Evolved balance Mod (formerly known as Pandora balance mod)
twiliteblue
bug stalker Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
bug stalker Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
I have been developing a mod with a massive amount of balance changes (hence the name), which I hope would make the game more intuitive to learn, while improving the strategic depth of the game.
On SteamWorkshop http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=406111448
modID: 1834c4d8
Changelog here: http://pastebin.com/n9MzF4hg
This mod is still in its "alpha" version. Everything is experimental and highly likely to be changed.
Questions and constructive criticisms (and volunteer server hosting) welcomed.
On SteamWorkshop http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=406111448
modID: 1834c4d8
Changelog here: http://pastebin.com/n9MzF4hg
This mod is still in its "alpha" version. Everything is experimental and highly likely to be changed.
Questions and constructive criticisms (and volunteer server hosting) welcomed.
Comments
@twilight blue, could you explain some of the design goals behind this mod? I am looking through the change log and it seems to suggest faster games.
Thanks Nordoc. I will be adding my reasons for the changes to the changelog soon.
Most of the changes were designed to make the game more intuitive and enjoyable for new/inexperienced players to learn, by alleviating the "unforgiving" gameplay elements of NS2, that can make the game a very frustrating for new players, from the "vanishing" jumping marine , to resource and tech snowballing effect. I also aim to reduce the chances of "instant death" in combat (eg. Skulk vs Shotgun/Railgun).
Some of the changes aim to deliver more consistent outcomes of combat, by limiting the power of the skilled individual, from being able to single-handedly obliterate multiple (three or even more) new players in seconds, while encouraging the use of teamwork tools (such as buffs to hand grenades). With the marine armor and Nano Shield buff, Medpacks have been relegated from being make-or-break combat ability to general purpose healing.
I hope the game play would be faster paced with more focus on capturing tech points. There should be more chances of comebacks (but not just from BileBomb rush or Power Node rush) and snowballing becoming slower (due to more expensive RTs, alien tech, and 2 comm station requirements for Arms Lab upgrade level 3).
Many underused game elements (such as Sentries, Babblers and Stab) have received some tweaks or revamp to add strategic value to their usage.
Let us know when you get a server running your mod
By the way, who's this @wooza dude you're talking about?
In the mean time you really should provide precise informations about what is changed.
Like "economy +10%, etc.". Known bugs, especially crashes. How frequently would you plan to update it ? (every 10min isn't good... right?)
I can only understand that you didn't met the most aggressive Marines. And i consider myself to be a real bastard when I'm skulk. But everything has limits. And to some level, skulks can truly meet "aggressive marine". Tell me more about "aggressive marine".
Faster paced: Every change in the balance included an alien economy chapter. Making it slower every time. What are the changes about that ? I understand that making it faster would only get to mass Onie in less time than we actually see.
Would you consider this ? :
If a JP/shotgun (or fade or whatever) dies; he can buy back the same but for a lower price. So the game still go; even with a death. It still costs money so at some point the wallet is empty. Say, you lost a fade. Instead of re-buying at 40 you get it back for 20. It would take time to balance it but you get the point.
I think it's one of the most 'unforgiving' thing that should be changed.
Unfortunately there is no real documentation on the internal NS2 guts (hooks) and you will rely on CDT for a good part. How do you plan all this? I mean do you have all information needed to "manipulate" every variable? You will need it.
Just don't it's a mess. I did dropped by yesterday and i can only say i still don't like it.
The alien tech cost increase was aimed to encourage aliens to take an early second hive (perhaps for Leap rush, or just expand territory), and to delay super Fade and Onos, which will start appearing earlier than in vanilla NS2.
I have been modding for quite a while now (slowly making progress since 2009), and have had to jump a few learning hurdles over the last few weeks. I have confidence that Pandora mod will continue to improve, as long as there is sufficient interest from players.
SupaFred and Wooza did each kindly run my mod on one of their servers. Though there appears to be a lack of players joining them. :P
Currently there is a server in Australia running the mod, supported by Scatter. For the last few nights we had a few 4v4 friendly test matches, which mostly became cheat enabled feature demos haha.
Procedure?
You can launch your server.exe with the -mods option eg.
server.exe -mods 1834c4d8
I have little server experience and only tested it a little with the help of this guide: http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/124206/definitive-guide-to-running-a-modded-server-combat-custom-maps-or-otherwise
Wait & see
http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/137253/web-interface-mod-subcribe-broken#latest
Latest changes:
v0.3.6
Disconnected Cysts no longer take damage.
Metabolize Blink initial bonus speed decreased from 3 to 2.
Fixed Stab shadow-step stopping when chasing preys that are moving away.
Pulse Grenade no longer damages marines.
Pulse Grenade damage changed to 100.
Pulse Grenade detonation trigger range changed to 2.2.
Decreased marine strafe-jump speed by 0.5.
Decreased Exo cost to 30.
Adjusted dual-gun Exo upgrade purchase cost to 30.
Flamethrower can burn Spores once again.
Lerk now fires two spikes simultaneously. Increased Spike overall damage and energy cost.
Adjusted ARC health to 1800 and armor to 600 (more armor but less health).
Adjusted Babbler FoV and movement to be more responsive.
New alien upgrade: Ferocity (from Shell), which increases attack damage by up to 20%, and decreases energy regen by 20%.
...
Full changelog can be found here: http://pastebin.com/n9MzF4hg
v0.4.1
Increased Lerk Spike attack speed from 0.25 to 0.2 and rebalanced damage.
Increased Shotgun fire rate from 0.816 to 0.78 second (by about 4.5%).
Increased Cyst grow time from 5 to 7 seconds.
Decreased both Weapons/Armor level 1 costs to 15. Increased both Weapons/Armour level 3 costs to 55.
Increased Marine initial personal resource to 15.
Increased Grenade Launcher damage to 170.
Increased Pulse Grenade damage from 90 to 100.
v0.4.0
-Rebalanced Lerk Spike damage and attack speed.
-Increased Cluster Grenade initial damage and burn stacks.
-Decreased Skulk and Fade air control.
-Decreased Skulk base speed to 6.8. Changed Skulk acceleration and friction both to 12.
-Decreased Marine base speed to 4.8.
-Reverted Robo Factory and Crag supply to 5.
-Decreased Metabolize energy gain from 15 to 10; Decreased Metabolize cooldown from 5.5 to 5 seconds.
-Reduced Parasite duration to 15 seconds.
-Decreased Babbler cost to 0, and its duration to 90 seconds.
-Changed mature Cyst health to 550.
-Increased young Cyst health to 100. Increased Cyst grow time from 5 to 10 seconds.
-Decreased Fade initial Blink speed by 1.
-Decreased Metabolize heal from 60 to 50.
-Reduced Nano Shield cooldown to 8 seconds.
-Increased Command Station armor by 500.
-Decreased Armory health to 1525, and armour to 275.
-Decreased Armory cost to 10.
-Increased Gorge Tunnel cost from 4 to 5.
-Decreased Extractor effective health by 500. Decreased Extractor cost to 12.
-Decreased Phase Gate cost from 15 to 10 TRes and build time from 12 to 10 seconds. Reduced Phase Gate health from 2000 to 1000, and armor from 550 to 500.
-Ferocity trait now scales energy regen penalty with level, up to 25% slower regen.
Full changelog can be found here: http://pastebin.com/n9MzF4hg
Changelog
==============================================
v0.4.2
Reverted Extractor cost to 10.
Increased Catpack movement bonus from 1.25 to 1.3.
Decreased Onos base movement speed to 6.3.
Decreased Onos charge max speed to 10.5.
Increased Marine flashlight range from 15 to 16.
Increased base uncloaking time from 1/12 to 1/6 second.
Increased Scan cooldown to 4 seconds.
Increased Whip damage from 50 to 60.
Grenade Launcher grenade no longer has a detonation delay.
Increased Grenade Launcher weight from 0.15 to 0.18.
Increased Grenade Launcher damage to 175.
Reverted Grenade Launcher cost to 20.
Decreased Grenade Launcher player damage to 60%.
Decreased Grenade Launcher explosion radius from 4.8 to 4.
Reverted Mine damage to 125.
Decreased Railgun damage from 40+60 to 30+60. Decreased Railgun charge-up duration to 0.55 second.
Increased second Railgun's fire delay to prevent both guns from firing simultaneously.
Reduced Exo backward movement speed from 80% to 60% of forward speed.
Reduced Lerk Bite damage to 50.
Decreased Lerk Spores damage to 17 per second.
Increased hand grenades projectile speed from 18 to 20. Increased hand grenade throw animation speed by 9%.
Pitch it to @wooza
v0.4.5
Increased Parasite damage to 17.
Increased Mine explosion radius from 6 to 8.
Reverted Mine cost to 15.
Mines are now triggered by blinking Fades.
Reduced Xenocide explosion radius from 14 to 12.
Metabolize now increases Fade ground movement maximum speed by 11.8 (to 18 by default) for 0.45 second.
Metabolize costs 30 energy, and no longer regenerates energy, and has a 2.5 seconds cooldown.
Advanced Metabolize (research) now heals Fade for 60, but no longer heals armor.
Full (possibly incomplete) changelog here: http://pastebin.com/n9MzF4hg
All alien trait upgrade structures (Shell, Spur, Veil) can be built at all times.
Cost of Shell, Spur and Veil increased to 30.
Reduced Carapace maximum effective health increase to approximately 15% for all lifeforms.
Mucous Membrane shield increased slightly from 15% max health to 6 + 15% max health. Duration reduced from 5 to 3 seconds.
Maximum Personal Resource bounty from destroying resource towers reduced from 2 to 1.
Added Marine long jump (sprint jump).
Time to reach maximum sprinting speed decreased from 1.5 to 1.0 second.
Prototype Lab now requires two command stations.
Observatory detection range increased from 22 to 25.
v0.4.9
Babbler Pheromone ability changed:
-Primary fire now tosses out Babblers (up to 4)
-(Tapping) Secondary attack throws Pheromone bait instead.
Blink max duration reduced to 0.4 second.
Blink intial speed increased to 15, and accelerates rapidly to 18.
Blink can now travel in any movement direction.
Air control during Blink is greatly reduced.
Stab can now be used during Blink.
Stab attack speed increased by 100%.
Bone Shield now has a minimum 0.5 second damage protection
Reduced Hydra cost to 1.
Increased Welder structure damage to 60 per second (180 after multiplier).
Grenade Launcher now receives weapons damage upgrades.
Reduced Power Node build time to 5 seconds.
Whips on fire now deal only 50% damage with their slaps.