Fluid movement / Getting stuck on small elements

[Dokujisan]

For those who create maps...

Preface...

I think of this as somewhat of a game flaw in most of the FPS games that I've played. I'm guessing this is just a game engine issue, dealing with collisions in the game.


The issue...

I am running around a wall, or turning a corner, and I get stuck on a small edge that protrudes 1-2 inches from the wall. Rather than slowing me down, this makes me stop dead in my tracks. This just would not happen in real life. Something like that would likely slow me down, and perhaps turn my body or bump me away from the wall, but I would not stop completely. I think this problem impedes gameplay considerably in rooms where there is a lot of model detail, like around a statue or ornate entranceway. Part of the enjoyment of Nexuiz and similar FPS games is the fludity of movement, and I think this detail works against that.

This problem has existed since the Doom and Duke Nukem days. It has greatly improved in today's real 3D FPS games (thankfully), but the problem still exists to some degree. I imagine this is difficult to program in the game engine. I imagine the effects of object collisions have to do with calculating face / brush angles.

I think the best way to deal with this is make considerations when designing maps. Design maps that use smooth edges around corners as often as possible, and refrain from protruding things from the walls that can snag a character and stop their movement.

Anyone here relate?
Do you agree? Disagree?
Do you have a better solution?
Do you have anything else to add?

Have you ever eaten Tiramisu?
(added for randomness)

[:)]

For those who create maps...

Preface...

I think of this as somewhat of a game flaw in most of the FPS games that I've played. I'm guessing this is just a game engine issue, dealing with collisions in the game.


The issue...

I am running around a wall, or turning a corner, and I get stuck on a small edge that protrudes 1-2 inches from the wall. Rather than slowing me down, this makes me stop dead in my tracks. This just would not happen in real life. Something like that would likely slow me down, and perhaps turn my body or bump me away from the wall, but I would not stop completely. I think this problem impedes gameplay considerably in rooms where there is a lot of model detail, like around a statue or ornate entranceway. Part of the enjoyment of Nexuiz and similar FPS games is the fludity of movement, and I think this detail works against that.

This problem has existed since the Doom and Duke Nukem days. It has greatly improved in today's real 3D FPS games (thankfully), but the problem still exists to some degree. I imagine this is difficult to program in the game engine. I imagine the effects of object collisions have to do with calculating face / brush angles.

I think the best way to deal with this is make considerations when designing maps. Design maps that use smooth edges around corners as often as possible, and refrain from protruding things from the walls that can snag a character and stop their movement.

Anyone here relate?
Do you agree? Disagree?
Do you have a better solution?
Do you have anything else to add?

Have you ever eaten Tiramisu?
(added for randomness)

Yes, I have been stopped on some of the beveled edges of the ramps of Runningman. picture here

Another place I get stuck is going up the ramp towards teleport from the armour in Bleach. If I hit the right rail, I freeze. This does not happens if I am on a local server. picture here

I have had Tiramisu, it is Italian dessert I think.

[C.Brutail]

The problem is not always the mappers fault.

In most cases, it's a bug produced by the compiler, somehow it generates the texture not exactly on the surface of a brush, but a little bit higher, or towards it. This is not visible ingame, but still you can stuck on it.

The bug is random, I have faced it several times while making my maps. Random, I mean on surfaces that has an angle to eachother. The solution: complete redesign of the area. :/

About smooth patches and stuff: I won't recommend it. DP handles patches not very well, the more the patches, the more the fps drain.

Ah yes, and I've eaten Tiramisu yet

[Dokujisan]

I usually get stuck when there are beam-like structures sticking out of walls to add that sense of realism. It seems that a lot of maps have this design feature. I don't know the names of the maps (yet) or I would reference them.

I also have gotten stuck on those rails that you mentioned.

Strange that it would happen less in local playing mode.

I love Tiramisu.

[Urmel]

I completely agree with Dokujisan, sticking on edges and all that stuff is completely unrealistic and annoying.
Especially when playing with a less perfect inet connection it makes me really mad.

It would be a great effort to get this problem as well solved in Nexuiz.

Tiramisu btw is idd italian, the name means "pushing me up" (actually "pulling me up")

[Irritant]

I don't know if Nex supports it, but surely it must - but the use of clipping brushes in the map design is the best way to smooth out those rough areas. I've done it plenty of times for areas like that, or to prevent players from going into areas they could potentially become stuck in.

[esteel]

Yeah Nexuiz (or the engine DarkPlaces) does support playerclips and those are used on some maps. Well guess we have to chain up some mapper and threaten him with great pains but i'm not sure if those work good at there specific places.

Hmm but this reminds me of something i have totaly forgotten which might be a bug..

[tZork]

Yeah Nexuiz (or the engine DarkPlaces) does support playerclips and those are used on some maps. Well guess we have to chain up some mapper and threaten him with great pains but i'm not sure if those work good at there specific places.

Fairly big job, but not terribly big. Anyone with intermediate q3'ish mapping experiance should be able to do this. Almost every pice of "snagging geometry" is fixable with clippers, but on the bigger ones it will/can seem strange.

Hmm but this reminds me of something i have totaly forgotten which might be a bug..

Ok.. now im quriose =)