Development Blog Update - Modding Q&A

FlayraFlayra Game Director, Unknown Worlds EntertainmentSan Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
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  • FocusedWolfFocusedWolf Join Date: 2005-01-09 Member: 34258Members
    edited August 2009
    Cool... but what about scripting a particular area of a map (like outside the ship) to have 0% air and 0% gravity, where you need a spacesuit with thrusters to fly to other airlocks on the ship, or weld stuff outside. Or have a battle on the hull of the ship where everyones wearing magnetic boots. Can this be implemented with lua on a map-by-map basis?

    Like can we have a map that is NS-go-karts with racing command chairs driving around, and then the server changes maps and we're playing something like digsiege :)

    Btw, i hope ns2 still has areas with water and lava :P
  • MigleczMiglecz Join Date: 2007-08-26 Member: 62005Members, Constellation
    can't wait to get into the game!!
  • PhlashPhlash Join Date: 2008-02-18 Member: 63674Members, Constellation
    I'm really looking forward to modding NS2 with Lua. Garry's Mod showed that letting players customize the game could be hugely successful. I've been wanting to make some fun things like a Skulk Launcher gun or a Flying Onos mod.
  • BruteBrute Join Date: 2009-06-10 Member: 67778Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=0:date=:name=Flayra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flayra)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->99% of the NS2 game code is written in Lua<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'd like to ask, what the remaining 1% is.
  • Invader_ScootInvader_Scoot Join Date: 2003-10-13 Member: 21669Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    I am definitely a big fan of that blog post. Clears up some confusion regarding the possible mucking up of NS2 installs due to large amounts of downloaded LUA, and made it sound very easy to make changes to gameplay (big or small)!

    Now I just hope most servers don't use too much LUA as it seems even easier to use than many Metamod / AMX plugins... But I guess we should expect some /stuck plugins eh?
  • paperjackpaperjack Join Date: 2009-02-14 Member: 66410Members
    edited August 2009
    Are those possible:

    In-depth modification and control of the dynamic infestation. I think it would be very possible to make it liquid-like by changing a few variables.

    Modification of projectiles, bullet types and others (there should be an option for projectile lifetime too).

    Custom skeletons and animations.

    Custom menùs, completely customizable.

    Ray-casting, which is creating a line from pos a to pos b and retrieve what intersects the line.

    Physics functions. Like, apply vector force function, distance to the ground, etc.

    Ragdoll and body detection, resizing and physically influenceable by scripts. You should be able to push specific bones of the ragdolls.

    Being able to disable every feature of the original gamemodes.

    Can gravity be configured on a area-to-area basis to allow for... low gravity.. (outside of ship stuff once out through the airlock)... cool ready-room secret-rooms! (suggested by FocusedWolf)

    Large bodies of water, lava (suggested by FocusedWolf)

    2D surfaces projected on a 3D model (like the computer screens in doom 3) and mouse detection on those surfaces.

    Adding new animations to existing models

    Questions to the devs:
    How many slots can a server have ?
    What is considered an entity ? For example, is a bullet a entity ?
    Is it possible to create custom entities ?
    How many entities is too many ?
    Is there a maximum velocity ? If yes, what is it and is it possible to change it ?
    What is the maximum map size ?
    Is it possible to place custom entities in the map ?
  • pSyk0mAnpSyk0mAn Nerdish by Nature Germany Join Date: 2003-08-07 Member: 19166Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Community Developer
    <!--quoteo(post=1723846:date=Aug 20 2009, 05:43 PM:name=Brute)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brute @ Aug 20 2009, 05:43 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723846"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'd like to ask, what the remaining 1% is.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Nanites
  • -Klaus--Klaus- Join Date: 2008-11-14 Member: 65447Members
    This is why modders should make game engines, I can see this being a hugely successful engine post NS2
  • derWalterderWalter Join Date: 2008-10-29 Member: 65323Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1723846:date=Aug 20 2009, 04:43 PM:name=Brute)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brute @ Aug 20 2009, 04:43 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723846"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'd like to ask, what the remaining 1% is.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    i dont think the gfx engine is coded in lua :D




    btw.: whats about the linux port?

    greetings from austria
  • Fang_XianfuFang_Xianfu Join Date: 2004-09-04 Member: 31344Members
    edited August 2009
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Of course, mod code will all auto-download and won't muck up your install so you can always play "vanilla" whenever you want.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I assume that this applies to other mod files as well, like models, GUI elements, etc? And how will server-side versus client-side code be handled? Will the whole mod be downloaded or just the portion that the client needs?

    And to roughly echo this poster:
    <!--quoteo(post=1723843:date=Aug 20 2009, 10:39 AM:name=FocusedWolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FocusedWolf @ Aug 20 2009, 10:39 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723843"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Cool... but what about scripting a particular area of a map (like outside the ship) to have 0% air and 0% gravity. Is this something the map-maker-editor + engine need to support, or can that also be scripted with lua on a map-by-map basis?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Will mods be enabled per map or per server? Is there scope for both, for example embedding the code for some mod or other into a map so that the map always has the correct version of that mod, as well as more global stuff like an admin mod or votemap enabled on the server as a whole? So if a map author wrote or downloaded a mod specifically for her map, could she bundle it up with her .bsp or whatever and not have to worry about server owners maintaining a library of lots of little map-specific mods?

    <!--quoteo(post=1723846:date=Aug 20 2009, 10:43 AM:name=Brute)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brute @ Aug 20 2009, 10:43 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723846"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'd like to ask, what the remaining 1% is.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Engine code. That'll be stuff like protocols and packets for network communication, things that really should be abstracted from the game code anyway. If you go back in the blog and read some of the older posts, they've talked in a fair amount of detail about it.
  • QuelTosQuelTos Join Date: 2003-05-14 Member: 16313Members, Constellation
    edited August 2009
    I'm looking forward to play around with LUA in NS2. It's great that you will release your LUA code with the game (if I got you right - EDIT: reread the post a few times, yes, I got you right. This is so cool it's almost unbelievable). That's pretty open source'ish :)

    And I have to ask too, what about the linux port, any news on that? :)

    More greetings from austria
  • CheesyPetezaCheesyPeteza Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9784Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    I'm looking forward to this too. What's interesting will be reserved slots and all the default AMX plugins which most people will want I imagine.
  • steppin'razorsteppin'razor Join Date: 2008-09-18 Member: 65033Members, Constellation
    If only I found programming interesting..
  • NeoSniperNeoSniper Join Date: 2005-06-02 Member: 52976Members
    That micro-blog post was an Epic Win!

    I don't have any questions since I've never made a mod besides original Starcraft CMS maps (if that counts). But I must say I've been looking forward to making mods for NS2 since the engine announcement. :) Thanks, UWE.
  • rutixrutix Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58208Members
    Sounds awesome. Now i only hope people dont overload the servers with mods. But if i remember correctly you guys would add an option so you could filter modded servers.
  • La ChupacabraLa Chupacabra Join Date: 2008-02-25 Member: 63729Members
    edited August 2009
    great news!

    but please -> when you will be designing the games/server browser, PLEASE make a lot of filters so you can easily distinguish between vanilla and modded NS.

    I always hated in games like dod or cs that there was many typical-looking servers witch were so heavily modded in terms of gameplay that they almost didn't resemble the original!

    EDIT:
    it seems that rutix was quicker by a few minutes ;)
  • Nima_Nima_ Join Date: 2007-08-30 Member: 62083Members
    Seriously. God this game is going to be awesome.
  • centaur2048centaur2048 Join Date: 2009-03-24 Member: 66886Members
    I'm guessing the engine supports volumes and triggers events upon touch and untouch. So, modifying a specific area of a map should be as simple as adding custom volumes to the map.

    I can't wait to get my hands on this and play around with it :)

    Do you guys have any plans on providing the engine code to professional development studios? It could be a very good "we're building our own engine and don't want to start completely from scratch" product.

    I would love to see the architecture :)
  • EnragedPlatypusEnragedPlatypus Join Date: 2009-05-30 Member: 67567Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1723846:date=Aug 20 2009, 10:43 AM:name=Brute)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brute @ Aug 20 2009, 10:43 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723846"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'd like to ask, what the remaining 1% is.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    ...Orphan souls.
  • FocusedWolfFocusedWolf Join Date: 2005-01-09 Member: 34258Members
    I assume at this point that everyone is 100% fed up with vanilla servers that make up 99% of NS1... with any luck we'll never see another vanilla server ever again :P

    Perhaps we won't ever see a flat counterstrike type ns map with long hallways connecting big rooms as well.
  • EddieEddie Join Date: 2004-10-22 Member: 32412Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1723887:date=Aug 20 2009, 01:25 PM:name=FocusedWolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FocusedWolf @ Aug 20 2009, 01:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723887"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I assume at this point that everyone is 100% fed up with vanilla servers that make up 99% of NS1... with any luck we'll never see another vanilla server ever again :P

    Perhaps we won't ever see a flat counterstrike type ns map with long hallways connecting big rooms as well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    You have got to be joking... What I would give to play a populated vanilla co server.
  • Mr. EpicMr. Epic Join Date: 2003-08-01 Member: 18660Members, Constellation
    awesome! I suspect some very interesting servers :)
  • locallyunscenelocallyunscene Feeder of Trolls Join Date: 2002-12-25 Member: 11528Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1723851:date=Aug 20 2009, 11:52 AM:name=pSyk0mAn)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pSyk0mAn @ Aug 20 2009, 11:52 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723851"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Nanites<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    First time I've laughed at that joke in a while. I think you may be on to something. It would help explain the concentrated awesomeness of NS1 and, presumably, NS2.
    <!--quoteo(post=1723871:date=Aug 20 2009, 12:56 PM:name=La Chupacabra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (La Chupacabra @ Aug 20 2009, 12:56 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723871"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->great news!

    but please -> when you will be designing the games/server browser, PLEASE make a lot of filters so you can easily distinguish between vanilla and modded NS.

    I always hated in games like dod or cs that there was many typical-looking servers witch were so heavily modded in terms of gameplay that they almost didn't resemble the original!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes! Yes! Yes, please! The day I stopped playing NS was the day I couldn't find a human populated classic NS server without game-changing mods(although there has been a revival of such servers recently and I've started the painful process of "getting back into it"). I hated playing a perfectly good game and then getting killed by some invisible spore mine, or a gorge+lerklifted lerk, or having that +hook gorge escape.
    <!--quoteo(post=1723888:date=Aug 20 2009, 02:39 PM:name=Eddie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eddie @ Aug 20 2009, 02:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723888"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You have got to be joking... What I would give to play a populated vanilla co server.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Amen. While I would prefer ns over co, the vanilla version of co is pretty fun.
  • NeoSniperNeoSniper Join Date: 2005-06-02 Member: 52976Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1723884:date=Aug 20 2009, 01:11 PM:name=EnragedPlatypus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (EnragedPlatypus @ Aug 20 2009, 01:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723884"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...Orphan souls.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I'm guessing the programing code won't have any orphans (nor widows) since it's not writen in paragraphs. *wonders if anyone here will get that joke*

    <!--quoteo(post=1723888:date=Aug 20 2009, 01:39 PM:name=Eddie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eddie @ Aug 20 2009, 01:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723888"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You have got to be joking... What I would give to play a populated vanilla co server.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Ooh what I'd give to have more populated vanilla NS servers. I think the only one that remains populated most of the time is the Guns4Backtoschool server (so much so that I usually have to queue up to join). Back in Europe I would play a lot on ABLENS.net but that's too high ping now (if it's even there anymore).

    Sorry for the full off topic post. Not like there's much to discuss here anyway.
  • CoolCookieCooksCoolCookieCooks Pretty Girl Join Date: 2003-05-18 Member: 16446Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation
    I like all of this easy downloadable modding idea, as long as you get some sort of 'list' which shows all extra modifications running on the server.
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    I do hope we see much less of downloadable useless sounds such as multikills and the like.
  • FraxinusFraxinus Join Date: 2008-03-02 Member: 63783Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1723918:date=Aug 20 2009, 02:25 PM:name=NeoSniper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NeoSniper @ Aug 20 2009, 02:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723918"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm guessing the programing code won't have any orphans (nor widows) since it's not writen in paragraphs. *wonders if anyone here will get that joke*<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    classy, give this man a prize.
  • Invader_ScootInvader_Scoot Join Date: 2003-10-13 Member: 21669Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=1723918:date=Aug 20 2009, 01:25 PM:name=NeoSniper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NeoSniper @ Aug 20 2009, 01:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1723918"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm guessing the programing code won't have any orphans (nor widows) since it's not writen in paragraphs. *wonders if anyone here will get that joke*

    Ooh what I'd give to have more populated vanilla NS servers. I think the only one that remains populated most of the time is the Guns4Backtoschool server (so much so that I usually have to queue up to join). Back in Europe I would play a lot on ABLENS.net but that's too high ping now (if it's even there anymore).

    Sorry for the full off topic post. Not like there's much to discuss here anyway.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The <GUD> server from the folks over at <a href="http://www.evolvens.com/" target="_blank">EvolveNS.com</a> is usually pretty crowded. Unfortunately I am on my laptop so I do not have the IP at hand, but their server is <b>very</b> competitive player oriented. Only allows about 22 players, <b>mp_blockscripts 0</b>, automatic free reserved slots for constellation members, some teamstack blocking things, and some good ol' end of round friendly fire stuff.

    Yup. Good server, definitely my new favorite over G4B2S.
  • Space_CowboySpace_Cowboy Join Date: 2007-01-23 Member: 59722Members, Constellation
    I’m not in any way against modding, and I frequently try out different mods for those games I like.
    However I think it’s very important that you have an easy way to not include servers running a modded game, when browsing public servers. It can be rather bothersome finding vanilla servers in some highly moddable games. I’m sure that the devs alrdy are aware of this tho.
  • AnthoniAnthoni Join Date: 2009-04-10 Member: 67129Members
    That tantalizing information is enough to get my money alone, you would have gotten it anyways, but I am just saying. :)
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