Nice patch, don't care about rag dolls , font looks odd but in a good way.
Quit whining about every change you personally disagree with, it's highly demotivating and demoralising, what's next? Complaints about onos still missing a butthole?
I wonder why people keep saying the font changed. I have just added a few more characters, but didn't touch the existing ones. The font looks the same to me.
When comparing the rendered font png files (I found an old one on disk), the only difference I see is that the font in build 295 seems to have enabled hinting (it was not hinted before). That was actually something I fought with, my newly added characters got rendered with hinting while the existing ones got rendered without it. That looked really off (not because of hinting, but because it affected just certain characters). In the end I managed to make even the new ones to render without hinting, by not using any custom shapes and just reusing existing ones from other characters.
So on my computer everything rendered without hinting, the same as before. So I hope this is a deliberate change (which can be again changed if desired), and not a bug introduced by me.
Personally, I tend to prefer fonts without hinting because they look crisper (in case of NS2, I think the crisper fonts have a better appeal), but I know people have very different preferences in this area.
He does represent me though. Just putting my hand up.
The fun of NS2 is not just the accomplishment of your own skill, but the environment, teamwork, immersion etc. Shorter ragdoll time does not serve this.
The default hitsound indicator is another example of this. Maybe new players are trying out NS2 for the brilliant atmosphere of aliens vs marines combat, and not just trying to get their K/D ratio up like some ritalin-addicted CS player. I leave hitsounds off preciously because it ruins immersion.
Similar flawed logic over shunting greenies to small servers to 'experience the game the way it was meant to be played'. The single biggest reason greens leave is encountering a high skill ceiling on 'normal' servers even when out of green and finding no joy in the gameplay. Large servers, by comparison, allow rookies to learn the game and feel a sense of accomplishment without being stomped -- If you actually wanted to grow NS2, you would be recommending NS2Large for green players with a pop-up saying 'Try a smaller server for a more strategic experience when you feel comfortable'.
For some reason the PDT still seem to be focusing the game on a 'pro' gameplay style despite the fact that 99.9% of games played are casual, as changes like these demonstrate.
So far the only effect from recent patches is a whole lot of bitching in threads and a reduced NS2 player count. One would think these are indicators that your direction is not the right one, and some changes should be reversed.
Yes! Think of the immersion - and let's also add critical hits (with lots of splatter) if you hit said spot with a GL... we'd finally have a way for Marines to adequately punish the butt-wiggle-tease!
I'm sure that'd increase player retention by at least 2713.82%.
One would think these are indicators that your direction is not the right one, and some changes should be reversed.
Problem is Martigen, people are just going to complain about whatever direction PDT takes anyway, there is constructive criticism and then there is "self entitled" whining.
For better or worse, NS2 needs change, no matter how small, this is the longest run of stale gameplay since God knows when.
Problem is Martigen, people are just going to complain about whatever direction PDT takes anyway, there is constructive criticism and then there is "self entitled" whining.
Will they? I've raised only those elements that I feel are impacting negatively. You really don't give the NS2 community here much credit if that's how you feel.
I'd also really love to hear your definition of 'constructive criticism' vs 'self-entitled whining'. How do you decide which is which? And which is mine, by the way?
It's a sad day when people post about the game they love, and the response is 'you're whining, go away!'. Consider for a moment these players might be right, and consider for a moment recent changes might be wrong. Everyone makes mistakes, PDT included.
Feedback makes any product. I don't remember a single thread where players were asking for shorter ragdoll times, a hitscan sound by default, or server browser changes that try to hide large servers by default (please, point me to them -- perhaps I missed them?). Yet, there are threads and discussions asking for these changes to be reversed.
If the goal is to genuinely improve NS2, then please listen.
As for NS2 gameplay being stale, here are plenty of other changes that can be worked on -- lets start with webs, hydras, turrets etc. Until then, lets not make changes that push people away eh.
MephillesGermanyJoin Date: 2013-08-07Member: 186634Members, NS2 Map Tester, NS2 Community Developer
As a competitive player I support the ragdoll instant dissolve effect. Having them is just annoying, it indicates better when something is dead (I disabled the score popup in ns2+ because it is cluttering and confusing) and I feel very little satisfaction killing lifeforms (except for maybe div 1 lifeforms). You dont even have time to be happy about it.
When lifeforms are dead you need to think 2 steps ahead already on how to exploit the lack of lifeforms on enemy side. You have time to be happy after the game and at that part it only counts that you killed the lifeforms and not how the ragdoll is bumping around.
As a competitive player I support the ragdoll instant dissolve effect. Having them is just annoying, it indicates better when something is dead (I disabled the score popup in ns2+ because it is cluttering and confusing) and I feel very little satisfaction killing lifeforms (except for maybe div 1 lifeforms). You dont even have time to be happy about it.
When lifeforms are dead you need to think 2 steps ahead already on how to exploit the lack of lifeforms on enemy side. You have time to be happy after the game and at that part it only counts that you killed the lifeforms and not how the ragdoll is bumping around.
Well that's my point of view on the matter.
Well said Mephilles, and I actually agree. If I was playing competitive still I'd prefer this mode for its efficiency.
And I think that's pretty much the crux -- we have two communities: competitive and public. And ultimately, they have different preferences.
Thing is -- and it's just my opinion -- we've tried competitive. NS2 from the start was sold as a competitive game to rival CS, to be a worldwide e-sport phenomenon. It was a noble goal, but it didn't come to pass. And now, the community is kept alive by public play.
Which is why I become vocal on changes that impact public play, because when that goes, NS2 is dead.
It is just my op, but NS2 needs to focus on any and all changes that build public play. If we ever get 1000 players again, by all means lets start promoting competitive again. Until then, though, it's a dead end to build NS2 with a 6v6 focus on the idea that this is what will make it grow. We know it won't.
That's why I find the resistance to large servers strange. Large servers attract people. Large servers make it easier for greens to learn. There are really no downsides, except that's not how the game was intended to be played. That's nice. That's the past. That's not what NS2 is now, and trying to force it to be will only kill it sooner.
A genuine push for growing NS2 would focus on 24+ server balance. Yes, actively decide than 12v12 is now the 'default' and not 6v6. Paradigm shift. See what happens. We really have nothing left to lose at this stage.
Feedback makes any product. I don't remember a single thread where players were asking for shorter ragdoll times, a hitscan sound by default, or server browser changes that try to hide large servers by default (please, point me to them -- perhaps I missed them?). Yet, there are threads and discussions asking for these changes to be reversed.
Well, I was asking for the >24slot server filter (here and here). Why, you ask? Because I'm straight up jealous of the >24 slot server admins player base.
If the goal is to genuinely improve NS2, then please listen.
As for NS2 gameplay being stale, here are plenty of other changes that can be worked on -- lets start with webs, hydras, turrets etc. Until then, lets not make changes that push people away eh.
When lifeforms are dead you need to think 2 steps ahead already on how to exploit the lack of lifeforms on enemy side. You have time to be happy after the game and at that part it only counts that you killed the lifeforms and not how the ragdoll is bumping around.
Well that's my point of view on the matter.
Nah man, when you kill a life form, you need to take DNA samples of the alien corpse and worry about your marine wife, wondering if she's still safe on her home planet and then think about your son and you hope that he makes it through the TSF academy.
I, personally, wouldn't have noticed the ragdoll dissolve change, if I hadn't read about it. However, it could've easily been just a slider in the options menu to avoid people being angry.
Similar flawed logic over shunting greenies to small servers to 'experience the game the way it was meant to be played'. The single biggest reason greens leave is encountering a high skill ceiling on 'normal' servers even when out of green and finding no joy in the gameplay. Large servers, by comparison, allow rookies to learn the game and feel a sense of accomplishment without being stomped -- If you actually wanted to grow NS2, you would be recommending NS2Large for green players with a pop-up saying 'Try a smaller server for a more strategic experience when you feel comfortable'.
This has been mentioned before and i simply don't understand this mentality.
I would think rookies are going to have much better chances getting kills in servers where they only have to worry about 1-2 pro level players on the enemy team instead of 5-6.. Where they can try a lifeform without having to worry about rounding a corner to encounter 10+ marines who instakill them before they can do anything.. Where they won't have to stick with a group of teammates all the time in order to feel useful.. Where nearly every fight isn't a cluster**** of 5-10+ marines and 5-10+ aliens jumping around like rabbits on crack trying to kill each other..
You know, where it's actually a strategic fps game and not a contest of which team listens to their comm and can spam bile/gl's more.
I certainly know that if most servers had been large back when i was new, i would've quit and uninstalled NS2 before even getting past the hundred hour mark.
When i was a rookie i actually searched out the 6v6 and 8v8 servers because I felt like I could contribute more on them (mainly by sneaking past marines to constantly bite rts and get sneaky tunnels up, two things that are much more difficult with 20 players on the other team instead of 6-10)
If you actually wanted to grow NS2, you would be recommending NS2Large for green players with a pop-up saying 'Try a smaller server for a more strategic experience when you feel comfortable'.
Nice try, but the correct term would be:
If you actually wanted to grow NS2, you would be recommending rookie only servers for green players for the 1st 10hrs with a pop-up saying 'Try non rookie servers when you feel comfortable'.
For some reason the PDT still seem to be focusing the game on a 'pro' gameplay style despite the fact that 99.9% of games played are casual, as changes like these demonstrate.
"Pro" is played @ 6v6. Cant remember that this format was ever popular for pub play.
The typical pub server is between 18-24 slots.
So, i cant see "the focus" here.
And I think that's pretty much the crux -- we have two communities: competitive and public. And ultimately, they have different preferences.
Which is why I become vocal on changes that impact public play, because when that goes, NS2 is dead.
It is just my op, but NS2 needs to focus on any and all changes that build public play. If we ever get 1000 players again, by all means lets start promoting competitive again. Until then, though, it's a dead end to build NS2 with a 6v6 focus on the idea that this is what will make it grow. We know it won't.
That's why I find the resistance to large servers strange. Large servers attract people. Large servers make it easier for greens to learn. There are really no downsides, except that's not how the game was intended to be played. That's nice. That's the past. That's not what NS2 is now, and trying to force it to be will only kill it sooner.
A genuine push for growing NS2 would focus on 24+ server balance. Yes, actively decide than 12v12 is now the 'default' and not 6v6. Paradigm shift. See what happens. We really have nothing left to lose at this stage.
I say : It is quite obvious to me. No public, no competition.
Sorry to say, but we aren't going to be introducing toggles for every change we make.
While I do understand your reasons to not include a toggle (and personally don't mind), I would like to point out that a) nobody asked you to introduce toggles for every change and b) in this specific case it would have fitted in very well with other "comp vs. pub" toggles we already have in the game (Hitsounds, everything hud related, etc).
Feedback makes any product. I don't remember a single thread where players were asking for shorter ragdoll times, a hitscan sound by default, or server browser changes that try to hide large servers by default (please, point me to them -- perhaps I missed them?). Yet, there are threads and discussions asking for these changes to be reversed.
Well, I was asking for the >24slot server filter (here and here). Why, you ask? Because I'm straight up jealous of the >24 slot server admins player base.
If the goal is to genuinely improve NS2, then please listen.
As for NS2 gameplay being stale, here are plenty of other changes that can be worked on -- lets start with webs, hydras, turrets etc. Until then, lets not make changes that push people away eh.
When lifeforms are dead you need to think 2 steps ahead already on how to exploit the lack of lifeforms on enemy side. You have time to be happy after the game and at that part it only counts that you killed the lifeforms and not how the ragdoll is bumping around.
Well that's my point of view on the matter.
Nah man, when you kill a life form, you need to take DNA samples of the alien corpse and worry about your marine wife, wondering if she's still safe on her home planet and then think about your son and you hope that he makes it through the TSF academy.
I, personally, wouldn't have noticed the ragdoll dissolve change, if I hadn't read about it. However, it could've easily been just a slider in the options menu to avoid people being angry.
Please lets not start the whole ns2large or player slot count crap on here again, there was a 9 page long debate about that already.
while I don't notice the rag doll changes as I've already had them set to disappear immediately in ns2+ for as long as i can remember having the option, I'm not sure why a slider wasn't introduced into vanilla as it had already been in aforementioned ns2+.
For those who claim it is ruining their "immersion," try to understand why this was done. If I recall correctly, pdt is working on making the game more understandable and all approachable for new players. Part of that is addressing the little things like this which can easily put a new marine at a disadvantage.
Imagine you're brand new, you don't yet understand the pace of the game and that bullets must be well managed in an engagement. You empty over half your clip into a rag dolling skulk cuz you didn't realize your buddy has already killed it. You go to reload because you've mismanaged your ammo and another skulk comes flying around the corner and mows you down.
It's a small thing, but it's a thing, and I can understand and appreciate the change. And seriously, if you want "immersion," I don't think a fast paced twitch fps is the game you want. Immersion is relative to the person perceiving it, sure, but I'm not sure why you would actually want huge dead onos lingering around, blocking los for whatever may be hiding behind it when the goal of the game is to eliminate enemies, not be in awe of their dead bodies.
the only divisiveness I really notice after the last few patches is from the vocal minorities we have represented here on the forums. In game, people seem to appreciate the changes and nobody is at one another's throat like on here.
I think us forum rats seriously need to tone down the hostility.
A genuine push for growing NS2 would focus on 24+ server balance. Yes, actively decide than 12v12 is now the 'default' and not 6v6. Paradigm shift. See what happens. We really have nothing left to lose at this stage.
Ns2 has never been built for 6v6, there's a reason the comp scene uses its own balance mods. It's always been balanced around 8v8ish i believe.
And seriously, if you want "immersion," I don't think a fast paced twitch fps is the game you want.
If NS2 was only a FPS, I'd be looooong gone.
2cough, you call about tone down, so make your speech coherent with this claim and don't say to some of us we're in the wrong game. Please ? Thanks.
I was pretty delicate about it, actually. Notice I said "think," as in my opinion being expressed (not shoved down your throat). I also concede that immersion is relative to the perceiver. I really don't think my tone is out of line. Just trying to be reasonable. If anything the "Please? Thanks" comes off as condescending. Ironic.
while I don't notice the rag doll changes as I've already had them set to disappear immediately in ns2+ for as long as i can remember having the option, I'm not sure why a slider wasn't introduced into vanilla as it had already been in aforementioned ns2+.
For those who claim it is ruining their "immersion," try to understand why this was done. If I recall correctly, pdt is working on making the game more understandable and all approachable for new players. Part of that is addressing the little things like this which can easily put a new marine at a disadvantage.
Imagine you're brand new, you don't yet understand the pace of the game and that bullets must be well managed in an engagement. You empty over half your clip into a rag dolling skulk cuz you didn't realize your buddy has already killed it. You go to reload because you've mismanaged your ammo and another skulk comes flying around the corner and mows you down.
It's a small thing, but it's a thing, and I can understand and appreciate the change. And seriously, if you want "immersion," I don't think a fast paced twitch fps is the game you want. Immersion is relative to the person perceiving it, sure, but I'm not sure why you would actually want huge dead onos lingering around, blocking los for whatever may be hiding behind it when the goal of the game is to eliminate enemies, not be in awe of their dead bodies.
the only divisiveness I really notice after the last few patches is from the vocal minorities we have represented here on the forums. In game, people seem to appreciate the changes and nobody is at one another's throat like on here.
I think us forum rats seriously need to tone down the hostility.
Thank you, pdt, for your continued efforts.
If it's about reducing visual clutter and such, I think Quake Live pulled off a pretty good default setup. The default enemy model has bright neon green armor for easy visual tracking, but when the enemy dies it loses all the neon green and turns into blank grey. I don't think the effect was necessarily even intended to have any kind of immersive element, but it kind of looks like the enemy cyborg shutting down rapidly while also creating a very clear visual for the frag.
Here's some random youtube gameplay that demonstrates the effect
Maybe something slightly more elegant could be used in NS2 somehow? Let's say the bacteria instantly starts dissolving skulks and creates a distinct blank grey colour effect for the whole skulk model.
Of course if the ragdolls are removed for performance reasons or vision blocking reasons, simply recoloring dead players isn't that useful.
This might be a daft idea but with the effort going into the game at the mo and the overall goal being that we want more people playing, it would help to post game updates to social media. It's really defeating the object otherwise and it's devaluing the work done.
News updates are quick jobs that really matter if you want to retain interest. Without them, only people who check the NS2 site, currently play or happen to spot Steam downloading will know about what is happening to the game. I see people mentioning that the game is dead on Facebook occasionally and it's because they never hear about it.
@Bobby_Wasabi If you can't offer constructive feedback, then don't offer any at all.
I'm really struggling to understand why so many people are averse to changes like this. In the argument of 'I like ragdolls because they look funny/I like to take screenshots of them' vs things that genuinely make the game simpler for everyone, especially new people, I know which one I'd back every time.
woozaSwitzerlandJoin Date: 2013-11-21Member: 189496Members, Squad Five Blue
I know people that make funny screenshots of alien corpses for whatever reasons (one has 1000+ dead lerk pictures in his Steam Gallery). I think there is a lot of people including me who liked ragdolls. The default timer was okay and did not confused rookies at all from what I observed.
UWE you take away the free choice of every player. If a rookie decided to like the game and willing to learn the basics, then he will automatically find the options and configure his NS2 to what he thinks is useful.
I'd reallllly like an option for the ragdoll dissolve. For almost a decade, I dreamed of seeing NS1 skulks ragdoll on death. The last few years, it's been amazing. Now it's gone, and I immediately noticed it. I understand the reasoning and to keep the default this way, but the option to set the length would be huge.
If the goal is to genuinely improve NS2, then please listen.
By now, I think it's obvious the PDT's goal isn't to genuinely improve NS2, it's to attract more new players to NS2 (or achieve whatever objective UWE set for them, so they can continue working in the future).
And this is exactly why so many of the changes are controversial (large server change being a great example), the PDT doesn't seem to have the interests of the current community at heart, they want to attract new players and retain them, so they'll do anything it takes to do that, current players be damned.
Many people will disagree, but the PDT's actions have pretty much demonstrated this.
And before people argue that genuinely improving ns2 and attracting new players are the same objective, this is not the case in many scenarios.
I guess only time will tell if the course the PDT has taken is the right one.
To be frank, our goal is to make the game better and get new blood. Not only get new blood... RETAIN IT. So we need to improve both the new player experience, and the game itself. Because if we dont, then it dies. Plain and simple.
The changes we make will NOT be liked by all. We know that. We don't always agree ourselves. But you can't please a playerbase who have been playing the same game for so long, and who have been able to mod the game so much. However, the entire team are long-time NS veterans from both pub and comp play. We've all played and loved NS1 and NS2 for over 15 years now. We do not make changes lightly. Some will work, some wont. But we need that freedom to try and MAKE it work. The team is dedicated to the game. Hell, we are working on the game in our FREE time as well as our PAID time because we LOVE NS2 so much.
We need new blood to survive. We need new blood and new gameplay to make the game more exciting and less stale. Please, try not to fight us as we do this. Healthy debate and discussion is great and we welcome it. Just not the anger or the attitudes.
Comments
Quit whining about every change you personally disagree with, it's highly demotivating and demoralising, what's next? Complaints about onos still missing a butthole?
I wonder why people keep saying the font changed. I have just added a few more characters, but didn't touch the existing ones. The font looks the same to me.
When comparing the rendered font png files (I found an old one on disk), the only difference I see is that the font in build 295 seems to have enabled hinting (it was not hinted before). That was actually something I fought with, my newly added characters got rendered with hinting while the existing ones got rendered without it. That looked really off (not because of hinting, but because it affected just certain characters). In the end I managed to make even the new ones to render without hinting, by not using any custom shapes and just reusing existing ones from other characters.
So on my computer everything rendered without hinting, the same as before. So I hope this is a deliberate change (which can be again changed if desired), and not a bug introduced by me.
Personally, I tend to prefer fonts without hinting because they look crisper (in case of NS2, I think the crisper fonts have a better appeal), but I know people have very different preferences in this area.
The fun of NS2 is not just the accomplishment of your own skill, but the environment, teamwork, immersion etc. Shorter ragdoll time does not serve this.
The default hitsound indicator is another example of this. Maybe new players are trying out NS2 for the brilliant atmosphere of aliens vs marines combat, and not just trying to get their K/D ratio up like some ritalin-addicted CS player. I leave hitsounds off preciously because it ruins immersion.
Similar flawed logic over shunting greenies to small servers to 'experience the game the way it was meant to be played'. The single biggest reason greens leave is encountering a high skill ceiling on 'normal' servers even when out of green and finding no joy in the gameplay. Large servers, by comparison, allow rookies to learn the game and feel a sense of accomplishment without being stomped -- If you actually wanted to grow NS2, you would be recommending NS2Large for green players with a pop-up saying 'Try a smaller server for a more strategic experience when you feel comfortable'.
For some reason the PDT still seem to be focusing the game on a 'pro' gameplay style despite the fact that 99.9% of games played are casual, as changes like these demonstrate.
So far the only effect from recent patches is a whole lot of bitching in threads and a reduced NS2 player count. One would think these are indicators that your direction is not the right one, and some changes should be reversed.
Yes! Think of the immersion - and let's also add critical hits (with lots of splatter) if you hit said spot with a GL... we'd finally have a way for Marines to adequately punish the butt-wiggle-tease!
I'm sure that'd increase player retention by at least 2713.82%.
(On Topic: Font is ok. Ragdolls are ok.)
Problem is Martigen, people are just going to complain about whatever direction PDT takes anyway, there is constructive criticism and then there is "self entitled" whining.
For better or worse, NS2 needs change, no matter how small, this is the longest run of stale gameplay since God knows when.
I'd also really love to hear your definition of 'constructive criticism' vs 'self-entitled whining'. How do you decide which is which? And which is mine, by the way?
It's a sad day when people post about the game they love, and the response is 'you're whining, go away!'. Consider for a moment these players might be right, and consider for a moment recent changes might be wrong. Everyone makes mistakes, PDT included.
Feedback makes any product. I don't remember a single thread where players were asking for shorter ragdoll times, a hitscan sound by default, or server browser changes that try to hide large servers by default (please, point me to them -- perhaps I missed them?). Yet, there are threads and discussions asking for these changes to be reversed.
If the goal is to genuinely improve NS2, then please listen.
As for NS2 gameplay being stale, here are plenty of other changes that can be worked on -- lets start with webs, hydras, turrets etc. Until then, lets not make changes that push people away eh.
When lifeforms are dead you need to think 2 steps ahead already on how to exploit the lack of lifeforms on enemy side. You have time to be happy after the game and at that part it only counts that you killed the lifeforms and not how the ragdoll is bumping around.
Well that's my point of view on the matter.
And I think that's pretty much the crux -- we have two communities: competitive and public. And ultimately, they have different preferences.
Thing is -- and it's just my opinion -- we've tried competitive. NS2 from the start was sold as a competitive game to rival CS, to be a worldwide e-sport phenomenon. It was a noble goal, but it didn't come to pass. And now, the community is kept alive by public play.
Which is why I become vocal on changes that impact public play, because when that goes, NS2 is dead.
It is just my op, but NS2 needs to focus on any and all changes that build public play. If we ever get 1000 players again, by all means lets start promoting competitive again. Until then, though, it's a dead end to build NS2 with a 6v6 focus on the idea that this is what will make it grow. We know it won't.
That's why I find the resistance to large servers strange. Large servers attract people. Large servers make it easier for greens to learn. There are really no downsides, except that's not how the game was intended to be played. That's nice. That's the past. That's not what NS2 is now, and trying to force it to be will only kill it sooner.
A genuine push for growing NS2 would focus on 24+ server balance. Yes, actively decide than 12v12 is now the 'default' and not 6v6. Paradigm shift. See what happens. We really have nothing left to lose at this stage.
What about hydras and turrets?
Nah man, when you kill a life form, you need to take DNA samples of the alien corpse and worry about your marine wife, wondering if she's still safe on her home planet and then think about your son and you hope that he makes it through the TSF academy.
I, personally, wouldn't have noticed the ragdoll dissolve change, if I hadn't read about it. However, it could've easily been just a slider in the options menu to avoid people being angry.
This has been mentioned before and i simply don't understand this mentality.
I would think rookies are going to have much better chances getting kills in servers where they only have to worry about 1-2 pro level players on the enemy team instead of 5-6.. Where they can try a lifeform without having to worry about rounding a corner to encounter 10+ marines who instakill them before they can do anything.. Where they won't have to stick with a group of teammates all the time in order to feel useful.. Where nearly every fight isn't a cluster**** of 5-10+ marines and 5-10+ aliens jumping around like rabbits on crack trying to kill each other..
You know, where it's actually a strategic fps game and not a contest of which team listens to their comm and can spam bile/gl's more.
I certainly know that if most servers had been large back when i was new, i would've quit and uninstalled NS2 before even getting past the hundred hour mark.
When i was a rookie i actually searched out the 6v6 and 8v8 servers because I felt like I could contribute more on them (mainly by sneaking past marines to constantly bite rts and get sneaky tunnels up, two things that are much more difficult with 20 players on the other team instead of 6-10)
Nice try, but the correct term would be:
If you actually wanted to grow NS2, you would be recommending rookie only servers for green players for the 1st 10hrs with a pop-up saying 'Try non rookie servers when you feel comfortable'.
"Pro" is played @ 6v6. Cant remember that this format was ever popular for pub play.
The typical pub server is between 18-24 slots.
So, i cant see "the focus" here.
Ragdolls were fun ...
Meanwhile
I say : It is quite obvious to me. No public, no competition.
Reducing the quality of the graphics of the game for everyone, nice idea. Really, make a slider for it and everyone is happy.
While I do understand your reasons to not include a toggle (and personally don't mind), I would like to point out that a) nobody asked you to introduce toggles for every change and b) in this specific case it would have fitted in very well with other "comp vs. pub" toggles we already have in the game (Hitsounds, everything hud related, etc).
Please lets not start the whole ns2large or player slot count crap on here again, there was a 9 page long debate about that already.
295 in-game font looks very nice for me at 1080p and is much easier for me to read (I wasn't having grand problems before).
My first several games of 295 were fantastic. Really enjoying the frequent updates! Thanks again to everyone who built and tested it!
For those who claim it is ruining their "immersion," try to understand why this was done. If I recall correctly, pdt is working on making the game more understandable and all approachable for new players. Part of that is addressing the little things like this which can easily put a new marine at a disadvantage.
Imagine you're brand new, you don't yet understand the pace of the game and that bullets must be well managed in an engagement. You empty over half your clip into a rag dolling skulk cuz you didn't realize your buddy has already killed it. You go to reload because you've mismanaged your ammo and another skulk comes flying around the corner and mows you down.
It's a small thing, but it's a thing, and I can understand and appreciate the change. And seriously, if you want "immersion," I don't think a fast paced twitch fps is the game you want. Immersion is relative to the person perceiving it, sure, but I'm not sure why you would actually want huge dead onos lingering around, blocking los for whatever may be hiding behind it when the goal of the game is to eliminate enemies, not be in awe of their dead bodies.
the only divisiveness I really notice after the last few patches is from the vocal minorities we have represented here on the forums. In game, people seem to appreciate the changes and nobody is at one another's throat like on here.
I think us forum rats seriously need to tone down the hostility.
Thank you, pdt, for your continued efforts.
If NS2 was only a FPS, I'd be looooong gone.
2cough, you call about tone down, so make your speech coherent with this claim and don't say to some of us we're in the wrong game. Please ? Thanks.
All of us thanks the PDTs, CDTs, mappers, designers, community managers ... everyone who dedicate some or whole of his time to make it better
I was pretty delicate about it, actually. Notice I said "think," as in my opinion being expressed (not shoved down your throat). I also concede that immersion is relative to the perceiver. I really don't think my tone is out of line. Just trying to be reasonable. If anything the "Please? Thanks" comes off as condescending. Ironic.
If it's about reducing visual clutter and such, I think Quake Live pulled off a pretty good default setup. The default enemy model has bright neon green armor for easy visual tracking, but when the enemy dies it loses all the neon green and turns into blank grey. I don't think the effect was necessarily even intended to have any kind of immersive element, but it kind of looks like the enemy cyborg shutting down rapidly while also creating a very clear visual for the frag.
Here's some random youtube gameplay that demonstrates the effect
Maybe something slightly more elegant could be used in NS2 somehow? Let's say the bacteria instantly starts dissolving skulks and creates a distinct blank grey colour effect for the whole skulk model.
Of course if the ragdolls are removed for performance reasons or vision blocking reasons, simply recoloring dead players isn't that useful.
News updates are quick jobs that really matter if you want to retain interest. Without them, only people who check the NS2 site, currently play or happen to spot Steam downloading will know about what is happening to the game. I see people mentioning that the game is dead on Facebook occasionally and it's because they never hear about it.
Thanks for that change, it will be really appreciated.
I'm really struggling to understand why so many people are averse to changes like this. In the argument of 'I like ragdolls because they look funny/I like to take screenshots of them' vs things that genuinely make the game simpler for everyone, especially new people, I know which one I'd back every time.
UWE you take away the free choice of every player. If a rookie decided to like the game and willing to learn the basics, then he will automatically find the options and configure his NS2 to what he thinks is useful.
By now, I think it's obvious the PDT's goal isn't to genuinely improve NS2, it's to attract more new players to NS2 (or achieve whatever objective UWE set for them, so they can continue working in the future).
And this is exactly why so many of the changes are controversial (large server change being a great example), the PDT doesn't seem to have the interests of the current community at heart, they want to attract new players and retain them, so they'll do anything it takes to do that, current players be damned.
Many people will disagree, but the PDT's actions have pretty much demonstrated this.
And before people argue that genuinely improving ns2 and attracting new players are the same objective, this is not the case in many scenarios.
I guess only time will tell if the course the PDT has taken is the right one.
The changes we make will NOT be liked by all. We know that. We don't always agree ourselves. But you can't please a playerbase who have been playing the same game for so long, and who have been able to mod the game so much. However, the entire team are long-time NS veterans from both pub and comp play. We've all played and loved NS1 and NS2 for over 15 years now. We do not make changes lightly. Some will work, some wont. But we need that freedom to try and MAKE it work. The team is dedicated to the game. Hell, we are working on the game in our FREE time as well as our PAID time because we LOVE NS2 so much.
We need new blood to survive. We need new blood and new gameplay to make the game more exciting and less stale. Please, try not to fight us as we do this. Healthy debate and discussion is great and we welcome it. Just not the anger or the attitudes.