[Fixed] [<=3491-3532]+STEPMISSILES projs don't step near the player

[Edward-san]

From viewtopic.php?f=7&t=32373 :

Okay, cool, it's mostly working.

But I noticed one problem. The projectiles still don't seem to step if they're too close to the player. I'm assuming Projectiles don't collide with whoever shot them, so they should ignore him somehow. For example, if I shoot a stream of slow plasma shots that are STEPMISSILE at a step, they climb fine, but when I run over to the step, or on top of the step, the shots collide with it.

(the reason I noticed, and care so much, is I'm using an invisible projectile as a false melee attack, so it has to work at close range)

[Machu]

Oh cool, thanks for bringing this up. I was thinking about posting this as a new bug, but I haven't worked on my mod for a while.

Yes, I still have this problem. I'm guessing shots check to make sure there's no collisions before stepping up, but don't know that the shooter can't collide with it. I even learned the hard way that Things have box-shaped collisions, not cylinders, because my short-range projectiles have even harder time stepping up at 45 degree angles than 90 degree, because the player's corner must be touching the projectile corner.

[Edward-san]

Can you update an example wad?

[Machu]

Okay, I've attached the pk3 I made to test this bug. This was tested with r3568, and still has the bug. Use the give all cheat. The big steps in the secret outdoor shotgun area of MAP01 is a good spot, it can work on the entry steps if your aim is good enough. The plasma rifle shoots normal, slow shots with +STEPMISSILE. While experimenting with alternatives, I also replaced the rocket launcher, so it shoots a bowling-ball style shot, it's a +BOUNCEONFLOORS shot with gravity and constant thrust. I'm including it because the same bug applies to it! I think bouncers naturally step up, and they too fail to step when close to the player. So maybe it doesn't have to do specifically with +STEPMISSILE. Maybe projectiles/missiles just need to ignore collisions altogether when stepping? Even if an enemy is on top of the step, I'd rather the shot hit the enemy, instead of the step's side. But I don't really know the code, I'm jumping to conclusions.

[NeuralStunner]

I don't think bouncers are supposed to inherently step up. They don't in any of the vanilla games that introduced bouncing.

(It's a pretty nasty effect too, when you're trying to get a grenade into a pit area.)

[Gez]

MBF bouncers are intended to step up. You can tell from the presence of a stairway to nowhere in MBFEdit!.wad's grenade testing range; and from the fact that they do.

[NeuralStunner]

Well, all bouncers are doing this which I'm sure is not intended. I think missile-stepping was an MBF feature originally, wasn't it?

[Gez]

STEPMISSSILE was added for generalizing the iron lich whirlwind behavior, actually. But yeah, non-MBF bouncers without STEPMISSILE shouldn't step.

[NeuralStunner]

Currently working around the issue by giving my projectiles a MaxStepHeight of 0. Probably a good thing to keep this stat in consideration from now on, as it makes little sense for many things (like small pickups) to be able to ascend a step taller than they are.

[randi]

Fixed.

Well, all bouncers are doing this which I'm sure is not intended.

Please post a new bug report with an example.

[NeuralStunner]

There you go.