Server Side Modding

We know how to modify weapon damage - see the Modding Weapon Damage tutorial.

Lets play with the VSS.

These settings were all made at the end of the ObjectSpawnTemplates.con file on Al Khafji Docks. The foot prints were observed from shooting at one of those fule drums from a distance of about 20 game meters.

Basics
Recoil
Deviance
Semi vs. Fully Automatic
Gravity

Basics

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.magSize 10
ObjectTemplate.numOfMag 9

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.reloadtime 10

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.roundOfFire 10

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.zoomFov 0.5

RECOIL

These settings deal with recoil. After a sustained burst of fire, the gun will move in a certain direction based on these settings.

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.setHasRecoilForce 1
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceUp CRD_UNIFORM/0.28/0.32/0
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceLeftRight CRD_UNIFORM/-0.2/0.2/0
ObjectTemplate.setGoBackOnRecoil 0

When setHasRecoilForce is set to 1, then the weapon will recoil. setRecoilForceUp and setRecoilForceLeftRight determine which direciton, and by how much this move will be. The arguments work like this:

- CRD_UNIFORM means a uniform distribution between the next two numbers (in this case .28 degrees and .32 degrees). - 0.28 - the minimum of the uniform distribution (in degrees) - 0.32 - the maximum of the uniform distribution (in degrees) - 0 - this number is either a 0 or 1. if 0, then only positive numbers are returned. If 1, then the number between .28 and .32 has a 50/50 chance of being negative.

Some examples:

rem *** same thing as setting setHasRecoilForce to 0
ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.setHasRecoilForce 1
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceUp CRD_UNIFORM/0/0/0
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceLeftRight CRD_UNIFORM/0/0/0

You will notice there is still a little randomness to the bullet pattern even when the recoil effect is turned off. This is due to something else which will be covered in the next section.

rem *** After Each Burst, the weapon will have moved in a certain
rem *** direction (up/down, or left/right) no more than +/- 5 degrees.
ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.setHasRecoilForce 1
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceUp CRD_UNIFORM/-5/5/0
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceLeftRight CRD_UNIFORM/-5/5/0

in that second example, during the burst, you will move in the randomly chosen direction. The next burst will be in a random other direction. This is what that CRD_UNIFORM means.

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.setHasRecoilForce 1
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceUp CRD_UNIFORM/0.1/0.2/0
ObjectTemplate.setRecoilForceLeftRight CRD_UNIFORM/-0.2/0.2/0
ObjectTemplate.setGoBackOnRecoil 0

This will cause the recoil to go up only, but a lot slower than the original setting (now we're randomly going to move the angle up a number between 0.1 and 0.2 degrees. but since these number differ by .1 (instead of .04) our slow climb will vary from burst to burst (overall low recoil, but a bit unpredictable).

Other options besides CRD_UNIFORM are: CRD_NONE, CRD_EXPONENTIAL, and CRD_NORMAL. Further reading can be done here on these (I didn't try them so I don't know if they will work or not): http://www.planetbattlefield.com/mdt/scripting/CRD.shtm

The last setting, setGoBackOnRecoil, if set to 1, will return the weapon back to its starting point after firing the burst. 0 means the weapon will stay where it is after the effects of recoil. You will notice that if you are standing, and you set this to 0, and setHasRecoilForce is 1 that the gun may not return back to it's origin (it comes close though). This is due to the fact your standing and will be covered later.

These 4 settings can be controlled server side only.

DEVIANCE

ObjectTemplate.Active VSS
ObjectTemplate.setFireDev 2.5 0.275 0.08
ObjectTemplate.setDevMod 1 0.75 0.65
ObjectTemplate.setTurnDev 1.5 0.1 0.1 0.1
ObjectTemplate.setSpeedDev 2 0.175 0.175 0.1
ObjectTemplate.setMiscDev 3 2.5 0.1

setFireDev is why short controlled bursts are more accurate than long sustanined busts. The 3 arguments (x, y, and z) mean:

• x - the base deviance of a shot
• y - amount added per shot
• z - amount reduced per server-frame (30 per second)

setDevMod is deviation based on your stance while firing:

• x - standing
• y - crouching
• z - prone

setTurnDev is deviance based on moving your mouse while firing

• x - maximum deviation possible
• y - how much to add for each frame tilting up and down
• z - how much to add for each frame turning left and right
• w - how much to reduce per server-frame (30 fps)

setSpeedDev is deviance based on wether you turning while firing.

• x - maximum deviation possible
• y - how much to add for each frame tilting up and down
• z - how much to add for each frame turning left and right
• w - how much to reduce per server-frame (30 fps)

setMiscDev is deviance based on wether your jumping while firing

• x - maximum deviation due to this action
• y - how much to add per action
• z - how much to reduce per server-frame

I couldn't detect any perceptable difference when changing any of these. But maybe I dont understand the arguments very well. Further reading can be found here: http://www.planetbattlefield.com/mdt/scripting/ObjectTemplate/Properties/SetFireDev.shtm. From this page, you'll see links to the other deviation settings.

SEMI vs. FULLY AUTOMATIC

ObjectTemplate.fireOnce 0

Defaults to 0, and sets wether holding down the left mouse button will continue to fire or not. Changing this on either pistols or rifles had no effect server side only.

Gravity

Projectiles like the RPG/SMAW, or T-72/M1 tank shell have some other modifiers associated with them. The following code:

ObjectTemplate.Active RPGProjectile
ObjectTemplate.gravityModifier 0

Would make the RPG projectile go straight like a stinger. Normally, it is set to .4. Adjusting this gravityModifier will affect how much the projectile lobs.