NS2_summit_andabove

pSyk0mAn

Improvements to Summit, especially for Aliens.
Following on what @Wob and Loki started a few months ago..

I know, it's a silly name, but Iept called dibs on redux


publish_id = "38c69d9d"
Screenshots can be found here:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=952540573

Changelog so far:
Summit_andabove - Work in Progress

-Some visual improvements, and low_lights look better, because the the dull NS2+ ultra low lights arent used in this version
-Added more cover and los-blockers around the map,
especially Flight Control, Sub Access, Crossroads, Crevice, Atrium
-Added half closed doors around Computer Lab area for more cover/ambush spots
-You can move faster into Ventilation coming from Data Core through that pipe-gap (Thanks Mephilles!)
-Added more starting-cysts around Harvester, so Marines need more time to harass it
-Made corridor between Crossroads and Summit Reception more alien friendly
-Turned some railings in Crevice and Ventilation into railings with cover
-Fixed hidden cysts exploit in Crevice
-Added more cover to Flight Control entrance from Computer Lab
-Gorges can now place a tunnel in the north-west corner of Flight Control
-Created more space behind resnode in Atrium, more dodging space for skulks, gorge tunnel possible
-Adjusted pipes in Reactor Core, easier navigation around them and dodging of marine bullets
-Added more cover geometry/spots to Crossroads, which can be used to dodge marine fire or approach easier.

No big layout changes or new vents so far!

Steelcap

That looks very interesting, I appreciate the restrained approach to modification adding organic LOS blocking to a map that has exceptional sight lines for marines seems like a good and gentle revision.

Mephilles

your crevice picture in the steam workshop doesn't show the railings with cover

pSyk0mAn

Yeah, the cover railings happened in a later update ..sue me

pSyk0mAn

-Added more opportunities for aliens in Maintenance Access, since it was basicly just rush forward or wait for Marines and very long line of sight.

Mephilles

For future reference please put pictures in a spoiler tag

Looks good though but maybe make this prop collidable

pSyk0mAn

Yeah some wires are collidable, some not meh
Maybe I'll replace it with some crossbeam which would look better.

pSyk0mAn

-Included the NS2+ nsl lowlights used in Summit, since players using this option complained about a too different look.
Thanks Tyr for the headsup and Ghoul for the quick help to get this done.

Mephilles

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

-Included the NS2+ nsl lowlights used in Summit, since players using this option complained about a too different look.

The f*ck...? People complain about a slightly different lighting?

pSyk0mAn

It's very different and a lot uglier. Less colors, lot of metallic lighting, less contrast, especially in Sub and Crossroads.

Vetinari

Mephilles wrote: »

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

-Included the NS2+ nsl lowlights used in Summit, since players using this option complained about a too different look.

The f*ck...? People complain about a slightly different lighting?

My reaction to comp in general summed up in a sentence (/s)

The_Welsh_Wizard

NSL lights give you a better performance and less contrast means things are better visible.

Kouji_San

Exactly, that mod is mostly about FPS gain, pushing that number to the absolute maximum the engine can handle. Perhaps some of you remember the low texture and fullbright light mods for the big and bad arena shooters back in the day? I dare say NSL-lightmod isn't as bag/ugly as that, but it does the job for FPSgain and visibility

pSyk0mAn

-Added another little alcove in Atrium for upgrade structures, cover or a gorge tunnel (enjoy your new "trickjump" via the new crates to get up there)
-Created bit more space behind the other, big container crate
-Fixed by adjusting pathing mesh: Arcs being able to hit these spots in Atrium from Glasshallway / Crossroads (Thanks ydy)

Vetinari

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

-Fixed by adjusting pathing mesh: Arcs being able to hit these spots in Atrium from Glasshallway / Crossroads (Thanks ydy)

I didn't know thats a thing. I shall abuse this mercilessly while I still can before summitandabove goes official.

pSyk0mAn

So what are everyones thoughts on the boundaries in Crevice shown by the marked clip-plane?
Right now a Gorge can spit the power node from that platform and hide from marines.
Skulks and Lerks can hide behind the rock on the right side.
What were the reasons to put the collision plane so far outside? Just to get a glimpse on the Flight platforms?
I'm wondering if the collision plane should be moved more inside Crevice so aliens can't get that far outside.
I haven't seen any complaints or issues with the current state tho, despite it being a honeypot for trolls.

Mephilles

I never complained because I never felt it was an issue gameplay wise but I think it would make more sense to have the collision at the same height where the rocks behind the collapsed bridge are (if that makes any sense)

Handschuh

If it makes any difference... do it so we can have maximum performance?

Mephilles

the position of the collision geo should not have any effect on performance

BeigeAlert

I say leave it as is. It's not a very valuable troll spot, and I see no advantage to restricting play area further.

pSyk0mAn

-Fixed the marine trap behind the container crate at the crossroads door
-Made doors in Comp Lab thicker so limbs of players hiding behind it aren't sticking through (Yes, Loki, the door is still ugly, but all the other door props don't fit there )
-Improved the visuals in Ventilation, where the pipes went into the ceiling all weird

I'm pretty much happy and done with the changes now, I think.
There is still this minor issue that Atrium feels a bit disconnected from the rest of the map due to the (vent-) layout,
but I don't see any easy solutions to this and I don't wanna add more vents or make anymore rather drastic changes like the new Summit Reception corridor.
My main goal was to add things that give players, especially aliens, more options, which are easy to get used to and don't disturb the way Summit was played and navigated by players before.
Thanks to Wooza who kinda made me start with this in the first place to improve the map for aliens on his big server and to Supafred for adding it to Thirsty Onos and giving me plenty of games on this map to watch.

NEXT!!

Me9a

So yesterday in the PUBLIC ensl discord general channel we where discussing fixed spawns for S12 and then we came to Summit fixed spawns and you might get some valuable feedback or ideas how to change summit in between these lines of text hf:

http://docs.google.com/document/d/1VeTotTM5iUbuU_Llw8ruBgaB0VVjBEo8BA5RCByCvkA/edit

pSyk0mAn

Thanks a lot Mega. Very valueable feedback and interesting ideas.
I thought a lot about the Atrium issue too.
I won't make any changes until this nsl season ends and in general I don't wanna make any big changes. I was already struggling with the changed Summit Reception hallway. It's too easy and dangerous to get carried away with more and more changes once you start doing them.

Keats

The minimap shows the area near the crevice power node as white, presumably because of the snow there. This feels weird to me; there's plenty of other snow that isn't marked white on the minimap.
At the southwest edge of crevice, the minimap shows the ground hatched with white, again presumably because of the snow. It seems like that should either be full white (which I would personally not prefer), or normal color.

Vetinari

Keats wrote: »

The minimap shows the area near the crevice power node as white, presumably because of the snow there. This feels weird to me; there's plenty of other snow that isn't marked white on the minimap.
At the southwest edge of crevice, the minimap shows the ground hatched with white, again presumably because of the snow. It seems like that should either be full white (which I would personally not prefer), or normal color.

Literally unplayable

pSyk0mAn

Lot of the ground decal snow is commander invisible. I dont know why, maybe it had issues with commander dropping stuff; I wasn't around when snow was added.
I don't have full control over how the minimap looks and various things play into the look I guess. All those snow piles are visible to commander, yet not show white on minimap.

pSyk0mAn

Update:
-Fixed stuck spots in Ventilation and Flight Control
-Updated minimap on loading screen

BeigeAlert

Those white spots on the minimap are the piles of snowy rocks, not the decals.