Armors

An armor is a PlayerData datablock. It defines the player’s model, physics, energy, jetpack, inventory limits, footstep sounds, damage locations, and animation bindings — around 200 fields. This page covers the ones that matter, with the shipped LightMaleHumanArmor as reference.

The nine shipped armors

datablock PlayerData(LightMaleHumanArmor)    : LightPlayerDamageProfile  { … };
datablock PlayerData(MediumMaleHumanArmor)   : MediumPlayerDamageProfile { … };
datablock PlayerData(HeavyMaleHumanArmor)    : HeavyPlayerDamageProfile  { … };

datablock PlayerData(LightFemaleHumanArmor)  : LightMaleHumanArmor  { … };
datablock PlayerData(MediumFemaleHumanArmor) : MediumMaleHumanArmor { … };
datablock PlayerData(HeavyFemaleHumanArmor)  : HeavyMaleHumanArmor  { … };

datablock PlayerData(LightMaleBiodermArmor)  : LightMaleHumanArmor  { … };
datablock PlayerData(MediumMaleBiodermArmor) : MediumMaleHumanArmor { … };
datablock PlayerData(HeavyMaleBiodermArmor)  : HeavyMaleHumanArmor  { … };

Three real armors; six variants that inherit and change little more than the shape file. [script]

The *PlayerDamageProfile parents carry the damage-scaling tables — see Damage and type masks.

If you are adding an armor, inherit. Deriving from LightMaleHumanArmor and overriding twenty fields is dramatically less work and less bug-prone than copying 200.

Core identity

   emap = true;
   className = Armor;                 // ← dispatch namespace: Armor::…
   shapeFile = "light_male.dts";
   cameraMaxDist = 3;
   computeCRC = true;                 // ← client/server asset validation

   canObserve = true;
   cmdCategory = "Clients";
   cmdIcon = CMDPlayerIcon;
   cmdMiniIconName = "commander/MiniIcons/com_player_grey";

   cameraDefaultFov = 90.0;
   cameraMinFov = 5.0;
   cameraMaxFov = 120.0;

   debrisShapeName = "debris_player.dts";
   debris = playerDebris;

   aiAvoidThis = true;

   minLookAngle = -1.5;
   maxLookAngle = 1.5;
   maxFreelookAngle = 3.0;

className = Armor is what makes %obj.getDataBlock().className $= Armor tests throughout the shipped code work — weapons only mount on objects whose datablock says Armor [script].

Movement and physics

This is what people actually change.

   mass = 90;
   drag = 0.275;
   maxdrag = 0.4;
   density = 10;
   maxDamage = 0.66;                  // ← health. Light armor dies at 0.66 damage.
   maxEnergy = 60;
   repairRate = 0.0033;
   energyPerDamagePoint = 75.0;       // shield energy required to block one point of damage

   rechargeRate = 0.256;

   jetForce = 26.21 * 90;             // ← note: multiplied by mass
   underwaterJetForce = 26.21 * 90 * 1.5;
   underwaterVertJetFactor = 1.5;
   jetEnergyDrain = 0.8;
   underwaterJetEnergyDrain = 0.6;
   minJetEnergy = 1;
   maxJetHorizontalPercentage = 0.8;

   runForce = 55.20 * 90;
   runEnergyDrain = 0;
   minRunEnergy = 0;
   maxForwardSpeed = 15;
   maxBackwardSpeed = 13;
   maxSideSpeed = 13;

   maxUnderwaterForwardSpeed = 11;
   maxUnderwaterBackwardSpeed = 10;
   maxUnderwaterSideSpeed = 10;

   jumpForce = 8.3 * 90;
   jumpEnergyDrain = 0;
   minJumpEnergy = 0;
   jumpDelay = 0;

   recoverDelay = 9;
   recoverRunForceScale = 1.2;

   minImpactSpeed = 45;               // ← below this, falling does no damage
   speedDamageScale = 0.004;

The * 90 idiom is Sierra writing force as acceleration × mass so the numbers stay comparable when the armor’s mass changes. Keep it if you derive an armor with a different mass.

The skiing and momentum fields

   // Controls over slope of runnable/jumpable surfaces
   runSurfaceAngle  = 70;
   jumpSurfaceAngle = 80;

   minJumpSpeed = 20;
   maxJumpSpeed = 30;

   // noFrictionOnSki is not set by any base armor — shown below for clarity
   horizMaxSpeed     = 68;
   horizResistSpeed  = 33;
   horizResistFactor = 0.35;
   maxJetForwardSpeed = 30;

   upMaxSpeed     = 80;
   upResistSpeed  = 25;
   upResistFactor = 0.3;

These are the numbers that define Tribes movement. runSurfaceAngle = 70 means the player can run on slopes up to 70°; beyond that they slide, which is what makes skiing possible in the first place — identical across every base armor, so all three weights start skiing at the same slope.

Once skiing, three fields govern the ride: horizResistSpeed is the speed above which drag starts to bite; horizResistFactor is how hard; horizMaxSpeed is the hard cap. noFrictionOnSki is a separate switch — it removes ground friction entirely while skiing, on top of whatever the three fields above are doing. It is a real, engine-recognised field [binary], but no base armor assigns it a value; base skiing runs on whatever the compiled-in default is, and this handbook has not verified that default from source. Treat it as a field that exists purely for a mod to opt into.

Raise horizMaxSpeed, zero horizResistFactor, and set noFrictionOnSki = true, and you get the “fast” feel that most speed-focused community mods went for — this is not hypothetical. Classic does exactly this, on every armor, and the resulting numbers are fully documented in 38 · Classic 1.1 as a worked, field-by-field example of retuning this exact system.

Heat signature

   // heat inc'ers and dec'ers
   heatDecayPerSec    = 1.0 / 4.0;   // takes 4 seconds to clear heat sig.
   heatIncreasePerSec = 1.0 / 3.0;   // takes 3.0 seconds of constant jet to get full heat sig.

This is what missiles lock onto. A stealth armor lowers heatIncreasePerSec and raises heatDecayPerSec.

Damage locations

   boundingBox = "1.2 1.2 2.3";
   pickupRadius = 0.75;

   // damage location details
   boxNormalHeadPercentage       = 0.83;
   boxNormalTorsoPercentage      = 0.49;
   boxHeadLeftPercentage         = 0;
   boxHeadRightPercentage        = 1;
   boxHeadBackPercentage         = 0;
   boxHeadFrontPercentage        = 1;

The bounding box is divided by these fractions into head / torso / legs regions. getDamageLocation() returns which was hit — the sniper rifle uses it for headshots [script]. If you change boundingBox, revisit these.

Inventory limits

   maxWeapons  = 3;    // Max number of different weapons the player can have
   maxGrenades = 1;    // Max number of different grenades the player can have
   maxMines    = 1;    // Max number of different mines the player can have

   // Inventory restrictions
   max[RepairKit]           = 1;
   max[Mine]                = 3;
   max[Grenade]             = 5;
   max[Disc]                = 1;
   max[DiscAmmo]            = 15;
   max[Mortar]              = 0;      // ← light armor cannot carry a mortar
   …

Covered in full in Ammo and inventory. The short version: a new item needs a max[] entry on every armor that may carry it, and 0 is how restriction is expressed.

Animation binding

The .dts shape has no sequences of its own; .dsq files are bound to it by a TSShapeConstructor datablock. scripts/light_male.cs is the whole file [script]:

datablock TSShapeConstructor(LightMaleDts)
{
   baseShape = "light_male.dts";
   sequence0  = "light_male_root.dsq root";
   sequence1  = "light_male_forward.dsq run";
   sequence2  = "light_male_back.dsq back";
   sequence3  = "light_male_side.dsq side";
   sequence4  = "light_male_lookde.dsq look";
   sequence5  = "light_male_head.dsq head";
   sequence6  = "light_male_fall.dsq fall";
   sequence7  = "light_male_jet.dsq jet";
   sequence8  = "light_male_land.dsq land";
   sequence9  = "light_male_jump.dsq jump";
   sequence10 = "light_male_diehead.dsq death1";
   …
   sequence20 = "light_male_diespin.dsq death11";
   sequence21 = "light_male_idlepda.dsq pda";
   sequence22 = "light_male_looksn.dsq looksn";
   sequence23 = "light_male_lookms.dsq lookms";
   sequence24 = "light_male_scoutroot.dsq scoutroot";
   sequence25 = "light_male_headside.dsq headside";
   sequence26 = "light_male_recoilde.dsq light_recoil";
   sequence27 = "light_male_sitting.dsq sitting";
   sequence28 = "light_male_celsalute.dsq cel1";
   …
   sequence35 = "light_male_celrocky.dsq cel8";
   sequence36 = "light_male_ski.dsq ski";
   sequence37 = "light_male_standjump.dsq standjump";
   sequence38 = "light_male_looknw.dsq looknw";
};

Syntax is sequence<N> = "<file>.dsq <name>"; — the name is what script and the engine reference.

Sequence name	Used for
`root`	Idle
`run`, `back`, `side`	Locomotion
`look`, `looksn`, `lookms`, `looknw`, `headside`	Arm/aim poses — `setArmThread()` selects these
`fall`, `jet`, `land`, `jump`, `standjump`, `ski`	Airborne and skiing
`death1` … `death11`	Death animations, chosen by damage location
`light_recoil`	Weapon recoil — `stateRecoil[n]` in an image references this
`cel1` … `cel8`	Taunts and celebrations
`pda`, `sitting`, `scoutroot`	Context poses

setArmThread() is how weapons change the aim pose [script]:

function WeaponImage::onMount(%this,%obj,%slot)
{
   …
   if (%this.armthread $= "")
      %obj.setArmThread(look);
   else
      %obj.setArmThread(%this.armThread);
   …
}

So an image declaring armThread = "looksn"; gives the sniper stance. Any name from the shape constructor works.

Sounds and effects

PlayerData carries a large block of surface-dependent footstep and impact sounds:

   LFootSoftSound  = LFootLightSoftSound;    RFootSoftSound  = RFootLightSoftSound;
   LFootHardSound  = LFootLightHardSound;    RFootHardSound  = RFootLightHardSound;
   LFootMetalSound = LFootLightMetalSound;   RFootMetalSound = RFootLightMetalSound;
   LFootSnowSound  = LFootLightSnowSound;    RFootSnowSound  = RFootLightSnowSound;
   LFootShallowSound / RFootShallowSound / LFootWadingSound / RFootWadingSound
   LFootUnderwaterSound / RFootUnderwaterSound / LFootBubblesSound / RFootBubblesSound
   movingBubblesSound = ArmorMoveBubblesSound;
   waterBreathSound   = WaterBreathMaleSound;

   impactSoftSound / impactHardSound / impactMetalSound / impactSnowSound
   skiSoftSound / skiHardSound / skiMetalSound / skiSnowSound
   impactWaterEasy / impactWaterMedium / impactWaterHard
   exitingWater = ExitingWaterLightSound;

plus jet, footprint, dust, and splash effects:

   jetSound   = ArmorJetSound;
   wetJetSound = ArmorJetSound;
   jetEmitter = HumanArmorJetEmitter;
   jetEffect  = HumanArmorJetEffect;

   decalData   = LightMaleFootprint;
   decalOffset = 0.25;

   footPuffEmitter  = LightPuffEmitter;
   footPuffNumParts = 15;
   footPuffRadius   = 0.25;

   dustEmitter = LiftoffDustEmitter;

   splash = PlayerSplash;
   splashVelocity = 4.0;
   splashAngle = 67.0;
   splashFreqMod = 300.0;
   splashVelEpsilon = 0.60;
   bubbleEmitTime = 0.4;
   splashEmitter[0] = PlayerFoamDropletsEmitter;
   splashEmitter[1] = PlayerFoamEmitter;
   splashEmitter[2] = PlayerBubbleEmitter;

   groundImpactMinSpeed      = 10.0;
   groundImpactShakeFreq     = "4.0 4.0 4.0";
   groundImpactShakeAmp      = "1.0 1.0 1.0";
   groundImpactShakeDuration = 0.8;
   groundImpactShakeFalloff  = 10.0;

Inheriting an armor gets all of these for free. That is the argument for inheritance in one paragraph.

HUD icons

   hudImageNameFriendly[0] = "gui/hud_playertriangle";
   hudImageNameEnemy[0]    = "gui/hud_playertriangle_enemy";
   hudRenderModulated[0]   = true;

   hudImageNameFriendly[1] = "commander/MiniIcons/com_flag_grey";
   hudImageNameEnemy[1]    = "commander/MiniIcons/com_flag_grey";
   hudRenderModulated[1]   = true;
   hudRenderAlways[1]      = true;
   hudRenderCenter[1]      = true;
   hudRenderDistance[1]    = true;

Slot 0 is the player marker; slots 1 and 2 are the flag-carrier indicators. See HUD.

Recipe: a scout armor

MyMod/scripts/scoutArmor.cs:

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// MyMod — Scout Armor: faster and quieter than light, but fragile and lightly armed
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

datablock PlayerData(ScoutMaleArmor) : LightMaleHumanArmor
{
   // Fragile
   maxDamage = 0.50;
   maxEnergy = 55;

   // Fast on the ground and in the air
   runForce           = 62.00 * 78;
   maxForwardSpeed    = 18;
   maxBackwardSpeed   = 15;
   maxSideSpeed       = 15;
   mass               = 78;
   jetForce           = 28.50 * 78;
   maxJetForwardSpeed = 34;
   horizMaxSpeed      = 78;
   horizResistSpeed   = 40;
   horizResistFactor  = 0.30;

   // Low heat signature — hard to lock onto
   heatDecayPerSec    = 1.0 / 2.0;
   heatIncreasePerSec = 1.0 / 6.0;

   // Restricted loadout: two weapons, no heavy ordnance
   maxWeapons = 2;

   max[Mortar]              = 0;
   max[MortarAmmo]          = 0;
   max[MissileLauncher]     = 0;
   max[MissileLauncherAmmo] = 0;
   max[Chaingun]            = 0;
   max[ChaingunAmmo]        = 0;
   max[Disc]                = 1;
   max[DiscAmmo]            = 10;
   max[SniperRifle]         = 1;
   max[Blaster]             = 1;
   max[Grenade]             = 3;
   max[Mine]                = 2;
   max[EnergyPack]          = 1;
   max[CloakingPack]        = 1;
   max[ShieldPack]          = 0;
   max[AmmoPack]            = 0;
};

function ScoutMaleArmor::stationSetInv(%data, %player)
{
   %saveImage = %player.getMountedImage($WeaponSlot);

   %player.clearInventory();
   %player.client.setWeaponsHudClearAll();

   %player.setInventory(RepairKit, 1);
   %player.setInventory(Grenade, 3);
   %player.setInventory(Blaster, 1);
   %player.setInventory(Disc, 1);
   %player.setInventory(DiscAmmo, 10);
   %player.setInventory(EnergyPack, 1);

   %player.use(%saveImage.Item);
}

Everything not named — the shape, all the sounds, the animation binding, the damage locations, the remaining max[] entries — is inherited from LightMaleHumanArmor.

To make the armor selectable at an inventory station you must also register it in the station’s armor list; see Turrets and deployables for the station code and Gametypes for spawn-armor selection.

Per-object versus per-datablock

A datablock field is shared by every player wearing that armor. Writing LightMaleHumanArmor.runForce from a pack or a power-up changes it for everyone.

Per-player changes go through object setters:

Setter	Changes
`%obj.setRechargeRate(%r)`	Energy recharge
`%obj.setEnergyLevel(%e)`	Current energy
`%obj.setCloaked(%bool)`	Cloak
`%obj.setInvincible(%bool)`, `%obj.setInvincibleMode(%a, %b)`	Invincibility
`%obj.setArmThread(%name)`	Arm animation
`%obj.setImageTrigger(%slot, %bool)`	Image trigger
`%obj.applyImpulse(%pos, %vec)`	Physics impulse
`%obj.setVelocity(%vec)`	Velocity
`%obj.setDamageLevel(%d)`, `%obj.setDamageState(%s)`	Health

The shipped packs use exactly these. See Packs.

Ammo and inventory — max[] limits and loadouts
Packs — per-object modification patterns
Damage and type masks — the *PlayerDamageProfile parents
Audio — the footstep and impact sound profiles
31 · The base ruleset — the values base ships, all three weights
38 · Classic 1.1 — this system, retuned, field by field

On a patched install: nothing on this page changes. Neither TribesNEXT patch touches gameplay content — see 03 · Content Recipes.