[DISC][PLAYER] Slider physics (potential)

[namida]

The question is then whether Sliders should also be slowed down by updrafts, i.e. to 1 pixel per second, like Floaters in updrafts as well.

I'm leaning towards no on this one. Partly for simplicity, but also the difference from 2px to 1px is far too much for a lemming without a big-ass umbrella to catch the updraft air. 3px to 2px on the other hand might be okay, but yeah, I do think 3px per second is a bit fast as the starting point.

[WillLem]

Just a quick post to show some support for this skill, since others have been getting more discussion-time recently.

Go Slider!

[namida]

Partly there's a lot less to discuss about Slider - most of the detail is already fleshed out and not particularly controversial. It will likely be the second to get the exp build (behind the Grenader / Spearer, which are basically only being held back by me not wanting to release any new-skill exps before 12.10 stable is out and otherwise would be ready for release - the reason for this is that I'd like them to be "nothing different, except the skill, from a stable version").

And to be clear, that in turn is to do with implementation difficulty (and in particular, later-adjustment difficulty) of the laser-blaster; not because of anything I have against it.

[namida]

Put up a poll regarding slider speed.

It's not critical to get this right the first time, this is one of those things that would be very easy to alter during the experimental phase. Obviously, it goes without saying that if / when Slider hits RC phase (let alone stable), the speed is no longer open to change; but yeah, we can try out other speeds during the experimental phase.

[namida]

Another question is what to call an athlete with 5 permanent skills.

Currently we have <skill name> for 1, "Athlete" for 2, "Triathlete" for 3, "X-Athlete" for 4. (We have five permanent skills, but as Floater and Glider are mutually exclusive, a single lemming can currently only have up to four.) Perhaps the best way about this is to keep it as is for 1 and 2, and beyond that something like "Athlete-III", "Athlete-IV" and "Athlete-V" (using roman numerals to clearly distinguish from the lemming quantity)?

This is obviously not an urgent matter and can be decided later, but it's something to give thought to at some point.

[kaywhyn]

More importantly, when holding down the Ctrl key and hovering over a lemming that has permanent skills, what letter abbreviation should be used for slider if it also happens to be a swimmer? S is already used to indicate the lemming is a swimmer, and slider also starts with an S, so here we have a problem. Maybe use two letters instead?

[namida]

Currently, I'm using "L" for Slider, though this is up for discussion. I do agree it should be a different letter from Swimmer, regardless of ordering.

[namida]

Here's a video showing an initial Slider implementation. It's pretty solid as far as the basic cases go (ie: Walker becoming Slider; Slider becoming either Walker or Faller depending on circumstance), though none of the fancier cases are supported yet.

https://youtu.be/BrDqpqIFYQA

[Simon]

Here's a video

No, there is no video.

-- Simon

[namida]

Here's a video

No, there is no video.

-- Simon

What are you talking about?

[namida]

Second video: https://youtu.be/Uail0mB8URk

This shows some more transitions to slider. Transitioning from slider is still limited to "walker if hit ground, faller if run out of wall in midair".

[WillLem]

Seeing these videos, I love this skill! Feel free to use my Slider sprite for testing in the meantime if you wish. If this skill gets implemented, I'll likely increase the animation to several frames and have some hair movement.

[namida]

The placeholder sprites will remain in place for now. Final sprites can be discussed after "which skills make it?" has been decided.

[namida]

Another video!

https://youtu.be/0_1OXHVPCLw

[Strato Incendus]

Great work, namida! Especially the smooth transitioning to the Shimmier. And also, that the Climber overrides the Slider during wall jumping.

My only question would be about the Climber transitioning directly to a Slider when hitting a ceiling. Does this happen in Lemmings 2, as well, btw?

Anyway, this is certainly great for preventing Climbers from splatting. And I assume the Slider will turn around when reaching the bottom again (as a Slider sliding down a regular wall does in L2, even when it is a Climber)?

Because otherwise, it will be a constant back-and-forth transition between Climber and Slider, and the only way to get the lemming off the wall again would be by wall jumping.

You wall-jumped right away in this video, so I couldn't tell what was going to happen once the Climber-Slider reaches the bottom and lands on terrain right in front of the wall.