Feature Poll For NS:Source

Flayra · May 2005

Like everyone else, I have plenty of ideas for new features for NS:Source. The question is, what do you guys want?

If you have other features not mentioned here, reply with your ideas and I'll add them to the poll if lots of people suggest it. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />

Invader_Scoot · May 2005

Those are all awesome, except for the rankings. It brings people just playing for their score rather then the team.

aeroripper · May 2005

<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91852&hl=' target='_blank'>http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....topic=91852&hl=</a>

EDIT: Thread with all the fun\wild ideas that could be put in but

1) Marines\Aliens that are really lifelike as in hl2dm (looking at you, blinking, aliens with moving eyes that look at you), that would be really immersive.

2) Really nice training level for both sides, something IMO NS has sorely needed for some time.

douchebagatron · May 2005

i nulled my vote because i dont think any of those fit in the ns universe.

i dont want to see outdoor maps and vehicles.

theres not really any new weapons i could wish for. flame thrower might be nice, but its not necessary.

training level would be awesome, but im not really looking forward to it now that i know how to play.

new marine tech might be interesting, but the way it is is already quite amazing.

i cant think of any other kind of chamber the aliens really need, except maybe the possibility to put ocs on the cieling and walls.

new aliens aren't really necessary since there are so many kinds already.

alternate fire really doesnt fit with the gritty feel of ns.

clan support would be great for clans, but im not a clanner so im not anticipating that.

the xp system would be neat, but like previously stated it would cause more people to play for the rank instead of the fun.

im anticipating seeing ns on the source engine, without all the changes. maybe a few small neat things, but nothing big. ns:source needs to be a port, not something entirely new.

TheMunch8 · May 2005

Would NS:S Be considered After NS? If so, Proto lab stuff isn't Prototype anymore is it? New Protolab type things might be interesting, or Infrared googles as an upgrade. (to help with cloaking or something.) TBH, Anything you do would probably be fine with me <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />

EDIT: Side note, I would donate another 20 bucks when this games comes out, just because I know that a lot of work has to be put into it, and trust me, I get more out of it then 20 bucks.

EMP_Demon · May 2005

Damn, I accidentally clicked on the "Nullify Results" button... but yeah, I'd like to see a training map so that new players can learn a bit about the game without getting beaten too badly by skilled players.

aeroripper · May 2005

ooo infared goggles, now that sounds neat :-P

Omega_Death · May 2005

I voted for more marine tech, but it's not really that bad as it is now. Some cool new toys on both sides would be nice. One of the things that I hope the most for being implimented into NS:S is damage sprites. Like when you hit a metal object with the crowbar in HL2 it makes a "dent" into the metal. It's would be awesome to see the dent have the characteristic shape of the lifeform's claws or teeth that did that damage. Say someone does a hit and run you could tell the difference between if a skulk, lerk, or fade was there.

But either way a training map is definitely needed.

locallyunscene · May 2005

I voted alt fire although a lot of those sounded neat. Not so much vehicles though I can't picture a TSA buggy since they do most of their work on space ships and phase gates are the best transporation around

Swiftspear · May 2005

I'm not acctually hoping for MASSIVE gameplay expansions on NSS. I'd like to see the flamethrower finally make it's apearance, and I could tolerate alternitive fire, both to ease the learning curve of some of the more complicated speedy aliens and to further expand the roles of the existing weapons. But TBH I would be happy just to see the current niche weapons molded to fit properly in a physics rich and graphics intensive universe.

I'd prefer to see what you come up with flay and team.

DaJMasta · May 2005

I actually like all of those ideas except the last one. If its a public server, I dont think its quite right if you can't join the server cause your not experienced enough. Maybe have a ranking system to find games of simmilar skill levels, but u get better by playing people better than you, so having some servers with a minum rating wouldn't seem to promote the community and game that much.

The game is great as it is, but more abilities/play styles/life forms/guns would mean more variety of play, more game complexity, and more on-your-feet play than following familliar strategies. The only problem with adding more stuff is it makes newbies take longer to learn it, so good training levels, and maybe limit some aspects of tech based on the map or on server configuration (certian vehicles/life forms/buildings wouldn't be available on every map, to give a little variety, and to fit in with any fluff which is included.

I'm really looking foward to NS:S, new computer and probably a server, i'll be sure to play no matter what it is. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

Isamil · May 2005

New tech for marines would increase variety. Intergrated clan support would be nice but I can't see how useful that would be. What would it be exactly, people can check what clan you're in?

aeroripper · May 2005

This should really be a sticky <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/marine.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='marine.gif' />

Vermillion · May 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Invader Scoot @ May 5 2005, 08:13 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Those are all awesome, except for the rankings. It brings people just playing for their score rather then the team.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
we all know thats combats job lol

im_lost · May 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>training level would be awesome, but im not really looking forward to it now that i know how to play.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
Don't you want new people to know something about the game before they join the server and accomplish nothing but run around in circles? It's great if there are people on the server to help them, but it would be even better if they could know some of the basics before actually joining a server.

juice · May 2005

I ignored what might be good for NS and just voted for how I felt, what I would have the most fun with, and that is a new alien.

However, it was a very difficult choice, mostly because all of the ideas are good, but I would just like to see NS in Source with as little delay as possible! You don't need to add anything, at least right away. I'm anxious!

Anderval · May 2005

good things on that list:

nstraining map
integrated clan support

things that i dont really care about or could be good depending entirely on how they are handled:

new marine tech
new alien
new alien chamber - though i dont see what this could be
new weapons
alt fire

bad ideas:

outdoor maps and vehicles
ranking skill

ideally id like to see a straight port to steam with updated maps and textures with both of those two top suggestions and then balancing that before adding new features.

GoDlol · May 2005

Alternate fire for all weapons/abilities

I wouldnt say for all weapons/abilities, but for certain weapons, mainly marines, like lmg, pistol, knife.

TheAdj · May 2005

The two things that significantly limit the strategic choices each team can currently make is the small tech tree. Trees need to either be extremely wide or extremely long, or average on both. NS is small on both, there are not many options to choose from as far as marine tech goes. The limited weapons prevent someone from doing a really niche strategy, and the very narrow 3 tier tree (starting gear, Adv Armory and midlevel ups, Proto gear and 3/3 ups) prevents a real "tech" strategy from being used. In RTS games, usually it boils down to someone rushing, towering, massing, teching, or combining a couple of these ideas. In NS, rushing and teching are effective, while towering is broken and <s>teching</s> <span style='color:yellow'>massing</span> doesn't exist. I would personally love to see this:

Do not automatically give all the upgrade options once a building is complete, and require a research for some of the commander abilities. For example, medpacks should be innate and always available, while all other commander abilities should require research at a new building. Ammo, cat/stims, pinging, as well as anything else added for the commander (or upgrades to those abilities) should require research at this new structure. This makes the commander choose what is more important, augmenting his drops, developing his base, expanding for res, or upgrading. The more paths available, the more depth the game develops.

If you're going to add vehicles, I'd like to see it take a path opposite of things such as jets or HA. Distinct paths make the commander actually make a decision on what to use instead of doing a blanket "hey lets upgrade everything at once and see what works". As someone suggested, current proto tech should be moved to a new building, and new proto upgrades should be available (things such as speed augmentation or dual weapons carrying should not be left out of consideration for the protolab, it should not just be for actual gear worn). If the paths are stretched and widened, it will really enhance public and competitive play over time, as well as attracting people from the RTS genre (I doubt many people who play RTS games know of NS' RTS aspect, otherwise they'd crawl all over it).

Eternaly_Lost · May 2005

What I would want would be a better commander mode, the current one is ok, but I just can't get the feel for it, maybe due to all the hours I have logged playing C&C.

I would like to see the games for ns:s made for longer times, a much bigger tech tree, for both sides. I would also like to see more classes of marines, right now we have the solder, and the grenader. that just about covers all the weapons, lmg+hmg+shotgun for the Aliens (Solders) and then the grenader (gl) for the building.

Maybe there could be a system where when you spawn you can get 1 of a list of changes, say you take 10% less damage, but can only use the lmg, and it does 15% less damage or so, you could chage on spawn, so that a clan could set up it players, there might be a class of builder, were the builders can build faster, but can't use heavy weapons, or a scout class that is very fast, but has only the pistol and knife, maybe a weak lmg. And a normal Solder class who can do everything, but is not good at anything(what we have right now)...

I wounder if someone has sugested this in IS fourms?

Zavaro · May 2005

It's too hard Flayra. I can't decide. How about putting all of those except the Ranking thing in... after numerous updates. That would be awesome.

Just hurry up and make a direct port <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

KnuX · May 2005

I doubt adding vehicles would really fit in with NS and only marines would be able to use them because i dont see aliens having vehicles so it would throw the balance a bit having like 4 marines chasing down an onos with a jeep or something similar. Also from playing custom maps having outdoors maps is way too open for aliens to be affective because marines just can just shoot them down at a distance, aliens need to be close enough to do any real damage at the start however the rest of the ideas seem great its just a matter of going through all the balancing again.

aeroripper · May 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>ideally id like to see a straight port to steam with updated maps and textures with both of those two top suggestions and then balancing that before adding new features. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

I agree with this. The best enhancement you could do direclty is update textures\models and get everything looking good and working as it did in half-life. Then once you get it running well, start adding new stuff.

I can sit all day and think of cool things that could be put in but i don't want to see this come out 1-2 years from now and at least the first version out by the end of the year (realistically).

Also vehicles don't really "fit" in NS, outside of maybe dropships and cinematic stuff like that. If you were to add a vehicle, make it something like a "pod" elevator that moves around the base through a tunnel (think logans run lol). That would be pretty cool. Normal vehicles people would probably just take and rambo off with.

EDIT: If you want "outdoor" areas, incorporate the dropship idea that flies over the landscape on the way to the compound and drops the marines off. At least then you could show off source's outdoor enviroments pretty nicely <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />.

Sandstorm · May 2005

Vehicles and outdoor areas should be left to NS2. However, Source does support 64 players, so you may want to consider creating some sort of War mode for large numbers of players that's more epic than Classic. Also, I recommend adding deathmatch support for very small player counts, for when Combat is too big (ie. 3 players). I recommend leaving Classic as-is and making any tech changes to the new War mode.

I also recommend avoiding the use of prop_physics_multiplayer. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' />

KungFuDiscoMonkey · May 2005

I'm most looking forward to having less restrictions in the limits of the engine when it comes to level design work.

Fangs · May 2005

Training level for obvious reasons. Its really hard for new players to come into a FPS game that can be so unforgiveing to new players as NS. I really belive a walk through that introduces them to stratigic concepts as well as their envorionment, would be a great help. Oh yes and a scorpion might be cool too especialy if it hovered...

Omega_Death · May 2005

When it does get ported for the love of god find a way to get ride of the horrible "bouncing" interaction with objects in the environment. Example: in CS:S you bounce off of barrels if you touch them, this would terribly mess up a skulk trying to run and then bouncing off of debris making him stop completely and dead.

aeroripper · May 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>When it does get ported for the love of god find a way to get ride of the horrible "bouncing" interaction with objects in the environment. Example: in CS:S you bounce off of barrels if you touch them, this would terribly mess up a skulk trying to run and then bouncing off of debris making him stop completely and dead. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

That was done specially for CS:S to retain very close gameplay with the original. Havn't you ever played hl2:dm, its like it is in half-life 2. I'm sure they'll find a good way to use the physics.

napi · May 2005

Only problem with a training level is that it requires updating after each patch...

Although you could sort of work around it and have the level in two stage - the first is the basics of the game (that pretty have barely changed since 1.04/2.0 essentially), and then have a sort of announcement saying "this stuff is new to this version..."

and each time stuff is changed, just add a new section on the end / edit the existing one where appropriate.

I quite like the idea of the big open maps to be honest - source can easily support it, and it would introduce a large amount of variety into the playing style... immediate response is "aliens will get nailed due to no long range" ... but imagine seeing skulks leaping across some rock-covered beach / cave, with lerks speeding across the top... aah good times.

p.s. add lerk perch feature to be honest - and buff charge! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />

Swiftspear · May 2005

I hate all you jerk bastards who voted for vehicals.

Zaggy · May 2005

NS is fine the way it is, just add a proper training and perhaps a ranking system.

Feature Poll For NS:Source

Comments