Xenoswarm - callout for mappers!
Hot off the announcement of our new mod, Xenoswarm, this is a callout for mappers. Currently we have some maps by Jibrail and Twostroker in development, and it should be possible to convert some existing maps to work with our NPC code but if anyone is looking to make a map let me know and I’ll hook you up with our latest test code. Just let either myself, JimWest or Jibrail know and we should be able to offer you support to get your map off the ground.
Anyone wanting to just try out some of the new features can just load up Extra Entities and plop down some npc spawners. I plan to write some good instructions or a tutorial in here in the next couple of days...
Anyone wanting to just try out some of the new features can just load up Extra Entities and plop down some npc spawners. I plan to write some good instructions or a tutorial in here in the next couple of days...
Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PvFRQnSRnnI
I'd like to mock something up for you.
But there is not much infomation about the mod to go on.
Have you a server running it so I can get an idea for how the mod plays ?
Basic Game rules ?
Known issues eg: NPC don't like height changes, Crates blocking hallways ? etc etc
can the NPC use vents ?
Do maps need check points thats disable NPC spawns. eg: Left 4 Dead.
So sign me up I'd like to help.
Basic Game rules ?
Everyone joins team 1 and the game starts after a certain amount of time. Marines begin at their command chair and walk down a predetermined route. The mapper can add waypoints which show up on the marines' HUD to guide them along. For the marines, standard combat rules apply (no infantry portals, gain XP for killing, buy upgrades and weapons with the XP you've earned).
Power nodes begin in an offline state so you can place nodes along the route that marines need to turn on (and also trigger logic when they build a node), but you can equally specify that lights should stay on all the time in your map settings on a node-by-node basis.
The player's speed and jump height is higher so some consideration may need to be made for that (arcade-ey might be the appropriate word). Another thing to consider is that we've made it so that marines can outrun skulks now if they buy the right upgrades, but it costs a lot of XP to do that!
The support class can place buildings, so you need to mark out any areas you don't want to allow building placement.
Also, the marines have access to a magnet boots ability and jetpacks that enables them to walk in all kinds of strange places, so we're going to make a way for you to block off player access to areas they shouldn't go :]
Currently, we have entities that allow you to define an end point for the map. By that I mean you can reach a spot on the map and the map will switch to another (predefined) map (to allow some kind of campaign system) or you just win the game and the round restarts. I'd imagine we'll make a cutscene option at some point too.
How NPCs work
The current system (though this may change before release) is that the mapper places npc_wave_spawner entities at various points, which are responsible for emitting skulks, gorges, fades etc. based on triggers on the map. E.g. player walks through a door or a new area. It's also possible to define a slow trickle of constant enemies that can attack the players if they get too slow :].
Each wave spawner has a waypoint associated with it so you can give the NPCs an initial direction to head in, or you can just have them stand around and they will wait there in position until a player comes near. For performance reasons it's much better to spawn the NPCs just as they are needed, rather than way in advance of the marines reaching an area.
In addition to the wave spawners, there is a new gamepicker entity that you need to place on the map, which tells our mod that it needs to activate (otherwise something close to standard Marine vs Alien combat rules apply instead). We'll add some more options to that entity in the near future, allowing you to set optional time limits etc.
NPC don't like height changes
NPC's currently have a problem with slopes over 45 degrees, but we're working on a fix for that. I'm not sure about the crates because so far most of our test maps have been relatively open (and spookily dark), but we can put some on a test map and see if we need to fix that too.
can the NPC use vents?
As long as the pathing system can handle it, I don't see why not. You would have to define a slightly larger area outside the visible area of the vent that allows the npc_wave_spawner to actually find room to emit the skulks...
Do maps need check points that disable NPC spawns. eg: Left 4 Dead?
Entirely up to you. You are in complete control of how and when the the NPCs spawn, using the logic system from Extra Entities mod.
@JimWest has made a couple of development test maps and is now working on an example test map that just gives a really simple example of what entities you need to place and where, so if I've missed anything here I'm sure he can fill you in. I'll add you to the steam group and that should make it easier to keep in touch.
Can you define the wave spawn as a number of deaths? IE after 10 skulks die, play this event.
Is it possible to create more unique upgrades not in line with the base game?
Or perhaps classes?
A builder class, an assault class, i fire bug class...
mmmm i love me some base defense
Also- I'm in.
You've hit the nail on the head with the wave spawning. The current system goes:
I'm known as Apathetic Super Hero on steam.
One thing not really mentioned in this thread is how long it should take a team to progress through the map. This will be pretty easy to time given the spawn entities, but will it take 5 min, 10 min? Do players respawn if they are killed or just wait until round is over?
Being able to trigger another map is cool, I like the idea of the round restarting if the team failed, but moving to another map if they succeeded.
@DarkSeraph: Regarding AI logic most of it is done via a combination of waypoints and attack priorities. We're still working on that logic but it gets better each build. The closest approximation is like an "attack move" in an RTS game.
Players currently respawn back at base if they are killed. No IP is required. You only lose the game if your CC Is destroyed right now. I think we'll implement a forward spawn point entity (again, triggered by logic) once we have more of the infrastructure in place.
In terms of progress through the map, it shouldn't take that long. We're thinking typical map game times of 5-10 mins but it depends on the scenario. Base defence maps could go on forever if the mapper chooses!
* Using combat mod to test it as I don't have the xwarm mod, so i'm not sure if your mod is better optimised. NPC wave spawn is a lot of fun, mind you the game clunks very quickly when I spawn lots of NPC's
Do you guys already have a wave spawn optimal setting that works best ?
For 1 Marine ?
Wave spawn 2 NPC's at a time ? 3 Second intervals ? for 10 waves ?
For 4 Marines
Wave spawn 6 NPC's at a time ? 4 Second intervals ? for 30 waves ?
Don't spawn more than 30 NPC'c on the map at anyone time ?
My rig starts to clunk a few minutes in mostly because the NPC's get caught on way points if I wave spawn large groups at a time they get stuck on one another and build up to ridiculous number of NPC's on the map.
I've a few ideas for work arounds. just need testing. but in the mean time if you already know of some tricks to use and pitfalls to avoid any infomation will be useful.
Have you plans for a NPC counter that pauses all waves when a NPC limit is reached for optimial playability ?
In terms of how to most efficiently limit the waves yourself, hook up the output from one wave spawner to the input from another. I think at some point we'll make it so you can have it that this logic only triggers when every spawned NPC from that spawner has died or something like that.
i reckon this map would work very well because the marines start in a base that is connected to a bunker - feel free to edit and put in your wave spawn entities - i dont ns2 installed so cbf. but feel free to do whatever you like to it
Such a pity you dont have ns2 installed anymore if for just the editor.
Anyway, this looking like its gunna be fun, May the god of the modders bring you swift success and bugreports.
Would NPC's then hunt marines down where ever they are ?
If you want to give them directly the "attack player" order, I can add that easily.
Actually, I've got a function like that for the waypoint "weld".
You can specifiy the type of waypoint in the logoic_waypoint. Acutally only move or weld, will just add attack and the waypoint will search the nearest target to itself and bots will hunt it :-).
In general the concept is pretty awesome. If it were easier to port maps to Spark it would be so fun to port Left 4 Dead maps over & set up the triggers for it.
Mod sounds very fun, i like coop, would be a very good alternative to pvp.
I would love to see new weapons and enemys, that would be great!
I just hope you guys keep improving the AI until it's up to par with the TF2 bots AI;
as in they will eventually emulate most of an actual human player's functions. As.... errrr... non-humanely possible.
can you make a editor setup guide ? so more people can start experimenting
I've written a small tutorial for setting up the editor there (the ai code is in that mod)
http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/123297/extraentitiesmod/p1
"How to use the entities?"
Please name your Xenoswarm maps like so:
ns2_xs_<mapname>
So for example, ns2_xs_vents or ns2_xs_blackmesa...
I thought I'd re-bump this thread now the mod is out. We're still looking for mappers, specifically people who can make some levels with either an 'Escape from the aliens' scenario or a 'Defend your base from waves of aliens' scenario. It's possible that one of the 'last stand' maps would be a good starting point for this.
Another thing we've been having good success with is carving up an existing ns2 map, plugging some doors and creating a linear 'kill the hive' game mode with that.
Mr.P and his team of octagenarian gamers has kindly set us up with a wiki, which I'll be updating next week with details on the new map entities and how to use them. The guide above is still accurate and there are some examples of some of the most important entities in the map that comes bundled with the mod - 'ns2_npc_test'.