Quick Core Customization
spellman23
NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
<div class="IPBDescription">I don't wanna to LUA....</div>So, as awesome as LUA can be for getting into the inners of the gameplay, sometimes we only want minor tweaking. Making these tweaks available in a well structured way would promote quick adjustments and, with proper depth, can even create simple customized game modes right off the bat without having to slog through the LUA.
For example, server variables for starting levels of tech, as discussed <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=105040" target="_blank">here</a>, can create very interesting modes of gameplay. What if we like starting everyone on high tech? Or perhaps limit the tech? Or, how about a kind of surprised game where one side has (almost) all the nodes, but low tech, while the other starts with high tech. Now it becomes a fight to see if the low tech side can hold long enough to get back into the game technology wise.
Quick control of overall res generation could create a type where everything is low res generation, but perhaps each side starts with a large amount at the start. So, they can tech quickly along a certain path, but eventually may get stuck if they can't keep up the tech income. Or, maybe instead they pump all of it into weapons and lifeforms so they can win battles and hold more of the map and tech later.
A simple customizable menu interface would allow in-game buying systems, similar to what many mods use already, such as in Extralevels, but they currently have to hack it using the in-game chat system. It may not have to exist in the standard game, but making a solid version would give so much power to the modders instead of forcing them to build their own.
This kind of basic structure and already in place infrastructure would go a long way to not only allow immediate content generation, but ease people into the modding realm. One they master these basic tweaks, they can begin to grasp deeper concepts in the game and how to alter them. Most could be mere prototypes to help explain the code structure, but oversimplified examples is not what we're looking for. We're looking for solid examples of code that we can easily manipulate to implement out ideas, even if simple and rough, immediately.
For example, server variables for starting levels of tech, as discussed <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=105040" target="_blank">here</a>, can create very interesting modes of gameplay. What if we like starting everyone on high tech? Or perhaps limit the tech? Or, how about a kind of surprised game where one side has (almost) all the nodes, but low tech, while the other starts with high tech. Now it becomes a fight to see if the low tech side can hold long enough to get back into the game technology wise.
Quick control of overall res generation could create a type where everything is low res generation, but perhaps each side starts with a large amount at the start. So, they can tech quickly along a certain path, but eventually may get stuck if they can't keep up the tech income. Or, maybe instead they pump all of it into weapons and lifeforms so they can win battles and hold more of the map and tech later.
A simple customizable menu interface would allow in-game buying systems, similar to what many mods use already, such as in Extralevels, but they currently have to hack it using the in-game chat system. It may not have to exist in the standard game, but making a solid version would give so much power to the modders instead of forcing them to build their own.
This kind of basic structure and already in place infrastructure would go a long way to not only allow immediate content generation, but ease people into the modding realm. One they master these basic tweaks, they can begin to grasp deeper concepts in the game and how to alter them. Most could be mere prototypes to help explain the code structure, but oversimplified examples is not what we're looking for. We're looking for solid examples of code that we can easily manipulate to implement out ideas, even if simple and rough, immediately.
Comments
Everything that was mentioned in the above post could be probably done in under 2 minutes.
Edit: Ctrl+F prototype lab
cost --> 100
time ->> 543543654
done.
From what I heard, LUA is the nub editor.
either way, YEA!
I was simply thinking in the general sense of easily accessible variables and tweaks.
WC3 has a great system. Most of the UI is pre-built for you so simple changes are easy, but it gives the power to do much more complicated things. Unfortunately, it's not super powerful. See all the lovely hacks DotA uses for some of its special features.
Essentially, the big picture is have major variables and features available easily. Simple moddable/expandable structured code is also a plus (menu system).
The question is whether it remains core or not. Say you want change the spawn time slightly or put a cap on some other entity. That really shouldn't require a full-fledged mod, and then be relegated to "custom" servers.
Exactly.
TF2 has several nice settings you can change quickly. They will flag the server as slightly different, but not push it into the "Custom" tab where you might find totally different game modes.
On some level, though, I'd like it a step further. It's kinda like prefabs. Sure we can build them eventually with the tools given, but sometimes useful examples just make your life easier. They help give an idea of what's possible, are easily editable for your purposes, and are standardized over all the designs. For the coding, this would be like the UI structure already having modules and settings to move things around, or add in a new stat that someone may want to show. This kind of structure and easy accessibility will help the quick changes happen faster and easier. Then later, if we want to, we can overhaul the UI for our extra unique modification.
So, transparent variables, easy access to basic structures. If we're lucky a nice UI to manipulate some of this as well, but that might be asking a bit much.
While true, this should be in the back of their minds. Especially considering how much they've promoted the moddability of the system.