Phantom sky divers

#1 I didn't make this game ... I just play it, but I own a Torque SDK so I might have an idea what is happening. My theory is that on that part of the map, the terrain is not deep and steep enough for the bot to exit the mission area box.

You see, a mission area is actually huge invisible rectangular box. I believe that ThinkTanks uses this to trigger player death and bot respawn when you fall off a cliff. :D

Well, that's what I'll do if I'm the programmer of ThinkTanks.

Alex

#2 Damn hehe.. I wanna find that spot! I want to explore those lush green hills in the distance!

Is this always the same map Spony? If so which one?

-Z-

#3 Come to think of it ... me too!!!

So which map is that?

Alex

#4 It was one of the lush maps, hypothalamus hills i'm pretty sure.

Was just trying to do it in solo....wasn't really hapening. I wonder if it requires some sort of error between the server and the client online, for example the server doesn't inform the client that you're dead for some reason. I don't know it's just as soon as you decend into the fog your tank starts smoking.

Good luck trying - spony

#5 I am not sure how they do the out of bounds.. I thought bounding box but could also be based on terrain height.. some places I can back halway down the cliffs before I take damage and in others I will die just over the lip.
I have also heard a player explaim in game that they hit a arrow pad combination and flew over to one of the out lying lands.. didn't see it.. and haven't tried to recreate it =).


"How did I get over here"?
Tank Dork

#6

Quote:Tank Dork wrote:
I have also heard a player explaim in game that they hit a arrow pad combination and flew over to one of the out lying lands.. didn't see it.. and haven't tried to recreate it =).

This happened to me once when I hit two arrow pads in a row. I rocketed off a cliff and landed on one of the outlying hills. Amazed, I explained my situation to the rest of the players, but then my tank self-destructed. Apparently, the game didn't like me being where I wasn't supposed to be.

shoseph

#7 Oh yeah.. that was you! I remember now. I couldn't remember who had said it. =)

"Where did shoseph get off to... oh there he is, waaay over there"
Tank Dork

#8 Well I've successfully made it across to another island several times now.. even took the flag with me on one occasion.

Here are a couple of screengrabs from such an island :)

www.rpgdx.net/pixel-zone/images/thinktanks.jpg

www.rpgdx.net/pixel-zone/images/thinktanks2.jpg

www.rpgdx.net/pixel-zone/images/thinktanks3.jpg

www.rpgdx.net/pixel-zone/images/thinktanks5.jpg

www.rpgdx.net/pixel-zone/images/thinktanks6.jpg

And, ever get that sinking feeling?

www.rpgdx.net/pixel-zone/images/thinktanks4.jpg


-Z-

#9 Man that was sweet, bots diving all over the place....

Now what would be really sweet is a 4 way arrow pad on the little island so you could get to a couple others from there, as a sort of easter egg. We really can't make it to the big island, tried everything =P

#10 Great sceenshots -Z-, knew it could be done!
Now all that has to be done is.. fix it before we get griefed out of our minds on that map =P

Thank you shoseph for leading us to the new world.. even if it was on accident.

*Plants more trees*
Tank Dork

#11 no offense guys, but now that you got there... mind telling us how?

Is it pads? that sinking feeling? or maybe a server glitch?

#12 Hey guys, when you are off on the Island, does your tank eventually start smoking and die?

#13 Clark: It doesn't seem to on the Cranium Crater islands. However, on a far off island in Receptor Ridge, TankDork died off even though he landed above the fog line.

More screenshots:

Paco gets that sinking feeling and shortly thereafter is launched into the great unknown:
ezupa.com/thinktanks/PacoInTheSkyWithDiamonds.jpg

Mars has a similar experience:
ezupa.com/thinktanks/MarsGoingToMars.jpg

On another journey, Paco manages to make it to the much anticipated "Big Island." He takes a moment to look back at those he's left behind:
ezupa.com/thinktanks/HeyGuys.jpg

Ah, but there is so much more island ahead, what will the future hold?:
ezupa.com/thinktanks/OhThePlacesYouWillGo.jpg

TankDork likes flight too:
ezupa.com/thinktanks/TankDorkAhoy.jpg


-- 56k Lag Man

#14 Ha Ha !
McCoy's screenshot captions certainly make up for the annoyance of having this bug!!!

#15 OK, so *how*?

Enquiring minds want to know.

#16 Guys I am still lmao.. that was some funny @%#^.

I am not sure we need to let the cat out of the bag before the bravetree guys can find a way to keep griefers from exploiting this.

Normally with 98% of our population here it would not be a problem.. but if those 2% used this to escape with the scrum.. it could ruin a game.. even though it is VERY hard to do consistantly.

If -Z- runs his island hopping server again.. you guys can join and see it first hand.

"Wheeeee"
Tank Dork

#17 heh ok.. I've just sorted through the 100 odd screengrabs I've taken in the last day or so, and here are some of the better ones. Enjoy :)

-Z-

What landing strip?
Paco's king of the castle
I've got that sinking feeling
Second star on the right, straight on 'til morning
Skiing
More island hopping fun
Different islands being colonised
I can see the pub from here!
The edge of the world
"This is -z- requesting fly-by"
Bird's eye view of the action
Houston.. we have a problem!
-z- watches from afar
Chester finally makes it across
Lining up for the arrow pads method
Skydiving Tanks!
Where's my parachute?
-z- returns with rocks from the moon.
"Runnin' away won't save ya!"
da Bull chases Sea Gulls
Damn those heavies have good range!

#18 seems since the update, i see no otehr islands, so the screen shots look nothing like whats on my screen. ill try and post. maybe a reinstall is in order.

where the hell is everyone?

#19 Just FYI, the tips you can try on your own, the shots above by Zoggles' "-z-" were made on Cranium Crater.

Heavies were the tank of choice becasue of it's stability and health. Whaat you do is place yourself near a SHARP peice of terrain, the spike is the terrain of choice. GENTLY move your tank onto the sharp edges until you start sinking, often you will hear your tank engines revving up to full throttle. Now if you visualize the terrain composed of flat planes, you will often bounce around hitting the edges of the terrain you sank into. Until at some point.. no one really knows, you finally get "Spit" out. The longer you stay sunk, the faster you get sped up. Often the speeds are fast enough where you can drive down the current slope your on, land on the bottom, and drive up the nearest "Island"

Othertimes you are lauched into the air. Typically 1 out of 5 tries are a succesful launch.

be sure to do it with a buddy, so one of you can take a screnshot of proof

Vanbuskirk
Member of the Mile high club, and Island explorer

#20 Hi folks I can see that you are talking about getting to other islands well I made it to the same island as -z- in one game and I just want to know who first found it out.

Sam