I love the new updates, but be prepared for StarCraft comparisons. DI is now functionally very similar to The Creep that the Zerg require. Like, identical in every way but appearance. And the Whips are now pretty much the same as Spine Crawlers from SCII.
<!--quoteo(post=1832976:date=Feb 17 2011, 03:19 PM:name=theStormWeaver)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (theStormWeaver @ Feb 17 2011, 03:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832976"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I love the new updates, but be prepared for StarCraft comparisons. DI is now functionally very similar to The Creep that the Zerg require. Like, identical in every way but appearance. And the Whips are now pretty much the same as Spine Crawlers from SCII.
Keep up the good work though!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Just like dark swarm/umbra or ultralisk/onos from NS1. The similarities don't take anything away from the game, but the features are honestly closer to "copied" rather than just "inspired" by Starcraft. Reviewers will take any opportunity they can to slam a game for being unoriginal.
<!--quoteo(post=1832984:date=Feb 17 2011, 03:37 PM:name=GeneralBowser)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GeneralBowser @ Feb 17 2011, 03:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832984"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->NS2 slammed for lack of originality? You're joking right :-)?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course there is a huge amount of originality in NS, but even just a tiny number of starcraft-imported ideas could ruin that image. Considering how many people play SC2, the parallels won't be missed.
I'm sure the DI will be developed over time, hopefully to look more 3D and "dynamic", as I'm sure people have mentioned before. I'm really not sure how the whip could possibly be differentiated from the spine crawler though. Maybe make it function more like a sunken colony by allowing it to "dig" a tentacle into infestation, then have it shoot out of infestation closer to a marine?
Well a big alien is a big alien. Can't really complain about the fact that an Onos copied the Ultralisk. I'd say the same about infestation, it pretty much goes hand in hand with the whole alien theme. Let's not criticize the fact that there is a hive, aliens hatch in eggs, and that marines have mastered phasing technology.
<!--quoteo(post=1832992:date=Feb 17 2011, 02:59 PM:name=saltybp53)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (saltybp53 @ Feb 17 2011, 02:59 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832992"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I looked at the video and my jaw just hit the keyboard. So we have DI now and now the loud stomp of the onos is going to sound squishy and cute :D<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh that gives me an idea... maybe when Onos walks on DI, marines won't feel the screen shake when an Onos is nearby?
<!--quoteo(post=1832981:date=Feb 17 2011, 10:35 PM:name=FrostFire626)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FrostFire626 @ Feb 17 2011, 10:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832981"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just like dark swarm/umbra or ultralisk/onos from NS1. The similarities don't take anything away from the game, but the features are honestly closer to "copied" rather than just "inspired" by Starcraft. Reviewers will take any opportunity they can to slam a game for being unoriginal.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Well, hopefully they'll change DI so it "grows" via waypoint or something, rather than is just "placed" with the exception of a gorge placing tactical DI.
The first look at dynamic infestation is amazing, i especially love how the gorge plays a role with that as well, really gives the gorge much more support in ns2 because you dont build upgrade chambers as gorge anymore, and the idea that aliens can only build on infestationis a great idea.
My only suggestion is that alien RT shouldnt be affected OR when built off infestation that it will generate a small permanent ring of infestation until destroyed.
<!--quoteo(post=1833040:date=Feb 17 2011, 08:57 PM:name=Flayra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flayra @ Feb 17 2011, 08:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833040"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The build is officially off to Steam by the way, look for it shortly! :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
PlasmaJoin Date: 2003-04-26Member: 15855Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
Well according to <a href="http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Valve_Time" target="_blank">http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Valve_Time</a> 'shortly' is six months away!! :)
<!--quoteo(post=1833049:date=Feb 17 2011, 07:13 PM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Feb 17 2011, 07:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833049"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->really really cool video :) much better than a wall of text :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree, but I like to see what little things were changed too!
<!--quoteo(post=1833052:date=Feb 17 2011, 09:16 PM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Feb 17 2011, 09:16 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833052"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i still stand firm on that i think that vision mode should be automatic (like we need another button!)
The more shadow or darkness there is on a marine, the more the marines should glow, or have an aura or something.
With the current vision mode, you lose the ability to see if you are hidden or where the shadows are.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Well I stand firm against that! :)
Just like the Marine Flashlight, Alienvision use is better left as a tactical choice.
<!--quoteo(post=1833052:date=Feb 18 2011, 11:16 AM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Feb 18 2011, 11:16 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833052"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i still stand firm on that i think that vision mode should be automatic (like we need another button!)
The more shadow or darkness there is on a marine, the more the marines should glow, or have an aura or something.
With the current vision mode, you lose the ability to see if you are hidden or where the shadows are.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1832959:date=Feb 17 2011, 04:45 PM:name=Quovatis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Quovatis @ Feb 17 2011, 04:45 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832959"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It seems that if aliens rush and take hives, then quickly link them back to the first hive, the marines pretty much lose, even if they take the expansion hives down. The marines can only destroy the DI with a flamethrower, which requires level 2 tech, but they can't build a second CC until they kill the DI with a flamethrower. So the aliens can completely shut down marine tech expansion with a few "sacrificial" hives. The marines need some other way to kill DI than the flamethrower that doesn't require level 2 tech. Instead of gorge rushes, we'll have DI rushes, making it impossible for marines to expand, and ultimately lose. Gorges could make little carpets of DI to each res node, completely shutting down the marine resources until flamethrowers are out.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is a great point. Maybe the switchaxe could also be used to chop back DI really slowly and the flamethrower would burn it up much more quickly? Another idea could be that portable power nodes will be allowed on DI and will instantly wither and destroy DI in the radius around them.
Wow those new changes look pretty damn good so far. I think however that the dynamic infestation should be done a little different. It should be something, that grows more natural, like others have suggested, you should either be able to set general way points which gives the DI a certain direction in which it spreads faster (it would still automatically spread in other directions but much slower), or don't give any way points in which case the DI will spread out evenly.
And this is where the Gorge comes in. Unlike the "natural" DI he could plant seeds of infestation, that don't have to be close to other infested areas (allowing only him to create small outposts). I would love to see him plant some sort of small building, instead of just dropping the infestation itself(If any of the UWE guys knows about Starcraft 2, I'm talking about something similar to "creep tumors" which, in a different way, would fit in quite nicely).
The difference to "natural" Infestation would be, that marines could fight it of with normal weapons by shooting the "infestation building"(otherwise it would be really imbalanced early in the game, since marines need quite some time, until they can get flamethrowers). The building would constantly spit out some sort of infestation around itself (I'm talking about some nice particle effects in the air), keeping a small-medium area around itself infested. This kind of infestation would not spread farther then that by itself, unless it is connected to the natural DI.
Once the building destroyed, the Infestation would shrink, unless it is connected to the "natural" DI.
This gives the Gorge much more tactical options, and it avoids the weird situation of infestation appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a room (so that it either spawns next to this building or next to other infestation).
Just my thoughts, I hope there is something valuable in them. =p.
<!--quoteo(post=1832941:date=Feb 18 2011, 03:48 AM:name=IeptBarakat)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IeptBarakat @ Feb 18 2011, 03:48 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832941"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think only the gorge be able to manually handle infestation.
If you could have the infestation from multiple hives slowly meet up and form a network automatically that would be awesome.
Maybe have the infestation use an ai path between hive locations. Having the infestation act defensively on it's own while the gorge can spread it to advance.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> It would definitely be awesome if patches of DI would spread towards other patches of DI.
Also second the idea that DI in the 'centre' should be invulnerable, but rather than true invulnerability, just have the gap fill up at about the same rate (i.e. DI healing itself at about the same rate).
Comments
Keep up the good work though!
Keep up the good work though!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Just like dark swarm/umbra or ultralisk/onos from NS1. The similarities don't take anything away from the game, but the features are honestly closer to "copied" rather than just "inspired" by Starcraft. Reviewers will take any opportunity they can to slam a game for being unoriginal.
Of course there is a huge amount of originality in NS, but even just a tiny number of starcraft-imported ideas could ruin that image. Considering how many people play SC2, the parallels won't be missed.
I'm sure the DI will be developed over time, hopefully to look more 3D and "dynamic", as I'm sure people have mentioned before. I'm really not sure how the whip could possibly be differentiated from the spine crawler though. Maybe make it function more like a sunken colony by allowing it to "dig" a tentacle into infestation, then have it shoot out of infestation closer to a marine?
Oh that gives me an idea... maybe when Onos walks on DI, marines won't feel the screen shake when an Onos is nearby?
Well, hopefully they'll change DI so it "grows" via waypoint or something, rather than is just "placed" with the exception of a gorge placing tactical DI.
My only suggestion is that alien RT shouldnt be affected OR when built off infestation that it will generate a small permanent ring of infestation until destroyed.
But what I did miss in the video was portable power packs.
shortly in Valve time?
I agree, but I like to see what little things were changed too!
[edit]
Which we all are of course, and don't get me wrong. Video's are awesome none the less!
The more shadow or darkness there is on a marine, the more the marines should glow, or have an aura or something.
With the current vision mode, you lose the ability to see if you are hidden or where the shadows are.
The more shadow or darkness there is on a marine, the more the marines should glow, or have an aura or something.
With the current vision mode, you lose the ability to see if you are hidden or where the shadows are.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well I stand firm against that! :)
Just like the Marine Flashlight, Alienvision use is better left as a tactical choice.
The more shadow or darkness there is on a marine, the more the marines should glow, or have an aura or something.
With the current vision mode, you lose the ability to see if you are hidden or where the shadows are.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
thats why you can turn it off, doh
This is a great point. Maybe the switchaxe could also be used to chop back DI really slowly and the flamethrower would burn it up much more quickly? Another idea could be that portable power nodes will be allowed on DI and will instantly wither and destroy DI in the radius around them.
Just some thoughts.
I think however that the dynamic infestation should be done a little different. It should be something, that grows more natural, like others have suggested, you should either be able to set general way points which gives the DI a certain direction in which it spreads faster (it would still automatically spread in other directions but much slower), or don't give any way points in which case the DI will spread out evenly.
And this is where the Gorge comes in. Unlike the "natural" DI he could plant seeds of infestation, that don't have to be close to other infested areas (allowing only him to create small outposts).
I would love to see him plant some sort of small building, instead of just dropping the infestation itself(If any of the UWE guys knows about Starcraft 2, I'm talking about something similar to "creep tumors" which, in a different way, would fit in quite nicely).
The difference to "natural" Infestation would be, that marines could fight it of with normal weapons by shooting the "infestation building"(otherwise it would be really imbalanced early in the game, since marines need quite some time, until they can get flamethrowers).
The building would constantly spit out some sort of infestation around itself (I'm talking about some nice particle effects in the air), keeping a small-medium area around itself infested. This kind of infestation would not spread farther then that by itself, unless it is connected to the natural DI.
Once the building destroyed, the Infestation would shrink, unless it is connected to the "natural" DI.
This gives the Gorge much more tactical options, and it avoids the weird situation of infestation appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a room (so that it either spawns next to this building or next to other infestation).
Just my thoughts, I hope there is something valuable in them. =p.
If you could have the infestation from multiple hives slowly meet up and form a network automatically that would be awesome.
Maybe have the infestation use an ai path between hive locations. Having the infestation act defensively on it's own while the gorge can spread it to advance.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It would definitely be awesome if patches of DI would spread towards other patches of DI.
Also second the idea that DI in the 'centre' should be invulnerable, but rather than true invulnerability, just have the gap fill up at about the same rate (i.e. DI healing itself at about the same rate).