Please click for a larger screenshot Download alpha001.zip(663k) Download alpha002.zip (Aiming is radomised)(663k)

I've got a fair bit of coding to complete the game and a lot of tweaking to make the game any fun. The project began as a clone of xcom but since there aren't any spelled out game rules to follow I'm going to try and implement another game system such as shadowrun. Anyway, the code is far from finished but I've been working so long by myself that I thought I'd display it a little. --- Today, is a good day to code. [edited by - BinhNguyen on January 15, 2004 8:39:04 PM]

I''m going to put off using a P&P system for the moment. One of the core items in my game is how to model gunfire. Please read and comment.

How to aim guns?
------------------------------

My gameplay is inspired by a game called xcom. The issue I am facing is how to model aiming. My aim is to let bullets which don''t hit the intended target to continue traveling and cause chaos

The system I currently have is as follows. I''ll begin by discussing aiming along the horizontal plane.

Point blank range
------------------------------

The shooter is modeled as a single point and the target is a 1 metre cubed box five metres away.

When a shooter aims at a target at this distance, the shooter has a very high chance of hitting. The shooter may aim a little to the left or right. The extreme left is given the number -10, dead centre the number 0 and the extreme right the number 10.

Using random numbers, the shooter will hit if a number between -9 and 9 comes up, so there is an 18 in 20 chance of hitting.

The effect is that there is an arc in front of the shooter that the shooter aims within.

Just above point blank range
------------------------------

Now picture the target being moved so that it is 10 metres away from the target.

The shooter has the same arc as when at point blank range to aim within but because the target is further away the arctual arc required to hit is smaller.

The extreme left is still -10, dead centre the number 0 and the extreme right the number 10.

This time however, the shooter requires a number between -5 and 5 to hit.

Conclusion
------------------------------

The result of all this is that bullets are given a direction. For example if the shooter has the random number -5, this indicates a position on the arc and the bullet will travel that way.

In addition, there can be modifiers that help make the targeting arc smaller increasing the chance to hit. Modifiers may be from attributes, skills and environmental conditions.

I''ve implemented this in my game already but I have found that units are too in accurate. I have a hunch that different arcs at different ranges are required to make the game more realistic and fun.

Any comments are most appreciated.