Prototyping Mod

Sewlek · July 2011

<div class="IPBDescription">implementing best community ideas for testing</div><div align='center'><span style="color:#98FB98"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><b><span style="font-family:Impact">Prototyping Mod</span></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#9ACD32"><i>implementing best community ideas for testing</i></span></span>
</div>

<div align='center'>
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<center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zj1_ZfNWz5c"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zj1_ZfNWz5c" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center> </div>

<span style="color:#FF8C00"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">Status/News:</span></span>

<i>I wrote a group reward system, that gives rewards to every player who participates in a kill, depending on amount of damage. If you deal more than 40% of the damage to a target, you get the full reward (encourages fighting in a group).
</i>

<span style="color:#FF8C00"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">Installation and sidenotes:</span></span>

I included with version 1.5.3 an installer, which should automatically find your steam installation and install the mod files in the right place. after installation the installer generates a shortcut on your desktop (if you dont want it, delete it!). Old files of prototype mod will be overwritten.

for server admins: If you want to use GMOvrMind together with this mod, it should work automatically if both are installed in the usual place.

Allternative: Extract the Exe/Zip file to your ns2 folder (natural selection 2\prototyping_mod\...) and start ns2.exe with the parameter "-game prototyping_mod"

With this option you are only able to connect to servers who are running that mod, if you want to play vanilla ns2, you simply should launch ns2 from your steam menu (or start ns2.exe without any options).

<span style="color:#FF8C00"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">Downloads:</span></span>

recommended:

<span style="color:#808080">(delete previous installations to prevent troubles)</span>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?2qh0ax4f1663je9" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 6.2</a> (compatible with 185)

latest:

<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?2qh0ax4f1663je9" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 6.2</a> (compatible with 185)
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?zae9e1th9dlsieb" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 6.1</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?wbhxm6ycmxs4mmn" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 6.0</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?b238olm485ii03y" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 5.6</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?f159kjie67e2iby" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 5.5</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?y122my62ocl2yfk" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 5.3</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?as5dg4aa8r182s5" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 5.2</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?7dyv8tu74ucp8j8" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 5.1</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?lea4hajxm56b5dm" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 5.0</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?0lk97ob5nrmbjre" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 4.3.5</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?l983l2ayz99kf5g" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 4.3.2</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?8dh65hkbtcdb40a" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 4.3.1</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?f7mbxw2tiy995qx" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 4.3</a>
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?wtdgrbcgp6da504" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 4.2</a>

old versions:
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?rn25zinboubg4f7" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 4.1</a> (compatible with 184)
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?odi5tgwex24yccv" target="_blank">Prototyping Mod 2.4</a> (compatible with 183)
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?09y509iqc59ncn9" target="_blank">Balance Mod 1.4.6</a> (compatible with 182)
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?gby20204tc41cfo" target="_blank">Balance Mod 1.3.5</a> (compatible with 181)
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?5heqd03pc5zs55i" target="_blank">Balance Mod 0.3</a> (compatible with 180)

<span style="color:#FF8C00"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">Content</span></span>:

- untied command stations from tech points (allows relocation)
- tied robotics factory, prototype lab and arms lab to tech points instead
- the initial command station will find a random position at game start to not occupy the first tech point

- added group reward system (depeding on how much damage you contributed to a kill)
- added velocity display for aliens (just for debugging wall jumping or other movement specials)
- added splices (transport system for aliens)

- removed all energy regeneration decreasing or energy cost increasing effects when you are burning
- I made the "heating up" concept more meaningful instead
- marines can put any surface on fire. those flames will deal damage to the attacker and all alien units (to team mates as well if FF is turned on)
- changed FT damage calculation to be more like in vanilla ns2, but without the shooting through walls bug (instead of "flame projectiles"). It's pretty consistent/real so far

- moved "Haze" to the shade
- reworked cloak, it's now targeted ability
- reworked "Infusion", it's still targeted but affects the area you clicked instead a single unit
- targeted abilities (Cloak and Infusion) only available at mature structure
- added "Vertebra" to the crag. When active the crag sucks most of the damage from surrounding units
- added fade ability "Recall" (teleport to hive and back)
- added "Hallucinate" upgrade (mirror images of yourself that move and distract nearby enemies)

- added new lerk hive 2 ability: Sting. It's a melee attack which deals more damage the less health the lerk has and disorients the marine. It replaces the shotgun spikes
- added command station upgrades: Defense Upgrade attaches a turret on the CC, Sensor Upgrade enables Distress Beacon (which was removed from the obs)
- removed shotgun alt attack (it was pretty unused) and power pack electrification (marines can have now a huge turret at the CC!)

- unlocked the HeavyRifle
- unlocked the ReinforcedArmor
- changed mini structures to use the original Crag / Shade models, but with grow parameter set to 0

- added ExtendedRifle (Rifle with 75 clip size)
- added rudimentary non flash buy menu (different weapons / items for armory, advanced armory, prototype lab)

- refactored the whole jetpack code, it's now a seperate class, which also means that you can fly in the ready-room :)
- created a reinforced armor. it's basically the same as the heavy armor in NS1, which means it's the opposite of the jetpack (slowly and much more armor)
- reduced sentry ammo to 60
- increased ARC health to 2000 but they take now 200% damage when deployed
- replaced frenzy with a new upgrade: Bacteria: deals 20% of your damage during the next 3 seconds (no damage is lost when you attack during that time, the effect stacks up)
- new fade hive 3 ability: Haze (it's the smokebomb thing I mentioned before, replaces "fetch")
- reduced ARC splash radius from 10 to 8
- new gorge hive 3 ability: Sludge: which slows down everything in it's radius and damages armor (you cannot kill anything with that)
- improved lerk flight a bit to make him more agile, especially when strafe-flying

- Spikes Hive 3: alt attack umbra trail

- xenocide hive 3 skulk ability (like in ns1, kill yourself and explode)
- Redemption (and a new lifeform: The Crawler, but without any new models, it uses the drifter model)

- added the prototype lab and the jetpack! (JPs are only available through commander drops or console by typing 'give jetpack')
- structure icons in the build menu which would consume a tech point are now marked green. (applies only for alien commander when you assign a chamber to a hive)

- adjusted grenade launcher damage (it felt somehow little bit too strong against structures)
- moved spawn egg abilities to the drifter. spawning an egg will now consume a drifter
- MAC Mines

- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzciHC6xAVQ" target="_blank">Skulk Wall Jump</a> (it's not bunny hop!)
- new Alien Structure: Morpher (research life forms and basic upgrades there)
- whip ability: Bombard
- <a href="http://unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=109420" target="_blank">New Main Menu Background</a> (by SgtBarlow)
- <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=114036&view=findpost&p=1864136" target="_blank">resource model changes</a>
- <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=114147" target="_blank">Minimap mod</a> (by Feha)
- <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=114177" target="_blank">gorge building range</a> (thx Taxen0)
- <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=113997" target="_blank"> Lerk Flight, Movement Mod</a> (by twiliteblue)

- increased pistol dmg but changed it to light, to make it a finisher instead of starter (before it was damage type heavy = starter, depletes armor faster before)
- also changed pistol alt fire to deal more damage than the high ROF primary attack
- sentries can be refilled by sentry ammo packs: the packs cost 30 energy taken from the selected command station
- sentries needs to be reloaded by MACs or field players.

- increased bilebomb damage and energy
- all marine weapon upgrades cost now 20 resources
- decreased shotgun spread and ajdusted damage (it felt too random)
- sentries fire slowlier
- rifle melee damage reduced to 10
- axe damage increased but attack speed increased as well
- added "mini-blink" as +movement ability for the fade. looks scary somehow :)
- added activation cost for blink to prevent spasm (thats no typo)
- adjusted alien hive energy and drifter / cyst costs (100 max energy, drifter costs 20, pustule 20)
- moved fade to first hive, but locked stab to 2nd hive. swipe has changed though, it requires you to stay longer on the target (high ROF, low damage). stab is now a real upgrade when perform hit&run attacks

<span style="color:#FF8C00"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">List of ideas to implement</span></span>:

<span style="color:#F5DEB3">
- list will be updated
</span>

<span style="color:#FF8C00"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">General Information:</span></span>

I am reading all the time cool ideas in the forums, which would be worth testing them, but due to the lack of resources at uwe, they are not able to test out everything, so they have to focus on the most important things (currently core gameplay) and dont have the man power to implement all the small stuff suggested in the forums.

I came now up with the idea (kuban had the same idea) to take these suggestions, discuss them further here in this thread and implement them. all stuff that is
already done (client side only mods aswell) and seem useful, will be included and of course the names of the creators given credits.

please take into consideration that not all ideas can / will be included in this mod. unlikely to official ns2 patches, i will try to update this mod more frequently with
SMALL stuff. so any idea that does not involve:

- heavy artistic work, including models / animations and any game assets
- stuff that would alter ns2 in a way which would abandon the core gameplay
and the idea behind it which uwe had in their minds
- map change requests that are not followed by a submit of the original authors

to sum it up: everything that is fast done and does not violate with the great picture uwe has about ns2 (try to read their minds!) would be suitable.

new ideas should be posted in the I&S forum, and only a link provided here. please only write technical aspects here (numbers to tweak for example) otherwise the
thread becomes unreadable and will be just a big mixed up mess of various idea discussions. so if you want something implemented, please write here the name of the idea with a link to the respective forum post, maybe aswell reasons why the game would benefit from them

<i>informations to other programmers out there:</i>

everyone is pleased to help out. the good thing about lua is that you can implement and test you idea indepently. just write your code down, test it little bit and post it here.
if you dont want your mod, for whatever reason, to be included in this composition, write me a PM or post in this thread. I will not take others work without mentioning the author.

Taxen0 · July 2011

Great Idea!
I would be happy to help, I haven't coded LUA but I have worked with many other languages.

I can think of a lot of tweaks that would be nice to try, but many of those will be effected by the upcoming patch, (skulk/marine movement, cysts, lerk flight, shotgun, turrets, hive energy management a more I cant remember now) So those are a bit unnecessary to change/tweak before we see how they play out.

But I'm sure there will be plenty of things to test/redo after the patch.
but <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=114170" target="_blank">whips</a> seems like a good start, along with <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=114177" target="_blank">gorge building range</a> and possibly <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=114246" target="_blank">settable PG order</a>.

edit: added links, the idea is not necessarily in OP.

Sewlek · July 2011

gorge building range and toggle-able PG were already taken into consideration. I like them aswell, they also
seem to provide some more depth to the game and should be done quite fast.

btw: I also never coded in lua before, but there are just a few small things to learn (if your programming skill is
already on a higher level). so far i had no problem in understanding the syntax + ns2 code.

i found a very simple way how to add the damage absorption for the whip, testing it currently locally and add then
some client side feedback to show the effect

Taxen0 · July 2011

Is there a API or documentation somewhere? I'm guessing it's somewhere in the game files, but I'm not home so I cant look at the moment.

Sewlek · July 2011

there is, but its not very helpful. i just do a search over all lua files if i want to know something about a class / variable / function.

btw, i think i found some bug relating damage type:

i implemented the whip absorption, any weapon that does "normal" damage will be reduced by some percentage.
to verify that other weapons behave like expected i tested the grenade launcher and found out:

<b><u>the primary attack (projectile rifle attack) seems to be doing structural damage along with the grenades!</u></b>

Feha · July 2011

My minimap mod was initially for spectators, but I would say that it outgrown that goal now, seeing as it applies changes to normal teams as well. I cant rename my own thread, but I would appreciate if you removed the "for spectators" part. :)

I suggest you check out an <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=114172" target="_blank">alien-vision</a> mod by twiliteblue. It is an awesome mod that makes the alienvision transparent so the game doesn't feel as bland with only red green and black color. Instead you actually see textures!
He seems to use a slightly old file, but the mod is easy to do without replacing your own file.
Line 301:
<div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'>local darkVisionFadeAmount = 0.5
local darkVisionFadeTime = 0.2

if not self.darkVisionOn then
darkVisionFadeAmount = math.max( darkVisionFadeAmount - (Client.GetTime() - self.darkVisionEndTime) / darkVisionFadeTime, 0 )
end</div>

I also made a quick and dirty mod for the power nodes, where you get <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=114180&view=findpost&p=1860723" target="_blank">darkness</a> when a powernode is broken. This only applies to non-commander marines though, as I figure that if an alien tries to sneak in shadows that only it can see, it is bound to get killed by players who does not use this mod.

These are the mods I use on my own client, so I figured I would at least let you know about them.

PS: Your avatar... it is epic!

EDIT:
I almost forgot, if anyone needs documentation, you can find it <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Lua" target="_blank">here</a>.
I want to get a tutorial section there, but I am not used to wiki'ing, so if anyone want to set up the infrastructure, please do so. For now I will have all my tutorials located <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/User:Feha/Tutorials" target="_blank">here</a>.

Sewlek · July 2011

<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Lua_class_hierarchy" target="_blank">Class Hierarchy</a>

oh, that is immense help! :D
so far i had to guess about the absolute hierarchy (what somehow sucked)

btw, i finished my small mod, unfortunately i found another (bug?) regarding audial hit notification for marine weapons:
"classname" is the target of what you hit, but its somehow ignored. im not sure what exactly is missing there and since
in 181 all that stuff will be reworked anyway i will not spend any more time now.

what is working so far:
whips absorb 65% of damage taken by Normal and Heavy weapon types (only projectile weapons on marine side)
spark / recoil effect (visual only) when you hit a wip
adequate sound is emitted by the whip (when hit) but i cannot increase the range (dont know where) and as written above something is buggy
about the WeaponEffects (or its just me failing, dunno)

about the alien vision mod:
i have it already included, but im not sure if i should keep it in. there was a strong debate about this mod,
i think like 50% of the people liked it, the others not.

about emergency light effect:
I will not change it, since it will get altered in 181. (dont want to blow up the mod and then forget to remove unneccesary files)

ScardyBob · July 2011

Use Decoda. It makes searching/switching LUA files much, much easier. A free copy of it that only works with NS2 comes with the game.

Sewlek · July 2011

//self:SlowOnDamage(damage, doer)

this line looks much better with "//" :D

Taxen0 · July 2011

I find it a bit hard to navigate and figure out what does what and why, but I guess that is expected after only 30min =P

but I managed to atleast change the cyst/hydra build range though =)
line 16 in DropStructureAbility.lua
<div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'>DropStructureAbility.kPlacementDistance = 4.0</div>

It was set to 1.1 originally, but 4.0 seem better, you can place hydras at most ceilings if you jump.

Sewlek · July 2011

ah, easy solution there :D thanks ill try it out

edit: its working, i found that range ~6 is maybe what the people want (not too close and not too far).

Taxen0 · July 2011

Is there a way to send messages to the console? for debugging etc.

Just tested and a range of 6 seems good, more than that might be too much though.

Sewlek · July 2011

you can use PrintDetail()

Sewlek · July 2011

flamethrower seems ok now. the longer you fight a marine with an FT, the smaller the chances for success. the maximum dps is increased, but you will reach it only
against structures usually

Feha · July 2011

Print(string) perhaps?

Sewlek · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Feha @ Jul 22 2011, 05:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862493"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Print(string) perhaps?</div>

there is written it works only in dev mode, so yes, use print if you are too lazy to remove all your "Prints" later on :P (its anyway better
coding style)

Taxen0 · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Schimmel @ Jul 22 2011, 10:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862494"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>there is written it works only in dev mode.</div>
ah, that's why it didn't work.

I'm currently trying change the controls around, mostly to learn stuff.
I made leap work with Rmb while parasite is selected, but the animation/sound wont play =/

Sewlek · July 2011

i cannot help with that, I have no big overview of everything currently. but you should take a look at the effects manager and how Bite (the weapon)
is implement for the skulk. just copy that behavior, or find a more elegant solution and capsulate it somehow.

btw, about the phase gate order / toggle: im gonna wait for patch 181 now. it seems we will have that patch soon avaible (in the next 10 hours).

Im considering putting in variables which would regulate the maximum amount of turrets / hydras / whips. what you think would be good
numbers?

Taxen0 · July 2011

I currently copied the secondary attack part of bite and added it to parasite, but I'm going to look at it more tomorrow once I get some rest.

I would wait for the patch before putting any limits in. they are doing something with the turrets to reduce spam and server load, so it might not be needed.

Sewlek · July 2011

yeh, i've read that stuff about reloading. i dont like it actually. it would solve that problem to some although, but babysitting sentries sounds
very boring. we will see

i just mentioned it because it would be very easy to implement (at least i think so)

Feha · July 2011

Print(string) seems to always work for me :S
I dont even know how to toggle "dev mode", or is that something automatically toggled on by hotloading?

player · July 2011

<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/wiki/index.php/Lua/Libraries/Shared/Message" target="_blank">Shared.Message</a>, outputs to the client-console when executed on the Client-VM and to the server-console when executed on the Server-VM.

twiliteblue · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Schimmel @ Jul 22 2011, 09:45 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862407"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>adequate sound is emitted by the whip (when hit) but i cannot increase the range (dont know where) and as written above something is buggy

about emergency light effect:
I will not change it, since it will get altered in 181. (dont want to blow up the mod and then forget to remove unneccesary files)</div>
You would want to look in Whip.lua. (I think range=7 looks fine, but 8 seems physically impossible for the Whip)

You can play around with power node lighting in PowerPoint.lua and PowerPoint_Client.lua (eg change emergency lighting colour).

Cysts' health is a bit too low atm. I find it disturbing that a lone Marine can ninja a Cyst in under 5 seconds. A group of Marines can simply kill Cysts as they advance, and kill all Cysts with hardly any slowing down.

I'll be updating my Lerk flight mod soon (after build 181), since I found a few bugs.

Woot build 181 here we go!

Sewlek · July 2011

build 181 arrived (waiting for valve) :)

Sewlek · July 2011

uploaded version 0.4, which is compatible with build 181. adressed lerk OP problem

update: Blink now has initial activation cost (10 energy), but the drain over time got reduced slighty.
if you are full energy, you can still spam blink, but spamming it is not a good idea anymore (no constant
shotgun dodging anymore)

twiliteblue · July 2011

Hi Schimmel. I tried your mod for build 181.

The first thing I tried was to shoot a Whip, and my game crashed. (Edit: Shooting the rifle into the air made my movement very jerky. I think that's the cause)
Planting mini-Cysts and Hydras on the ceiling were super fun!
Lerk spore definitely needed a damage reduction.
to destroy a lot of structures by keep building up the stacks by firing once every 5 seconds.
The damage reduction on the Axe and Rifle melee were a bit too much. They're almost useless.
Damn... Those Whips were tough! My bullets were barely scratching them.
I like the debuff stacking on the Flamethrower, but I think the debuffs need some tweaking: they should expire after 5 seconds individually, instead of being refreshed on each attack. I was able

Sewlek · July 2011

with which weapon? i just tried lmg, pistol, flamethrower. everything working as intended here (and without crash)

twiliteblue · July 2011

Never mind. I think I broke it myself...

Sewlek · July 2011

i really like your adjustments to the lerk, feels much more natural to play with him.

i just realised that the blink activiation cost is not affected by the burning multiplier (all ability cost more when you are burning now instead of decreasing regen rate), but i think
ill just leave that in as a feature. in my eyes the flamethrower should make aliens retreat, and only kill them if they played not
very carefully.

update: Blink is now a 2 hive abilty and fade is avaible at hive 1. Playing around with +movement
ability for the fade (otherwise hive 1 fade is pretty useless)

update2: created a first +movement ability. its more or less a short blink without being invincible. its drains no energy though

HadesDK · July 2011

The fade "sprint" is a blast :)

and yes the current resource model is pretty nerfed atm.

Gj mate :)

Sewlek · July 2011

hehe, nice that you like it :)

made some testing and decided to decrease drifter cost (flare is never being used)
and you are not able to spend you res as alien (especially in the beginning)
i think that solves the problem.

update: changed whip cost to 15 res and reduced absorb rate (of projectile weapon) to 62%

i will stop releasing updates for a while, I think this version (1.0) is ready for bigger games and i want
to see how it plays out until i change more things

Prototyping Mod

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