Why Muzzle Flash Is There
Snake13
Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 554Members
Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 554Members
<div class="IPBDescription">and why it must stay, stop whining</div> Sorry for making another thread about this but after considering posting it at the end of all the other long threads I decided to make a new one in the hope new complainers will read it and not start a new whine thread. Also I I wanted to have the option of getting it stickied if my points are well-recieived. If you feel that this new thread is not warrented however I'll take no offense if you simply lock it and i'll repost this in one of the whine threads
This is meant as explanation of game mechanics for the people who know nothing about game design and simply whine because they're not racking up the kills ala Counter-Strike.
There are two reasons for the flash and the teeth, Gameplay balancing and atmosphere
First off without the muzzleflash the skulk and the lerk would be useless, they both die within seconds to gunfire and the only reason they have a chance of closing is because marines have trouble tracking moving targets while holding the trigger down. Without it the skulks would be dead as soon as the marines spotted them. Likewise if not for the slight difficulty thats added by the teeth (and it really is slight, if you think the teeth make the skulk useless you are trying to hold the attack button down and jump around like a fool, it takes two bites to kill a marine, there is never an instance where you have to hold the bite button down) then the battle would be ended very quickly once the skulk closed.
You notice a theme devolping? The battles would be over in about a half second if not for these two things. Have any of you whiners seen aliens? or any alien vs. human movie for that matter? do the marines take aim blast with a quick burst as soon as they see it? No the don't they swing their weapons around just spraying and praying into the dark with the requisit huge muzzle flashes. Now I know what your saying "They couldn't hit the aliens because they were fast and in the dark", well fine would you rather the maps all be pitch black and the alens move twice as fast? No I didn't think so thats not very fun, so how do you make the battles last longer and give a good aliens vs humans atmosphere without making the maps pitch black? oh how about large muzzle flash? Oh my thats a great idea! and its exactly what they did!
So as a quick recap the muzzle flashes and the skulk teeth are there because a) they look cool, and b) the make the battles last longer. The problem isn't with the game its with <b>you</b> . <b>You</b> need to get used to the fact this is not counter-strike and will never be counter-strike. Its not about battles that last a half second, its not about crouch jumping around a corner and killing the guy you see with a head shot. Its about moving with a group and going in guns blazing, why do you think you got 50 round in a clip? Its because you're supposed to miss alot and your supposed to go through alot of ammo to kill aliens. We have plenty of good games where battles take place over the course of a half second (and most of them are better then counter-strike, but thats a topic for another day), this is NOT one of them and its not supposed to be, if you want that then go play one of those games don't come here and cry because Natural Selection isn't one of those games.
This is meant as explanation of game mechanics for the people who know nothing about game design and simply whine because they're not racking up the kills ala Counter-Strike.
There are two reasons for the flash and the teeth, Gameplay balancing and atmosphere
First off without the muzzleflash the skulk and the lerk would be useless, they both die within seconds to gunfire and the only reason they have a chance of closing is because marines have trouble tracking moving targets while holding the trigger down. Without it the skulks would be dead as soon as the marines spotted them. Likewise if not for the slight difficulty thats added by the teeth (and it really is slight, if you think the teeth make the skulk useless you are trying to hold the attack button down and jump around like a fool, it takes two bites to kill a marine, there is never an instance where you have to hold the bite button down) then the battle would be ended very quickly once the skulk closed.
You notice a theme devolping? The battles would be over in about a half second if not for these two things. Have any of you whiners seen aliens? or any alien vs. human movie for that matter? do the marines take aim blast with a quick burst as soon as they see it? No the don't they swing their weapons around just spraying and praying into the dark with the requisit huge muzzle flashes. Now I know what your saying "They couldn't hit the aliens because they were fast and in the dark", well fine would you rather the maps all be pitch black and the alens move twice as fast? No I didn't think so thats not very fun, so how do you make the battles last longer and give a good aliens vs humans atmosphere without making the maps pitch black? oh how about large muzzle flash? Oh my thats a great idea! and its exactly what they did!
So as a quick recap the muzzle flashes and the skulk teeth are there because a) they look cool, and b) the make the battles last longer. The problem isn't with the game its with <b>you</b> . <b>You</b> need to get used to the fact this is not counter-strike and will never be counter-strike. Its not about battles that last a half second, its not about crouch jumping around a corner and killing the guy you see with a head shot. Its about moving with a group and going in guns blazing, why do you think you got 50 round in a clip? Its because you're supposed to miss alot and your supposed to go through alot of ammo to kill aliens. We have plenty of good games where battles take place over the course of a half second (and most of them are better then counter-strike, but thats a topic for another day), this is NOT one of them and its not supposed to be, if you want that then go play one of those games don't come here and cry because Natural Selection isn't one of those games.
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Actually, that would be kinda cool. Being a marine would be 10x more scary. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
To all constant whiners: this is not your game. This is Flayra's game. If you don't like it that much, don't play it. He doesn't *have* to do anything. People who have to run low res, asking for an option to make the flash proportional, I understand. But this constant whining and demanding something be changed because *you* don't like it is nuts. So <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
~Az
Maybe a mod could make a poll, with the options "I like it as it is" "I want it changed" and "I don't care"
It seems to be just the same few people on both sides argueing about it, perhaps it's really not as a big an issue as people make it out to be?
Bah whatever... let's just keep it as it is. So far the only reasons for changing it seem to be "I suck" or "My computer sucks"...
Ha. Ha. Ha.
I might just make my marines aliens and my aliens marines then get all wacky and use cs sounds.
Why?
It's my game.
i presume user agreements will kill this theory stone dead. i'm positive you clicked "I AGREE" to something when you installed it, if you did... no more private property for you!
My memory is mine and stays mine, no matter what I click. EULAs might prevent me from *publishing* modified versions of the program, but they cannot prevent me from doing whatever I want on my private property (my memory).
Compare it with a book: If I own a copy of a book, I can change words around as much as I want for my private use.
I fully agree with the 1st post.
Deal with it guys. It's a game, you're losing. It's not the game's fault.
Now go run back to your <!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='pudgy.gif'><!--endemo-->
i fink muzzle flash is a sprite therefore cannot not b deteced wether or not it has bin changed...
I didn't make the game I like the game.
I find this post (and many like it).
The fact that one guy is going to spam about how you can't change something.. well it upsets me..
So.. as you can see they put up a whole section for people to change and edit the game as they would like to see it <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=SF&f=19' target='_blank'>Models and Skins </a>
About the only people who can say "You can only do this..," ..etc., is when you do league play.. and their rules may require default models/sprites/etc..
-- BTW
People telling me "go make your own game" / "IM a whor3 monkey and I want to whack you with my flaming poo to get a laugh."
Not the first ones.. let me tell ya! If you don't want to see what other people have to say don't look at forums.. other wise if you reply something llama-orinated as "go make your own," its just lame spam that nobody but your fellow llama pal's want to see.
Thanks!!
WARPAQ
i fink muzzle flash is a sprite therefore cannot not b deteced wether or not it has bin changed...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
well then how does cs maintain consistency over the smoke sprites? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
If it annoys you that much, go play something else. Ranting about it here isn't going to make much difference.
In any case, burst firing and one-shot bites allows u to aim perfectly even with the muzzle/theet inconvenient.
Full clip should be used against enemies like Fades and Onos (i've killed a Fade once just with my LMG) , its useless to unleash your gun on a small rat like a skulk. On the other side, running straight toward a marine biting it's useless too. 2 bites are enough to kill, it's better to use them carefully, trying to be evasive as you aim for your enemy legs <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
shut your...er...mouth, ...Mouth. (yes, another sarcastic pun.)
ok mouth...it IS cheating if YOU remove the Teeth and the Muzzle flash while OTHER PEOPLE
(yes..believe it or not...you may be ruining the game for..O-T-H-E-R-S-)
still have the muzzle flash and teeth ON.
THIS IS C-H-E-A-T-I-N-G- because you have a better view (in your opinion anyhow)
and YOUR vision is not obscured when shooting/biting..WHILE OTHERS ARE.
THIS GIVES YOU AN ADVANTAGE OVER OTHER PLAYERS, THERFORE YOU ARE CHEATING.
this IS cheating...do you understand?
and the dev team ARE NOT going to remove it just for the few people that are too stupid to understand this.
and im only flaming you, because YOU ARE flaming us, with YOUR stupidity.
About the only people who can say "You can only do this..," ..etc., is when you do league play.. and their rules may require default models/sprites/etc..
-- BTW
People telling me "go make your own game" / "IM a whor3 monkey and I want to whack you with my flaming poo to get a laugh."
Not the first ones.. let me tell ya! If you don't want to see what other people have to say don't look at forums.. other wise if you reply something llama-orinated as "go make your own," its just lame spam that nobody but your fellow llama pal's want to see.
Thanks!!
WARPAQ<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
changing your player models is different. It does not give you an advantage over other players
(unless your player models are bright yellow...which is a very sad and pathetic, if not childish thing to do.)
removing the flash/teeth is cheating if other players on the server still have it on as...oh yes...im repeating myself..read the last post i made in this post...im tired of saying the same thing to silly people.
man, a rolling eyes emote would be great for posts like these....sigh <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
So if I have a top of the line computer/dsl modem/4button mouse vrs a guy with a crap system, 28K modem, and 2 button mouse... I'm cheating because I have the advantage?
If I was blessed with quick reflexes versus a 12 year old who hasn't developed the hand-eye coordination that I have... I'm cheating?
If I take the time to learn how to script/bind commands vrersus someone who doesn't even remap the keys to optimize his effeciency... I'm cheating?
I also fail to see how it would give anyone an advantage if the dev team removed both muzzle flash/teeth to something else. Even by your (false) logic, no player would have the advantage because no one would have the muzzle flash/teeth.
The only thing I agree with is that this topic is useless to debate. The dev team already said they won't change it (for better or for worse), and it's not like any of these arguements have a deeper insight than any of the past arguements.
Oh well.
Blank
Oh well.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
wow...you have some sense..well done, your other statments arent really worth mentioning.
Oh and here is someone who shares my opinion:
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
the main things whose editing is frowned upon are the alien bite models, because it covers your screen for a fraction of a second. so if you dont have that hinderance, and everyone else does, youve got an advantage, ie exploit. other editing is generally fine tho.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
if you really want to know, he's called Devone.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If I was blessed with quick reflexes versus a 12 year old who hasn't developed the hand-eye coordination that I have... I'm cheating?
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No this is skill, you see by having skill you are not cheating you are simply 'better'
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If I take the time to learn how to script/bind commands vrersus someone who doesn't even remap the keys to optimize his effeciency... I'm cheating?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes you are, considering the devs has stated multiple times they do not want scripters in this game and have tryed to implement code in the game to prevent them
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So if I have a top of the line computer/dsl modem/4button mouse vrs a guy with a crap system, 28K modem, and 2 button mouse... I'm cheating because I have the advantage?
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No you don't, the game is not desgned to be laggy, it is designed to with full graphics and no lag, it would be foolish to deisgn a game and hope players lag so everyones even. Also this could be compared to a football player training in the off season, does this advantage mean that holding isn't a penelty? absolutely not
Just for the record, I don't think any of the devs, particularly Flayra, have said we aren't going to change the muzzle flash or bite model at all. I do know that we have given many reasons for why the bite model is the way it is, and we have said that we are not going to totally remove the teeth. However, we MAY explore some other options, such as speeding up the bite animation so the view is blocked less.
As for the muzzleflash, I don't want to comment too much on it, but keep in mind that there is a piece of valve code where the gun flashes scale according to resolution, that wasn't realized by the developers until after we released. So, though I am not going to guarantee anything, there may be some slight resizing of the flash in the future. I'm just sick of seeing everyone second guessing what the developers are going to do, and what our reasons are for doing them. Just have faith that we do listen to the community (at least the intelligent, well thought out comments), we do want to continue to improve the game, and we do try to consider all options before making any changes that might have unforseen and drastic impacts on gameplay.
Mouth, watch yourself or you might experience a forward acceleration such as might result from the contact of my foot with your backside.
<span style='color:red'>***Locked.*** </span>