armory design
luns
Join Date: 2010-12-05 Member: 75502Members
current armory design, you walk up to the armory large window with large icons show up, and your whole screen is taken up by this. Your whole screen is somewhat blue, and takes away your character movement. Only way to leave this during the attack, moving left or right quickly - you have no weapon control, and movement is gone during this process.
armory window/icons has to be re-sized, make them smaller and take up your whole screen. If not this, the armory window has to be changed where player has his movement if someone attacks him, where can quickly respond. Being locked into this armory window while something attacks you, really isn't so good.
I took screen shot of the armory window for those who don't have ns2 to see my point.
<a href="http://img404.imageshack.us/i/35111467.jpg" target="_blank">http://img404.imageshack.us/i/35111467.jpg</a>
you will notice I can't use my weapon, and my movement is locked in while I'm buying weapons. It shouldn't be like this.
armory window/icons has to be re-sized, make them smaller and take up your whole screen. If not this, the armory window has to be changed where player has his movement if someone attacks him, where can quickly respond. Being locked into this armory window while something attacks you, really isn't so good.
I took screen shot of the armory window for those who don't have ns2 to see my point.
<a href="http://img404.imageshack.us/i/35111467.jpg" target="_blank">http://img404.imageshack.us/i/35111467.jpg</a>
you will notice I can't use my weapon, and my movement is locked in while I'm buying weapons. It shouldn't be like this.
Comments
As you sit typing your post out, are you able to see behind your computer's desk, or hold a large two-handed firearm in a ready-to-shoot position?
<strike>And IF you wanted to upgrade then you would press the "E" key to display the buy-menu (same concept as the "evolve" key for aliens).</strike>
And at any time you could press the "Escape" key to close the gui, in addition to the current method of walking away.
It does require the use key and the window never does automatically open like that.
That's the way the armory works.
Stand next to and facing it to gain health and ammo.
Press your 'use' key to purchase weapons.
The only issue I have with the armoury, is the size of it. When you want an armoury up front to support the troops, you end up sticking it as close to the wall as possible. Space becomes tight at best, especially in corridors with turrets. It looks a little messy, a little clumsy perhaps.
It would be nice to see a one sided version that sticks to the wall that can be used nearer to the front lines, the downside being you can't upgrade it to an advanced armoury perhaps.
So when you select the armoury, when you hover your mouse close to a wall it changes model to the mobile version.
If you limit players by saying.
# You can only destroy structures
# You can only destroy aliens
# There needs to be two of you to effectively take down a Fade
It means they have to work together. L4D2 is a very good example of this - leaving team mates behind is a big no no.
And IF you wanted to upgrade then you would press the "E" key to display the buy-menu (same concept as the "evolve" key for aliens).
And at any time you could press the "Escape" key to close the gui, in addition to the current method of walking away.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
you can already do this. just tap the reload key when facing the armory.
really? neato! I'll take back some of my rant then.
Edit: I'll take back my back taking. It didn't close with reload button :I
That doesn't make a difference, the fact is that the statement is true.
The problem with making everything accessible is that it will make things harder to balance.
Usually you approach a situation in NS2, and the outcome will be decided on a few factors. You understand this as aliens and marines.
I.e You know a Shotgun is best against Fades, so you are likely to die if you just have an LMG.
or
You know a Flamethrower will kill an amateur Fade, where as someone more experienced will kill you. Or you get a third possibility - it runs away to heal up.
If you had everything available to you, how would you balance the game? It would be very hard and based solely upon speed and weapon switching. Becoming closer to something like Quake3 and requiring a lot less thought.
The most satisfying thing about multiplayer is the ability to work as a team to beat an opponent. Tactically you can work towards different outcomes, and play on each others weaknesses. Currently I think the game is lacking this aspect somewhat.
This is why the Flamethrower is so unbalanced at the moment, because it has the strengths of every weapon available - countering it is very difficult.
How did this become a discussion about this anyway? I thought this thread was about the Armoury GUI.
Also, I lol'd at FocusedWolf's post because that's exactly how it works already :S
Edit: I'll take back my back taking. It didn't close with reload button :I<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
no, don't open it. just walk up to the armory, face it, tap 'r'
it fills your health and armor, then your current weapon's ammo.
only open it if you want a gun.
And IF you wanted to upgrade then you would press the "E" key to display the buy-menu (same concept as the "evolve" key for aliens).
And at any time you could press the "Escape" key to close the gui, in addition to the current method of walking away.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Wait, what? Are you saying it should be like a crag where it's pulsating health? Please elaborate. I'm confused.
No, he's saying it should heal passively without having to press E to use it first and get a GUI. It already does do this and I guess he didn't know.
I believe those weapon icons are there in order to select them and buy upgrades for them, but those upgrades haven't been implemented yet, and I'm not sure what the current plan for that is.
<!--quoteo(post=1824787:date=Jan 16 2011, 01:37 PM:name=smokeybeef)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (smokeybeef @ Jan 16 2011, 01:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1824787"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Is the current design in Flash? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if it changed when they move it to LUA.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, it is in flash. When it gets redone in LUA there will probably be another look at the design side, as well.
<!--quoteo(post=1824827:date=Jan 16 2011, 05:11 PM:name=uffo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (uffo @ Jan 16 2011, 05:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1824827"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->There should be keyboard shortcuts for buying the weapons and exiting the GUI.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm sure keyboad shortcuts will be implemented at some point, and we've discussed making escape key quickly exit the buy menu window.
-Cory
This. I always hit Esc even though I know it doesn't work.
balanced
I keep wanting to just stand next to it and have it give me stuff, that feels right.
But on the other hand I entirely get why it doesn't work like that, because sitting next to it and tanking with it would kinda suck.
<!--quoteo(post=1824866:date=Jan 16 2011, 07:49 PM:name=Skiddywinks)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Skiddywinks @ Jan 16 2011, 07:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1824866"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I also think that showing the GUI on the armoury model (or, better yet, as a holographic display that comes out of the armoury) would be a lot better, and have it controlled like in Doom 3. It would be super-slick feeling.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not really, doom3 is excellent for immersion but very bad for actual useability. it doesn't control as fluently as a proper menu.
On the other hand though, I suppose the ability to just press backwards and get out of the armory would be nice, if you're needed urgently it's kind of annoying to be stuck in the menu.
<!--quoteo(post=1824869:date=Jan 16 2011, 08:21 PM:name=neilm86)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (neilm86 @ Jan 16 2011, 08:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1824869"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Aliens need to gestate to evolve into a different life form, leaving them very vulnerable during this time.
balanced<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Although no alien with a brain would do that in the open. I always climb into the roofspace to do that.