bug: Firing weapons in key control mode sometimes teleports currently selected agent around level

[bobf5]

(bug since 1996)
Tested in both the port and original game. Issues start at 0:16 and 0:06 respectively.

2025-02-26.21-10-39.webm

2025-02-26.21-17-57.webm

Happens only in key control mode, when the lead agent fires weapons and primarily when attempting to move with directional keys at the same time. Testing in both the original and port, I could get only this bug to trigger with the Electron Mace, Pulse Laser, Launcher, Plasma Lance and Graviton Gun. Update: This has a very rare tendency to happen with other weapons as well, like the LR Rifle and Minigun.

Interestingly, I can easily and consistently trigger it in London (EuroCorp Mission 1) at the start of the level by moving and firing, but in Cape Town (Church mission 15) I can't trigger it at all until I move my current agent beyond some coordinates highlighted in the line below (not specific to the area shown, the issue starts occurring when passing this line anywhere on this level).

Update: I wasn't able to get it on video, but I was just playing Church mission 15 and managed to trigger the bug with an LR rifle in the same spot as above.
Update Update: Playing Church mission 18, I experienced this bug at the EuroCorp base bridge while firing a plasma lance without touching any directional keys, but not consecutively/consistently like when trying to move.

[mefistotelis]

One crucial thing you didn't mentioned is that you have to use mouse shooting while being in keyboard mode.
Knowing that, I can reproduce the issue.

[Moburma]

Are you pressing Ctrl+T while doing this? Shooting in keyboard mode is bound to left ctrl, and the teleport cheat is invoked by holding that and pressing T as well.

To be honest I would say the keyboard mode is broken/not supported at the moment, it was clearly not really finished in the original game, looks suspiciously like they forgot about it once they gave up on the PS1 as lead idea and went back to primary mouse control.

[mefistotelis]

The issue is that UserVX/UserVY/UserVZ parameters within PlayerInfo struct are used in different ways depending on current state of agents. for moving state - it's target position, for firing - it's the target location.

This becomes a problem when trying to use two control schemes at once - walk with keys, fire with mouse.
Currently I don't have an idea for fixing this - will have to wait for more context to be remade.

[bobf5]

Are you pressing Ctrl+T while doing this?

Isn't the teleport cheat Alt+T? And no. I've also encountered this bug many times without cheats.

One crucial thing you didn't mentioned is that you have to use mouse shooting while being in keyboard mode.

I think using mouse shooting in keyboard control mode at all activates the bug, but doesn't immediately trigger it unless moving at the same time. I just had this bug occur while firing with Ctrl and moving (in Rome, using a minigun, holding directional keys and Ctrl but not moving or clicking the mouse at all), but only after previously standing still and mouse shooting in keyboard mode (without teleporting), so I'm still encountering the bug using the 'intended' controls.

To be honest I would say the keyboard mode is broken/not supported at the moment, it was clearly not really finished in the original game, looks suspiciously like they forgot about it once they gave up on the PS1 as lead idea and went back to primary mouse control.

100%. I like what Bullfrog intended with the control scheme, but it feels like it's internally held together by duct tape.

Side tangent. I'm kind of baffled by how hacked together it is in the original PC version, but even moreso with the PS1 version; #247 exists there and is active by default, letting you gain olympic speeds on command and outrun anything with ease (and of course moving diagonally at all means inconsistent movement speeds, always making your agents lag behind), whereas moving with the navigation command (Triangle) keeps your group closer together, but puts you at an inherent speed disadvantage.