NS2: Alpha Predictions
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Join Date: 2008-06-17 Member: 64463Members
Join Date: 2008-06-17 Member: 64463Members
<div class="IPBDescription">What do you think it will include</div>Hi Guys,
Had an interesting discussion with a few of my team mates today about what they think will be included in the Alpha release of NS2.
My predictions:
- Very polished / Complete game engine
- 1 map
- NS2 tech release (tools)
- Unbalanced game (thats what the alpha testing is for) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
- Models, animation all completed
- Game play elements completed
Discuss <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Had an interesting discussion with a few of my team mates today about what they think will be included in the Alpha release of NS2.
My predictions:
- Very polished / Complete game engine
- 1 map
- NS2 tech release (tools)
- Unbalanced game (thats what the alpha testing is for) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
- Models, animation all completed
- Game play elements completed
Discuss <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Comments
hardly polished, far from complete, large areas(if not all) un-textured and still 'dev' textured
models done, animations buggy.
unbalanced, and most gameplay elements in place.
One tech map that shows off all the lifeforms/weapons in a easy offline mode ( for simple rapid testing that everything runs )
One level for play, and seeing how good/broken the net code and voice comm system is.
The game engine will have problems due to incompatible hardware mixes. This is what I think the alpha is going to focus more on, making sure that a lot of different machines can run NS2, despite having different Os, drivers, hardware, what ever.
Balance of the game is likely to be good, because they will have the base from NS1 to build off of, and it likely the new stuff that might be broken in ways. That will be fixed during the beta, where the goal would be to fix off any remaining hidden engine bug, and then to have people play the game like crazy to see what is popular ( most off the best units/weapons over time ) and what people would not buy in game, even if it gave them res. ( oh it looks like none of the marines games we have looked at are using turrets I wonder why )
Like the ppl who say they wont buy the game if its not a steam game - we wont miss them, sooner or later they will come... - because ns2 will hit like a truck :B
Alpha means Alpha to me...
Ah good point. I totally forgot about hardware compatibility. That is def. something that a public test will be able to check.
- Random exploits in map/gameplay
- Sweat, tears and joy <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Probably be two separate maps completely textured and well done (basing myself on screenshots and the fact that mapping is fun.. would you half-way finish the first natural selection 2 map? come on..)
I would expect that the sounds would be taken from natural seleciton as far as comm orders weapon noises, alien screams, etc. are concerned. I'm sure by the beta or by the full release they will be completely replaced.
I expect onos pwnage.
Yeah, I don't expect much from alphas...
Yeah, I don't expect much from alphas...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't worry I am sure that you can simply type "unstuck" to get out of any sticky situations... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
Had an interesting discussion with a few of my team mates today about what they think will be included in the Alpha release of NS2.
My predictions:
- Very polished / Complete game engine
- 1 map
- NS2 tech release (tools)
- Unbalanced game (thats what the alpha testing is for) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
- Models, animation all completed
- Game play elements completed
Discuss <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm not exactly sure what game made you think an alpha will be like that.. but the other people in this thread are likely right. This is when all the bugs are going to come out.. as it's the first time that the game is being exposed to people who are trying to break it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
-Unpolished, maybe some effects missing
-Unfinished/Missing animations
-Unfinished/Missing sound effects
-1 or 2 mostly finished maps
-Possibly set times when the test servers are up for internet multiplayer
That's a feature, not a bug though.
oooo i want alpha now!
From the players, I expect many rants about how the devs "screwed up the game" with problems ranging from alien models they dislike to how the weapons suck to the devs not listening to them. Some will even say they're quitting the game, only to return some weeks/months later without anyone noticing. During the Alpha stage, the anger and frustration in the forum will overshadow the praises the game should be getting.
This is what I expect anyway.
The correct statmement is...
"In Mother Russia, the game breaks you!"
"In Mother Russia, the game breaks you!"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The correct statement is:
"In Soviet Russia, the game breaks YOU!"
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Where's that from?
Good chance of it not running successfully on many machines, but when it does it will be "mostly" feature complete with polish on many of the features, but some will be completely raw and in varying states in between. The resource model will change substantially in the first few tests, but settle down quickly.
They announced an alpha and a beta release.
Based on the little information we have, there's no reason to believe the alpha will be very polished in any way.