Mech Legs Balance Pass (#21946)

This PR tweaks the stats for several of the mech legs to have fairer
movespeed characteristics and be a lot less punishing for taking damage.
The general complaint I saw from players was that taking enough damage
made the mechs suddenly feel useless, as the extra delays from leg
damage were far too punishing.

I also added a new mechanic for the extremely rare Cult Mech that allows
it to actually GAIN movement speed when damaged, as a sort of "Fragile
Berserker" mechanic that will help make it actually useful as a melee
combatant gimmick. I came up with that idea after watching a round where
an antag managed to get a cult mech, but he was physically incapable of
getting into melee with anyone while driving it.

As a bugfix, this PR fixes glide sizes for mechs so that their smooth
movement correctly reflects how the different directions have different
movement speeds.


https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/0bf63edd-b0db-4257-a6e4-c42e5cf16962

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/components/legs.dm

@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 	 */
 	var/damaged_delay = 10
 
+	/**
+	 * Linear slope of a mech's damage delay characteristics, EG how "fast" it linearly scales.
+	 * This allows floating points, and can technically be a negative number. EG: "Rage mechanic where being damaged makes the mech faster"
+	 */
+	var/damaged_delay_slope = 1.0
+
 	var/obj/item/robot_parts/robot_component/actuator/motivator
 	var/mech_turn_sound = 'sound/mecha/mechturn.ogg'
 	var/mech_step_sound = 'sound/mecha/mechstep.ogg'

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/mech_helpers.dm

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 			to_chat(user, SPAN_WARNING("The power indicator flashes briefly."))
 		return
 
-	next_mecha_move = world.time + (incorporeal_move ? legs.move_delay / 2 : legs.move_delay) + (legs.damaged_delay * (legs.total_damage / legs.max_damage))
+	next_mecha_move = world.time + (incorporeal_move ? legs.move_delay / 2 : legs.move_delay) + (legs.damaged_delay * (legs.total_damage / legs.max_damage) * legs.damaged_delay_slope)
 	return TRUE
 
 /mob/living/heavy_vehicle/proc/can_turn(var/mob/user)
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 			to_chat(user, SPAN_WARNING("The power indicator flashes briefly."))
 		return
 
-	next_mecha_turn = world.time + legs.turn_delay + (legs.damaged_delay * (legs.total_damage / legs.max_damage))
+	next_mecha_turn = world.time + legs.turn_delay + (legs.damaged_delay * (legs.total_damage / legs.max_damage) * legs.damaged_delay_slope)
 	return TRUE
 
 /mob/living/heavy_vehicle/proc/can_strafe(var/mob/user)
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 			to_chat(user, SPAN_WARNING("The power indicator flashes briefly."))
 		return
 
-	next_mecha_move = world.time + ((legs.move_delay + (legs.damaged_delay * (legs.total_damage / legs.max_damage))) * legs.strafe_delay_modifier)
+	next_mecha_move = world.time + ((legs.move_delay + (legs.damaged_delay * (legs.total_damage / legs.max_damage) * legs.damaged_delay_slope)) * legs.strafe_delay_modifier)
 	return TRUE
 
 /mob/living/heavy_vehicle/get_standard_pixel_x()

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/mech_interaction.dm

@@ -361,12 +361,15 @@
 	Move(src.loc, direction, 0, TRUE)
 
 /mob/living/heavy_vehicle/Move(atom/newloc, direct, glide_size_override = 0, update_dir = TRUE)
+	// They shouldn't get to this proc without legs in the first place, but its okay to guard here.
+	if (!legs)
+		return
 	. = ..()
+	set_glide_size(DELAY_TO_GLIDE_SIZE(next_mecha_move - world.time))
 	if(. && !istype(loc, /turf/space))
-		if(legs)
-			if(legs.mech_step_sound)
-				playsound(src.loc, legs.mech_step_sound, 40, TRUE)
-			use_cell_power(legs.power_use * CELLRATE)
+		if(legs.mech_step_sound)
+			playsound(src.loc, legs.mech_step_sound, 40, TRUE)
+		use_cell_power(legs.power_use * CELLRATE)
 	update_icon()
 
 /mob/living/heavy_vehicle/Post_Incorpmove()

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/combat.dm

@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
 	max_damage = 100
 	power_use = 2500
 	trample_damage = 35
+	// Dedicated combat chassis is highly resistant to mobility loss until a full "mobility kill"
+	damaged_delay = 3
+	damaged_delay_slope = 0.5
 
 /obj/item/mech_component/sensors/combat
 	name = "combat sensors"

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/cult.dm

@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
 	power_use = 2500
 	trample_damage = 45
 
+	// Uniquely increases speed when damaged. Fragile, but good for melee.
+	// It can become faster than a light mech, but only when on the verge of death.
+	damaged_delay = 4
+	damaged_delay_slope = -1
+
 /obj/item/mech_component/sensors/cult
 	name = "daemon sensors"
 	desc = "A hard shell to protect those that follow the Great One, these sensors assist in the slaughter."

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/heavy.dm

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 	max_damage = 200
 	power_use = 2500
 	trample_damage = 45
+	damaged_delay = 5
 
 /obj/item/mech_component/sensors/heavy
 	name = "heavy sensors"

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/hoverpod.dm

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 	max_damage = 150
 	move_delay = 5
 	turn_delay = 2
-	strafe_delay_modifier = 1 // No delay on strafing.
+	strafe_delay_modifier = 1.2 // minimal delay on strafing.
 	reverse_delay = 10
 	power_use = 2500
 	trample_damage = 0
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@
 	max_damage = 75
 	move_delay = 2
 	turn_delay = 2
-	strafe_delay_modifier = 1 // No delay on strafing.
+	strafe_delay_modifier = 1.2 // minimal delay on strafing.
 	reverse_delay = 5
 	power_use = 2000

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/light.dm

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 	icon_state = "light_legs"
 	move_delay = 2
 	turn_delay = 2
+	damaged_delay = 4
 	max_damage = 100
 	power_use = 1500
 	desc = "The electrical systems driving these legs are almost totally silent. Unfortunately slamming a plate of metal against the ground is not."

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/military.dm

@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 	desc = "Four utterly goliath stump-like pistons hold this propulsion mechanism together."
 	icon_state = "strider_legs"
 	move_delay = 5
+	damaged_delay = 5
+	damaged_delay_slope = 0.5
 	max_damage = 650
 	power_use = 2500
 	trample_damage = 45

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/misc.dm

@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 	max_damage = 160
 	move_delay = 4
 	turn_delay = 1
-	reverse_delay = 2 // Faster than usual reverse for legs
-	strafe_delay_modifier = 1.2 // Faster than usual strafing
+	reverse_delay = 1 // Faster than usual reverse for legs
+	strafe_delay_modifier = 1 // Uniquely the only chassis without a strafe delay
+	damaged_delay = 4
 	power_use = 1250
 	trample_damage = 10
 
@@ -18,8 +19,8 @@
 	icon_state = "spiderlegs-industrial"
 	max_damage = 250
 	move_delay = 5
+	damaged_delay = 5
 	turn_delay = 1
-	strafe_delay_modifier = 1.2 // Faster than usual strafing
 	power_use = 3500
 	trample_damage = 25
 
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
 	icon_state = "tracks"
 	max_damage = 450
 	move_delay = 2 //Its fast
+	damaged_delay = 2
 	turn_delay = 7
 	reverse_delay = 0 // Uniquely the only chassis without a reverse delay.
 	power_use = 3500

code/modules/heavy_vehicle/premade/pra.dm

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 	desc = "Strong legs adapted for the Adhomian rought terrain."
 	icon_state = "egg_legs"
 	move_delay = 3
+	damaged_delay = 3
 	turn_delay = 3
 	max_damage = 100
 	power_use = 2500