So, WHEN does the drop pod drop?
DISCLAIMER: THIS MATERIAL SUBJECT TO CHANGEI'm attempting to document the Level Flow. Things may not be perfect. Work-in-progress.
CG >> 2011.10.27 11:51 >> Edited content of Starting, Drop Pod, and Front Yard areas based on gameplay session.
1: Starting AreaNo immediate enemies. Lots of "oooh aaah" music.
Note that the first two drop pods have not fallen yet in the Drop Pod area. An invisible "soft barrier" will prevent you from moving too far into the "Drop Pod Area" in Theater Mode. The barrier actually lines up with the second drop pod when it falls.
You can stay in this area as long as you want to listen to the "oooh aaah" music, provided that:
1) You don't hit the first trigger.
2) You don't go out of bounds and get the "Return to the Battlefield" message. This will stop the music completely when you return.
Initial Script:
- Spartan AIs run up the first hill to engage the enemy, but stop and wait for you.
- A Spirit drops off the initial enemies in the "Drop Pod Area" ahead while you are here.
Triggers:
1. An invisible trigger on the way up the hill will fire off the "Attack" script.
2. An invisible trigger further up the hill will cause a "Loading..." message. [need to confirm what gets loaded]
3. An invisible trigger past the apex of the hill will remove the "soft barrier" at the second drop pod's location.
Attack Script:
- All three Spartan AI players will advance into the "Drop Pod" area and engage the enemies there.
- The music will change.
- The first drop pod will fall on the left (toward the water)
- The second drop pod will fall to the right.
2: Drop Pod AreaThis is the first location of battle and the site of four scripted drop pod landings.
Drop Pod 1
D@E: Contains Elite Minor (Blue)
Drop Pod 2
D@E: Contains Elite Officer (Red)
Drop Pod 3
D@E: Contains Elite Minor (Blue)
Drop Pod 4
D@E: Contains Elite Ultra (White)
Triggers:
1a. An invisible trigger along the way to the second hill will cause Drop Pod 3 to fall.
1b. A kill trigger will cause Drop Pod 3 to fall.
2a. An invisible trigger along the way to the second hill will cause Drop Pod 4 to fall.
2b. A kill trigger will cause Drop Pod 4 to fall.
3. An invisible trigger near the top of the second hill will fire off the "Crash Script"
4. Unknown trigger causes Spirit to drop Wraith in "Wraith Pier" area.
5. Killing all enemies in area will cause the AI Spartains to proceed to the Front Yard area.
"Crash Script":
- A spirit will drop in the initial enemies of the "Front Yard" area
- The drop pod collision with the launch facility will occur, creating the hole in the side of the building.
It's possible to bypass Trigger 4 and prevent the Wraith from dropping ahead in the Wraith Pier area.
I've noticed that Drop Pod 1 will despawn later in the mission (garbage collection), but others will remain.
The second hill marks the end of this area.
3: Front Yard AreaAs the name suggests, this is the area immediately in front of the launch facility, one of two areas where (eventually) infinite waves of enemies will be dropped by incoming Spirit dropships. This is also the area containing two of the three alternate spawn points for BOB 6-S-01 (the third is on the Wraith Pier.)
Triggers:
1. Invisible trigger on approach to launch facility will fire "Drop Pod 5" Script
2. Killing the initial enemies will fire the "Incoming Spartan" script.
"Drop Pod 5" Script:
- Drop Pod 5 will land to the right of the entrance to the launch facility, right on top of the impact marks (which actually exist before the drop pod lands there!)
"Incoming Spartan" Script:
- Male voice yells "Everyone inside, more hostiles on the way!"
- Female voice yells "Spartans coming in! Watch your fire!"
- The AI Spartans will enter the Launch Facility
- A Pelican will drop off a squad of UNSC Marines to fend off the infinite waves. (At least one marine tends to have rockets)
- The infinite waves begin. A Spirit Dropship will spawn in, drop a wave of enemies near the water, and split. When the enemies are dead, the process repeats.
4: Wraith PierBetween the entrance of the launch facility and the water (veer left of the entrance) is the Wraith Pier, where a wraith will be dropped. According to Lord Friendship's analysis, this wraith must be destroyed in order to cause the Beach BOB to spawn if he has been selected to spawn anywhere in this area.
This area contains the third alternative spawn point for BOB 6-S-01.
Infinite Waves of enemies will be dropped on the pier under certain conditions (probably the destruction of the Wraith coupled with the clearing of the initial enemies from the Front Yard.
I can't recall exactly when and why the Wraith is dropped off at the pier. I have a feeling that it happens outside of the "Incoming Spartan" Script. I think you can have the infinite waves of Spirits happening in the Front Yard, while the Wraith just sits on the pier and no Spirits drop in there. If this is true, it makes sense that you have to destroy the Wraith to make way for the Spirit to drop the BOB- IF he was selected to spawn at the Pier. If he is selected to spawn at one of the two location in the Front Yard, can the Wraith still be there?
As I analyze this level from a scripting perspective, I'm starting to see more clearly where LF is coming from. I'm also starting to think that the insta-despawn behavior could possibly be explained by an expired timer condition. Perhaps the BOB expiration timer is set to high value to account for three incoming Spirit waves and begins counting down with the Incoming Spartans script. If you "block" the Spirits by not clearing the Front Yard enemies or the wraith, when the BOB eventually appears, the expiration timer is long past expired. The script spawns the BOB, and it immediately checks its timer and despawns.
So in closing, I think that if we nail down where the BOB timer begins, we can make sure to clear the area in enough time for him to stick around. Regardless of incoming/outgoing Spirit status.
Got your rebuttal cannon primed? Fire away!
