Welcome Overgrowth Members!
INKEDOUT
Join Date: 2007-06-23 Member: 61343Members
Join Date: 2007-06-23 Member: 61343Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Introduce yourself and get a few useful links and background</div>I am surprised that no one has done this already.
Since the "Organic Indie Preorder Pack" was released, we are clearly going to have some community cross over with the guys over at Wolfire, whether you notice it or not. So, since they did it so nicely for us ( <a href="http://forums.wolfire.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5821)" target="_blank">http://forums.wolfire.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5821)</a> I have decided to put out a armour clad hand out and welcome the bunnies aboard our deep space recon vessel.
To put it simply... I, on behalf of the community, welcome all you guys from the Overgrowth community! Feel free to make yourself at home (no fur balls on the terminals please...)
<b>BACKGROUND</b>
Natural Selection 2 (NS2) is the natural progression from Natural Selection, the Half-Life mod (often referred to as NS1 or NS).
NS1 “blends first-person combat with real-time strategy. It features intense "marines vs. aliens" teamplay, where one marine can become "Commander" and leads players from a top-down perspective†helping them build structures and develop weaponry.
Natural Selection 2, like NS1, takes place in a science fiction universe where humans have expanded across the universe to the darkest and deepest of places. Civilisation for many can be hard, bleak and lonely...
And like all bleak and lonely places, there is something praying on them, the Kharaa! An aggressive alien race that’s main aim is to survive and evolve.
The Kharaa have many guises, from the humble Gorge (a builder class, in NS, now more of a defences/medic class) to the fearsome and towering Onos, who is nearly twice the size of a human, and looks like a rhino on steroids.
The Kharaa are subdivided into various classes, each with there own strengths and weaknesses. You can see the full list of NS1 Kharaa <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/static/comm_manual/basic/alienClasses.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and see the current images for the known classes in NS2 <a href="http://ns2.squarespace.com/kharaa/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009/8/detailed_skulk_reveal" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009...ed_skulk_reveal</a> and <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009/8/gorge_reveal" target="_blank">here</a>... and of course <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009/7/detailed_onos_reveal" target="_blank">here</a>.
But who, I here you ask, would in there right mind take on such brutal creatures?
The Trans System Authority Frontiersman, a group of Marines sent out to clear out and make safe once inhabited outposts lost to the infection of the Kharaa. What little that is known about the Frontiersman can be read <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/world/background/" target="_blank">here</a> in the background files of NS1. But all you need to know is they are bad a** mother f***ing marines, equipped with every type of pointy stick and all the heavy weapon fire power needed to take on the Kharaa.
<b>CHANGES FROM NS</b>
If you have played Natural Selection (you still can <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/download/" target="_blank">here</a> it's free, but you need Half-Life), then there are some changes in NS2:
-Both teams now have a commander (in NS1 only the Marines had a commander, the Kharaa had a Hive Mind that gave them an idea of what was going on)
-Dynamic Infestation. As far as it is understood this is a growing organism that will cover any parts of the map that are controlled by the Kharaa. It can be seen <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2promo2006/12/dynamic_infestation" target="_blank">here</a>.
-<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2promo2009/4/marine_power_grid_design" target="_blank">The Power Grid. </a> This is all explained in that link<.
Other than that and the obvious fact that NS2 is no longer a mod, but a fully fledged game with some pretty nice shinny new graphics and features, not a lot has changed (that we know of yet).
<b>LINKS</b>
-<a href="http://ns2.squarespace.com/videos/" target="_blank">Videos</a>
-<a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/" target="_blank">Natural Selection 2 Site</a>, has an overview of the game and concept art, things like that.
-<a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/download" target="_blank">Video Tutorial and links to mapping info is up here</a>
-<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Main_Page" target="_blank">NS2 Community Wiki</a>
-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Selection_(video_game)" target="_blank">Natural Selection Wiki</a>
-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Selection_2" target="_blank">Natural Selection 2 Wiki</a> (needs updating?)
I have probably missed a load of stuff, but if you have any question, do not hesitate to ask the community. I look forward to seeing some maps from all of you cats, rats and rabbits... and even you whale man.
Since the "Organic Indie Preorder Pack" was released, we are clearly going to have some community cross over with the guys over at Wolfire, whether you notice it or not. So, since they did it so nicely for us ( <a href="http://forums.wolfire.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5821)" target="_blank">http://forums.wolfire.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5821)</a> I have decided to put out a armour clad hand out and welcome the bunnies aboard our deep space recon vessel.
To put it simply... I, on behalf of the community, welcome all you guys from the Overgrowth community! Feel free to make yourself at home (no fur balls on the terminals please...)
<b>BACKGROUND</b>
Natural Selection 2 (NS2) is the natural progression from Natural Selection, the Half-Life mod (often referred to as NS1 or NS).
NS1 “blends first-person combat with real-time strategy. It features intense "marines vs. aliens" teamplay, where one marine can become "Commander" and leads players from a top-down perspective†helping them build structures and develop weaponry.
Natural Selection 2, like NS1, takes place in a science fiction universe where humans have expanded across the universe to the darkest and deepest of places. Civilisation for many can be hard, bleak and lonely...
And like all bleak and lonely places, there is something praying on them, the Kharaa! An aggressive alien race that’s main aim is to survive and evolve.
The Kharaa have many guises, from the humble Gorge (a builder class, in NS, now more of a defences/medic class) to the fearsome and towering Onos, who is nearly twice the size of a human, and looks like a rhino on steroids.
The Kharaa are subdivided into various classes, each with there own strengths and weaknesses. You can see the full list of NS1 Kharaa <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/static/comm_manual/basic/alienClasses.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and see the current images for the known classes in NS2 <a href="http://ns2.squarespace.com/kharaa/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009/8/detailed_skulk_reveal" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009...ed_skulk_reveal</a> and <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009/8/gorge_reveal" target="_blank">here</a>... and of course <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009/7/detailed_onos_reveal" target="_blank">here</a>.
But who, I here you ask, would in there right mind take on such brutal creatures?
The Trans System Authority Frontiersman, a group of Marines sent out to clear out and make safe once inhabited outposts lost to the infection of the Kharaa. What little that is known about the Frontiersman can be read <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/world/background/" target="_blank">here</a> in the background files of NS1. But all you need to know is they are bad a** mother f***ing marines, equipped with every type of pointy stick and all the heavy weapon fire power needed to take on the Kharaa.
<b>CHANGES FROM NS</b>
If you have played Natural Selection (you still can <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/download/" target="_blank">here</a> it's free, but you need Half-Life), then there are some changes in NS2:
-Both teams now have a commander (in NS1 only the Marines had a commander, the Kharaa had a Hive Mind that gave them an idea of what was going on)
-Dynamic Infestation. As far as it is understood this is a growing organism that will cover any parts of the map that are controlled by the Kharaa. It can be seen <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2promo2006/12/dynamic_infestation" target="_blank">here</a>.
-<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2promo2009/4/marine_power_grid_design" target="_blank">The Power Grid. </a> This is all explained in that link<.
Other than that and the obvious fact that NS2 is no longer a mod, but a fully fledged game with some pretty nice shinny new graphics and features, not a lot has changed (that we know of yet).
<b>LINKS</b>
-<a href="http://ns2.squarespace.com/videos/" target="_blank">Videos</a>
-<a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/" target="_blank">Natural Selection 2 Site</a>, has an overview of the game and concept art, things like that.
-<a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/download" target="_blank">Video Tutorial and links to mapping info is up here</a>
-<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Main_Page" target="_blank">NS2 Community Wiki</a>
-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Selection_(video_game)" target="_blank">Natural Selection Wiki</a>
-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Selection_2" target="_blank">Natural Selection 2 Wiki</a> (needs updating?)
I have probably missed a load of stuff, but if you have any question, do not hesitate to ask the community. I look forward to seeing some maps from all of you cats, rats and rabbits... and even you whale man.
Comments
Is there any way to read the past blog posts? I've tried to find a button that would let me go back a page, but there seems to be none.
I probably won't be able to hang around the forums much, though, I've got two other indie game forums to pester, but I'll keep in touch with the game.
On the right is the archive links, ie: <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2009</a>
Anyhow, as the hours pass by I am finding myself more bewitched by this game... ^___^
As an introduction, my name is Anton and I'm a composer doing this whole music for games and film thing... I'm also one of the Overgrowth pre-order crowd, but was excited to check this game out. Can't wait to get more involved in this community!
My thread never really caught on as far as OG people are concerned :-S Plus it's good to have a quick introduction to what you guys think is important to know, rather than asking questions yourself.
Thanks for the thread/welcome!
Well, we don't know exactly what role the (multiple) commanders will play in NS2, but I can say that commanding in NS1 was a high-pressure experience, and if you didn't already know what you were doing when you log in the chair you would quickly be ejected (not a good way to learn), so part of the goal of having multiple commanders is to ease that stress somewhat, and to make sure the marines still have a chance when someone new takes the seat.
In NS1 (as people have already said) the commander's role is to organize the team and implement their strategy by giving commands and handling upgrades, base expansions, etc. He also handles player support during concerted efforts like pushing to a hive or base defense.
Not sure what you mean by 'competitive mode', but I'll assume that means NS classic. The goal of each team is to remove the other team's presence from the map. For the marines it means, ultimately, wiping out all hives and killing whatever aliens are left, and for the aliens it involves destroying all IPs (Infantry Portal = marine respawn structure) and all marines (including the commander, in his chair)
Is that an NS1 Lurk in background or an NS2 one? Because I don't think it's been announced, or at least can't find it :-S
Anyhow, as the hours pass by I am finding myself more bewitched by this game... ^___^<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1746786:date=Jan 11 2010, 01:54 PM:name=monopolowa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (monopolowa @ Jan 11 2010, 01:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1746786"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, we don't know exactly what role the (multiple) commanders will play in NS2, but I can say that commanding in NS1 was a high-pressure experience, and if you didn't already know what you were doing when you log in the chair you would quickly be ejected (not a good way to learn), so part of the goal of having multiple commanders is to ease that stress somewhat, and to make sure the marines still have a chance when someone new takes the seat.
In NS1 (as people have already said) the commander's role is to organize the team and implement their strategy by giving commands and handling upgrades, base expansions, etc. He also handles player support during concerted efforts like pushing to a hive or base defense.
Not sure what you mean by 'competitive mode', but I'll assume that means NS classic. The goal of each team is to remove the other team's presence from the map. For the marines it means, ultimately, wiping out all hives and killing whatever aliens are left, and for the aliens it involves destroying all IPs (Infantry Portal = marine respawn structure) and all marines (including the commander, in his chair)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think monopolowa described it pretty well... but that was NS1, in NS2 there will be a commander on each team. The commander is the only player who can view the whole map, or at least the parts of the map not under the fog of war. He or she gives out commands, sets out way points, gives out weapons and lays down structures for the rest of the team to build (the only current exception to this is the Gorge, who can build a small number of chambers, all with a local effect, unlike NS1 where the Gorges chambers were key to the Kharaas game play)
He is, like any RTS, the commanding players. The difference between an RTS and NS2 is that the troops the commander controls don't have to do what he says, and can play better, or worse, than expected. A commander has to get to know his team as the game progresses and decided who he should give benefits to, and who he should send to do certain jobs. This is what makes being a commander so hard in NS1 and possibly NS2.
But measures are being made to make it easier for new commanders to get their silver sword (<b>can we actually have that as an achievement when you first play as a commander????</b>). There is a blog entry about Alien commanders and how it will change the game... somewhere. Basically, it comes down to more notifications, some more automation, a lot of hot keys and play testing... or so we are told. Basically in NS1 the commander had to do alot for himself and know a lot, where as in NS2 he will just have to concentrate on tactics and things he forgets to do will be prompted to him (not from other screaming players)
This gives you an idea of how commanding looked in NS1 (with all its super hacked modding messiness):
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK_q7ryhYlA&feature=related" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK_q7ryhYlA...feature=related</a>
Building new hives unlocks new life forms in NS1, in NS2 this may play out different as we do not know yet but i believe that this will not change to much, atleast i hope so =)
Hmm I have only played NS1 in its version 3.x era for a short while. But aren't the lifeforms no longer locked to the hives and the only thing still actually connected to the hives are the upgrade chambers. NS1.04 on the other hand...
True, building new hives unlocks new abilities (weapon 2-3-4) and allows to build a new kind of chamber, but lifeforms are no longer locked.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->But all you need to know is they are bad a** mother f***ing marines, equipped with every type of pointy stick and all the heavy weapon fire power needed to take on the Kharaa.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually the TSA marines are woefully under-equipped due to apparent cost-saving measures by the folks paying for the ship/station reclamation efforts. They have to construct their own weaponry, and are only beamed onto the ship in limited numbers and with limited armor. But they're just crazy enough to get the job done (sometimes) anyway.
About "Dynamic Infestation" - I mean, every reference just points towards that video which doesn't really have that much information. I don't quite understand what "dynamic" even means to be honest. Does that mean it has a mind of its own and just grows everywhere like moss? In the video I'm not sure if he's <i>painting</i> it onto the walls or just <i>following</i> its random progress with the camera.
And what comes first? The Aliens or the Infestation/Bacterium/Whatever? By this I mean - say the Aliens claim room number 3: is it claimed BECAUSE it is covered in Bacterium, or is the Bacterium added BECAUSE Aliens have claimed the area (as if to say "all your room are belong to us"). And is it wherever the Marines AREN'T or just where the Aliens ARE?
Um yeah so... does anyone actually know anything about it, either than that it's dynamic? Such an oft-quoted feature must have more information surely!
The Commanders then could be able to set us up the BOMB.
And nope, not much known about DI jet, i think no matter which way it will work, it will look awsome.
By the same token, marines are assisted by nanites, which assist with most aspects of their technology (as we see it on the battlefield), and which directly combat the bacteria on a microscopic level, affecting its ability to spread. The marines' presence somehow energizes the nanites, as can be seen with building construction in NS1 - the marines simply need to lay their hands for a new structure to take shape.
Anyway I hope you enjoy your time here and welcome to the NS2 community
I must say that these two games are the two I'm the most excited about. Hopefully we get to see some awesomeness this year.
In the NS1 commander videos, there's always this flickeriness off-map. Was that fixed in later versions? If not why? Problem with HL engine? Just curious...
In the NS1 commander videos, there's always this flickeriness off-map. Was that fixed in later versions? If not why? Problem with HL engine? Just curious...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Legacy problem, that was present in quake 1 and still is in goldsource games.
It has something to do with rendering-borders iirc.
Every half-life map is divided into areas under the presumption that you cannot see from one area into another. Those areas may overlap.
So while standing into the door to the house you are insinde the render maps house and outdoor. Your PC renders the outside of the house and the inside. When you are inside the house you are not in the outdoor rendering area anymore and your PC only renders the inside of the house. On slower machines this is noticeable in FPS changes, when going from one rendermap to another. When outside the map, using noclip, you are outside every rendermap and hence nothing renders :D
Command view suffers from the same basic problem.
edit: about the Infestation - on the podcast they talked about the Alien Commander being able to create tunnels from one bit of Infestation to another, joined up by a Portal-like space-distortion mechanic. Also you'd be able to hide in them. Sounds groovy :-)
I'm definitely looking forward to both now. Not much else to say, other than that, though.
Thanks to the OG NS2 pack I now know about you! :D
Unfortunately I've only pre-ordered Overgrowth, and recently got NS2 from it, but I see contributions in the future.
Really hoping to get a Mac-side look at some point soon-ish.
Actually the TSA marines are woefully under-equipped due to apparent cost-saving measures by the folks paying for the ship/station reclamation efforts. They have to construct their own weaponry, and are only beamed onto the ship in limited numbers and with limited armor. But they're just crazy enough to get the job done (sometimes) anyway.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Acctually that was more of a reference to Aliens... in the drop ship... remember...?
<!--quoteo(post=1746989:date=Jan 12 2010, 07:47 PM:name=wilbefast)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wilbefast @ Jan 12 2010, 07:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1746989"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2r7245j.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
About "Dynamic Infestation" - I mean, every reference just points towards that video which doesn't really have that much information. I don't quite understand what "dynamic" even means to be honest. Does that mean it has a mind of its own and just grows everywhere like moss? In the video I'm not sure if he's <i>painting</i> it onto the walls or just <i>following</i> its random progress with the camera.
And what comes first? The Aliens or the Infestation/Bacterium/Whatever? By this I mean - say the Aliens claim room number 3: is it claimed BECAUSE it is covered in Bacterium, or is the Bacterium added BECAUSE Aliens have claimed the area (as if to say "all your room are belong to us"). And is it wherever the Marines AREN'T or just where the Aliens ARE?
Um yeah so... does anyone actually know anything about it, either than that it's dynamic? Such an oft-quoted feature must have more information surely!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't think anything has been finalised on DI. There was talk of it acting like a portal, so the Kharaa could get across the map quickly. It'll, obviously be dynamic, controlled by the game and will spread across areas of map that the Kharaa control, based on the power grid system. So I assume that it will spread out from Tech Points across the map until it reaches the edge of the Kharaa controlled part of the power grid. DI will, in theory, act as a visual representation of who is controlling the map. But we have to wait and see for the full details.
From that I'd assume it would go past the "front line" dividing the marines and aliens, how far into the marine controlled area i don't know.