Arquebusiers - a stupid question?

[Wellington]

Guys,

Has anyone EVER seen the Arquesbusier unit perform a kneeling reload action ? They do perform a kneeling shoot action, but they always appear to stand up to reload.

There IS a kneeling reload action define for them within MTW - but I've yet to see it.

If anyone has seen this action, can they give me any idea of the 'circumstances' (ie: high terrain, low terrain, in woods, open ordewr close order etc: ) when it may be performed.

Any clues would be appreciated.

[Lord Krazy]

I asked that question a long time ago got no
reply.I meant to ask you ironicly
I have the post writen already.
The first part was the same point as yours
This is what the rest of it read
---------------------------------------------
if you put arquebusier in 2 lines the first kneels and fires and the second
row stands and fires to simulate a volley very nicely

How do I make this happen with other units
so the front row reads a different bif coordinate
then the second row .

For example when they stand how could I
get the first row to kneel and the second to stand.
I need to know this.
So please if you know, tell me.
---------------------------------------------

I have seen them kneel reload many times
since.It's when they are tired and when they
volly in two rows and stay static.
The rate of fire is three shots a minute
more or less. Thats every 6 seconds in
three rows.In tow rows they all fire togeather so 18 seconds between shots
I just tought i'd throw that in.
This rate of fire is a bit good for the
era.Very good for our later stuff though.

LK

[Wellington]

This is what I (think) I know LK!

I'm sure kneeling reload is'nt used because it was too
complicated to program the fluid animation in time for
release of MTW. For example -

If you look at the 12 frame movement cycles for kneeling
shoot you see the figure start at a standing position,
kneel, shoot, then stand up again. The fact that the figure
starts and ends the movement sequence standing is important.
This enures a seamless integration from one action (kneeling
shoot) to another (stand). So, not only are the images
sycronised for a 12 frame movement cycle for an action, but
the 1st and 12th frames of that cycle are also sycronised for
the next possible action.

There is also some hardcoding for some movement cycles. In the
kneeling shoot the 'aim' frame (when kneeling) is held for a
long time - so there must be some hardcoding that says 'pause
this frame for this action for such a time'. Hence, the
normal movement cycle has been is interupted.

Now if you look at the 12 frame movement cycles for kneeling
reload you see the figure both starts and ends in the kneeling
position. No other action either starts or ends kneeling. Hence,
he can't 'get up' to start another action SEAMLESSLY!! The
only way to do it would be to 'insert' all 12 frames of kneeling
reload INTO the middle of the kneeling shoot movement cycle - I
think this was CA's original idea but it proved too time costly
to implement.

One thing to note is that whatever action some figures in a unit
are performing - they will ALWAYS be syncronised for that action.
You won't see some figures in frame 3 of the shoot action whilst
others are in frame 9, or whatever.


(BTW: if you want to see the movement cycles for any units action,
pause the game, select a different unit and left click into space -
the movement cycle advances 1 frame per mouse click)


For most actions, only some of the unit generally perform that
action. For shoot action, some will be shooting, others reloading,
others standing, and still others walking/running to fill dead
positions. Its the same idea with melee's (fight action).

The 'number of supporting rows' defined in prod11 has an impact
on this, but what decides how many do what action - I really
don't know. Certainly don't know how to change it.

I'm sure fatigue is a factor in all this.

The distance each figure is to the enemy also seems to be a factor
for missile troops (and in melee). Some will fire if any enemy figure
is in range, others will still be standing (even if in the front
rank) if no enemy is within range. Then again, sometimes they all
appear to fire in volley.

I'm also pretty sure there is some algorithm coded that ensures
any units figure will be doing different things for some actions -
this certainly helps to break up the monotony of every figure doing
exactly the 'same thing at exactly the same time - but could be a
problem if you want to simulate Napoleonic troops firing in volley!

[Wellington]

"I have seen them kneel reload many times
since.It's when they are tired and when they
volly in two rows and stay static."


Sorry LK. I did'nt read exactly what you said. So when the're knackered they may perform a kneeling reload.

Ok, I'll run the bastards round the battlefield a few times and then try shooting - see what happens. Let's hope they don't rout before I can check this!

Er ...

... there is no 'fall flat on your faces because your totally f****d' action is there ?

[Lord Krazy]

No I'm sorry.The reason I see a lot
is that on one install I have, they only
do that.I changed them around weeks ago
and forgot.So it's one or the other
for the moment.I have 5 full installs
so I see different things I forget sometimes
which are the real ones he he.
sorry if I wasted your time.

I'll post the muskets tomorrow
regards
Lk

[Wellington]

Quote Originally posted by Lord Krazy:
The reason I see a lot
is that on one install I have, they only
do that.I changed them around weeks ago
and forgot.[/QUOTE]


BRILLIANT!!! Thats it. Why did'nt I think of that http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif

I didn't need to wait for MTW to show me a kneeling reload. Instead I just copied the kneeling-reload action to the stand action, in Actionpage parms for Arquebusier.

Now, every time they do what MTW think is a 'stand' my changed action forces them to do a kneeling reload action http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif

I've now positioned the musket for the kneeling reload (whether it's actually ever used in the MTW is irrelavent - the positions are correct for ALL POSSIBLE actions).

Quote Originally posted by Lord Krazy:
I'll post the muskets tomorrow
regards
Lk[/QUOTE]

I'll send you the 'knreload' action later. Wait till you get it before you post the muskets tonight - just in case this action IS used sometimes.

[Lord Krazy]

Wellington if you weren't so brilliant
I'd call you a moron but it's also
my fault for not explaining such things
in the first place.

I normaly change it to stand
that's why I fotgot and also
on that one I wanted to see it
in action in the right context.
That's why I have a variety of
units that kneel when they
stand so to speak.

That means you had to not only go through
every frame but also wait for it to happen.
I call that dedication, if I gave out
medals you'd get one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The musket's have been posted
TheLords_Musket_V2
I put a new sword in this one also
plus new uniticons info_pics and
review_panel bifs.

Regards and enjoy