foxMod v0.9 - Improved AI, widescreen support, 4-player splitscreen with enhanced gamepad support

[fox]

Greetings everyone! I'm proud to present foxMod, a small pet project for Unreal Tournament 3 that aims to improve the game's AI while also adding hor+ FOV widescreen support and 4-player splitscreen support with enhanced gamepad control. Play UT on the couch with your friends!

General Additions:
• Hor+ FOV support - automatically scales FOV based off aspect ratio and "Desired FOV" setting, with server-configurable FOV clamps
  
• First-person weapons rendered correctly for wider aspect ratios
  
• New menu options for most new features within reorganized options menu
  
• Fixed crash when picking up dropped weapons as a network client
  
• Campaign mutator support
  
• Team-colored death messages for all modes
  
• Safeguards to prevent profile corruption when the online profile isn't immediately retrieved

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=220812156 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=220818780

Control Improvements:
• Players can now cancel an engaged Scorpion boost by pulling back on the throttle
  
• Translocator can now switch to previous weapon by pressing fire while holding alternate fire, and vice versa (like UT'99 / 2kX)
  
• Working look-to-steer controls and associated "Vehicle Controls" option, rewritten to account for movement stick/keys heading
  
• Adjustable controller deadzone
  
• Special mode for improved "Mouse-Like Joystick usage" on a Steam Controller
  
• Additional bindable controls

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=177045873 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=177044342

Audio Improvements:
• Fixed issues where certain sounds would play twice (translocation, weapon-switching, etc.), particularly for network clients (jumping, landing, etc.)
  
• Music now correctly plays for network clients and features configurable action/tension music times
  
• Music tracks are now always played under the "Music" audio group and guaranteed to loop (fixes issues with certain custom music in custom maps)
  
• Fixed non-looping action music in DM-Deck (and any map that uses GoDown as music)
  
• New voice messages for most vanilla characters
  
• Subtle pitch randomization for voice messages
  
• Ensure all voice messages of a particular category (taunts, status updates, etc.) have been played before allowing them to be reused
  
• New SendSpeech console command for broadcasting specific voice clips, optionally to team only

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=177044569 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=177046005

Splitscreen Support:
• Drop-in / drop-out splitscreen support via "Splitscreen Players" menu slider - dynamically select number of splitscreen players from 0 to 3
  
• Local profile system for splitscreen players to automatically save/load their settings
  
• Proper settings configuration - settings such as A/V and Network settings can only be set by first player
  
• Fully functional splitscreen audio - including music, dialogue and announcement support
  
• Proper voting support - local players all mirror each other's votes
  
• Automatic guest-style player renaming - "fox", "fox(2)", "fox(3)" instead of "Player258"

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=177044813 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=177045669

Enhanced Gamepad Support:
• Tighter looking and aiming controls, with adjustable quick-turn sensitivity
  
• Optional "Fine Aiming" bindable control to shrink the crosshair and set finer aim sensitivity (not bound by default)
  
• Subtle auto-aim and control tweaks for inputs received from a gamepad - gamepads can be used in tandem with a keyboard/mouse - features toggle as appropriate
  
• Revamped default control setup
  
• Analog stick quick-configuration - southpaw, legacy, etc.
  
• Fully remappable gamepad controls - some were mysteriously missing

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=220817206 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=220818272

AI Improvements:
• Anti-stuck measures for bots, fixing issues such as getting stuck in DM-Turbine
  
• Better follow behavior - bots utilize Link Gun properly when following and break off for combat/items when appropriate (within range and line-of-sight to leader)
  
• Reliably engage targets (enemies and objectives) when flying through the air (e.g. from jump pads etc.)
  
• Attack any visible part of objects (helps tremendously on attacking Power Nodes / Cores - AI can now complete Confrontation with the Leviathan)
  
• Keep charging weapons charged as long as possible when target can not be attacked (shot blocked etc.)
  
• Avoidance Mapping system that allows bots to choose potentially longer, but safer paths when running an objective (potentially expensive)
  
• Look around more when idle for better situational awareness (requires Avoidance Mapping to be enabled)
  
• Better use of level geometry as cover during fights
  
• Crouch more often, particularly if it allows hitting a target that could not otherwise be hit
  
• Try to jump and wall-dodge more often in combat
  
• Avoid lifts if they have already been used and would need to wait
  
• Greater avoidance of areas where deaths have occurred that match
  
• Allow use of hunting and "devious" behavior in team games and when large numbers of bots are present
  
• Utilize defensive spots that erroneously have no objective defined (just assume closest objective)
  
• Organize larger squads for better coordination (by default, one squad per order)
  
• Pick new squad leader more often, based on leader distance to objective (helps push objectives)
  
• Randomly assigned initial orders; influenced by other bots' orders and whether team is lead by a player
  
• Periodically reassign orders on all-AI teams / after last human player leaves team
  
• Always hunt super pickups, no matter how far away, in games with no objective (e.g. Deathmatch) or if freelancing
  
• Always pick up nearby useful inventory, regardless of goal (configurable - enabled by default)
  
• Extended vehicle pathfinding; AI will now attempt to drive vehicles anywhere they'll fit
  
• Improved vehicle usage all-around, particularly in combat
  
• Intelligently use any vehicle of opportunity (based on current vehicle if appropriate), not just squad vehicles
  
• Prefer enemy unlocked vehicles to help tip vehicle usage in their team's favor
  
• Prefer certain vehicle types according to effectiveness - generally prefer flying vehicles, fast vehicles for objective capping, artillery, etc.
  
• Move in position to tow the flag carrier when appropriate and in a fast vehicle - Scorpion, Manta, etc.
  
• Try harder to get a vehicle unstuck before simply abandoning it
  
• Remain in vehicles if near an objective and someone else nearby is on foot (to help cover them)
  
• Use Leviathan more effectively and move it more often
  
• Get out of stationary vehicles/turrets for pending Titan transformation, or if an enemy is too close to shoot
  
• Utilize track turrets based on how enemies are visible to nodes along the track
  
• More intelligent use of Hoverboards and tow cables, particularly in Warfare
  
• Don't randomly engage Scorpion self-destruct and use jumping ability of vehicles more often (Manta, Viper, Scavenger, etc.)
  
• Attack empty locked enemy vehicles to thin out base defenses
  
• Honk horn when looking for passengers
  
• Attempt to fetch passengers when flying an air vehicle and not in combat - optimal Cicada usage for starters
  
• Attempt to get out and heal vehicles when not busy
  
• Attempt to toss flags and weapons when appropriate - will toss flags to stronger teammates closer to base, weapons to very weak teammates
  
• Prefer to grab the enemy flag when attacking even if the friendly flag is taken (more realistic)
  
• Improved general Translocator usage (use it more often, don't sit still when waiting for Translocator discs, etc.)
  
• Leave Translocator discs around to possibly teleport to later (e.g. to escape danger, or immediately teleport back to enemy flag after a successful flag run)
  
• Shoot Translocator discs to disrupt them more often
  
• Improved jumping out of water behavior
  
• Improved Orb handling
  
• Improved Warfare teleporter usage
  
• Keep a Hold Position order after respawning
  
• Taunt and give praise on cool actions (flag captures, multi-kills, sprees, etc.)
  
• Improved shootable door behavior (like on Turbine) - use Enforcer or other weapon guaranteed to open door if possible
  
• Use Impact Hammer on invulnerable or heavily shielded enemies to knock their powerups off if appropriate
  
• Allow use of Stinger secondary fire at close range
  
• Necris and Krall bots no longer randomly spout human speech - particularly incoming vehicles
  
• Krall bots now speak subtle grunts over the comms (bored, in combat, etc.) instead of RAWR all the time
  
• Say "Incoming" instead of calling for backup when near teammates and outgunned
  
• Various bug fixes over vanilla AI, and probably some new bugs :)

Interested? Check it out here!
Latest Release: v0.9 (12/15/18) - Installer / Manual Zip (see Install Instructions.txt)
Direct: https://www.taraxis.com/foxMod-UT3/downloads/
ModDB: https://www.moddb.com/mods/foxmod-splitscreen/downloads

Special thanks to M0tah for writing the installer, testing and valuable feedback: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=138887040

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
~fox

[M0tah]

I uploaded a few videos of foxMod development testing that show off the improved AI:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu5kCvYPQEk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkugs1OVnUI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nFEW3SMHnY
Unfortunately, they do not show widescreen support nor splitscreen play. However, it's a good look at what you can expect from the bots. They really are quite good replacements for real players if you can't find a good server or don't want to play online.

[Flak]

Looks great!

[fox]

@Flak: Thanks!

For anyone following this, a patch will be along later this weekend to address a few small issues that snuck in before release, as well as an option to install only the AI or Splitscreen/Gamepad portions of the mod. Stay tuned!

[Plaid]

That sounds awesome.

[CLB]

hey that patch never came?

[fox]

Apologies! I've been wrapped up in other work since then and haven't had much time for the mod. I do still plan on releasing updates as time permits, and there's a few things I'd like to finish before the next one. Currently, the following has been done and is on track for release:

• Shuffled some new taunts around and fixed the issue where taunts would play no matter what voice command you picked (broke in v0.7 - whoops!)
  
• AI correctly pick a different vehicle if someone else is already heading towards one (was disabled in v0.7 due to issues, now fixed - this helps AI get in all of the vehicles at once at the start of a round etc.)
  
• AI now make sure healing weapons have ammo when determining if they can heal vehicles
  
• AI now remain in their vehicles if near an objective and someone else nearby is on foot (to help cover them)
  
• AI no longer track invisible enemies as reliably
  
• Improved AI anti-stuck check on vehicles (don't trigger anti-stuck on a tank that's turning in place, for example, unless it's actually stuck and can't turn)
  
• Longer distance check for vehicles when following player
  
• AI no longer wait 8 seconds at the start of a Warfare round to grab the Orb
  
• AI now largely prefer enemy unlocked vehicles to help tip vehicle usage in their team's favor
  
• Code cleanups

And things that still need work before release:

• Extended vehicle pathfinding, AI will now attempt to drive vehicles anywhere they'll fit
  
• A few other small things, such as possible speech binder via console

I hope to have this out sometime soon, perhaps within the next week? Some of those items also need some further testing to ensure nothing broke, though everything looks good and stable so far (except for the new vehicle pathing - that's a bit of a mess at the moment)

Thanks, and stay tuned!

[Plaid]

Man, this is going to make single player a hell of a lot better to play.

Do any of these improvements fix the bots getting stuck sitting in the Leviathan, unable to drive or get out of the vehicle (also preventing you from getting in)?
That problem ruins a couple of the maps in SP and I know there is some type of workaround on the players part, during the match, but I don't remember what it was.
Just hoping your mod will iron that out.

[CLB]

How do use the splitscreen features of this mod?

[beer is good for migraines]

Wow, someone actually updating a mod for ut3. I think that is great.
I mean, i'm surprised anybody would feel motivated to do that when there's so few players.
I guess it's just for the sake of the local multiplayer and single player gamers?

[NemesisLeon44]

I'm gonna go ahead and bump this since this is my favorite UT3 mod and I use it all the time now. This also made me VERY HAPPY to get a Xbox 360 controller for PC.

[KingyWingy]

This could bring more player to or back to UT3 and will likely influence the development of UT4. Fox may even get a job oppertunity to work on UT4.

Also big thanks for split screen though I probably won't use it. One of my biggest complaints about shooters on PC and of UT3 by many people when it came out on console is/was the lack of 4 way split screen. I always thought it was silly consoles had split screen but not PC since PCs have the power for it when console often do not. I would have bought/played many more games on PC in the past if only they had 4 way split. I was the only one of us that had a gaming level PC in our family though it was a Mac.

[Francisè von Spitroast]

Hey Fox, great job here. I mainly use it for my gamepad and the improved bots and it's incredible. I decided to come back to UT3 after all these years and for the first time I decided to use my Xbox 360 controller, I was sad to see that the support for it was very limited but your mod has helped a lot, and thank gosh for improved AI. Keep up the great work!

[irmaximus]

Great job! Thank you so much! Could you please tell me how to enable splitscreen? I have two wired xbox 360 controllers and I have moved the splitscreen slider to 2 but when I am in game deathmatch via instant action the screen is not split.

Again thank you for all your help and for such a great mod!

[fox]

Hey everyone! Sorry for lack of updates. Things have been busy with school work, upcoming graduation, job applications (and more recently, interviews. Yay!)

@terranrus64: Sounds like you've installed everything correctly - are you sure you have the foxMod mutator active?

Nice to see this getting some use. :) I've done some work here and there in my spare time - mostly concerning AI navigation (particularly with vehicles) and combat abilities. There are some nice changes and I'll probably take some time this weekend to poke around with it a little more - I suppose it's probably about time to package up a new release, anyway!

[erekson714]

i had problems with it, it killed my framerate when i played with split screen in the mod. it would not be as smooth as without the mod installed.