Natural Selection 2 News Update - Skycam Spectator Mod

HughHugh CameramanSan Francisco, CA Join Date: 2010-04-18 Member: 71444NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Onos, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts
Please post comments on the topic Natural Selection 2 News Update - Skycam Spectator Mod here

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  • playerplayer Join Date: 2010-09-12 Member: 73982Members
    No first-person spectating yet then? Was kinda hoping for that one.
  • derWalterderWalter Join Date: 2008-10-29 Member: 65323Members
    good idea, but...

    first person counts :)
  • HughHugh Cameraman San Francisco, CA Join Date: 2010-04-18 Member: 71444NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Onos, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts
    edited March 2012
    We do want first-person, but it is a much greater technical challenge. This mod was made by Dushan in his own time, and will hopefully significantly improve spectating until we can get those other perspectives in.
  • AlterNickAlterNick Join Date: 2012-03-15 Member: 148830Members
    So when the game is finished, what will the final spectating modes most likely be?

    >Skycam?
    >First-person?
    >Follow?
    >Ghost view?
  • playerplayer Join Date: 2010-09-12 Member: 73982Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1919449:date=Mar 29 2012, 06:25 PM:name=Strayan (NS2HD))--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Strayan (NS2HD) @ Mar 29 2012, 06:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919449"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->We do want first-person, but is a much greater technical challenge.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'd almost post a challenge-accepted, but I've already too much on the proverbial plate.
  • BicsumBicsum Join Date: 2012-02-27 Member: 147596Members, Reinforced - Gold
    It looks good so far.

    I guess switching from sky view to ghost view will be by zooming in with the mouse wheel, soon?
  • MuYeahMuYeah Join Date: 2006-12-26 Member: 59261Members
    +1million for Dushan!
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Awesome!

    Now, if you could get zooming working for the normal comm view, I'd be ecstatic.
  • ÒŗăNģёÒŗăNģё Join Date: 2012-02-09 Member: 144437Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    Look awesome D, good work. Is there still 3rd person spec? Would be nice if you could do like the old style HL spec also and press ctrl to select players individually from the list.
  • ssjsonic1ssjsonic1 Join Date: 2012-03-13 Member: 148729Members
    I wonder if the spectator mode is set up in a convenient way as to access the pathing mesh. It would be neat if in free-look mode, you could right-click the minimap and have the camera automatically follow the pathing mesh to that location at a comfortable speed.

    Looks good though!
  • heartborneheartborne Join Date: 2007-02-21 Member: 60076Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1919442:date=Mar 29 2012, 06:16 PM:name=player)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (player @ Mar 29 2012, 06:16 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919442"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No first-person spectating yet then? Was kinda hoping for that one.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    This is a great addition, but, Same here!

    <b><!--coloro:#9ACD32--><span style="color:#9ACD32"><!--/coloro-->Please make sure to add a 1st-person spectating mode <!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>—with full GUI, crosshairs included.

    Love it! :)
  • MrRadicalEdMrRadicalEd Turrent Master Join Date: 2004-08-13 Member: 30601Members
    This is all nice, but down the road when things are all fleshed out I would love to see units highlighted, or maybe a modified view(sort of like hive sight) that shows players firing, taking damage, movement, growth--- just a nice visual summary of what's going on so you can focus your attention quickly.
  • FloodinatorFloodinator [HBZ] Member Join Date: 2005-02-22 Member: 42087Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    That looks cool! Now in Skycam it should be possible to rotate the camera angel so that f.e. Warehouse can be at south and shipping north.
  • internetexplorerinternetexplorer Join Date: 2011-10-13 Member: 127255Members
    edited March 2012
    Excellent stuff. Off the top of my head, here are some things to add in future:
    <ul><li>First person view, demo/replay system (this is one of the foundations of competitive play and teaching/learning/making good looking gameplay videos)</li><li>Starcraft II-style spectator info - what's in production for each team, how many players are alive and dead on each team, income per minute, hive types, per-player map vision (to see what has been scouted/scanned as players do this), team res, pres, pres worth equipped on players, per-player list of equipment/upgrades ("Oh no! Bob forgot to get carapace and he's going to die to these shotguns!")</li><li>Buttons to rotate the top-down perspective (again, for making things look pretty or framing action in a certain way)</li></ul>

    The video was really cool, and it's nice to see that you guys have well-designed software so you can hack something like this together quickly. What about a demo/replay system (record and play back the entire activity of a game offline)? Will that be something difficult to create or..?

    First-person spectating is really important, not just for actually spectating/shoutcasting, but also as a rudimentary way to detect cheaters at the player/admin level.


    <!--quoteo(post=1919478:date=Mar 29 2012, 03:18 PM:name=MrRadicalEd)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MrRadicalEd @ Mar 29 2012, 03:18 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919478"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This is all nice, but down the road when things are all fleshed out I would love to see units highlighted, or maybe a modified view(sort of like hive sight) that shows players firing, taking damage, movement, growth--- just a nice visual summary of what's going on so you can focus your attention quickly.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I like this idea. You could switch to 'action mode' where players not taking damage/firing are de-emphasized in some way (contrast, brightness and so on). I guess I basically just repeated what you said but the point is it's a good idea!
  • FragDoofusFragDoofus Join Date: 2005-01-17 Member: 36115Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1919579:date=Mar 29 2012, 03:39 PM:name=internetexplorer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (internetexplorer @ Mar 29 2012, 03:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919579"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Excellent stuff. Off the top of my head, here are some things to add in future:
    <ul><li>First person view, demo/replay system (this is one of the foundations of competitive play and teaching/learning/making good looking gameplay videos)</li><li>Starcraft II-style spectator info - what's in production for each team, how many players are alive and dead on each team, income per minute, hive types, per-player map vision (to see what has been scouted/scanned as players do this), team res, pres, pres worth equipped on players, per-player list of equipment/upgrades ("Oh no! Bob forgot to get carapace and he's going to die to these shotguns!")</li><li>Buttons to rotate the top-down perspective (again, for making things look pretty or framing action in a certain way)</li></ul><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I second this list.
  • KurrineKurrine Join Date: 2010-07-03 Member: 72235Members
    <!--coloro:#aadd00--><span style="color:#aadd00"><!--/coloro-->
    That'll be a nice view for casting anyways.
    Will there be any chance of a zoom ever happening for the commander's view as well?<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
  • WarmongerWarmonger Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13126Members, Constellation
    Thanks Dushan! As everyone has already mentioned, First Person spectate is the most important so it's good to hear that the devs plan on implementing it in the future. Hopefully the First Person spectate mode will include all GUI elements, etc, just as the player sees it - as if you were looking at their screen.

    Also, IMO demo recording & playback is another very important feature the devs should add. I think this feature helps keep players interested in the game, as well as generate interest for people who don't know about the game (it's easier to put a video on YouTube when you can play back a match). Newer players can play back matches and scrims and cycle through players to see how better players play and react to situations. It's also an invaluable tool for catching cheaters (as is First Person spectate).
  • TinCanTinCan Join Date: 2006-12-11 Member: 59010Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1919619:date=Mar 30 2012, 01:04 AM:name=Kurrine)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kurrine @ Mar 30 2012, 01:04 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919619"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#aadd00--><span style="color:#aadd00"><!--/coloro-->
    ...zoom ever happening for the commander's view...<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    +1
  • YbarraYbarra Join Date: 2012-03-29 Member: 149621Members, Squad Five Blue
    Would be nice to see the name of the person you are following.
  • YotopiaYotopia Join Date: 2010-11-22 Member: 75176Members
    Soul spirit aka dushan rocks !
  • ZaggyZaggy NullPointerException The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24214Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos, Subnautica Playtester
    Good idea, reminds me a lot of Dungeon Keeper.
  • ThrillseekerThrillseeker Join Date: 2007-04-10 Member: 60593Members
    Most awesome ever. Great for competitive play.
  • ellnicellnic Join Date: 2010-07-19 Member: 72559Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Haven't had time to use it yet but itlooks really good. It will defianitly make watching your videos more intresting and look more professionally made.
  • SquidgetSquidget Join Date: 2003-06-13 Member: 17334Members
    +1 vote for unit outlines in Skycam. As it stands, the albedo differential between units and geometry is too small.

    My favorite example of outlining in a top-down view is <i>Anomaly Warzone Earth</i>. If Skycam had that kind of feature, I'd be elated.
  • BloodyIronBloodyIron Join Date: 2009-11-09 Member: 69321Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited March 2012
    It's really important to keep the spectator informed and anticipate the information they actually care about, I have some thoughts around this.


    <ol type='1'><li>Make health and armor display either at all times on the HUD or around each player in a much easier to see format, names need to be more easily visible too</li><li>Make easier to see indicators as to where players are, sometimes they blend in and this works against spectating</li><li>Allow the spectator to "bind" players or buildings to buttons for quick camera movements</li><li>Make the HUD show the number of resource nodes each team controls</li><li>Add a button for smooth panning as a top down spectator (middle mouse button?)</li></ol>

    To flesh out #1. If the health and armor is to be shown around each player (and name) it must be more blatant to the spectator. Or if you are going to show players of both teams on the HUD at all times make it so you can easily tell which player is which on the battlefield so as to match the HUD list.

    I think that's about it for now. Camera angles can only go so far, if groups (such as LANified!) are going to be broadcasting with commentary we will need to have more information visually available for the spectator.
  • LV426-ColonistLV426-Colonist Space Jockey Join Date: 2011-08-05 Member: 114269Members, Constellation
    edited March 2012
    Nice work Dushan.

    Now only if the commander could have that zoom feature.

    Edit: Also looking forward to a first-person perspective spectator mode.
  • swalkswalk Say hello to my little friend. Join Date: 2011-01-20 Member: 78384Members, Squad Five Blue
    edited March 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=1919455:date=Mar 29 2012, 07:30 PM:name=player)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (player @ Mar 29 2012, 07:30 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919455"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'd almost post a challenge-accepted, but I've already too much on the proverbial plate.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    No doubt it wouldn't be too much of a challenge for you, but get on with the gamestate recorder, it's eagerly awaited! *push*
    Your hard work is appreciated, I'm just a bit too excited about it ;)

    On topic: Looks very nice! Amazing that Dushan used his spare time on this, thanks x9000!
  • ArgathorArgathor Join Date: 2011-07-18 Member: 110942Members, Squad Five Blue
    Thank you Dushan for doing this in your own time.

    Also, thanks to all the developers who do things in their own time that we don't see in such a public way!
  • SilentBoB_tonySilentBoB_tony Join Date: 2007-07-10 Member: 61554Members
    firstly, thanks for taking your personal time to develop a great extension to the game.

    My comments:
    <ul><li>ability to use mouse scroll wheel in addition to arrow keys to zoom</li><li>smooth animated transition from skycam to freecam like Google Maps does with street view (enable MapsGL for best example, just scroll wheel zoom into the mapdown to teh streetview level)</li><li>player names above them with health indicators</li><li>other HUD items that others have suggested in this thread</li></ul>

    Thank you again!
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