How to place Cover Nodes

[danh]

Hello. If you read my first guide and learned how to use the udk/sdk through the video tutorials I linked, then I think you are ready for this one!

Today I will be covering how to place cover nodes correctly. You might say the cover system sucks and you hate it and you refuse to implement it. However, it is necessary for your map to function properly with trenches and fences and windows. Also, if you plan to include bots (you probably hate those too if you hate the cover system), bots use the cover system exclusively. If there is not enough cover for them, they will wander mindlessly.

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I will be using a fence to show how to place down cover. So right click near the fence and select (1) Add ROCoverLink

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Use the top viewport to and select the ROCoverLink and use the arrow keys align it like so.

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In case your ROCoverLink is floating in the air, I will show you how to align it properly with floor. You can select the ROCoverLink and press the End key. Sometimes that doesn't work very well. The next best technique is to select (3) it. Then hold down right mouse button over either the (3) side viewport or the (4) front view port until you see a hand and that shows that you are in dragging mode. Just release it and you will see whichever viewport you chose will be highlighted yellow. Now look at the 3D viewport and use the arrow keys to move the ROCoverLink up and down and align it.

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It should look like this.

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This means that it is too far below the ground. It needs to be raised.

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Right click the Cover Slot. hint: It is the rectangular prism with a BIG M on it. Now you will see a menu that has options for the cover slot. By default it is set as automatic but sometimes that doesn't work. I will explain what each options are.

The first group is the size of the cover.

• Standing: This is for cover that is very high.
• (5) Mid Level: This is usually for fences and windows.
• Waist Level: This is usually for sandbags and very low windows.

The second group is for designating what you can do behind that cover.

• Cover Slip: I don't know.
• Swat Turn: I don't know.
• Mantle: This is for mantling.It is by default checked. To properly set up mantling you need a cover slot on the other side of the fence.
• Pop Up: This is for pop up over the cover to see. It is checked by default.
• Lean Left: Leaning left
• Lean Right: Leaning right
• Climb Up: This is for climbing up. It is similar to mantling but you don't need a cover slot on the other side. It is used for trenches and climbing onto platforms.
• Player Only: You hate bots and want them to not be able to use certain cover. Sometimes the bots try to use it and they get stuck so you would want to make sure its player only.

The third group is the override options.

• Force Can Pop Up: This is to allow pop up even though the game thinks you can't do it. This is for cover behind small windows or holes or slits.
• Force Can Coverslip Left: I think this is the for leaning left and looking through a hole.
• Force can Coverslip Right: Same as above but for the right.

The next options are for bots. You can assign different priority levels to the bots so they know how to use the cover. The important thing to remember here is you are basically telling the bots what good or bad cover is. Generally it is left neutral but you can have a better bot experience if you change the options. For example, if you are setting up cover in a building you can set the support to good. This means MG or Sniper will try to prioritize this cover over the other ones. You can set some of the cover that is out in the open to bad, so the bots try to avoid using it.

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Like I said earlier, Mid level is best for fences. You can see here the arrow is right above the top of the fence. This means it is a perfect height.

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Make sure your cover slot is still selected then press the Insert Key until you reach the end of the fence.

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Next realign if you have to. I moved mine closer to the middle. Make sure you select your ROCoverLink this time.

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You might want to set your outer cover slots with Lean left and Lean right.

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For mantling to work, you need cover slots on the other side for them to connect. Just copy and paste your cover slot and rotate it.

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Last thing to do is build [6] cover nodes.

[gyps]

TWI give this man a medal

Cheers dahn all this is helping us get started in mapping

[danh]

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?msh9za6a32iqj3g

[Jarhead456]

Is there an option for circular cover? I vaguely remember seeing something like that in the properties, but didn't know what it was for or how to use it. What I'm saying is, if I have a foxhole (the static mesh), is there a way to just put one cover node down covering 360°, instead of 4+ to get every angle?

[danh]

The best thing to do for foxholes is to open up mamayev or barashka. Find the foxholes and the cover node and copy and paste into a note pad. Save that note pad and when you want to use it, you can copy and paste into your map.

The circular cover only allows you to link your first cover slot with your last cover slot so it makes a loop basically. If it is unchecked, then your cover slots will not be looped. This just means when you go into cover and press right you will stop at the last cover slot. If it was looped, then as you go right under cover, you will not stop at the last cover slot and continue on to the first slot and go on endlessly. Of course, that is if your cover slots in a circle formation.