Combat Mode Relaunch

MCMLXXXIV

Okay - I've managed to get Ubuntu working. I'll be able to install Windows when my broadband is installed next week, and then it should be back to relative normality for us.

Thanks for doing the release JimWest! I'll update the files on the SN server to v1.1 and we can plan what's going to be in v1.2. I'll try and organise the usual playtest groups for this Thursday, and with any luck I may actually be able to join in this time. Any feature requests from the community?

Jibrail

doing great job guys! can't wait to play it with ya.
been a while I havn't seen ya on steam so I started to wonder what happend, I added some comments in the pivotal tracker for extra abilites I hope you check them out.

MCMLXXXIV

Okay, we're trying to organise a couple of v1.1 playtests on Thursday 9th August. We've got a server set up for AUS/NZ/Asia users (again, thanks to SN.Wolf for that!). If anyone would like to host a server in the US/Europe I can update the event details to show the corresponding server, if anyone's interested.

Tell your friends...

P.S. Mr Hammond, the phones are working...

JimWest

Oh btw., that ver is even playable for eu users with a high ping (200),
i've tried it and had nearly no lags!

Soul_Rider

<!--quoteo(post=1958827:date=Aug 8 2012, 03:15 AM:name=JimWest)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JimWest @ Aug 8 2012, 03:15 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1958827"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Oh btw., that ver is even playable for eu users with a high ping (200),
i've tried it and had nearly no lags!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I tried and couldn't hit you, although that's probably just my aim :P

phoenixbbs

I got a message in steam telling me there was a playtest on, but there was only Jibrail on the server when I saw the message at 8:37pm (UK time)

Soul_Rider

Myself, Jibrail, Greeds Temporarily, and some guy who kept killing me, can't remember his name were on there for a while. They found a couple of bugs they want to look at though.

Arkanti

I would have jumped on, but it started the same time we began testing the release for 216.

JimWest

Combat mod v.1.1 is working with 216, too.

MCMLXXXIV

I'm just putting together a v1.1.5 hotfix for build 216 - I have fixed the most pressing issues like people getting stuck in the third-person camera when respawning. Also I've managed to separate out the Alien GUI so it's all done via hooks instead of living in its own block of code, which should help with stability in future...

Lots more to do before v1.2 is ready, but in the meantime I'm trying to organise a playtest for the v1.1.5 hotfix tonight. Anyone interested in hosting for us?

The v1.1.5 download is here:
<a href="https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2Combat/NS2Combat-v1.1.5.zip" target="_blank">https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2...mbat-v1.1.5.zip</a>
and for those running GameOvermind:
<a href="https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2Combat/NS2Combat-v1.1.5-GameOvermind.zip" target="_blank">https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2...ameOvermind.zip</a>

<b>Changes in this release:</b>
<ul><li>Refactored the Alien Buy Menu to make it more robust to changes from UWE.</li><li>Fixed problems with players being stuck in third-person view when they die.</li><li>Fixed aliens not getting Tier2/Tier3 back when they die and change class.</li><li>Added flood protection for the longer messages that come from Combat Mode...</li></ul>

TheGrayGoo

Going to try the EU playtest in two hours, So is combat mode normal NS2, but you gain stuff by killing as opposed to extractors, and /buy as opposed to B.

MCMLXXXIV

It's NS2 but without the commanders, no res nodes or extractors, and you get XP and upgrades for killing things or being near your teammates who are managing to do so :]

You can download and run that version in the post above when you connect to a Combat server to be able to use the buy menus just by pressing 'b'. Until Steam Workshop is ready unfortunately you either have to use console commands like '/buy' or update and run the mod on your client yourself...

Arkanti

Why do you time playtests at the same time as the official ones :P

MCMLXXXIV

Because it's clearly the best time to play!
I will schedule another one for tomorrow, why not...

Soul_Rider

Proving Grounds have booked Wednesdays at 8pm, so if you could avoid then too, that would be great, haha :)

TheGrayGoo

For people confused as to running the combat mode zip once placed, here's a quick bat file I made, complete with green text.
Don't trust me? Right click on the file, click edit and see how to do it in CMD.

<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?x3unay1cus61kww" target="_blank">http://www.mediafire.com/?x3unay1cus61kww</a>

MCMLXXXIV

The game is running on my own PC as we couldn't get an EU server for the test today - server is at 46.64.42.218...

MCMLXXXIV

After a busy weekend of coding I think I've managed to fix all the major bugs that came out in the last few playtests, as well as the dreaded issues with the game timelimit making the aliens win instantly after the first round. I'm going to try and fix the EMP blast taunt, which is currently the only piece of core functionality that isn't working, then release a hotfix build v1.175. Sometime after the next NS2 build is out, *if* any bugs show up I'll do another quick release to address those. I'd imagine there will also be a v1.2 but probably only after I've had a chat with JimWest and we've polished off some new abilities for people to play with.

I would like to arrange a playtest for Tuesday (hotfix release should be Monday), which will probably be organised by Jibrail as official mod-beans test coordinator on the usual servers - hopefully we will have somewhere to play in the EU by then, even if it's only for a small number of players.

I'm thinking of adding a couple of new features and wanted to know your thoughts:
<ul><li>Adding a 'fast-reload' upgrade for marines (if it's possible to add this from the lua code).</li><li>A 'hypermutation' upgrade for aliens, for those who hate waiting 8 seconds to become an onos... more relevant now that the evolve times are slower for the higher lifeforms.</li><li>Auto-balancing of XP, initially similar to the old NS1 balancing where the players who are really far behind get some free xp on death.</li></ul>
Also, based on the balance of a couple of the last two playtests I'm increasing the cost of Tier 2 upgrades (now that they actually all work) and removing the first 'free' upgrade point that you get at level 1. Fade is also going to require Tier 2 to be unlocked before you can use him, so that hopefully the marines stand some some chance of taking him down. To temper that, I might make a couple of levels above level 10 that will allow you to get more of the upgrades if you're really ahead of the curve...

Once the core functionality is in I'll try and work on some kind of stats-gatherer akin to UWE's existing one but just for Combat Mode, so that I can work on improving the balance between the two sides.

Jibrail

<!--coloro:#FF0000--><span style="color:#FF0000"><!--/coloro-->I have organized a playtest for combat on
Tuesday 21th of Aug 8:00pm Stockholm time
Join our steam group to get a notification when we start<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
<a href="http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ns2combat" target="_blank">http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ns2combat</a>

MCMLXXXIV

Well, here's the official release of NS2Combat v1.1.75! This is another hotfix release that aims to get the core functionality of the game up to a highly polished standard to lay the groundwork for v1.2 and future updates. Here's the list of changes:

<!--sizeo:3--><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b><u>Changelog for NS2Combat v1.1.75</u></b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
<b>Gameplay</b>
<ul><li>Tier 2 and 3 abilities are now working for all of the alien classes.</li><li>Balanced the XP gain that marines and lerks were getting for rapid-firing the alien structures. It's now lowered for them and slightly increased for the slower attacks like shotguns and skulk bites.</li><li>Improved the sound effects when you gain XP - it shouldn't be so annoying when attacking structures now.</li><li>Fixed the EMP-Blast so that it now works correctly.</li><li>Aliens now start with a destroyed power node. This makes it easier for the marines to find the alien base, and also makes the atmosphere a bit better when you're in there...</li><li>The time limit is now much more obvious - it also starts to count down frantically as you get nearer the end of the game.</li></ul>
<b>Balance</b>
<ul><li>Removed the initial free upgrade point!</li><li>Tier 2 abilities now cost 2 points to upgrade to.</li><li>Different alien lifeforms now take different times to evolve into - I've tried to get the balance about right but we'll have to go through a few iterations to see if it's working...</li><li>Camouflage now takes less time to activate.</li><li>Boosted the command chair health a bit to improve marine survivability.</li><li>Reduced the XP value of killing hydras - they were a bit too high given their relative strength!</li></ul>
<b>Fixes</b>
<ul><li>Fixed the game-breaking bug where the second round would be an instant win to the aliens until you changed maps on the server!</li><li>Improved the random spawning function so that hopefully when it can't find a valid location it will warn you and put you back on the spawn queue... Needs more testing I think!</li></ul>

The main download link for the mod is here:
<a href="https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2Combat/NS2Combat-v1.1.75.zip" target="_blank">https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2...bat-v1.1.75.zip</a>
Also the version for those running GameOvermind:
<a href="https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2Combat/NS2Combat-v1.1.75-GameOvermind.zip" target="_blank">https://github.com/downloads/AlexHayton/NS2...ameOvermind.zip</a>

As mentioned before, Jibrail is organising a playtest for Tuesday evening (hopefully it doesn't clash too much with the release of build 217 but apparently the other days are no good!). I'll also set up the usual events for the US and Aus/NZ/Asia timezones on the Monash and SN servers respectively.

Assuming the next few UWE builds don't break anything (there will probably be a small update on our side to fix the hardcoded entities and spawn-pairs in ns2_tram and add some to the other maps), it may be a couple of weeks until the next major release because I'm finally going to start adding some new skills and features again - something I'm quite excited about!

Also: 200 posts!

Electr0

We need more players and servers, it's been quiet for weeks now. :(

Corpsey

I'd participate but I fear not having all the maps.. some of the links in the main post are broken.

Perhaps provide a mappack? Or.. can someone temporarily zip the maps and share it via some fileshare site?

MCMLXXXIV

To be honest I fear the same - at the moment we're not really playing playtests with the custom maps. JimWest has written a system that allows us to wall off areas of the standard NS2 maps to make them suitable for NS2Combat.

The inclusion of custom maps wholesale is waiting for Steam Workshop support to be ready and stable...

Soul_Rider

Currently there are no maps to download. You don't need to download anything to play combat mod, but if you want a buy menu on b, rather than typing /buy into chat, then you want to download the client files above.

Don't forget the playtest in just over 30mins from now!!!

Corpsey

*Facepalm* my bad.. didn't realize I was downloading in the background, I apologize for my extreme lag @_@

Other than that.. it's coming along nicely.

MCMLXXXIV

Thanks to everyone who joined in the playtest - Marines won once and Aliens three times so we have some more work to do with the balance (maybe a little bit easier with Exo suits, whenever they are ready) but it's looking pretty good. Hopefully next time we will have a faster server to play on in the EU as well!

I suppose the next update will be to do with 217 - the upcoming changes to ns2_tram may mean we have to update our map blocking code with new door locations, and maybe there will be time to add some more spawn combinations too...

WorthyRival

My custom maps for the combat mod are now in the steam workshop. I have 2 Maps. You need only subscribe to them to always have the latest versions.
To get to the natural selection 2 workshop in steam click the tab "<u>community</u>" then the below that the tab "<u>workshop</u>" then click on the "<u>natural selection 2</u>" folder the click the little "<u>+</u>" to subscribe to a map.

Servers operators can also enable auto-downloading, by linking map workshop files to clients when they join the server, by using the map ID in the steam workshop. But Server operators must enable this feature. Not exactly sure how it's done but I've been informed it's a working feature.

Also Ive created a new map <a href='index.php?showtopic=120232'>co_chuteout</a> which is also in the steam workshop. <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=90083491&searchtext=" target="_blank">http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/file...amp;searchtext=</a> It's very playable. The pictures are a little outdated as there have been changes but just download to look at it yourself.
It has a few small bugs but not game breaking.

Geometry error / hole in the spawns against one of the walls.
The broken glass can be hard to pass through some times.

I'm working on these bugs it won't be to long.

MCMLXXXIV

I'll give this a go tomorrow, and see if I can get Steam Workshop going on the SN server. If it works then I'll post the guide here too...

Soul_Rider

If it works, set it up on SN - Proving Grounds server too :) Although don't subscribe it to any maps yet!!

I'm having to butcher Trainee's pg_lunacy to get it working with the new version, but because of the new version of proving grounds, I can easily and simply destroy anymap, and convert it to proving grounds! hahaha

SN.Wolf

I will be downing that machine for about an hour +/- Friday evening for a fan replacement and to blow the dust out of it. May go ahead and run my usual diagnostics and defrag it also while it's offline. I'll make sure noon is connected remotely before i down it.