2. Gameplay

2.1 Overall Mechanic

The major gameplay mechanic is based on player vs. player vehicle combat. Various game modes are available that range from goal based team games, to score based open battle. Computer player support will be added via server side “bots” if desired.

2.2 Players

Players take charge of a vehicle (aka. Tank) and pilot it throughout the game world. Each tank is equipped with a shield generator and at least one weapon. Additional weapons and accessories are available in the game world that modifies the tank’s behavior.

2.2.1 Damage

As tank encounter shots from other players or the world they will take damage. This damage is represented as a numeric value. A tanks shield generator will absorb as much damage as possible each time the tank is hit. Shield generators have a rating for how much damage they can absorb. Damage that is left over after a shield is discharged will be applied directly to the body rating of the tank. When a tank’s body rating is reduced to zero it will explode.

A shield generator that is not sustaining active damage will regenerate at a fixed rate based on the specific tank’s current shield generation rating. By default shield regeneration will begin one (1) second after a shot hits a tank.

A tanks body rating will not regenerate over time, and by default is very low (usually 1 damage point). Game mods can be made that increase a tank’s body rating and allow for specific actions to regenerate the rating ( repair depot).

2.2.2 Weapons

Tanks are equipped with a primary default weapon. This weapon is energy based and pulls from shot power buffer. This power buffer is rated in damage points and regenerates at a fixed rate that is specified by the tank’s power rating. A limited number of additional weapons can be mounted on the tank during play. Each tank has a specific number of additional weapons that can be equipped at a time. When a tank has filled all of its weapon slots it can no longer equip new weapons until it drops an existing one. The default weapon can not be dropped. The player can switch to any equipped weapon at will, with a short server defined switch time.

Weapons may use the tank’s power buffer for shots, internal ammunition supplies, or a mixture of both as defined by the weapon type. Weapons that use internal ammunition are not useable when the supply runs out, and the weapon will be automatically des-pawned. Weapons that use ammunition but are not empty can be dropped into the game world, but retain the level of ammunition they had.

Weapons generate shots that apply specific damage values to targets when it is detonated. Optionally a shot may generate area based splash damage when it is detonated. Each shot type has a detonation detection radius that will trigger the damage effects.

Shots can have varying flight characteristics as defined by the shot type.

Specific pickup object or areas in the map can reload ammunition based weapons.

2.2.2.1 Weapon Flight Modes

Shots can all be broken down into one of the following flight modes, regardless of graphical display.

  • Bolt: Straight line flight, no gravity, Detonates at point of impact
  • Beam: Continuous stream, no gravity, Detonates along firing line
  • Shell: Gravity affected parabola, Detonates at point of impact

Each mode can be optionally guided or unguided.

2.2.2.2 Specific Weapons

Combinations shot modes and settings for weapons:

  • Blaster: Unguided Bolt, No splash damage, small detonation radius, moderate ROF
  • Rocket: Unguided Bolt, High splash damage, high detonation radius, high ROF
  • Missile Guided Bolt, High splash damage, high detonation radius, low ROF
  • Vulcan: Unguided Bolt, No splash damage, zero detonation radius, high ROF
  • Cannon: Unguided Shell, High splash damage, zero detonation radius, low ROF
  • Laser: Unguided beam: No splash damage, zero detonation radius, high ROF, DOT
  • Plasma Blast: Unguided Bolt, Moderate splash damage, small detonation radius, moderate ROF, DOT
  • Mortar: Guided Shell, High splash damage, small detonation radius, low ROF
  • Fuel air Bomb: Unguided Bolt, High splash damage, special detonation, low ROF, DOT

2.2.3 Movement

Tank movement is directed by the pilot and consists of at least two axes of movement. The pilot can rotate the tank around its central vertical axis in order to turn left and right, accelerate or decelerate the tank along it’s facing axis in order move forward and backwards. Optimally for some game modes and tank types the pilot can move the tank sideways at a slower speed (sidestep for hover tanks), or cause the tank to accelerate briefly in the vertical axis ( jump).

Acceleration and deceleration values are specified per tank, based on global physics values and the modified by the specific tank type and any accessories that affect the associated movement vector. Additional modification can be applied from the world, such as gravity or special zones that apply acceleration vectors.

Tank types with turrets can rotate the turret left and right, as well as up and down ( usually to a lesser degree ) in order to aim shots. These aim movements will be controlled by a mouse or joystick, not by keys. This is to give the shot vector maximum granularity.

As tanks move throughout the world and encounter obstacles, they will first attempt to drive over them if they are lower then a specified distance. A tank will sit at the orientation of the obstacle or world geometry that is directly under its center point. World collision will move the tank to the best possible point to prevent the tank’s bounding cylinder from intersecting any world objects or geometry. When collisions happen only the direction of motion that point into the collision are blocked, allowing the cylinder to ‘slide’ around obstacles at a slower rate then normal driving. No collisions or falling will cause a tank to rotate in any axis. As a tank falls it’s orientation will be set by the normal of the surface that is projected to be under the tank as it falls. When orientation changes are needed they will be interpolated at a fast rate set by the server that is common to all tanks.

2.2.4 Accessories

Tanks can equip optional accessories into a fixed number of accessory slots. The number of slots is determined by the tank type. Like weapons when all slots are full, no new accessories can be installed.

Accessories modify normal equipment or provide additional capabilities. Installed accessories can individually be activated or deactivated. When activated, an accessory will ether be passive and draw power from the tank’s power buffer, or generate some kind of effect then deactivate (one shot). One shot accessories may have a number of “charges” based on type. When all the charges of a one shot accessory are used, it will automatically de-spawn. If another one shot accessory of the same type as one that has been used but is not empty, it will replace the existing accessory. Accessories can not be dropped into the world once they have been installed.

2.2.4.1 Specific accessories
  • Super Radar: Extends sensor view
  • Super Shields: Increases shield regen at the cost of power
  • Repulse: Fixed Charges, sends all shots away
  • Turbo: Double speed at the cost of power
  • Thermal Sensor: See tanks through nearby obstacles
  • Therm-optic Camouflage: Be visual hidden:
  • Stealth: Hide from sensor systems ( but not super radar )
  • Ramjet: Fixed Charges, 15 seconds of 5x speed, no throttle.
  • Rapid Fire: Increase ROF at cost of shield power:
  • Jamming field: Reduces sensor range of nearby tanks (including yours) at the cost of power: