Blog - Dynamic Infestation

FlayraFlayra Game Director, Unknown Worlds EntertainmentSan Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
edited December 2006 in NS2 General Discussion
<div class="IPBDescription">What do you think?</div>Please tell us what you think of this <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/blog/2006/12/dynamic_infestation_1.html" target="_blank">luminescent, murmuring mucousy fetid feature</a>!
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Comments

  • fate_2000fate_2000 Join Date: 2004-01-10 Member: 25199Members
    Looks really cool and the way it moves is really natural, good job!

    Can't wait to see how the infestation element affects gameplay <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
  • moultanomoultano Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    edited December 2006
    It looks awesome. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> I particularly love the tendrils that snake out ahead of the main mass. Nice touch. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
  • DrummerDrummer Join Date: 2004-02-18 Member: 26654Members
    could be very interesting to see how it could affect gameplay. like if an area gets too heavily infested, maybe make it impossible to phase there? or have gorges enhance the infestation so much it changes the hallway into a crawl space?
  • ThePebblerThePebbler Join Date: 2006-12-01 Member: 58793Members
    I really enjoyed the NS1 atmosphere and one thing that really sticks in my head is that the infestation in some maps would only partially cover objects. I.E. Pipes and grating. I'm sure you know what im talking about. Now I know your work on this is just starting, but will the infestation completely cover everything? I think a 100% covered area would look rather bland (the infestation does look awesome though) with out some non-infested areas.
  • aeroripperaeroripper Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42471NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    edited December 2006
    I totally guessed it was going to be like the creep from starcraft, sweet. Can't wait to see what this adds to gameplay.

    EDIT:

    I can already imagine big battles with the creep going forward and back along with lights flickering on and off as it recedes\advances.
  • moultanomoultano Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    I put it on reddit: <a href="http://programming.reddit.com/info/t7cm/comments" target="_blank">http://programming.reddit.com/info/t7cm/comments</a> vote it up. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
  • princessprincess Yaaar&#33; Bristol Join Date: 2004-09-11 Member: 31605Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Subnautica Playtester
    Wow it looks great! I really hope it has an awesome squelchy noise when you walk over it too!
  • MentarMentar Join Date: 2004-08-03 Member: 30321Members
    edited December 2006
    excellent work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

    But will it always spread so fast? It just seemed too quickly moving to me. Just my opinion but i think it should have a creeping feel to it, but it didn't feel that way because it was rushing forward and changing too fast.
  • Mr. EpicMr. Epic Join Date: 2003-08-01 Member: 18660Members, Constellation
    Absolutely fantastic!!!!! Is this the bus? Hey Charlie, so is this going to creep with the help of gorgies, or is this all automatic? Also, can marines say... burn part of the area away? What if they wanted to clear this stuff out of a room and used a few flamethrowers (should they ever appear *wishes*)?

    It is really really great to see dynamic environments, dynamic game play elements, and far more involving and immersing elements being put into the game. Congrats, and btw the hype bus just ignited its nitro.
  • aeroripperaeroripper Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42471NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    It is really really great to see dynamic environments, dynamic game play elements, and far more involving and immersing elements being put into the game. Congrats, and btw the hype bus just ignited its nitro.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    No kidding, I can't even think of a FPS game that would have something like this. I think the hypemeter just exploded haha.
  • MaianMaian Join Date: 2003-02-27 Member: 14069Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Gold
    Wow...that looks freakin amazing.

    I wonder how it scales though. It seems like a whole lot of those meshes will be created in a typical game - wouldn't that hurt performance?

    Also, the bumpiness should be more random. I'm going to assume that the creep will grow radially (rather than directionally as depicted in the video), and that would result in very bumpy terrain - imagine trying to wallclimb on that.
  • KungFuDiscoMonkeyKungFuDiscoMonkey Creator of ns_altair 日本福岡県 Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14555Members, NS1 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos
  • MrBenMrBen ns_eclipse, ns_veil caretaker Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8575Members
    I'm impressed. I never liked the static infestation in maps. Well I did in my maps, but I always felt it was poorly done most of the time. I like this.
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    It does look pretty sweet, but as a mapper I'd like to be able to either place it directly, or control where it does or doesn't appear and the rate at which it does so. My main reasoning for that is aesthetic; while it does look pretty damn awesome, there are some cases where you won't want the entire room coated in it. On a related note; I'm not sure on the feasibility, but it would be cool if it avoided self illuminated portions of textures.
  • aeroripperaeroripper Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42471NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1582617:date=Dec 1 2006, 03:31 AM:name=Mouse)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mouse @ Dec 1 2006, 03:31 AM) [snapback]1582617[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    It does look pretty sweet, but as a mapper I'd like to be able to either place it directly, or control where it does or doesn't appear and the rate at which it does so. My main reasoning for that is aesthetic; while it does look pretty damn awesome, there are some cases where you won't want the entire room coated in it. On a related note; I'm not sure on the feasibility, but it would be cool if it avoided self illuminated portions of textures.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    Just make the light shine through the infestation like a transparency, or make it change the texture to an off light with maybe a nice dimming effect <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />.
  • XenomorpheousXenomorpheous Join Date: 2005-01-31 Member: 39182Members, Constellation
    Damn, that looked so good.

    Saves time for the mappers and adds gameplay elements, very nice idea. I had no idea you could do something like that on the Source engine.

    I am sure this is just the beginning of the innovative ideas for NS2. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
  • TheGuyTheGuy Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19295Members, Constellation
    edited December 2006
    Looks pretty nice. Everyone should watch the full version of it instead of the youtube. The quality really shows there.

    How will the infestation affect a player who happens to be standing in it's path? Will it fuse a marine to the floor or simply push him upwards on top of it so he doesn't get stuck?

    Personally I think the edge of the infestation should be feathered more. The way it is currently reminds me of painting with a custom brush in photoshop. But that could just be because of the speed of it. I always pictured it as a wider slower infestation.


    Totally offtopic but the RSS feed for RSS 2.0 isn't updating properly but the atom 1.0 is . The 2.0 feed is still showing the Max intro while the atom one shows the current infestation one.
  • TOmekkiTOmekki Join Date: 2003-11-25 Member: 23524Members
    that is pretty impressive
  • KungFuDiscoMonkeyKungFuDiscoMonkey Creator of ns_altair 日本福岡県 Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14555Members, NS1 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos
    <!--quoteo(post=1582617:date=Dec 1 2006, 04:31 AM:name=Mouse)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mouse @ Dec 1 2006, 04:31 AM) [snapback]1582617[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    It does look pretty sweet, but as a mapper I'd like to be able to either place it directly, or control where it does or doesn't appear and the rate at which it does so. My main reasoning for that is aesthetic; while it does look pretty damn awesome, there are some cases where you won't want the entire room coated in it. On a related note; I'm not sure on the feasibility, but it would be cool if it avoided self illuminated portions of textures.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Might could use some kind of nobuild type texture to define a line that it can't grow over.
  • aeroripperaeroripper Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42471NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Max posted a blog entry a blog entry describing dynamic infestation in more detail along with a video showing the feature in all its enveloping grasping glory.

    Enjoy!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Just noticed, the first "blog entry" should be deleted, only leaving the hyperlink named that.
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    My first thought was a point entity that inhibits/promotes infestation growth within a radius. But you can also select individual faces in Hammer via an entity now, so you could do it that way.
  • iFireiFire Join Date: 2002-07-31 Member: 1038Members
    edited December 2006
    Looks like a gameplay changing feature, I can't wait for it to be joined with a sort of "nanonetwork" limiting how marines and alien build territory wise.
  • AndervalAnderval &lt;3 Join Date: 2003-05-05 Member: 16073Members, Constellation
    this looks really exciting
  • glimmermanglimmerman Join Date: 2004-04-29 Member: 28300Members, Constellation
  • Garet_JaxGaret_Jax Join Date: 2003-02-23 Member: 13870Members, Constellation
    Sexy.

    Though I hope the infestation doesn't affect the layout. With loads of dynamic infestation it's bound to create loads of frustrating sticky spots. We may as well be playing Natural Selection: Mr Ben (ho ho).

    Love the idea of the infestation affecting technology, though.
  • PseudoKnightPseudoKnight Join Date: 2002-06-18 Member: 791Members
    I was so hoping for this, but never expected to see it so nicely done!

    There's various different approaches to this that I'm sure you're exploring, but I want to touch on as I think about it.

    - focal point expansion vs directional tendrils
    - specific or all chambers/towers/hives as focal/starting points, allowing some control over the infestation by the players
    - if tendrils, possible random sub tendrils breaking off and ending after a random distance
    - grenades and/or other weapons (eg flamethrower) pushing back/destroying infestation (see antlion exploding particle effects ala episode two)
    - the obvious -- allow chambers on creep only; in this case resource chambers and/or hives can be a focal/starting point and possibly other chambers help expansion
    - moving doors offer a possible issue, perhaps it'll open the door after detecting movement and stay that way until the infestation is cleared.
    - moving platforms would probably just have to stop working
    - gorge flux -- offering the gorge to spray where he wants a tendril to infest next.
    - allow the infestation to drip, drop, or droop to the floor when it's on the ceiling, possibly creating a stalagtite and/or stalagmite. (is most interesting if it clips)
    - make skulks ultra-clingy to infestation, riding the bumps with ease (if it clips)
    - make cloaking work better or only in front of infestation
    - increase movement speeds over infestation
    - make sure that infestation doesn't block hallways for onos (if it clips)

    Maybe that will ignite some more discussion.
  • Mr. EpicMr. Epic Join Date: 2003-08-01 Member: 18660Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1582647:date=Dec 1 2006, 06:07 AM:name=Garet_Jax)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Garet_Jax @ Dec 1 2006, 06:07 AM) [snapback]1582647[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Sexy.

    Though I hope the infestation doesn't affect the layout. With loads of dynamic infestation it's bound to create loads of frustrating sticky spots. We may as well be playing Natural Selection: Mr Ben (ho ho).

    Love the idea of the infestation affecting technology, though.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    i should think that since the infested material is goopy, there should be a fair bit of "wiggle" room heh thus there should be far less conflict than one should think. Who knows, maybe collisions will cause problems or maybe there is a min collision area set for them such that it wont cause problems unless it is generated while you are nearby (eg: you are in a corner while the infestation moves in and you get pinned heh.
  • rsdrsd Join Date: 2003-02-11 Member: 13405Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1582606:date=Dec 1 2006, 04:11 AM:name=Mentar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mentar @ Dec 1 2006, 04:11 AM) [snapback]1582606[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    excellent work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

    But will it always spread so fast? It just seemed too quickly moving to me. Just my opinion but i think it should have a creeping feel to it, but it didn't feel that way because it was rushing forward and changing too fast.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I think it's safe to assume this is a demonstration of the technology and their accomplishment, rather than a demonstration of exactly how it will appear in its final incarnation.

    Looks really good and I can't wait to see some of the cool stuff like infestation affecting lighting etc. ingame. Dynamic environments are great.
  • BlueOneBlueOne Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7036Members
    Awesome !

    That would be funny if the gorge could draw the infestation, or add some "touch" here and there <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
    Regarding the infestation, some kind of <i>aliens's lianas</i> hanging from the ceiling would be cool.
  • m1sterXm1sterX Join Date: 2005-02-03 Member: 39675Members
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