ns in the wild

Racer1

I understand that the ns "story" places it on many derelict ships and space stations, etc. However, I do not think that this specifically precludes the possibility of some more plant-friendly scenarios -- such as a forest on some planet or even on a greenhouse space station.

I can see why ns1 didn't do it. Namely, engine and GPU/CPU limitations. I believe that time has past and the engine can certainly be written to accommodate the outdoors. So, the only real limitations would be related to gameplay. The most pressing issue would probably be flying players able to fly clear across the map. However, if this could be addressed, such a map could put a new spin on the game.

Example map: A thick jungle with lots of background noise (like animals, insects, water flowing, etc). Hives in a set of caves in a small mountain range. Marines in a small, crashlanded ship on the opposite side of the map. Streams and rock cliffs running through the map, which would separate the different resource zones. Throw in a few underground tunnels, rock formations, and ponds as necessary.

RobB

Note: We didn't see enough yet to estimate the engine's abilities yet.

Sirot

I would imagine a NS2 game based in an open environment to be an entirely new game. The lerk would immediately become much more powerful and the marine structures would probably become mobile. NS2 is balanced around an indoor environment, which is the major stumbling block.

steppin'razor

Thats why all those custom maps with wide open areas don't really work.

garvani

My imagination ran wild with your suggest jungle theme. that would be very cool! Hard to balance the play mechanics, the lerk as stated would probably be the most used. holy hell would that be an awesome map though

-Diesel-

Why not an indoor greenhouse..

How does that work for you OP?

homicide

Ironically, the "outdoorish" maps seem to be the most popular custom maps in NS1.

ryknow69

A forested map is the perfect example of how we can have an outdoor map, the trees are obstacles, add some river, and rocks, and bam :) Oh, and a Thick Canopy.

RobB

<!--quoteo(post=1731485:date=Oct 9 2009, 05:59 AM:name=homicide)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (homicide @ Oct 9 2009, 05:59 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1731485"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Ironically, the "outdoorish" maps seem to be the most popular custom maps in NS1.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I still hate them because of turretfarms and whatnot.

Racer1

<!--quoteo(post=1731518:date=Oct 9 2009, 05:02 AM:name=ryknow69)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ryknow69 @ Oct 9 2009, 05:02 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1731518"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Oh, and a Thick Canopy.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That's a great solution for the flying all over map issue.

Evil_bOb1

I've been thinking about this a lot and I think I'm going to try to pull it off in my own way. The idea is to simulate being outdoor, but with an indoor layout, just 'walls' and ceiling are made of canopy and whatnot at some places.

Its tricky and harder to pull off but I think it could make a great scenery for NS.

ryknow69

Thick Vines and thorn bushes kinda as walls, and 'hallways' could be trees and bushes crushed down by Onos'/Exosuits.

Sirot

<!--quoteo(post=1731680:date=Oct 10 2009, 10:18 PM:name=ryknow69)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ryknow69 @ Oct 10 2009, 10:18 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1731680"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Thick Vines and thorn bushes kinda as walls, and 'hallways' could be trees and bushes crushed down by Onos'/Exosuits.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Having tree hallways and other vegetation as walls is silly. You are going to have trees to be unrealistically close to each other and the end result is a wood panel space station. If there is going to be an outdoors map, it might as well be outdoors (as in open).

ryknow69

Mostly Fallen trees, and thick ass vines, with some nasty looking bushes and shrubs can make a 'Hallway' like areas, not perfectly flat straight hallways, but rough, open hallway like ness.

Sirot

You aware that one of the life forms has wall-walking, right? They can't employ tricks like that which is mostly reinforced with invisible walls with the skulk around, in addition to it looking bad (name a modern game that has vegetation walls that looks good while allowing complete freedom of movement). Plus, dynamic infestation will have to be completely reworked among many other things.

RobB

infestation and skulks would be our least problems i guess. instead of having to redesign the map for the skulk i think they build the skulk robust enough to use even rugged surfacse like a forest.

ryknow69

The game is made in LUA, and changing models and skins as shown is easy as ######. You can morph the skulk into a jungle predator, lol.

Also, maybe there's a small old building in the forest, there, fin, there's your hallways.




I was just trying to think of something creative, mind the mind lapse of not thinking of the skulk.

corpsman

vegitation REALLY should be included not just as props, but as a whole set/setup. Should be enough to make a map or two, then people can include rooms with some in it, or make maps based on it. I dont know why even NS1 didn't have more outdoor maps. The maps it DID have that contained outdoor parts were great!

ryknow69

It was cause NS was geared to confined space.

But now with LUA, modding NS2 to fit outside game environments will be doable!