Proposed changes for the bomb

[Alayan]

I opened two tickets for concepts I'm currently looking to implement in SuperTuxKart Evolution after some recent testing:

• Shorter bomb duration
  

The current bomb duration at 30s feels too long.

The bomb is already more generous than a parachute or an anchor, as instead of an immediate time loss there is a chance to pass the bomb or remove it and to avoid losing any meaningful time.

But with 30s, there is no sense of urgency. There is a long time left for the player to try to pass it on or to get multiple gift boxes until something can be used to remove it. Also, towards the end of the race, the player can be confident he will arrive at the finish line before the explosion.

20s instead of 30s should help significantly but testing is needed to validate how it feels and if an ever lower value should be tried.

The positioning of the bomb timer's arrow should also be rescaled, otherwise only a tiny part of it would be used.

• Changing the bomb passing rules
  

This is subject to confirmation in testing that it improves the gameplay, but the idea is as follow:

• Remove the "can't pass back a bomb to the player who gave it" rule
  
• Add a "can't pass a bomb you received in the last X seconds" rule, with a time value of probably 1 to 2 seconds
  
• Add a visual indicator of some sorts when the bomb cannot be passed
  

The rationale is that:

1. There is no visual indicator that some kart is immune to receiving your bomb, you just have to know you got it from that kart and the rule.
   
2. The justification for the existing rule is to avoid issues with multiple collisions in quick successions (which happens in many actual collisions) as we don't want the bomb passing back and forth with the final "owner" more or less random. The new delay rule also addresses that
   
3. Often, you don't have another kart to try to pass it on than the one who just gave it to you and having no counterplay isn't very fun.
   

Let me know if you have comments or suggestions on the matter!

[LLS_forum]

"Remove the "can't pass back a bomb to the player who gave it" rule" 
---
I find this interesting, however I think there should be a 2-second delay after transmitting the bomb before being able to receive it; after this delay, the player can receive it again from their donor (I think removing this rule will result in a very quick and noticeable multi-switch).

"Add a "can't pass a bomb you received in the last X seconds" rule, with a time value of probably 1 to 2 seconds" 
---
3 seconds is better

"Add a visual indicator of some sorts when the bomb cannot be passed" 
---
Explanation??? A white/red envelope for the go-kart???


(A direct answer to the point, not one in relation to the other; "I find point 1 and 2 to be strongly linked.")

[Alayan]

"Remove the "can't pass back a bomb to the player who gave it" rule" 
---
I find this interesting, however I think there should be a 2-second delay after transmitting the bomb before being able to receive it; after this delay, the player can receive it again from their donor (I think removing this rule will result in a very quick and noticeable multi-switch).

Yes, entirely removing the rule without anything else would result in issues like I pointed out in my first post.

But if the receiving kart can't pass the bomb back at all to anyone for a short time period, that's not a concern anymore. Those changes are meant to work together.

"Add a visual indicator of some sorts when the bomb cannot be passed" 
---
Explanation??? A white/red envelope for the go-kart???

I don't know how the visual indicator should look like to be as clear and aesthetic as possible.

But I think it's better if the game gives direct visual feedback to help players understand what is happening.

Ideas for how that could look like are welcome.