NS2 Single Player
JimWest
Join Date: 2010-01-03 Member: 69865Members, Reinforced - Silver
Join Date: 2010-01-03 Member: 69865Members, Reinforced - Silver
Hey there,[br]
I finally managed it to work a bit on my Single-Player mod and get a small Demo to work.[br]
You can download it here:[br]
[br]
<a href="http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=132116001&searchtext=">Link to Workshop</a>[br]
[br]
Is far away from beeing finished but this is the first "Test Demo" to show you some things thate are already possible.[br]
If you activate this mod and start it, it will deactivate all other mods (they will not be deleted, but if you activated them in the Mods window, you have to do this again if you're playing normal Ns2 again).[br]
[br]
The AI from the Npc's is just for test, they will attack you if you come near or attack them.[br]
And the difficult Level ist just a placeholder, it doesnt have any effect in the game at the moment.[br]
[br]
If you find any bugs, please let me know.
I finally managed it to work a bit on my Single-Player mod and get a small Demo to work.[br]
You can download it here:[br]
[br]
<a href="http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=132116001&searchtext=">Link to Workshop</a>[br]
[br]
Is far away from beeing finished but this is the first "Test Demo" to show you some things thate are already possible.[br]
If you activate this mod and start it, it will deactivate all other mods (they will not be deleted, but if you activated them in the Mods window, you have to do this again if you're playing normal Ns2 again).[br]
[br]
The AI from the Npc's is just for test, they will attack you if you come near or attack them.[br]
And the difficult Level ist just a placeholder, it doesnt have any effect in the game at the moment.[br]
[br]
If you find any bugs, please let me know.
Comments
I'd love to do a single-player, but I think the scope is beyond the limited resources we have currently..
There are lots of issues with AI processing costs etc, I think probably best to wait for 6months-1 year after release before getting down on something as big as this...
Plus we have lots more ideas to be worked on in the Mod Beans Dev Wiki, so get on with those, hahaha :)
I've created more than 120 macs at ns2_tram, placed them all over the map and let them build RTs, turrets etc.
I can still play the map without problems and without any other major changes
(I replaced the mac model with the ExoSuit model so it even need more resources). Even if they weld each other etc..
The fps has only dropped from 50 fps to about 34. If I modify the scoreboard, network messages etc. I think it's already possible to do a mod like that
with still a good performance.
trying to do a project as big as this with constant engine updates is just out of the question, you need a solid, preferably unchanging, base to run this from, but I expect huge engine changes over the first year, as all the post 1.0 features like water etc get added to the engine.
But I can write already things like a cool AI which I can just load later into Ns2 ,
think about the story, create mapping entitys for changing the map, scripted events etc.
Your Exo Army got me thinking of the walkers in HL2. Then I came up with the idea - HL2EP3!!!
Now, before you get all crazy, the plan is a silly backstory... Valvetime has slipped so far, that the original timeline for the concluding EP3 has long since past, and real world events have moved far beyond the point the fiction ended in EP2.
Now Gordon Freeman is a Marine in the TSF, he must progress though the Episode (so it only has to be a shortish story), moving up from marine grunt, to squad leader, and commander, and back to first person solo. It goes crazy here...
So the Kharaa are the new alien threat, and he works through missions and gets promoted and plays as comm for a bit too, before the plot twist comes in, and then he is back in first person, unravelling the secrets of what he is, who the Grey Man really is, and why Glados should be feared forever....
I have some ideas but wouldn't want to give too many story spoilers in here ;)
If you are interested, let me know.. It would be funny to see HL2EP3 released first as a mod on the engine of a former HL1 mod, if nothing else :D
I worked with unity and its so simple to import models and textures into it etc just works faster in general, this is something UWE needs to work on with spark, so if you really want to go for it Id suggest something in the line of portal where you have one or couple great mechanics and just a handful of textures and models.
My point, if you read it carefully, says there is a silly backstory in which ValveTime has slipped so far that the game is now set in the NS2 universe. No custom textures/models needed, except for maybe a few of the special characters towards the end of the story.
Being an episode, it will be short, and it just uses standard NS2 gameplay, so the coding is simple. Really, the most work is involved in AI, mapchange entities/maps, and writing the story, everything else is already there. This is a free mod after all :D
Save the full SP stories for when we are releasing complete games ;)
Oh, and the name for it should be NS2:EP3, as I'm sure valve wouldn't allow us to call it HL2:EP3, even if they do understand the joke :)
I've started now with deleting all network messages I don't need (socres, ping etc), nearly finished a menu (no server browser, load/save etc.)
and have now a map_change entity where you can walk through and the server is changing the map. I also imported all my entities from the EEM mod.
Now I need to write my own "gamerules" and then I'll start making a first demo map.
Large linear maps with different paths to achieve the same objective.
First level, start with an lmg and a squad of 5-12 marines. (AI or players)
AI aliens. Cinematics, including starships dropping off marines or alien hives evolving from bacterium.
I'm imagining like marines entering the map NS2_Veil through Cargo in a space ship. Having a squad of 5 marines exit the spaceship and start building a small base. 1 CC and 2 IPs and an armory. With limited tech because its the first level. Tech tree goes up to armory, mines, welders, shotguns, arms lab, nanoshield, phase tech. The NS2 _Veil single player map should be altered to tailor to a single player/co-op player experience. Enemies include skulks.
Second level similar mission, different map, adding substance to story-line, more tech unlocked. Like robo factory and turrets for a defense game while you're holding out for reinforcements. Reinforcements come, jetpacks and grenade launchers and flamethrower AI marines. Enemies include skulks, first appearance of gorges and lerks.
Third level, Jetpacks are unlocked as researchable tech. Mission to accesss a major factory that produces exo suits. At the end of the level, single-minigun exos are unlocked for the next mission. Enemies include skulks, gorges, lerks.
Fourth level, deeper into the exo factory. At the end of the mission, railgun and dual minigun exos are unlocked for the next mission. As you go deeper into the exo factory, you find that there are higher lifeforms of aliens. Enemies include, skulks, gorges, fades and onos.
Fifth level, rail shooter. Travelling on a tram through a tunnel to exit the exo factory in an emergency evacuation. Marines are on a moving tram, with a stockpile of basic weapons. Shotguns, mines, welders, a mini-armory with limited supplies. Enemies on this level leap and fly onto/around the tram, attempting to land on the tram and kill the marines. Enemies include, skulks and lerks.
Sixth level. After escaping the exo factory, a nuke drops and kills the factory. Exo-tech is unavailable for this mission. Map-setting: outdoor facility outside the remains of the exo factory. A defense game with a timer until evacuation dropships come to pick up the marines. 15 minutes of holding out against incoming hordes of onos and gorges and skulks. At the end of the match a cinematic plays, showing amrines being loaded onto a dropship and escaping to a space station.
Seventh level, alien bacterium on one of the dropships infects the spacestation, giving rise to a hive tons of cysts spreading quickly throughout the space station. Primary weapons include flamethrower, grenade launcher, shotgun, jetpack. Mission is to eliminate as many cysts and hives that form on the map. The map has 7 tech points.
Eigthth level, the spacestation now has a secure has location and tons of xenociding skulks are spawning as a result. Enemies in this level include only skulks and gorges. All skulks have the ability to xenocide, regardless of number of hives they have. after the 10 min mark of the game, skulks now have carapace. After 15 minutes, skulks now ahve carapace and regeneration. Available tech inlcudes, shotguns, arms lab, welders, jetpacks, mines, robotics factories.
Nineth level, babbler haven. Inside the generator room of the spacestation, tons of babblers are spawning in the warmth and humidity of the engine room. They're slowly chewing away at the engine, causing the spacestation to fall out of orbit after the reactors are destroyed, unless the marines can rescue the reactor cores. There are 3 primary Reactor rooms in 3 different Hive tech locations, where the babblers and gorges spawn. Once securing a reactor room, you must defend and repair the reactor core to 100% before moving onto the next reactor core.
Tenth level, Space station falls even though the reactors are stable because the navigation systems are destroyed by a large alien force. Marines evacuate with dropships and land on a facility on the planet surface where kharra where first discovered. Marines have to gather as many supplies as possible from the abandoned facility. Marines have to rebuild power to access armories and tech. Marines have a time-limit to collect as many weapons and tech from around the map as possible.
First armory room gives you 3 shotguns.
Second armory room gives you 5 welders.
Third armory room gives you 2 more shotguns and a pack of 3 mines.
Fourth armory room gives you 2 flamethrowers and 1 grenade launcher.
Fifth armory room includes a phase gate and access to 2 railgun exos.
Sixth armory room gives you 2 jetpacks and 2 welders.
Seventh armory room gives you 5 jetpacks and 1 dual minigun exo.
Eigth armory room gives you 2 welders.
Nineth armory room gives you 1 flamthrower and 1 grenade launcher and 2 packs of mines.
It is expected that marines will be unable to collect all the weapons available before the timer runs out.
Once the timer runs out, the power is cut off to all armories, presumably because the primary power source in the facility is destroyed. leaving a single room running on back-up power, your spawn point.
You are unable to buy weapons or jetpacks or exos, only upgrade armor and weapons. The weapons and equipment you collect prior to the alien assault is all you have to defend with. Enemies in this level include, skulks, lerks, gorges and fades.
Final level, after the aliens are cleared out of the facility, its time to secure, reinforce and get ready for the final push. First 5 minutes of the mission is dedicated to building as many sentries as possible. hordes of Onos start attacking the facility. All tech is unlocked for this mission. Enemies in this mission include all aliens with all tech. After defeating 2 waves of 5 onos. The doors to the hive rooms are unlocked. You must destroy 4 hives. All skulks are set to xenocide and all gorges use primarily bile bomb.
At the end of the mission, aliens are contained and eliminated at the heart of their lair, a giant cave containing 4 Hives, surrounded by waterfalls and infestation and alien flora.
Each time a Hive dies, 3 onos spawn from the dead hive and a wave of 6 skulks attack the main base.
just throwing some ideas out there.
I've added now a 2nd Level where you can be commander, build Marines at infantry Portal and aliens will rush you after some time.
The Npc Ai is also better, but still not perfect.
(but it's already possible)
You can "build" marines at the ip.
Nobody dies cause they're making just 10 % damage atm.
OK published now a new version on Workshop, fixed several bugs and improbed the npcs again.
Also added now special npcs logic so they will shoot with both weapons, lerks fly etc.
And if you press esc, the game will pause.
I'm not gonna update this atm.