This tutorial will teach a shipbuilder how to create a simple drone-type object. It is essentially a section of the ship that is launched outward and fights for you.
This tutorial will require you to read and understand the Advanced Documentation, specifically about triggers and moving sections.
This will do until a newbie-friendly version is created.
It is also necessary to understand Turrets
So, we have our Tutorial ship (You should know how they look by now, like crap)
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Give each "dummy gun" a round section to drive. The center one will drive the first round section. This will put the "drone" in that direction near an enemy. The second one will keep the "drone" in front of the target ship. The third one will control the "drone's" positioning to face the target at all times.
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Trigger 1: When the weapon acquires a target, the section will move itself to a certain point.
Trigger 2: When the weapon loses its target (or the target dies), the section will return to its starting point.
However, each section and turret will need to be configured individually (articulated robot arms: deja vu)
Each turret will have to have a 180 degree firing arc to make sure the drone functions properly.
The turret attached to the center of the ship is the "Launch" turret. It's range determines the point at which your "drone" will "launch". (This one is 1500)
Each square section is "set on trigger 1" and "set on trigger 2" for this turret. Note the direction of the teal arrows.
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It needs to go out at an angle, so it doesn't overlap with the target. That would be retarded. Target Direction: 30
This will make it go out fairly far and at an angle to the ship's left. That's fine.
The first "dummy gun" (parented to the bottom square) is set an an angle of -60.
Since the section that it is on will be going to the left and outward, it will probably be to the side of the target as well. With the angle set to anticipate this (pointing to the ship's right and slightly ahead) it can place the "drone" slightly in front of the target.
The second square section (Middle) will ride along with the first. We need to get it in front of the target. Since the first if going off to the ship's left, it'll have to go to the ship's right instead. It is set up to go to the ship's right a distance equal to the Target Y of the first section.
Target Distance: 400
Target Angle: 270
This will keep it near the center of the front of the ship as it moves outward.
The second "dummy gun" (Parented to the middle square) will control the "drone" to keep it facing the target instead of putting it into position (that's taken care of by the previous sections and turrets). This one is facing the opposite direction (180). It doesn't really matter what direction that it faces, as long as it faces the same as the Target Angle of the following section. The range should be about half that of the previous turrets, so the "drone" doesn't get distracted.
The last square section (Top) will be the "Drone" itself. It should move outward a little from the previous setup to appear a autonomous. Just a little bit is okay for the look.
Target Distance: 100
Target Angle: 180 (Backwards)
It will launch back towards the ship (same as the second turret), but that is not really important, since the previous turret setup will spin it around towards the target anyway.
The last "dummy gun" (Parented to top square) will drive the "Drone" itself. It will choose the direction that the "Drone" shoots in. This one does not necessarily need a 180 degree firing arc like the others, but it does help out at times. Don't forget to put a weapon on the last round section that you intend for the "Drone" to actually use. Link it to the last "dummy gun" with the arrow going in the proper direction.
Now, hide all of them except the last round section and weapon (Don't forget to give them and the "dummy guns" some decent HP). This will complete the illusion of a "Drone" section. Alternatively, there is a particular sprite that makes things disappear (because it is entirely transparent), but they cannot be edited easily after that. That will not be covered here.
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Drone Test 2 has everything hidden under the wing of the ship. (Image 6) Original Specimen
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Zalausai