The Lightning-Factor #543

WarMechanic · 2024-07-12T15:16:03Z

Description

So, the lightning system in the current back-end is actually a little bit smelly. Different levels of charge are determined by prototypes, and lightning targeting is hard fixated on ground rods. You can technically generate infinite power with a fork, a microwave, and a tesla coil, as tesla coils generate flat amounts of charge.

Another problem, is VM's obligation to emulate lightning effects rather than use a (eventually) cleaner lightning system due to a mixed-bag combination of the above described. I'm hoping that lightning changes could be used in the future to make any of the following possible:

Emperor Palpatine glimmerloose
Psionic slave power plants
Psionically induced EMP

This PR aims to improve the lightning system by first grounding it in reality. Lightning has an established charge that is absorbed by entities as it bounces, as well as implementing lightning forking behaviours. To accomplish this, lightning now pre-calculates a path before executing any effects (otherwise you would encounter anomalies like charge simply vanishing). Lightning has been made more unpredictable by swapping targeting priorities for probability weightings. If you have live sparks near machinery, you are probably doing something wrong.

This PR isn't done yet, I have yet to adjust the effects based on charge although the concept is implemented. Everything should eventually be overrideable with code, and even ignore the discharge system altogether.

TODO

Must-have

Nice

Make sure the code is not shit.
Lightning can now be configured to disable looping (lightning chaining between two targets)
Fix lightning ball sprites being unshaded.
Add construction and machine boards for Tesla coils and Grounding rods

The future

Translate lightning charge to overvolt behaviours in a future overvoltage system.
Create a Static Discharger infrastructure that releases excess voltage in the form of dangerous lightning.
Find a connection between this lightning refactor and my other EMP overhaul.
Extend LightningTarget!
- Allow metallic items to contribute to a player's lightning susceptibility.
- Combine a shotgun and a tesla gun for fun.
Remake the Tesla Gun as a traitor item that anchors to the station power grid. Must use the half-life tau cannon sound or its dead to me.

Technical Details

Code changes from most complex to least complex

C.S/.../LightningSystem.cs is the big fish here, and is hardly recognisable from its original incarnation:
- LightningSystem functions now use a 'charge' variable which can be used to calculate factors like damage.
- A new LightningContext struct is used by LightningSystem which encapsulates the data of any given lightning bolt. LightningContext contains a list of every LightningArc that pertains to it, and iterates through them to execute lightning effects like creating a beam from one entity to another and dealing damage. LightningContexts are stored in a dictionary with a unique index, which functions like an array that effectively can expand infinitely.
- LightningSystem has been reworked to support forking arcs, which requires each lightning step to be depth wise. Previously recursive behaviour wouldn't work as the lightning would continuously fork until it ran out of arcs, creating a chain. LightningArcs are a new type which are fed into a priority queue system and dequeued based on lowest arc depth. When the priority queue is empty, it immediately triggers lightning effects and cleans the LightningContext dictionary.
- As an extension of the above, the entire path of any given lightning bolt is now calculated before any effects take place. This is useful for ensuring charge consistency such that a fired lightning bolt will not net positive charge after bouncing into tesla coils. Every time lightning arcs, an equal portion of charge is subtracted as a 'discharge' variable and used for damage calculations. The total charge may be modified afterwards by LightningTarget which reduces effect on subsequent targets.
- Random target selection used by LightningSystem functions use a weighted probability dictionary rather than a sorted list. This makes lightning behaviour much more random, but still permits control over the general likelihood of one thing being targeted over another. This was done to make lightning more spectacular.
- ShootLightning and ShootRandomLightning have been updated to support parsing of functions rather than values. This is extremely useful for dynamic/random behaviours.
- HitByLightningEvent was renamed to LightningEffectEvent, and added LightningStageEvent. Some of the file diffs will mention this name change.
C.S/.../LightningTargetSystem.cs is adjacent and responsible for creating targets for lightning to arc toward.
- LightningArcResistance has been extended into LightningArcReduction, LightningChargeReduction, LightningChargeMultiplier to encompass new lightning interactions.
- Now uses ElectrocutionSystem to conditionally deal damage and apply the paralysed status effect, rather than relying on prototype physics collisions.
- Communicates with the Explosive component to conditionally trigger it when struck by lightning.
C.S/.../LightningTargetComponent.cs has changes which reflect the above system changes. Additionally, all redundany explosive-related-vars have been culled as they should be used in Explosive.
C.S/.../ElectrocutionSystem.cs had some questionable logic fixed where some functions would return false depending on input parameters. Essentially, the effect of damage and stunning is independent. This allows machines to take damage from electrocute (finally putting electronic shock vulnerability to use!)
- Also allowed parsing a damage specifier instead of an INT (???) for damage. This gives breathing room for creative reuse of the lightning system, like dealing cold or psychic damage. Instances of int were replaced with FixedPoint2.
C.Sh/.../ElectrocutionSystem.cs had an int changed to a DamageSpecifier.

Beyond the core logic, users of the LightningSystem were also changed to various degrees:

C.S/.../LightningArcShooterSystem.cs has been updated to use the new function parsing functionality that LightningSystem provides. Instead of shooting a random number of lightning bolts with a flat number of arcs, the system tallies a random number of bolts and a random number of arcs to fire. With extremely good(?) luck, you could roll 4 bolts each with only 1 arc. With quantum bad(?) luck, you could roll a singular bolt that extends a 16 arc long chain from tesla containment all the way to the Engineering substation, which proceeds to cut emitter power which then looses the tesla.
C.S/.../LightningArcShooterComponent.cs has variable changes that reflect the system changes.
C.S/.../TeslaCoilSystem.cs now uses discharge from LightningSystem rather than generating a flat amount of charge whenever hit by lightning. Also renamed HitByLightningEvent.
C.S/.../TeslaCoilComponent.cs has ditto.
C.S/.../ElectricalAnomalySystem.cs had ShootRandomLightning updated.
C.S/.../MicrowaveSystem.cs had ShootRandomLightning updated.
C.S/.../GlimmerReactiveSystem.cs had ShootRandomLightning updated.
C.S/.../LightningSparkingSystem.cs had HitByLightningEvent renamed.

For unique prototype changes

Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Effects/lightning.yml had every instance of Electrified removed, since LightningSystem uses ElectrocutionSystem instead.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Power/Generation/Tesla/energyball.yml was updated to accomodate new changes to LightningArcShooter, and also fixed a bug where shader: unshaded was not put in the correct location.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Power/Generation/Tesla/coil.yml Tesla coils get a target weighting of 200, and now have the ShockAbsorber damage modifier that zeroes incoming shock damage. Grounding rods get a target weighting of 400 and also have ShockAbsorber.

Every other prototype change from hereon is simply configuring either Explosive or LightningTarget components.

Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Mobs/base.yml Mobs get a weighting of 10.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Doors/Airlocks/base_structureairlocks.yml Airlocks get a weighting of 10.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Lighting/base_lighting.yml Lights get a weight of 2.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Machines/Computers/base_structurecomputers.yml Computers get a small explosion, and get a weight of 10.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Machines/base_structuremachines.yml Machines get a small explosion, and get a weight of 20.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Power/apc.yml APCs have a moderate explosion, and get a weight of 25.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Power/smes.yml SMESes have a moderate explosion, and get a weight of 75.
Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Structures/Power/substation.yml Both substations maintain their large explosion, and get a weight of 50.

Media

Changelog

🆑

tweak: Lightning has undergone a rework, allowing lightning to fork and act more randomly.

…alues

WarMechanic · 2024-07-15T17:16:26Z

id like to say that this PR is relatively stable, ive run out of time to work on it so i can look at any reviews after im done with my trip :)

github-actions · 2024-07-20T05:29:15Z

This pull request has conflicts, please resolve those before we can evaluate the pull request.

Content.Server/Lightning/LightningSystem.cs

into lightning

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:02:02Z

Content.Server/Electrocution/ElectrocutionSystem.cs

@@ -203,6 +204,20 @@ private void OnElectrifiedInteractUsing(EntityUid uid, ElectrifiedComponent elec
        TryDoElectrifiedAct(uid, args.User, siemens, electrified);
    }

+    /* 
+        im pretty sure this was removed in a cherry-pick, but id like to keep it around for future overvoltage stuff


Suggested change

im pretty sure this was removed in a cherry-pick, but id like to keep it around for future overvoltage stuff

I'm pretty sure this was removed in a cherry-pick, but I'd like to keep it around for future overvoltage stuff

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:02:59Z

Content.Server/Electrocution/ElectrocutionSystem.cs

+        // A logarithm allows a curve of damage that grows quickly, but slows down dramatically past a value. This keeps the damage to a reasonable range.
+        const float DamageShift = 1.67f; // Shifts the curve for an overall higher or lower damage baseline
+        const float CeilingCoefficent = 1.35f; // Adjusts the approach to maximum damage, higher = Higher top damage
+        const float LogGrowth = 0.00001f; // Adjusts the growth speed of the curve


These should be arguments on the function

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:04:50Z

Content.Server/Lightning/Components/LightningTargetComponent.cs

@@ -13,60 +13,31 @@ namespace Content.Server.Lightning.Components;
 public sealed partial class LightningTargetComponent : Component
 {
    /// <summary>
-    /// The probability that this target will not be ignored by a lightning strike. This is necessary for Tesla's balance.
+    /// The probability weighting of being stuck by lightning, compared against other nearby lightning targets.


Suggested change

/// The probability weighting of being stuck by lightning, compared against other nearby lightning targets.

/// The probability weighting of being struck by lightning, compared against other nearby lightning targets.

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:05:28Z

Content.Server/Lightning/Components/LightningTargetComponent.cs

+    /// For the love of god, do not make this number negative.
    /// </summary>


Suggested change

/// For the love of god, do not make this number negative.

/// </summary>

/// </summary>

/// <remarks>For the love of god, do not make this number negative.</remarks>

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:06:39Z

Content.Server/Lightning/LightningSystem.cs

+    [Dependency] private readonly TransformSystem _transform = default!;
+    [Dependency] private readonly IEntityManager _entMan = default!;
+
+    // a priority queue is required to iterate through Arcs of various depth


Suggested change

// a priority queue is required to iterate through Arcs of various depth

// A priority queue is required to iterate through Arcs of various depth

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:19:11Z

Content.Server/Anomaly/Effects/ElectricityAnomalySystem.cs

+        _lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(anomaly, range, anomaly.Comp.MaxBoltCount * 3, 100000f,
+            maxArcs: 3


Suggested change

_lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(anomaly, range, anomaly.Comp.MaxBoltCount * 3, 100000f,

maxArcs: 3

_lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(anomaly, range, anomaly.Comp.MaxBoltCount * 3, 100000f, maxArcs: 3

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:19:37Z

Content.Server/Psionics/Glimmer/GlimmerReactiveSystem.cs

@@ -287,7 +287,12 @@ private void OnMeleeThrowOnHitAttempt(Entity<SharedGlimmerReactiveComponent> ent
            args.Cancelled = true;
            args.Handled = true;

-            _lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(ent, 10, 2, "SuperchargedLightning", 2, false);
+            _lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(ent, 10f, 2, 50000f,


Suggested change

_lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(ent, 10f, 2, 50000f,

_lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(

ent,

10f,

2,

50000f,

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:19:53Z

Content.Server/Tesla/Components/LightningArcShooterComponent.cs

@@ -9,42 +9,62 @@ namespace Content.Server.Tesla.Components;
 [RegisterComponent, Access(typeof(LightningArcShooterSystem)), AutoGenerateComponentPause]
 public sealed partial class LightningArcShooterComponent : Component
 {
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The total number of arcs that an energy ball can create from any one shot
+    /// Increasing this value can lead to increasingly unpredictable ranges


Suggested change

/// Increasing this value can lead to increasingly unpredictable ranges

/// Increasing this value can lead to increasingly unpredictable ranges

/// </summary>

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:22:02Z

Content.Shared/Lightning/SharedLightningSystem.cs

+    /// Fires a lightning bolt from one entity to another
+    /// Only done serverside
+    /// </summary>
+    public virtual void ShootLightning(EntityUid user, EntityUid target, float totalCharge,


Suggested change

public virtual void ShootLightning(EntityUid user, EntityUid target, float totalCharge,

public virtual void ShootLightning(

EntityUid user,

EntityUid target,

float totalCharge,

DEATHB4DEFEAT · 2024-09-01T23:22:56Z

Content.Shared/Lightning/SharedLightningSystem.cs

+    /// Looks for objects with a LightningTarget component in the radius, and fire lightning at (weighted) random targets
+    /// Only done serverside
+    /// </summary>
+    public virtual void ShootRandomLightnings(EntityUid user, float lightningRadius, int lightningCount, float lightningChargePer, EntityCoordinates? queryPosition = null, bool lightningStacking = true,


Suggested change

public virtual void ShootRandomLightnings(EntityUid user, float lightningRadius, int lightningCount, float lightningChargePer, EntityCoordinates? queryPosition = null, bool lightningStacking = true,

public virtual void ShootRandomLightnings(

EntityUid user,

float lightningRadius,

int lightningCount,

float lightningChargePer,

EntityCoordinates? queryPosition = null,

bool lightningStacking = true,

FoxxoTrystan · 2024-09-17T19:19:30Z

Any updates on this PR?

it works

8960987

github-actions bot added the Changes: C# Changes any cs files label Jul 12, 2024

SimpleStation14 changed the title ~~The Lightning-factor~~ The Lightning-Factor Jul 12, 2024

add initial weightings

e5c2f55

github-actions bot added the Changes: YML Changes any yml files label Jul 12, 2024

WarMechanic added 25 commits July 13, 2024 10:39

tesla coils absorb lightning charge, reconsolidate lightning charge v…

4270666

…alues

remove electrified component from lightning

aa37867

allow parsing functions into lightning parameters

cd93f05

add LightningContext constructor

2064a49

fixes various Invalid Weight errors

a3e2b4c

consolidations

51006c6

reimplement lightning shock

adfe78b

lightning damage scales with charge

f52115b

fix lightning stacking

907a689

another weighted pick fix

06a0132

fix tesla being shaded

6df2db8

cull exploding behaviour from LightningTarget, use Explosive instead

722cb4b

reimplement lightning resistance

89218fd

name consolidation + stacking options

fb470db

fix LightningTarget not being able to influence LightningContext

37da556

adjusts prototypes, electrical devices are explosive again

ac5c8fe

change system to use damage specifiers

f8d23b3

oops

c902785

increase odds of hitting mobs

6cda0e0

uncrash

af55fa7

stopgap stuff

4e56c75

improves electrocution damage logic

a9b7126

allow machines to take electrocution damage

de543cb

stop giving a damage popup when 0 electrocute damage is dealt

40b32d4

coils/rods no longer take shock damage, weighting buffs

b6b4b72

consolidation

02db056

WarMechanic marked this pull request as ready for review July 14, 2024 12:19

WarMechanic added 3 commits July 15, 2024 14:07

allow wall lights to be targeted by lightning

228590a

update LightningArcShooter to use math

3584d28

Merge branch 'master' into lightning

3eb4a4f

github-actions bot added the Status: Merge Conflict FIX YOUR PR AAAGH label Jul 20, 2024

DangerRevolution requested review from VMSolidus, DEATHB4DEFEAT, Pspritechologist and DangerRevolution July 21, 2024 06:55

github-actions bot added Status: Needs Review Someone please review this labels Jul 21, 2024

DangerRevolution approved these changes Jul 21, 2024

View reviewed changes

Content.Server/Lightning/LightningSystem.cs Show resolved Hide resolved

DangerRevolution requested review from OldDanceJacket and Peptide90 August 13, 2024 17:24

VMSolidus approved these changes Aug 22, 2024

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WarMechanic added 2 commits August 24, 2024 12:56

migrate types to shared

07fcfe3

Merge branch 'master' of https://github.com/WarMechanic/Einstein-Engines

71162d7

into lightning

github-actions bot removed the Status: Merge Conflict FIX YOUR PR AAAGH label Aug 24, 2024

fix LightningArcShooter fork chance being inverted

301f951

DEATHB4DEFEAT requested changes Sep 1, 2024

View reviewed changes

FoxxoTrystan assigned WarMechanic Sep 17, 2024

FoxxoTrystan added Priority: 4-Low Should be resolved at some point Size: 2-Large For large issues/PRs Type: Rework Large changes to a system, like a mix between the Balancing, Codebase, and Respace labels labels Sep 17, 2024

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The Lightning-Factor #543

The Lightning-Factor #543

WarMechanic commented Jul 12, 2024 •

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FoxxoTrystan commented Sep 17, 2024

	im pretty sure this was removed in a cherry-pick, but id like to keep it around for future overvoltage stuff
	I'm pretty sure this was removed in a cherry-pick, but I'd like to keep it around for future overvoltage stuff

	/// The probability weighting of being stuck by lightning, compared against other nearby lightning targets.
	/// The probability weighting of being struck by lightning, compared against other nearby lightning targets.

		/// For the love of god, do not make this number negative.
		/// </summary>

	// a priority queue is required to iterate through Arcs of various depth
	// A priority queue is required to iterate through Arcs of various depth

		_lightning.ShootRandomLightnings(anomaly, range, anomaly.Comp.MaxBoltCount * 3, 100000f,
		maxArcs: 3

	/// Increasing this value can lead to increasingly unpredictable ranges
	/// Increasing this value can lead to increasingly unpredictable ranges
	/// </summary>

The Lightning-Factor #543

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The Lightning-Factor #543

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WarMechanic commented Jul 12, 2024 • edited Loading

Description

TODO

Technical Details

Media

Changelog

WarMechanic commented Jul 15, 2024

github-actions bot commented Jul 20, 2024

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FoxxoTrystan commented Sep 17, 2024

WarMechanic commented Jul 12, 2024 •

edited

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