asteroids=0
Globals.G.GreysMin=0
Globals.G.GreysMax=0

Globals.Agents.MaxSpeed=1800
Globals.Agents.MinSpeed=1200

Globals.AI.GraceTimer=(130)

Globals.Asteroids.MaxTrees=0
Globals.Asteroids.MinRadius=90
Globals.Asteroids.MaxRadius=150
Globals.Asteroids.RadiusPowerRule=1.5
Globals.Asteroids.MinSendDistance=2800
Globals.Asteroids.MaxSendDistance=7000
Globals.Asteroids.SendPowerRule=1.4

Globals.StructuresDefense.MinHealth=140
Globals.StructuresDefense.MaxHealth=900

Globals.Structures.FlowerProbability=(0.5)


-- Asteroid 0
a = AddAsteroidWithAttribs(2000,0, 0.3,0.9,0.8)
a.Owner = 1
a.TreeCap = 4

a:AddSuperSeedlings(40)
a.SendDistance = 12000
a.Moveable = false
a:Reveal(1)


destination = AddAsteroidWithAttribs(-4000,0, 0.3,0.9,0.8)
destination.Owner = 1
destination:Reveal(1)



end

function LevelLogic()


end

Any way to find a solution for this behaviour?

[Pilchard123]

Make it so that any seedlings used to plant a tree are forced to slow down to a maximum speed when they plant. Possibly determined by the size of the asteroidroid, possibly just really slow flat limit.

[Mihhaelo]

By adding this to the code, you can get the seedlings to plant.

(click to show/hide)

Globals.Agents.MinAltitude = 400

Alternatively, to keep the seedlings nice and close to the Asteroid and to make them look less cluttered you can use this...

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Globals.Agents.TurnRate = 10

One issue i'm finding is that after you've made the plants, the created seedlings tend to fly quite high from their parent asteroid, i'm sure if you got the right values for Min and Max altitude this would be resolved. It's caused by the seedlings turning "into" the asteroid and bouncing off.

[annikk.exe]

I have tried adjusting all the agent related variables - I spent a whole day one time just trying to get seedlings to land on the asteroid properly.
Hmm, sceptical that it will work as I have tried adjusting the variables you mentioned too... but I'll give your suggestions a try anyway.  Cheers :>

[Mihhaelo]

I actually made a level with your code just there, it didn't work before my bit of code, and then worked after it