ns2_descent_goodvents

Zavaro

Updated with new modid and stuff, now called ns2_descent_goodvents! Please update your workshop links!

Workshop link!

I've limited the scope of this mod from its previous iteration. The intent is simply to make the vents more fair as well as remove a couple minor gameplay greviances that players have had. It should make the map a little bit more fun for players (particularly marines).

The layout!


Balance

* Removed Launch-Shipping vent
* Removed Monorail-Water vent
* Removed Shipping-Hydro vent on South side of room

* Added additional Shuttle Bay-Gravity vent
* Added Gravity-Shipping vent
* Added Water-Silo vent

* Fixed Hydro broken glass tube to prevent dumb shotgun marine hijinks
* Added pipe and cables to block LOS from northern Hydro vent entrance to
prevent Gorges from biling structures from an invincible spot (Thanks, Psyk!)
* Broke down catwalk in Shuttle-Grav hallway to increase marine speed to the top
* Increased size of Nebula sign in Receiving northward to better block LOS to Receiving-Hydro staircase
* Broke glass and opened door in desk/kiosk thing in Receiving to offer some additional way into/out of Shipping
* Broke glass on rounded corner of room East of Gravity to give LOS to vent for marines to kill escaping aliens
* Removed crates and a support beam to upper Shipping to make the area a bit better for combat
* Added additional crates to right conveyor in Shipping to help protect Gorges biling arcs from above
* Removed ability to stand on wall in Shipping-Hydro connector

Visual

* Added reflective glass reflections and geo to props that don't have it (big ones being room in between Observation-Drone and the tubes in Hydro)
* Fixed a number of areas with misaligned textures and holes (don't remember where, but all over the map)
* Removed a bunch of lights that were inside the walls
* Changed the signs in Plaza and other areas to have proper aspect ratios (the Descent Station signs should show a round planet now instead of an oval one)

pSyk0mAn

You should have kept _andbelow for mineshaft.
The correct term for descent is descent_andfreefall or descent_andfalling, provided the name isn't refering to the meaning origin/lineage.
Much to learn you have, young mappawan, but I can teach you all about it, when you visit me next time above the summit on cloud 9

Now to the less important stuff..
Great changes, looking forward to playing them!

Soul_Rider

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

You should have kept _andbelow for mineshaft.

Mineshaft_andunder works too though right?

Zavaro

Soul_Rider wrote: »

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

You should have kept _andbelow for mineshaft.

Mineshaft_andunder works too though right?

Shhh you're revealing too much, too early!

Vetinari

mineshaft_delvingdeeper

axamdeep

next plan is ns2_tram_hubRT?

Zavaro

axamdeep wrote: »

next plan is ns2_tram_hubRT?

Not in my game plan. I'm not really interested in working on Tram.

Loki

could had gone for ns2_descent_into_the_abyss

Zavaro

Monorail

* Removed some pillars on path to Observation to make the hallway more marine friendly
* Removed some pillars on the north entrance from Silo to make the hallway more marine friendly

Water Treatment

* Removed catwalks for marine friendliness
* Added ladders to each big container
* Added some crates for skulks

Energy Flow

* Removed pipe above the power node for marine friendliness
* Made side-room larger to better store gorge tunnels and phase gates (the latter not likely)

Plaza

* Graphically changed the signs to have the proper aspect ratio

Crew Quarters

* Removed the center pillar to make the hallway more marine friendly

pSyk0mAn

I only watched one game so this is just a thought, but i'm wondering wether you went too far with removing the pillars in Depot (between Monorail and Observation) and moving the remaining ones at the wall to close the gap for aliens. It's an awfully long corridor now with barely any means for aliens to take cover while approaching marines; and the vent to flank from Water Treatment is gone too.
I'd rather see those 2 pillar props being put back more into the middle of the corridor instead of more crates.
Surprisingly tho it looks a lot better now and you can actually see more of the actual "Depot" theme with the window showing the Armory and the wall stuff.

Zavaro

Map has been updated and the workshop link has changed. Please see first post to update your workshop links.

REVERTED TO ORIGINAL MAP...

Vents
* Remove Monorail-Depot-Water Treatment vent
* Added lower Depot-upper Depot vent

* Added Water Treatment-Energy Flow vent

* Removed Shipping-Launch Control vent
* Added Shipping-Gravity vent

* Added Gravity-Shuttle Bay vent

* Heavily modified Hydroanalysis vent to prevent invincible Gorging and provide better lifeform escape route
* Made vents Marine accessible

Gravity
* Broke more glass to provide better vision on new vent exit

Hydroanalysis
* Replaced broken water tank with unbroken one to prevent annoying lifeform/shotgunner spot

Shipping
* Removed some excess crates and supports toward entrance to Hydroanalysis

Depot
* Added ladder to allow vent to be marine accessible

Water Treatment
* Fixed an issue where part of the room isn't visible on the map overlay

Zavaro

General
* Minor fixes to LowLights
* Minor fixes to Occlusion

Vents
* Removed Depot-Depot vent
* Reworked Water Treatment-Energy vent, now Water-Silo

Silo
* Fixed missing faces on SW wall

Shuttle Bay
* Broke the catwalk to make it easier for marines to get up on the upper deck (ala descent_andbelow

Zavaro

General
* Added cosmetic glass to many areas where it was missing
* Massively toned down reflections in most areas to make it less visually noisy and easier to track
* Rebuilt all reflections throughout the map for accuracy

Vents
* Retextured Gravity-Shuttle Bay vent

Silo
* Fixed some holes in the wall (whoops)

Energy Flow
* Fixed some misaligned textures

Zavaro

Vents
* Reverted Hydroanalysis vent
* Added ladder to Hydro vent for marines to fight invincible gorges

The_Welsh_Wizard

The original hydro vent sux. Yes a ladder helps a lot, but there just shouldn't be a bullet safe vent that lets you bile the whole base.

Katzenfleisch

Did you removed that OP railgun spot where you can shoot the fabrication hive from drafting ?

Zavaro

The_Welsh_Wizard wrote: »

The original hydro vent sux. Yes a ladder helps a lot, but there just shouldn't be a bullet safe vent that lets you bile the whole base.

I agree, my previous implementation was not without issue though. I'm still chugging along and thinking of things, a future update will have a better system in place.

Katzenfleisch wrote: »

Did you removed that OP railgun spot where you can shoot the fabrication hive from drafting ?

This once slipped my mind. Thanks.

Zavaro

Updated. This version includes a number of fixes listed in the first post, including an updated minimap. For future updates, I'll be working at trimming down the number of vents in the map.

Zavaro

Updated.

Shipping
* Added additional crates to eastern conveyor to give some cover for Gorges bile bombing ARCs in the lower area
* Fixed Grav - Shuttle vent showing dev textures in Commander view
* Fixed some areas that were missing good looking glass
* Fixed some more areas with Descent logo in wrong aspect ratio
* Added NSL Lowlights options (Thanks Tyr for pointing this out)

Zavaro

Major update to Plaza, based on feedback from @MajorTico with the design borrowed from early grayboxing

So far it seems fun. I'll see if it works, though.

pSyk0mAn

I like the rearranging of the "stations" in plaza.
The stairs will make it even harder for Aliens starting in Fabri to defend Plaza, since Marines have more evasion/backpeddal space there, while shooting the Harvester.

In general I'm not a fan of the new stairs and upper level arrangement tho.
They add almost useless playspace, which will just be used by Aliens for troll tunnels or easy escape routes, while it will make it super hard for Marines in that room.
Since there is no exit/entrance coming from the upper level, there is almost no point of being there in the first place.
At this point I would suggest to remove the stairs and access to the upper level completely; cover it all with windows like it already is at some parts.
Of course, the more interesting option would be to change this area so much that one entrance connects to the upper level. Then you get way more interesting (vertical) fights in Plaza (e.g. remove the exit to Crew Quarters/ Launch Control and add a corridor + stairs to connect those locations to the upper level.).

The cleaning cart in security is a nice idea, but I think it's a little too much in the way. Putting it a bit more out of the way of the entrance to Security should do it; and updating the reflection probe.

The vent coming from Fabri is still a problem.
Maybe you can add a tall shelf in the shop with the vent exit or put some infront of the shop windows. Aliens need some way and means to immediatly take cover after coming out of that vent. Breaking one shop window would also give another way out, since the exit is so small and in line of the vent exit.

Mephilles

I agree with psyk on the useless playspace part here. Though I am not sure if you want to remove the exit to crew quarters. I always thought having a vent from the branched off crew quarters hallway to the upper area in plaza would suit the gameplay of that area.

Zavaro

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

They add almost useless playspace, which will just be used by Aliens for troll tunnels or easy escape routes, while it will make it super hard for Marines in that room.

Currently, you can't place any buildings up there including tunnels.

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

The cleaning cart in security is a nice idea, but I think it's a little too much in the way. Putting it a bit more out of the way of the entrance to Security should do it; and updating the reflection probe.

Yeah, I agree. I really don't like the Fab-Plaza path there, it's no bueno

pSyk0mAn wrote: »

The vent coming from Fabri is still a problem.
Maybe you can add a tall shelf in the shop with the vent exit or put some infront of the shop windows. Aliens need some way and means to immediatly take cover after coming out of that vent. Breaking one shop window would also give another way out, since the exit is so small and in line of the vent exit.

I might make the vent exit near the Info station with the next build as it will allow sneaky aliens to enter the room a bit more stealthily. That idea still lacks cover, though.

Good feedback from you guys, though.

Zavaro

Alright, I've removed the upper level entirely. I kept the new placements of the "stations," as the new placement makes combat in the area a bit more interesting.