[Increased] Hitscan Limited Range

Post by **Xaser** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 6:54 pm

I've noticed on levels with really big rooms that hitscan weapons can only travel a certain distance, after which, the bullet just disappears. This might make sense for weapons like the chaingun, but I've made a sniper rifle that uses hitscan, and it's pretty stupid when the bullet just stops and doesn't do that long range kill that I really want. Is this Fixable?

wildweasel · Post by **wildweasel** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:29 pm

I noticed this as well in the first map of Darkening: Episode 2, where I was trying to snipe an Imp with my pistol from the top the hill. Hope this is fixed - limited range sucks.

Post by **Enjay** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 5:12 am

Yes, I noticed this some time ago, and paced out the range of a hitscan weapon as around a surprisingly short 2048 units. Makes sniper rifle mods a bit dull in big levels, especially if you are using console commands to Zdoom in on your target. You can see the enemy as clear as day, but he walks around immune to your shots.

I asked a few times on the old forum if the range could be extended, but presumably there is a problem with doing it as it never happened. FYI, the railgun has a much longer range, and so makes a very effective sniper weapon.

Post by **Xaser** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 2:52 pm

Enjay wrote:FYI, the railgun has a much longer range, and so makes a very effective sniper weapon.

Yes, railguns have infinite range, and since it is essentially a hitscan weapon with a fancy particle display, I don't see why normal hitscan weapons' limited range cannot be changed. Very strange, huh?

The Ultimate DooMer · Post by **The Ultimate DooMer** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 2:55 pm

They don't - I was testing my railgun out in SSD map 01 and when I moved to an island far enough away from the main one, I wasn't able to hit any monsters on the main island.

Post by **Enjay** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:09 pm

Yes, I'm pretty sure I remember finding a map where the range of the railgun was exceded too. It was a helluva lot further than 2048 units though.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 4:24 pm

A look at the source reveals that the maximum distance for the railgun is 8192.

Ultraviolet · Post by **Ultraviolet** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:02 pm

EDIT: Oops.

Post by **randi** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 12:45 am

Doom always limited hitscan weapons to 2048 units. I changed nothing.

Hirogen2 · Post by **Hirogen2** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 7:58 am

What about the range of a missile? Does it travel more than 2048 units? Oh wait, this is about hitscan weapons...

Post by **Enjay** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 9:19 am

Heh, I just noticed this...

Enjay wrote:Makes sniper rifle mods a bit dull in big levels, especially if you are using console commands to Zdoom in on your target.

Trying to Zdoom in on your target? I guess you all knew it was supposed to be zoom.

Zell · Post by **Zell** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 1:27 pm

lol i saw, didnt want to pick on it =p
but randy, i agree. You should make this a compadibility option. i did this once in one of my
*thank god* never realised maps. I know like nothing about the previuos versions of zdoom so i dun if this has been asked before for previous versions or anything =p

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 1:53 pm

Zell wrote:lol i saw, didnt want to pick on it =p
but randy, i agree. You should make this a compadibility option. i did this once in one of my
*thank god* never realised maps. I know like nothing about the previuos versions of zdoom so i dun if this has been asked before for previous versions or anything =p

Heh, it's not a compatibility option you're asking for, it's a new feature.

I can understand how Doom could have such a limited (by today's standards) range on hitscan. Keep in mind with no zoom function and all of the hitscan weapons (pistol, shotguns, chaingun) meant to be used as close range, I could see how they might decide to limit its range to improve game speed.

I can also understand why it would be a good idea to lift that restriction now that zooming is possible, sniper rifle mods are a reality, and levels can be much, much bigger without stressing or breaking the engine. If it's not possible to make it infinite ranged, I would suggest something pretty darn high, somewhere on the order of 16k units at least. I can't see it really lessening performance on today's machines.

The only compatibility option we'd have to worry about is the one that reinstates the 2048 unit limit.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 2:15 pm

Why limit it to 16k? The absolute maximum a Doom level can have is 64k. Although you will run into major problems before that due to internal overflows in calculations. The maximum safe size for a Doom level is probably 32k units so why not go all the way?

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 3:20 pm

Graf Zahl wrote:Why limit it to 16k? The absolute maximum a Doom level can have is 64k. Although you will run into major problems before that due to internal overflows in calculations. The maximum safe size for a Doom level is probably 32k units so why not go all the way?

Note the words "at least" in my previous post.