Fluidity movement mutator (beta)

[the_hack]

The main goal is to add the ability to chain jumps/dodges to gather and maintain some momentum, but in a way makes use of core ut movement mechanics. I am suggesting this to inspire changes to core ut4 movement.

I've got a prototype mutator made up, which seems to work well for online play. A hub for testing with the latest version should usually be up: Fluidity and Airgun Testing Server.

I'm convinced there is a place for this movement mechanic. It feels fun and natural, and doesn't need to be as big a deal as it is in other games, or as hard to achieve as it is in other games.


There are a few different stable versions on utcc.

-44: dodge and hold jump, continue jumping automatically, maintaining velocity. Capped speeds
-47: pretty good implementation of a similar thing, but you need to time your jumps. Harder, but more rewarding.
-48: autojump but with a slowdown on each jump. Requires you to seek out walls to dodge off for velocity boost. Uncapped speeds.
-50: Keeps the slowdown on each auto jump, but caps dodge speed at 1800, effectively capping your movement speed at the same.
- 52 (beta): Keeps slowdown and autojump, uncaps dodge speed, slightly slower dodge and less dodge height. Effectively, a weaker first dodge to offset the much faster second walldoge.
-53 - stock movement, plus auto jump with momentum (-5-10% with each jump)
-54 - stock movement/speed, successive jump speed nerf, fixed boots.




https://utcc.unrealpugs.com/mutator/536-Fulidity to try in game.

The path for all Fluidity versions is "Fluidity*", where * matches the version number.

Experienced modders are welcome to collaborate and help optimize and improve the mutilator.



Video introduction

[the_hack]

With the generous help of @Chatouille and n0niz I was able to get a working mutator ready for online play.

download at the above link.

Some side thoughts on the meta, as well as personally enjoying this mechanic, it might be good for UT in that map speed is very dependant on using wallruns, dodges and slides. This opens up the playing field a bit as well as making players from other AFPS games more at home.

I dont think this will break any maps, but all of them will play a bit faster, especially ones with long open areas. In likelihood you could move between points between 1.5 and 2 times faster with this mod, if the points were more or less in a straight line and unobstructed. This doesn't change map flow. Engagements will be more dynamic (enter and exit faster).

I'm not sure how it will affect things like hitscan. Players using this are more predictable, but also faster.

[the_hack]

Updated to a41 on utcc. It's stable and works pretty well. If you hold jump, it will automatically jump as soon as possible, maintaining all horizontal momentum. So you can basically just hop along until you hit a wall or try to change direction.

The only other change is an increase in ground friction, and decrease of base movement speed. The reduced ground friction makes strafing more effective/faster, while the reduced speed offsets this effect and also balances the momentum gathering. It feels at once more solid, responsive and faster.

In conjunction with the airgun weapon, with which you can propell yourself with an air burst, you can build up some nice speed.

You can find that and a jetpack prototype on my started posts list.

I hope these movement experiments will be useful for larger, more open gametypes.

[the_hack]

44 on utcc is a stable version of the most basic version of the idea. You dodge, hold jump, and continue bouncing along at speed.

a48 is also up, which includes a speed reduction on each autojump and spedometer. I'm 90% sure it's stable.

Some response to this was that the full momentum carried on each jump was a litlle much.

Fjaru also described his desire for a less linear, more physics based movement system. I basically agree with this notion, especially that movement options should be very forgiving, in that cooldowntimes should be replaced with nerfed abilities, eg: you can always dodge, but if you don't rest between them, not as far.

I took these ideas and started playing, but quickly realised that altering the linear dodge is quite a large move. I'm open to it, but for the purposes of this experiment, i'd like to change as little as possible, and gather feedback.

Moving into a48, a few there were a few factors at play here:

- movement should be mechanically simple. The autojump demoed stably in a44 comes into play here. It lets new players achieve a level of compency/fun, and removes an arbitrary barrier (timing) that would otherwise take time to learn, and has nothing to do with the actual game itself.

- There should however be some kind of creative use of the movement. Where raw mechanical abilites can and should be circumvented, creative use of the game/map should be encouraged. So I introduced a speed reduction that occurrs on each 'autojump' It's currently set to 150 (a48). What this means is that people dodge at 1700, land and autojump at 1550. When you can dodge then wall dodge, you get up to 1700-2000, and after two auto jumps will be down to 1400 - 1700 speed. You would approach walk speed after three or so more jumps, and by this time you have likely interrupted the decline. So it's usefulness is limited, but extended by creative use of dodges/wall dodges.

while the max dodge speed in a44 was capped at 1800, it's uncapped in a48, encouraging chaining dodges with walldodges. - see how goes.

[Megasporwic]

I love the creativity concept of this mod. Although I feel like I'm bouncing around on a Pogo Stick One hint of advice. When making a new Mutator please rename each one in the display name settings. Each one is named Fluidity and while testing you have no idea which version your actually testing! The latest version seems solid and is fun to use.

[the_hack]

a49: Keeps the slowdown on each auto jump, but caps dodge speed at 1800, effectively capping your movement speed at the same. Considering in vanilla ut you are rarely moving above 1500 unless in the middle of a dodge, I feel this is getting near the mark: something that feels fluid and is not too easy but doesn't require an additional skillset.

Also includes a unique menu name for adding the mutator.

[the_hack]

a50: increases slowdown on each landing. Last alpha release probably.

[the_hack]

a53: Reset everything movement related to stock, with the addition of carrying momentum into jumps when space is held (autojump).

[the_hack]

a54 - works with boots

[Total_Eclipse.]

Feels great and smooth. I have no idea why players don't check this. It is more fun than slowly stock.