WingNuts and Bolts

# Ground Units

This section details the Ground Units menu

Ground units represent any item in the game that is bombed (that is not a Ground Boss). This can included tanks, jeeps, buildings and anything else you'd want to drop a bomb on.

Your standard Ground Units window.

# Graphics

Ground units are made up of several items, mostly a base image, an optional platform image, and an optional turret(s).

To start press "New" to make a new ground unit.

Has base image - This is the bottom most image on the unit. This can be a platform a gun sits on, or a Tank bod with treads.

Has platform image - This is an image drawn for a platform. Platforms can act as a 2nd base to affix to a unit.

Hestroyed base iamge - This is an image to be drawn when the base is destroyed. The base is destroyed when the entire unit is destroyed.

Destroyed platform image - Platforms can be destroyed before the unit is destroyed. This is the image to display when the platform is destroyed.

Base altitude - This is an illusion of 3D. This is done by drawing a shadow a certain number of pixels from the base. This number is how far in pixels the shadow is drawn.

Platform altitude - Just like the base, this is how far in pixels the shadow is drawn from the platform.

Has impact explosion - This is the explosion to be displayed when the unit takes damage.

Has death explosion - This is the explosion to be displayed when the unit is destroyed.

Destroy turrets proportionally to the remaining shield level - When this is checked, the number of turrets are equally divided by the shield level, and as the shield is destroyed the turrets are destroyed. For example, if there are 3 turrets, the First turret is destroyed when shields reach 66%, the 2nd is destroyed a 33% shields and the last at 0% shields.

Active turret - This lets you add a turret to the unit. Use the pull down menu to select a turret you created in the Turrets section.

X offsets - This value lets you move the turret along the X-axis. This is measured in pixels.

Y offsets - This value lets you move the turret along the Y-axis. This is measured in pixels.

Bearing - This value, measured in degrees represents where the turret is facing (useful for turrets that do not rotate). 0 or 360 degrees is oriented North.

On base - When this is checked, the Turret is attached to the base of the ground unit. This is useful, as if it is not attached and the base moves, the turret will not come with it, unless you check this box.

Particle rate - This lets you set the rate in particles per second will be created when the unit is damaged.

Has particle trail - These let you add up to 4 different particles to be drawn when the unit takes damage. You can choose a particle from the pulldown, and then set its X and Y cordinates in pixels.

Manufacturer - This text field lets you fill in the Manufacturer of the ground unit. This is just for fun.

Model - This text field lets you fill in the Model of the unit.

Year - This text field lets you fill in the Year the model was produced.

Your standard Ground Units Properties window.

# Properties

The Properties screen lets you define the shield and platform system.

Sustainable damge - This value in points lets you set the minimum and maximum damage the unit can sustain.

Platform motion - This lets you define the motion of the platform. This motion is independant to the motion of the entire unit. You can choose from the following motions:

- No motion - The platform does not move.
- Follows base - The platform follows the base's movement.
- Left slewing - The platform orbits the base in a left direction.
- Right slewing - The platform orbits the base in a right direction.
- Random slewing - The platform orbits the base in a random direction.
- Aim at target - THe platform aims at the player's position.

Slewing rate - this is how fast in degrees per second that the platform orbits around.

Acceleration - This value in degrees per second squared is how fast the platform will accelerate in it's orbit.

X Offset - This value in pixels is how far along the X-axis the platform is located from the base.

Y Offset - This value in pixels is how far along the Y-axis the platform is located from the base.

Base score for destruction - This value in points, is how much the player is awarded for destroying the unit.

Level score multiplier - This value in points is multiplied to the score based on level.

Yields fragments - This is no longer in use, fragments were moved over to Goodies.

Collision detection circles - This is just like the collision zones for Enemy Craft and Player craft. Except instead of detecting if you have run into the unit, this represents it's bomb radius. To make a collision circle, click the check box next to it. You can have 16 different circles. To see the circle, you'll need to click "Collison" on the bottom left of the window. You can position the circle with the following commands:

- Use the Arrow Keys to move a circle up and down, left and right.
- Use the + (plus) and - (minus) keys to increase or decrease the size of the cirlce.
- Hold down shift while using the arrow keys to move the circle 10 pixels at a time.
- Hold down shift while using the + (plus) and - (minus) keys to increase or decrease the size of the circle 10 pixels at a time.

Collision circles can overlap, and should. To adjust a circlue, use the "Edit Circle" option at the bottom right of the window. Each numbered button corrosponds to that collision circle.

Your standard Ground Units Behavior window.

# Behavior

The behavior window lets you modify the different behavior such as motion and sound.

Player awareness distance - This is the maximum distance the player can be from the ground unit, and it will still track and fire on the player. This is measured in pixels.

Invisible on radar - When this is checked the ground unit will not show up on the radar screen. This is useful if your ground unit is scenery like a peir or tower.

Can emit enemy aircraft - When this is checked, the ground unit can produce up to 4 enemy aircraft.

X offsets - This lets you choose the X cordinate for the newly spawned aircraft.

Y offsets - This lets you choose the Y cordinate for th enewly spawned aircraft.

Time between creation of aircraft - This lets you set how often, in seconds it takes for a new plane to be spawned.

Spawns goodies when destroyed - This option will have up to 4 different types of goodies spawn when you destroy the unit. You can choose the minimum and maximum number of goodies to spawn.

Ground unit motion - This lets you choose the kind of motion the Ground Until will follow. These types are:

- No motion - The ground unit does not move.
- Move along straight line - This option will have the ground unit move up and down along a straight line. It will not turn or orient it's self.
- Straight line patrol - This is similar to the straight line movement, but the unit will rotate slightly in transit.
- Left circular patrol - This will let you create a circular path for the unit to follow. The unit will move to the left and orient it's "North" face in the direction it is traveling.
- Right circular patrol - This will let you create a circular path for the unit to follow. The unit will move to the right and orient it's "north" face in the direction it is traveling.
- Circular boundary - This will let you create a circular boundary that the ground unit will freely move inside. The unit will make a random path and drive anywhere inside it's circular boundary.
- Square boundary - This will let you create a square boundary that the ground unit will freely move inside. The unit will make a random path and drive anywhere inside it's circular boundary.
- Left square perimiter - This will let you create a square that the ground unit will follow around.
- Right square perimiter - This will let you create a square that the ground unit will follow around.

Base velocity - This is how fast in pixels per second the unit will move.

Yaw rate - THis is how fast in degrees per second the ground unilt will turn.

Yaw acceleration - This is the rate of acceleration in degrees per second squared that the unit will turn.

Motion lenght - This is no longer used, as motion length is set in the Maps section.

Has looped engine sound - This lets you choose a sound to play looped over and over.

Has damage received sound - This lets you choose a sound to play when the unit takes damage.

Has explosion sound - This lets you choose a sound to play when the unit is destroyed.

Has aircraft emission sound - This is a sound to be played when the aircraft are emitted.

Distortion effect when destroyed - This lets you choose an OpenGL distortion effect to be used when the unit is destroyed. These are only viewable in game.

You standard Ground Unit Flak (Fliegerabwehrkanone) window.

# Flak

Flak, or Fliegerabwehrkanone as it's called in Germany, is an anti air weapon that explodes in air.

Ground unit emits defensive flak (Fliegerabwehrkanone) - This check box lets you add the ability to send up a defensive flak.

Flak particle - This is the particle to be used when flak is emitted.

Flak sound effect - This is the sound to be played when the flak is emitted.

Particle emission rate - This is the rate in pixels per second that flak is created.

Flak influence radius - This is the radius in pixels that the flak is effective and creats damage.

Minimum life time - This is the minimum time the flak will be present in seconds.

Maximum life time - This is the maximum time the flak will be present in seconds.

Damage infliction rate - This is the rate that you take damage when in the flak cloud. This is measured in units per second.

Minimum reload time - This is how long in seconds it takes the unit to reload it's flak.

Maximum reload time - This is how long in seconds it takes the unit to reload it's flak.

Minimum distance - This is the minimum distance in pixels the player ship can be from the ground unit and flak will be fired.

Maximum distance - This is the maximum distance in pixels the player ship can be from the ground unit and flak will be fired.

Has spotlight effect - A ground unit can have a search spotlight that moves accross the sky. Checking this lets you ad one.

Spotlight image - This is the graphic to be used for the spotlight.

Spotlight sound - This is the sound to be played when the spotlight is active.

Activation distance - This is how far in pixels the player craft must be before the spotlight is active.

Image intensity - This is a value between 0 and 1 that represents the intensity of the spotlight. 0 is no intensity and 1 is 100% intensity.

Minimum angle chagne - This is the minimum angle in degrees the spotlight can change.

Maximum angle change - This is the maximum angle in degreees the spotlight can change.

Minimum slew time - This is the minimum time in seconds it takes for the spotlight to orbit around the ground unit.

Maximum slew time - This is the maximum time in seconds it takes for the spotlight to orbit around the ground unit.