Missile Knockback: Weight-Based Scaling For Enhanced Gameplay

Hey folks! Let's dive into a cool enhancement that's gonna spice up how missiles interact with characters in our game. We're talking about making missile knockback way more dynamic and, frankly, realistic. The core idea is to make the weight of a character a key factor in how far they get pushed around by a missile. Currently, the knockback is a fixed amount, meaning a tiny Radish Goblin gets tossed around just as much as a hulking Ursulo. That's not super intuitive, right?

The Current State of Affairs

So, right now, when a missile hits a character, it applies a fixed "KnockbackImpulse." This impulse directly affects the character's horizontal velocity (playerVelocityX), causing them to move backward. The problem? This system doesn't account for the size and weight of the characters. We've got our MissileSystem.bas file doing all the work here. It's pretty straightforward, but it's missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: character weight. We also have a table, CharacterWeights, already set up in CharacterDefinitions.bas. This table stores the weight of each character, so we have the data! We just need to make use of it.

This fixed knockback creates some weird scenarios. Imagine a super-heavy Knight Guy being knocked back the same distance as a flimsy Ninjish Guy. It just doesn't feel right, and it breaks the immersion. Plus, it doesn't give us any gameplay advantages related to character weight. We want players to feel the weight differences.

The Proposed Enhancement: Weight Matters!

Here's the plan, guys! We're gonna introduce a weight-based scaling system for knockback. The heavier a character is, the more resistant they'll be to getting knocked back. Here's a breakdown of how it's gonna work:

1. Calculate Knockback Resistance: First, we calculate a resistance value. This is determined by the character's weight divided by the maximum weight among all characters. The formula will look something like this: resistance = weight / max_weight. This will give us a value between 0 and 1, with heavier characters having a higher resistance.
2. Scale the Knockback: Next, we'll scale the knockback impulse. We'll use the resistance value we just calculated. The formula is: scaled_knockback = KnockbackImpulse * (1 - resistance). This means that characters with higher resistance (heavier characters) will experience less knockback, while characters with lower resistance (lighter characters) will experience more.

Let's break down the impact with some examples. Think about Ursulo, who is a big, beefy dude. He should be able to shrug off missile impacts pretty well. Thanks to the weight scaling, his high weight will give him a high resistance value, reducing the knockback he experiences. On the flip side, take the Ninjish Guy or the Radish Goblin. They're much lighter, so they'll have a low resistance value, leading to a greater knockback effect. This means they will be more vulnerable to being pushed back.

This adjustment not only makes the game feel more realistic, but it adds a layer of depth to the gameplay. Players will have to consider character weights and the effects of missiles when they are devising their strategies.

Implementation Details and File Modifications

The main file we'll be tweaking is Source/Routines/MissileSystem.bas. This is where the knockback calculation currently lives. We'll need to modify this file to incorporate the weight-based scaling. Essentially, we'll be adding the resistance calculation and the scaled knockback calculation into the existing system. The exact code will depend on the game's specific language and how the existing knockback is implemented, but the logic remains the same.

In terms of code, you'll need to:

• Access the character's weight from the CharacterWeights table in CharacterDefinitions.bas. You'll need to make sure you have the proper ID or method to get the correct weight for the specific character.
• Calculate the resistance based on the character's weight and the maximum weight (this requires you to have the max_weight value already or determine it at runtime).
• Calculate the scaled_knockback based on the KnockbackImpulse and the resistance.
• Apply the scaled_knockback to the character's horizontal velocity.

This involves not only modifying code, but also considering the overall gameplay balance. We'll have to make sure the changes feel right and don't make the game too easy or too difficult. We may need to tweak the KnockbackImpulse or the max_weight value to get things just right.

Benefits and Related Considerations

The advantages of weight-based knockback are pretty clear:

• Enhanced Gameplay Feel: It will improve how the game feels to play. Character interactions will be more intuitive and engaging.
• Character Differentiation: It will add to character differentiation. Players will begin to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of different characters based on their weight.
• Strategic Depth: It adds more strategic depth to the gameplay. Players will have to consider character weights, making decisions when engaging in combat.

This enhancement isn't happening in a vacuum. It actually connects to other aspects of our game, like the weight-based collision response already implemented. The character's weight affects the collision behavior, and now, it will also affect how they interact with missile knockback. This consistency helps create a cohesive and believable game world.

We already have the character weights stored in the CharacterWeights table, so we have the data we need. This enhancement is about leveraging that data to make the game more responsive, dynamic, and intuitive. This makes it a great quality-of-life improvement.

Priority and Next Steps

This enhancement has a Medium priority. It enhances gameplay feel and character differentiation without being critical for core game functionality. The next steps are pretty straightforward. We need to implement the changes in MissileSystem.bas, making sure everything works as planned. We should probably start by creating a test environment or setting up some unit tests to ensure our changes are working as expected. Testing is crucial, so we can ensure the knockback feels just right. We can also tweak the KnockbackImpulse or the max_weight value to create a balanced feel. After successful implementation and testing, this change will be ready to roll out!

This weight-based scaling for missile knockback is a simple yet impactful change that will make the game better. It is going to improve the feel, strategy, and overall experience for our players. Thanks for reading, and let's get those missiles feeling right!