Dark And Dirty

voulge · July 2005

<div class="IPBDescription">NS in a can</div> Has it ever occured to you that throughout the duration of your NS gaming experience that the walls suddenly got closer, or the room has become significantly darker? If so, you are either
a) About to be converted from marine to a persian rug by an onos
or
b) NS was always like that, its just that for some reason... the developers like torturing those of us with low-end monitors/PC's by creating utterly dark and dingy maps!
It is almost ironic that most players (obviously Counter Strike AWPers who have bleached their screens) play NS in gamma levels MUCH higher in comparison to what the map(s) were created for.
Although NS is obviously meant to be claustrophobic... arent the maps all just infested marine outposts or ships!? Who ARE these people? some kind of mutant/cyborg race that ambles around their own ships ambling about their day as ale-filled frontiersmen!? Either the whole ship is lined with handrails (which i have found no evidance of through closer inspection) or their super-cool visors must be some kind of laser-guided walking stick.
Honestly, with ships THAT dark, frontiersmen are nothing more than a bunch of blind mice waiting to be hacked and slashed at by the butcher-woman we know as the KHARAA!!!

Inferior humans! resistance IS futile!

typical_skeleton · July 2005

Uh...

daidalos · July 2005

You know, the ships could be like that because the Kharaa destroyed the main power generator and the ship is running with backup energy. Look at maps like ns_eclipse or ns_veil, they are mostly very bright, only the Hive locations are dark, but thats because of the Infestation.

[edit]grammar <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' />

Pithlit · July 2005

Thats exactly the point!
The bases are not operational, thats why they TSA sent the frontiersmen in.
If it were just some bugs to be solved, the personell could´ve done it probably by themself.
But because the massive infestitation, the whole nano-gridlock, everything is on backup.
Nothing works they way it is suposed to be.
And of course there was probably already a combat between the original crew and the first Kharaa, wich they lost, thats why there is so much damage done already to the sips/stations!

CrazySteve · July 2005

and thats why boosting your gamma by 500% defeats the atmosphere of the game.

personnaly i like the dark and dirty feal.

CForrester · July 2005

That makes me want to create a really dark map, with a generator room that the marines can break in to. Then they can weld the power generators to restore the main power, making the entire station very bright, as well as other effects. (More atmospheric sounds. Maybe pumping water in/out of a room and making it accesible/inaccesible, activating doors, etc...)

CrazySteve · July 2005

well it is possible, there is a really dark hallway in hera where you can weld the lights back on

Curve · July 2005

Im worried about you

TheJim · July 2005

In all honesty i wouldn't mind walking around in a map thats pitch black i wud just want a better flashlight tho <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />

Heliocentric · July 2005

a ns:source map with no natural ambient light whatsoever? just shoulder mounted lights, ooh! can ns:s have a flashlight upgrade on a structure? or simply a stand alonmg structure, but it'd have to be a huge lightup <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />

the_x5 · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (voulge @ Jul 20 2005, 04:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Has it ever occured to you that throughout the duration of your NS gaming experience that the walls suddenly got closer, or the room has become significantly darker? If so, you are either
a) About to be converted from marine to a persian rug by an onos
or
b) NS was always like that, its just that for some reason... the developers like torturing those of us with low-end monitors/PC's by creating utterly dark and dingy maps!
It is almost ironic that most players (obviously Counter Strike AWPers who have bleached their screens) play NS in gamma levels MUCH higher in comparison to what the map(s) were created for.
Although NS is obviously meant to be claustrophobic... arent the maps all just infested marine outposts or ships!? Who ARE these people? some kind of mutant/cyborg race that ambles around their own ships ambling about their day as ale-filled frontiersmen!? Either the whole ship is lined with handrails (which i have found no evidance of through closer inspection) or their super-cool visors must be some kind of laser-guided walking stick.
Honestly, with ships THAT dark, frontiersmen are nothing more than a bunch of blind mice waiting to be hacked and slashed at by the butcher-woman we know as the KHARAA!!!

Inferior humans! resistance IS futile!  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (typical skeleton)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Uh...</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

Rofl! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /> Priceless, just priceless.

Nah, the maps aren't too dark. In fact they often (custom maps in particular) have <i>too</i> uniform of lighting usage. (ie: everywhere is well lit) Skulks need dark corners and some broken lights so they can stalk their prey from the shadows.

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (curve)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Im worried about you </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
Indeed. Your logic is highly flawed and disjointed, and seems to be more for the sake of humor rather than a serious commentary.

CommunistWithAGun · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CrazySteve @ Jul 20 2005, 07:46 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> and thats why boosting your gamma by 500% defeats the atmosphere of the game.

personnaly i like the dark and dirty feal.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
me too but sitting in respawn is even less atmospheric

Renegade. · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CrazySteve @ Jul 20 2005, 07:46 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> and thats why boosting your gamma by 500% defeats the atmosphere of the game.

personnaly i like the dark and dirty feal.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
And I would tend to agree, but then it pisses me off when I'm forced to play with low gamma setings (gg ATI) while others crank up there gamma and can kill me cloaked, in dark corners etc.
<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad-fix.gif' />
Either fix it so that everyone can adjust gamma or no one can adjust gamma.
(and no, powerstrip, ATI CC, etc does NOT work via a <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/bt/bug_view_page.php?bug_id=0000483' target='_blank'>bug in NS with 3rd party gamma controls</a>).

obuh · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>We've introduced another client variable, cl_gammaramp, which defaults to 1. If set to 0, the game will NOT attempt to lock the gamma, but should generate colors fine anyway. It will result in a darker game when unlocking it, but you'll be more free to use drivers etc. to boost it, and people on 64bit systems and with other odd configurations should be able to play the game. Hopefully, this will help.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=95421&hl=&view=findpost&p=1528945' target='_blank'>http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....dpost&p=1528945</a>

yeah

Skyrage · July 2005

There'll always be gamma **** in NS...

Just take it this way: anyone who gamma**** for the sole purpose of detecting cloakers, can't really play NS for crap anyway.

Legato · July 2005

I don't get why people crank up their gamma to help find cloakers. It's so much more fun to just shoot the floor trying to find one you know is there, only to have them leap at you and eat your face O.o

the_x5 · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Skyrage @ Jul 20 2005, 03:36 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Just take it this way: anyone who gamma**** for the sole purpose of detecting cloakers, can't really play NS for crap anyway.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
<span style='color:green'>I agree.</span> All you really need are headphone or any good sound setup where you can hear the telltale pitter-pat of skulk claws and know where they are. For practice have a well cloaked (or just close your eyes / otherwise not use vision to find them) buddy go around you and try to guess where they are.

<i>And if they have silence?</i> Well that's their tradeoff for other upgrades. Some of the best counters for cloaking & silence are shotguns and explosives. Want to know if there is somebody hiding in that corner? Pop a few rounds over there? It's not hard.

<i>And guess what? </i>If they sneak up and nail you then they are very skilled and lucky. Don't insult them or be a sore looser and cheat. Congratulate them: "omg you really kicked my arse" or even a simple "damn","gj", or "n1" Besides you never knwo you might make a new friend. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />

aeroripper · July 2005

in NS:S they should put texture lights on the buildings so they glow a little and stand out more in the dark.

Also i really like the idea of having certain parts of the base without light and marines having to find weldables to have the lights flicker on. The rest of the base would just have minimal lighting.

Heliocentric · July 2005

if i gamed with my monitor brightness the same as my windows settings, either windows would give my a headache, or ns would give me eyestrain, i never used "dark corners" too many gamma boosters, i use being around the corner, and hope they dont have a wall hack <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />

typical_skeleton · July 2005

With regards to weldable lights, I've always thought it was a cool idea. But it needs to be done in an interesting way...

Consider...

Let's say vent hive on ns_origin was really dark, but the weldable for the lights was in furnace, or possibly two weld points, one in furnance and one near biodome, etc.

I think the idea of having the weldables being in a "far off" area, especially away from the dark area, is cool. though it'd rarely work out this way, you could send one squad to weld the lights, and the other to start pushing the dark hive/area, etc.

I think you could come up with a lot of interesting ideas.

the_x5 · July 2005

I <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/style_images/TSA_Skin-975/icon12.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> the idea that you've got to turn the "lights on" and fix equipment to make your job easier. Even cooler would be if there was a way for the aliens to break the machines. And one thing to consider though is that aliens are being played by normal humans (us gamers that is). Until the alien flashlight is changed I don't see how it'd work that well. Besides one of the problems with custom maps today is that they all have the same lighting schemes:[/list]
[*]almost everywhere is well lit or unlit
[*]almost everybody wants to use just bright red and white lights
[*]and almost nobody employs contrast, accents, env_glows, or atmospheric effects[/list]

I'm all for making weldables do more cool things (scripted sequences & animations, etc), but an all dark map is just as drab as an fullbright map.

Bfb_32a · July 2005

If there was a map that had light welding as part of an objective, or a stint where you needed to go through a long completly black corridor (filled with sound effects of breathing and cool and creepy ****) to an objective... i would **** my pants it would be so cool. I loved doom three for the mission that was almost in complete darkness. The undead are easy to kill, aliens are by far the more dangerous foe. But seriously a map like that would be so awesome.

aonomus · July 2005

<fantasticfour>FLAME ON!</fantasticfour>

Ok, yea, cranking up gamma defeats the purpose of having dark hallways.... even though my gamma is maxed it only makes it playable cause of my LCD's low brightness, it depends on the situation, but cranking gamma to see cloakers light they were visible is just stupid...

GoldenShadow · July 2005

The only way to fix gamma hacks is to make cloak 100% instead of 95% so itsa fair

joee · July 2005

more like remove cloak because it's unfun and unskilled

Legato · July 2005

The typical cloaker is unskilled. But it takes a lot of skill to have cloaking without the marines realizing it. Think about how you would do that for a second

obuh · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (joee @ Jul 21 2005, 12:28 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> more like remove cloak because it's unfun and unskilled  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
-----------------------------------

To the crybabies complaining about the evil gamma lamers, how about you inform yourself a little bit for once.

<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=95530' target='_blank'>http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....showtopic=95530</a>
</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (that guy)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>o Cloaking transparency is now 100%. When you are stopped, and you are cloaked, you are no longer cloaked at 90% or 95%. It is now 100%. This will help in levelling the playing field in regards to gamma changes, powerstrip as well as model changes and should help reduce the complaints of unfair advantage in regards to cloaked players.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

So you see, the devs are here to help the poor little cloakies. Dry your tears, victims of tremendous unfairness !

NGE · July 2005

Hi guys I can spot cloakers even with normal gamma I guess I'm a cheater huh <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' />

SuitePee · July 2005

Cloaking sucks now.
I preferred the old 2.0 beta (latest one) cloaking when I spent entire co maps sneaking into the marines base,sitting on their cc,then saying "I'M ON YOUR CC!" and then subtely move to the armory. Good times. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />
Now it feels like you're cloaked when you move,but it decreases slightly. In old version,if you moved too much,cloak came straight off.
Not that I'm whinging about cloak,just that it's appeal has worn off for me.

Anyways,I like the atmosphere of NS. It's like I'm in 'Alien'. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' />
Besides,you don't find cloakers....they find and eat you.

Crispy · July 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (the x5 @ Jul 20 2005, 07:22 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Besides one of the problems with custom maps today is that they all have the same lighting schemes:<ul>
</li><li>almost everywhere is well lit or unlit
</li><li>almost everybody wants to use just bright red and white lights
</li><li>and almost nobody employs contrast, accents, env_glows, or atmospheric effects</li></ul>

I'm all for making weldables do more cool things (scripted sequences & animations, etc), but an all dark map is just as drab as an fullbright map.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
What? Take a look through the following and tell me there aren't maps that deliver in the lighting department.

<b>Classic Maps</b>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=90006' target='_blank'>Takeback</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=86633' target='_blank'>Marineris</a>
<b>Can't find the link</b> Source (beta)
<a href='http://nsworld.ns-central.co.uk/Map.php?UniqueID=358' target='_blank'>Enceladus</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=73958' target='_blank'>Shiva</a> (beta)
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=50814&st=360' target='_blank'>Hulk</a> (beta)
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76279' target='_blank'>Oasis</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92816' target='_blank'>Fenris</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=89833' target='_blank'>Futile</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92889' target='_blank'>Thorstation</a> (beta)

<b>Combat Maps</b>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=85061' target='_blank'>Drillchuck</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=94803' target='_blank'>Paragon</a> (beta)
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=94956' target='_blank'>Tempest</a> (beta?)
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93192&st' target='_blank'>Halo</a> (beta)
<a href='http://nsworld.ns-central.co.uk/Map.php?UniqueID=473' target='_blank'>Missile Silo</a>

<b>Siege Maps</b>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92945' target='_blank'>StormSiege</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92016' target='_blank'>Siege Generator</a>

waller · July 2005

TBH, it's mostly people just moaning about some random experience in a public.

Marine1 - "Oh, look co_ 24/7 server" *Joins*
Alien1 - Cloaks up to Marine1 and kills him
Marine1 - "ZOMGOMZ!? NOOBY CHOOBY?! I CANT SEE CLAOK!?"
Alien1 - "Live with it."
Marine1 - Goes Alien, get cloak, gets shot from across the map beacuse one of the rines actually has eyes.
Marine 1 comes to NS Forums and moans to the admins to make it more fair on him beacuse he's a stupid blind noob <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' />

I suppose i can understand it a little bit if someone's monitor is really dark, i used to know a person who played CS (omg? hax? bbq?) and he couldn't play de_nuke just beacuse it was simply too dark for him to see anyone and this problem seems to be amplified to most people with certain monitors whilst playing NS which is "Dark and gloomy" to most people with normal monitors.

The moral of the story is, SUYF and quit yas bitchin'. KTHNX.

Dark And Dirty

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