NPC species
Racer1
Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
It would be interesting to see NS2 provide a predefined set of "indigenous species". At the discretion of the mapper and/or server, they could be added to the map. These could be rats, mice, fish, perhaps some insects, and maybe even NS-specific species not found on earth.
These would not attack either aliens or marines, and would have a remedial AI - perhaps with a few hints from the mapper. They could move around and make noises. They could be attacked by either team, and would attempt to run away when this happens. A while after they die, they would respawn. Knowing about these species, mappers could cater to them, placing small areas (like small vents, holes, cracks, etc) where only these species could go.
What this accomplishes is provides a more dynamic and immersive playing experience, which makes it more interesting to play in the long term.
Short term, I don't expect these species to affect gameplay much. However, I can see this be extended by future releases and mods to add some of the following:
- Some species could be come pests, occasionally attacking a lone skulk or light marine
- Larger species actually show up on marine motion tracking.
- Aliens could eat the larger species to get a small amount of health.
- Species could become invasive, eventually attacking and infesting unattended structures
- Swarms of insects could make an area unapproachable by lone marines or aliens, due to risk of getting stung, etc.
- Better AI
P.S. I'm not talking about bot aliens or marines here.
These would not attack either aliens or marines, and would have a remedial AI - perhaps with a few hints from the mapper. They could move around and make noises. They could be attacked by either team, and would attempt to run away when this happens. A while after they die, they would respawn. Knowing about these species, mappers could cater to them, placing small areas (like small vents, holes, cracks, etc) where only these species could go.
What this accomplishes is provides a more dynamic and immersive playing experience, which makes it more interesting to play in the long term.
Short term, I don't expect these species to affect gameplay much. However, I can see this be extended by future releases and mods to add some of the following:
- Some species could be come pests, occasionally attacking a lone skulk or light marine
- Larger species actually show up on marine motion tracking.
- Aliens could eat the larger species to get a small amount of health.
- Species could become invasive, eventually attacking and infesting unattended structures
- Swarms of insects could make an area unapproachable by lone marines or aliens, due to risk of getting stung, etc.
- Better AI
P.S. I'm not talking about bot aliens or marines here.
Comments
What might be cool though is larvae spawning from the infestation, lawl.
But right now they seem to need to make loose ends meet.
I mean to put it bluntly... every single NS map is nothing more then a deathmatch map. Maybe if we could have stuff like colonists walking around marine start (perhaps a reskined welder bot... i.e. colonists with welders repairing people and structures... lol).... And ya other creatures like bats and snakes and cool dogs to follow the marine team around :P
Didn't the devs talk about having some weird firefly type creatures in the alien hive that fly around... that's technically a NPC species.
So ya rats would be cool tool... how about if a skulk flushes some rats out from behind crates which alerts the marines... and if a cat runs past a intersection and someone fires off their pulse rifle xD
Their can even be a new gamemode associated with this idea... like rescuing colonists that are hiding in their room and escorting them back to marine start... sort of like counterstrike with the rescuing of hostages... (although i didn't play cs enough to know how that worked).
Then their can be armed colonist bots that engage the enemy, which also alert the marine team...
And maybe the occasional freaked out little girl screaming as she randomly runs through halls... or she like runs around and the first sign of a alien or marine and she freaks out... alerting the opposition more or less.
In short it's almost like scripted events... or a script which in turn releases a NPC into the map...
uh why?
Having additional AI would be nice in singleplayer, because there are no other people to interact with. In multiplayer, you have a community so I don't really see the need for extra AI.
Daworm's suggestion is the most plausible - have it as a mod feature for the inevitable mod-tastic servers where everything works differently and you can't move for the horrible lag from the overworked server struggling to find resources. It'll be harmless, there.
Daworm's suggestion is the most plausible - have it as a mod feature for the inevitable mod-tastic servers where everything works differently and you can't move for the horrible lag from the overworked server struggling to find resources. It'll be harmless, there.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What exactly is the "purpose" of NS2???
I get the impression your idea for making NS2 amazing is making it purely a COMBAT-ONLY multi player experience. That isn't exactly going to make it sell all that well (or be that popular with people that play siege ans ns type maps exclusively)... people have xboxes and ps3's... they don't need yet-another-clan-only-type-death-match-counter-strike. On the same note, ns2 should not exist so it exclusively caters to the NS1-Veterans.
Look at zombie master and left 4 dead... people would rather socialize, encounter random events, explore, solve puzzles, then pump off shotgun shell after shotgun shell for 5 hours on camping skulks and cloaked elephants. NS2 needs to have giant maps with huge amounts of scifi story and interactivity with computer systems, and basically be resident evil with aliens in a multiplayer setting. Sure their will be the eventual show down at the hive, but first we need to run with magnetic-boots over the dorsal hull of the ship... Some may choose to use jetpacks + pressure_suits.
Seriously go watch the movies Alien, Aliens, and play AVP1 and AVP2 and then you may comment as to what NS2 should be like.
<!--quoteo(post=1718148:date=Jul 19 2009, 10:19 PM:name=FocusedWolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FocusedWolf @ Jul 19 2009, 10:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1718148"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->people have xboxes and ps3's... they don't need yet-another-clan-only-type-death-match-counter-strike<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Neither do they need The Sims ~Pets~ located inside a multiplayer-only online game.
<!--quoteo(post=1718148:date=Jul 19 2009, 10:19 PM:name=FocusedWolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FocusedWolf @ Jul 19 2009, 10:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1718148"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Look at zombie master and left 4 dead... {ALL THE WAY TO } Some may choose to use jetpacks + pressure_suits.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I have no idea why anyone would think this is a good idea without drinking copious levels of petrol, first. And in case you hadn't noticed there aren't stupid random creatures in Left 4 Dead. Also you only referenced zombie-themed games in this whole paragraph. Is originality your bane, or something?
<!--quoteo(post=1718148:date=Jul 19 2009, 10:19 PM:name=FocusedWolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FocusedWolf @ Jul 19 2009, 10:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1718148"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Seriously go watch the movies Alien, Aliens, and play AVP1 and AVP2 and then you may comment as to what NS2 should be like.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->These statements are redundant, because I've seen/played them; you basically want NS2 to copycat games that were, to be fair, mildly entertaining, which were based on okay films. The problem is you seem to be very much part of the modern generation of gamers who want everything to be ubiquitous, and hand out medals for originality to a game that rips off others but just covers them up with shinier graphics or a really big gun. Please consider coming up with <b><i>good</i></b> ideas before making posts in I&S, it really makes it more manageable for people.
These would not attack either aliens or marines, and would have a remedial AI - perhaps with a few hints from the mapper. They could move around and make noises. They could be attacked by either team, and would attempt to run away when this happens. A while after they die, they would respawn. Knowing about these species, mappers could cater to them, placing small areas (like small vents, holes, cracks, etc) where only these species could go.
What this accomplishes is provides a more dynamic and immersive playing experience, which makes it more interesting to play in the long term.
Short term, I don't expect these species to affect gameplay much. However, I can see this be extended by future releases and mods to add some of the following:
- Some species could be come pests, occasionally attacking a lone skulk or light marine
- Larger species actually show up on marine motion tracking.
- Aliens could eat the larger species to get a small amount of health.
- Species could become invasive, eventually attacking and infesting unattended structures
- Swarms of insects could make an area unapproachable by lone marines or aliens, due to risk of getting stung, etc.
- Better AI
P.S. I'm not talking about bot aliens or marines here.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<u>-Bug spray items that use the grenade slot (must be researched)
-Bug repellent structures (kinda like turrets)
-Salves/creams/ointments for healing bug bites (medkit doesn't fix them)
-Poisons/Antidotes
-Small species could gnaw out cables and deactivate structures
-Counter small species with traps, which could also affect non-onos aliens and non-heavy marines (a bit like bug bites)
-Resources may be blocked by nests, have to be cleared because they can be used (flamethrower would be good here)</u>
~~Sickle~~