Why Aren't The Maps More Infested?
monopolowa
Join Date: 2004-05-23 Member: 28839Members
Join Date: 2004-05-23 Member: 28839Members
This is just a question I'm bringing up for discussion, it's NOT an idea or suggestion, as a great deal of balance changes would be needed...
I was wondering about the nature of the Kharaa infestation...the basic story is, colonial ships are taken over by the alien menace, and the TSA is sent in to reclaim the multibillion $$$ investment. But why aren't these ships/stations ever in a more advanced state of infestation? It's always one hive, no upgrade chambers. Do the TSA get there just in time to push out the aliens, before it's too late? That doesn't seem to be the case; the other hive locations are already infested, which ought to take a while (and yet when the game starts, the other two hives cam be built in a matter of minutes)
It seems to me that it would make more sense for many of the maps to begin in a more infested state, with multiple starting hives...Naturally, the TSA would scan the infested ship before docking, and their reaction would be appropriate to the situation - starting out with HA or JP, not the weakest unit they can muster, lv 0 marines...but not the strongest they have to offer either, because they have to be cost-effective
Best case scenario would be an alien team that starts with all 3 hives built, and an initially well-equipped marine team to eradicate the threat. Naturally, RTs would still be vital, or the marine advance would quickly run out of steam.
I was wondering about the nature of the Kharaa infestation...the basic story is, colonial ships are taken over by the alien menace, and the TSA is sent in to reclaim the multibillion $$$ investment. But why aren't these ships/stations ever in a more advanced state of infestation? It's always one hive, no upgrade chambers. Do the TSA get there just in time to push out the aliens, before it's too late? That doesn't seem to be the case; the other hive locations are already infested, which ought to take a while (and yet when the game starts, the other two hives cam be built in a matter of minutes)
It seems to me that it would make more sense for many of the maps to begin in a more infested state, with multiple starting hives...Naturally, the TSA would scan the infested ship before docking, and their reaction would be appropriate to the situation - starting out with HA or JP, not the weakest unit they can muster, lv 0 marines...but not the strongest they have to offer either, because they have to be cost-effective
Best case scenario would be an alien team that starts with all 3 hives built, and an initially well-equipped marine team to eradicate the threat. Naturally, RTs would still be vital, or the marine advance would quickly run out of steam.
Comments
Apart from that, nanites clean the ship, apart near hives where there's bacteria (nanite's evil twin nemesis) and the gameplay takes care of the rest of the illogic parts of the game.
So that might explain it. It was also explained somewhere why aliens evolve in stages to conserve energy. Only going for higher more complex lifeforms as the threat escaletes. They don´t really understand humans so they wouldn´t have any idea how and why marines go all axehappy whenever they visit.
True.. us aliens only want peace. If they'd simply relax and get rid of those pesky nanite things, they could become one with the hive and we'd all be happy. We don't need to be fighting. Just lay down your arms, marines.
So that might explain it. It was also explained somewhere why aliens evolve in stages to conserve energy. Only going for higher more complex lifeforms as the threat escaletes. They don´t really understand humans so they wouldn´t have any idea how and why marines go all axehappy whenever they visit. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I believe, not too sure, that some of that or part was in Six Days, or some guide somewhere.
How cool would it be, if in source.. the infestation got bigger as time grew on and plus each hive. It'd just change the tilesets.
True, i think mappers need to pay more attention to infestation. Seems like an afterthought on most maps rather than something to add to the atmosphere. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
It's possible to do (old Hera, for example, was extremely charged) but you really don't want that back.
It'd also be very cool to see the hive materialize from the ceiling down, kind of like falling like tentacles that form the hive, color it and then create it.
After a certain amount of time passes (just how fast is the TSA response anyway?) I would expect to start seeing multiple hives in one location (map)
What would you guys think about maps/alternate gameplay modes that involve TSA pushing back on a more firmly established Kharaa presence?
crazy idea that's not going in below
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what I have in mind is, kharaa start with 2-3 hives and their hive nodes, but no upgrades...hive abilities would come from a new "ability chamber" for balance...meanwhile, TSA starts with JP or HA and much more starting res than normal - they have to build their base and push for one of the hives immediately, before aliens can unlock the hive 3 attacks or get the res to go higher lifeforms. Both sides start out more powerful than now, but aliens are really on the defensive (at least in the beginning). Res nodes are vital to keep from running out of steam.
I'd add more details, but its not going to happen anyway (well maybe on Source, depends on what direction NS goes)
I've been close to 8 MB's of textures without any errors, don't know how far it can go, but 4 MB's is definetly not max.
Half-Life Engine provides a drawing board which NS can 'fill up'. Natural Selection uses up a lot of that space with the race structures and all of their effects (turrets shooting, DCs healing, PGs teleporting, etc.). The Dev team also decides that NS should be playable on a PC with <i>X</i> specifications, this is not really a very high-spec machine and so they must give certain guidelines for the mappers that ensure that gameplay is not ruined by the PC having to deal with too much information at once. The mappers who stick to these guidelines get the chance to submit their maps to see if they'll go official.
I think that something for the Source engine would allow much more in terms of visuals in the Hive rooms.
i hav a little bit of "growing" infestation in ns_training <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
i hav a little bit of "growing" infestation in ns_training <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
really? where?
<img src='http://www.nude-soiree.net/images/ns5.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www.nude-soiree.net/images/ns2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
My poor baby <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> I even created my own INFESTOR GLOW CRYSTALS SPECIAL KHARAA BRAND. Oh and thats all within the poly limits quite easily.
very nice map ben...
i ll write more as soon as i have more time for it
This probably happens because, if I remember correctly, there are only about 4-5 infestation textures, and a million metal grate textures.
For other mappers, please note the functional aspects of infestation: It fills in those little holes and bumps that knock skulks off the walls and ceiling.
Personally, I'd love to never see another hive room with a 90 degree edge in it, but that may just be me.
To go back to the idea behind why the whole ship isn't infected, I'd answer the following. The idea goes that the Khaara are in 'hibernation' for much of the time, so they're obviously not wanting to encourage a fight. Having infestation all over the place might create detectable 'lifesigns' or otherwise which would show up on scanners. I'd guess that the Khaara have just enough knocking about to allow them to spring into action when needed.
I don't think the Khaara are baiting the Human race by infesting their ships, merely expanding across the Universe much like we would if we had the technology, and the Humans of the NS world are already in the process of doing. What comes hand in hand with colonising distant parts of the Universe, is protecting that territory, an instinct that even we as Humans still have today (even if the law, at least in the UK, wants to protect the intruder's rights after he has broken the law and proved himself a criminal <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> ).