Created by: Orogogus email comments to h2liu@iname.com ------------- Instructions: Two maps are included, Starsiege Arena and Arena on the Edge (which features two larger arenas instead of three smaller ones). Unzip the .cs and .mis files into your /Starsiege/multiplayer folder. Make two copies of DM_City_on_the_Edge.ted.vol (which should already be in the /multiplayer folder), and rename them StarsiegeArena.ted.vol and Arena_on_the_Edge.ted.vol. To start a game: From your Multiplayer menu, choose Create Game. Change the Mission to StarsiegeArena or Arena_on_the_Edge. Click on OK. To set up a dedicated server: Move the Server_*.cs file into your /Starsiege folder. Create a new shortcut in your Windows Start Menu, or copy one of the ones included with Starsiege, and give it an appropriate name. In its file Properties, change the target to point at the Server_*.cs file (e.g. C:\Games\Starsiege\launch.exe infiniteSpawn starsiege -s Server_StarsiegeArena.cs). The Server_StarsiegeArena.cs file may be edited to play only one mission. ------------- Description: Starsiege Arena is a way for players to fight repeated one-on-one duels without interference. Players spawn in a lobby area with a teleporter. Stepping on the teleporter sends players to an arena, whereupon they either engage the opponent there, or if there is no opponent already there, they wait for another player to step on the lobby teleporter and be sent to their arena. By preference, the script will (should) send players to arenas occupied by another player, and will only send players to empty arenas if no one-player arenas are available. Also, the script will try to send players to spawn points within an arena where the opponent is not within 50m. Players who lose (die) are sent back to the lobby, while the winner is automatically teleported to a new arena. Notes: All players are radar invisible in this mission. This is meant to decrease the incidence of kills scored by people in the lobby, particularly those using guided weapons and locking onto people in an arena. ATR scoring is enabled in this mission. That is to say, the score is weighted more heavily towards the ratio of kills versus deaths, and less towards the number of kills alone. Players are automatically healed when attacked in the lobby. However, this doesn't prevent one-shot kills, nor are shields affected. Players are also healed and reloaded when they are teleported to an arena, although this doesn't affect shields or energy. A later, more excessive measure was to raise the walls and put a ceiling over all of the arenas. Disrupters and disrupter guns are a prime tool for people who try to be annoying in the lobby, and have been removed by default. Field stabilizers have also been removed from the list. Known problems: As noted, it is possible for people to kill other players in the lobby through one shot kills. The healing of damage in the lobby does not apply to shields (or energy), so players can have their shields lowered in the lobby, and start at a disadvantage if they teleport into the arena right away. It is also possible for people to escape out of the arenas and wander around the empty terrain. This keeps other people from using that arena until the escapee dies (i.e., quits), and if there is already another opponent in the lobby, he will be permanently stranded without an opponent, and the mission logic may be permanently broken until the server restarts, so that one player is continually teleported into that arena and stranded there. Similarly, three or more people may end up in the same arena through broken mission logic. Suggested modifications: Create new arena maps. This time, an effort was made to make this as easy as possible. There are two requirements for a Starsiege Arena map. The first is that there must be a trigger object with name and script class of BeamHimUp, to act as the lobby teleporter. The second is that each arena must contain the appropriate number of boxes, and the appropriate number of spawnpoints per box, specified in lines ~39-40 in the StarsiegeArena.cs file. Each box should have its own mission group, branched directly off of the main /MissionGroup group in the mission editor, and these groups should be named /MissionGroup/Box1, /MissionGroup/Box2, etc., up to the number of boxes specified in line ~30. In these groups, there should be trigger objects with name and script class of spawn1, spawn2, spawn3, etc., up to the number of spawn points specified in line ~40. A physical teleporter pad to go with the teleporter trigger, arena walls, and such should definitely be included, but are not literally required by the script. Adjust the minimum starting distance for opponents in line ~207 according to the size of the map. Warning: if this number is set too high, it is possible to send the game into an infinite loop and crash the mission. Turn radar invisibility back off, in line ~258.