Skulk view rotation, from the archives - Natural Selection 2

SystemSystem Join Date: 2013-01-29 Member: 182599Members, Super Administrators, Reinforced - Diamond
edited February 2013 in NS2 General Discussion

imageSkulk view rotation, from the archives - Natural Selection 2

As I mentioned on the last podcast, Charlie and I came across an old video while checking the Natural Selection backups for a file. The video is a demo I sent to Charlie back in April 2003 of the first person Skulk view rotation I was working on.

Read the full story here


Comments

  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I wish I had the programming skills to whip up a mod of this for NS2.

    Currently, I can see how the view will shake horribly while transiting between surfaces and complex geometry. And will be disorienting if it were on all the time.

    I figure it would be best if there was a simple keybind: orient view to surface to 3 possible surfaces, left, up, and right. The current skulk model orientation can make the best guess of what 3 to use. The orientation won't change unless the player jumps off the wall or ceiling, in that case it will reorient towards the ground. Or until the player presses the button again.

    The idea I suppose is to allow the player to activate the camera orientation when it suits them the most. Such as walking on the ceiling, or going around the corner while on a wall (both tasks somewhat difficult with the current wall climbing mechanic).
  • killer monkeykiller monkey Join Date: 2010-02-26 Member: 70743Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Why did the system make this? This post is very very old
  • RuntehRunteh Join Date: 2010-06-26 Member: 72163Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Maybe it sensed the mood, and decided to bring it up? I like this guy.
  • YMICrazyYMICrazy Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 165986Members
    Too bad the video's dead. Always wanted to know what it looked like.
  • killer monkeykiller monkey Join Date: 2010-02-26 Member: 70743Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Too bad the video's dead. Always wanted to know what it looked like.

    It looked pretty awesome, was in ns1
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    A new forum thread is automatically created when someone comments on a news post for the first time.
  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Zek wrote: »
    A new forum thread is automatically created when someone comments on a news post for the first time.

    Yeah... my bad.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    "Natural Selection Skulk rotation experiment"
  • NominousNominous Baltimore, MD Join Date: 2012-02-18 Member: 146518Members
    Just imagine the fun to be had jumping erratically inside vents. :P
  • CurveCurve Join Date: 2003-12-17 Member: 24475Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Karnaj wrote: »
    Just imagine the fun to be had jumping erratically inside vents. :P
    I suppose if wall-walk wasn't always on and some thing that you had key-bound and acted as a toggle it would be very easy.

    Either that or include some indicator of where down is.
  • ritualsacrificeritualsacrifice Join Date: 2012-11-14 Member: 171148Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I would fucking kill to have this in the game. I also find it somewhat insulting that they're saying people who want this are wrong/making bad decisions for themselves... camera rotation allows you to keep track of targets that go off your screen much more naturally.
  • FuleFule Join Date: 2009-06-04 Member: 67683Members
    Not bad. I like it.
  • soccerguy243soccerguy243 Join Date: 2012-12-22 Member: 175920Members, WC 2013 - Supporter
    this would introduce nausea easily and spatial disorientation. It works fine in test rooms that are well light and have walls that are 90degrees. I couldn't imagine running in NS2 on a wall or all the different angled surfaces in Cave or crevice.
  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    this would introduce nausea easily and spatial disorientation. It works fine in test rooms that are well light and have walls that are 90degrees. I couldn't imagine running in NS2 on a wall or all the different angled surfaces in Cave or crevice.

    I played Descent in 640x480 resolution. Come at me, bro! :)
  • FrothybeverageFrothybeverage Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13593Members
    this would introduce nausea easily and spatial disorientation. It works fine in test rooms that are well light and have walls that are 90degrees. I couldn't imagine running in NS2 on a wall or all the different angled surfaces in Cave or crevice.
    People got sick from playing Doom/Doom II back in the day.

    A more recent example:
    People got vertigo, and motion sickness from playing Mirror's Edge.

    It should at least be toggleable option, as I don't see it giving anyone an "unfair advantage" if they're using this and someone else isn't.
  • WhiteWeaselWhiteWeasel Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173197Members
    this would introduce nausea easily and spatial disorientation. It works fine in test rooms that are well light and have walls that are 90degrees. I couldn't imagine running in NS2 on a wall or all the different angled surfaces in Cave or crevice.
    People got sick from playing Doom/Doom II back in the day.

    A more recent example:
    People got vertigo, and motion sickness from playing Mirror's Edge.

    It should at least be toggleable option, as I don't see it giving anyone an "unfair advantage" if they're using this and someone else isn't.

    Unfair advantage? lol. With my eyesight, all the screen flipping would be a major handicap.
  • ritualsacrificeritualsacrifice Join Date: 2012-11-14 Member: 171148Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    this would introduce nausea easily and spatial disorientation. It works fine in test rooms that are well light and have walls that are 90degrees. I couldn't imagine running in NS2 on a wall or all the different angled surfaces in Cave or crevice.

    I guess someone never played AVP2 or any of the Descent games....
  • derWalterderWalter Join Date: 2008-10-29 Member: 65323Members
    thats the music charlie was listening to, while he was studying and programming ns1 till 8 in the morning.

    <3 !!!!!!!!!
  • Ness_FrogKingNess_FrogKing Join Date: 2012-10-18 Member: 162628Members
    Great. Now I'm going to go install AvP (yes, the 2010 one... I know, I know, but I never got the chance to play the originals) and play the Alien campaign again...
  • -WildCat--WildCat- Cape Town, South Africa Join Date: 2008-07-19 Member: 64664Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I also find it somewhat insulting that they're saying people who want this are wrong/making bad decisions for themselves...

    This sort of statement makes me cringe slightly. I can understand why you might feel this way but the reality is that people make poor choices for themselves all the time. These range from tragic, life-affecting choices right down to configuring software incorrectly and inadvertently inconveniencing themselves as a result.

    It doesn't matter how well-educated or intelligent you are. Sometimes people make poor choices because they just don't have a lot of experience and information regarding a particular choice. It is arrogant to presume that you are always equipped to make the best choice for yourself. Don't feel insulted. It's wiser to accept that you have more to learn.
  • NeokenNeoken Bruges, Belgium Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27447Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester
    Playing AvP as alien, I could never tell if I was on the ceiling, floor or wall, until I encountered some marines. :D Never really liked this mechanic, too disorienting. But that's just me.
  • soccerguy243soccerguy243 Join Date: 2012-12-22 Member: 175920Members, WC 2013 - Supporter
    edited February 2013
    you mean descent the space ship game that came free with the Dell computer? I played that game. This feature may have worked for that game but I don't see it as possible for NS/NS2.
  • ritualsacrificeritualsacrifice Join Date: 2012-11-14 Member: 171148Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited February 2013
    you mean descent the space ship game that came free with the Dell computer? I played that game. This feature may have worked for that game but I don't see it as possible for NS/NS2.

    What I was getting at (and I believe Squishpoke was saying the same thing) is that "disorientation" is highly subjective and there have been successful games that had core mechanics that most people would consider much more disorienting than proper view rotation while wall walking.

    If you can't figure out what surface you're clinging to, you have ZERO observational skills.

    cSUEj.jpg
    rsemK.jpg
    19pQY.jpg
    ns2_summit.jpg
    exosuit-revealed
    ns2-5.jpg

    In how many of those rooms would it be difficult to tell the difference between floor, wall, and ceiling? Ceilings have lights/cables that hang down from them. Floors are almost always a flat surface. Not to mention as soon as you throw players and buildings into the mix, it becomes even more obvious.
    It doesn't matter how well-educated or intelligent you are. Sometimes people make poor choices because they just don't have a lot of experience and information regarding a particular choice. It is arrogant to presume that you are always equipped to make the best choice for yourself. Don't feel insulted. It's wiser to accept that you have more to learn.

    So what you're saying is that after years of playing AvP2, a game that has aliens that wall walk with proper camera rotation, that I'm ill equipped to make a decision on whether or not I would like this feature?

    I accept that this is never going in to NS2, and that's fine. The way it works now doesn't really have any problems other than feeling completely bizarre and making no real sense. But to say that having the option to use something or not to use it means the devs couldn't make up their mind is just simply not a factual statement (and even if it is, it doesn't mean that's a bad thing). A perfect example of this is the camera animation option THAT'S ALREADY IN THE FUCKING GAME. If camera rotation were to be implemented, there is already an option to disable it.

  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    Personally, I'd still love to see this added in as an option. Let people with nausea disable it (or just not ENable it). More options are not a bad thing... the question would more be how much work would it take to get it implemented, working well/intelligently, and maintainable down the line.
  • YuukiYuuki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75079Members
    Rotating the camera is pretty much like rotating the model on the wall, so it's already done mainly. It would suffer from the same problems than model rotation though.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    My guess is that walljumping would be completely weird with the view tilt though. But as an option, if not too much work is needed (smoothing it out and such) could be a nice "atmospheric" option for public play?
  • RuntehRunteh Join Date: 2010-06-26 Member: 72163Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    The thing is with that NS video is that the geometry is basically a box. Look how complex NS2's surfaces are, the view would be flickering all over the place.
Sign In or Register to comment.