Xenoswarm - a new mod from the NS2Combat team!

MCMLXXXIVMCMLXXXIV Join Date: 2010-04-14 Member: 71400Members
edited April 2013 in Modding
A lot of people have been wondering why there's been such slow progress on Combat lately. After months of work I'm proud to be able to unveil a teaser for our next mod!


Video by Jibrail
Music: Natural Selection 1 main menu music


Xenoswarm
Our vision for Xenoswarm is a cross between a "Left 4 Dead" style co-operative experience and the asymmetrical combat that you all know and love in NS2. Choose from one of three classes (Assault, Support and Scout), each with their own unique abilities and work together to escape from the clutches of the alien horde.

Planned features
  • A class system with three different classes.
  • A completely rewritten XP and upgrade system.
  • AI-controlled enemies and allies.
  • A builder weapon for the marines to allow creation of outposts.
  • New weapons: Submachine Gun, Knives, Portable scanner, Laser trip mines and more!
  • New maps with story-based progression.
  • Difficulty scaling with the number of players and friendly bots making the game suitable as a single player experience.

Roadmap
There's still lots of work for us to do, and over the coming months we will be working hard to get the mod in a fit state to release. We've learned a lot since releasing Combat last year, which has directly informed our design of this new mod. Expect an initial release in the spring/summer with the main functionality and some maps, with incremental updates to follow as we add new features. More information here as timelines become clearer...

The future of Combat Mode
Don't worry! We've not given up work on our rewrite of Combat mode. Xenoswarm shares most of the same code base and the same upgrade system, so all the work we've put in so far will allow us to relaunch Combat mode as a new mod in the next few months. By rewriting most of the code from scratch we've been able to make the code much easier to change. So much so in fact, if you launch Xenoswarm on a regular Combat map you already currently get something close to how we imagine the new version of Combat will look.

The Team
Over the last few months we've assembled a crack modding team to get this game off the ground:
JimWest - Creator of the Extra Entities mod, working on mapper support and all the AI logic.
Jibrail - Creative genius, test co-ordinator and balance supervisor
Evil_Ice - Master modeller and mod mentor.
MCMLXXXIV - Technical lead, Gameplay programmer and Mod architecture guru.
TwoStroker - Experimental mapper.
Mr. P - Server-side support and balance advisor.
OAG Clan - Logistical support.

Help Wanted
We're currently looking for mappers (see this entry in the Mapping thread) and we could also get the game out the door more quickly if we had some more manpower for the gameplay programming. If you would like to help us out, send me or Jibrail a direct message on here or on Steam!
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Comments

  • MCMLXXXIVMCMLXXXIV Join Date: 2010-04-14 Member: 71400Members
    Reserving space for future updates here...
  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    Looking cool. Glad to see some more mods coming out.
  • NordicNordic Long term camping in Kodiak Join Date: 2012-05-13 Member: 151995Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    Looked cool. I will certainly look for a server with it to try it out. More curious as to how combat will change.
  • HowserHowser UK Join Date: 2010-02-08 Member: 70488Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Retired Community Developer
    When its ready for testing, let me know and I'll run a few matches on our (the scc) server. sounds like a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to testing it!
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    MCMLXXXIV wrote: »
    *ahem*... If someone does ever make some non-copyright infringing Giger-style models I'd love to add some extra alien life forms to Xenoswarm...

    http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/129797/xenoswarm-a-new-mod-from-the-ns2combat-team

    Thing is, that I would like to show these off to you and your team, of course. But I don't know how to attach the JPEG file properly, and I'm not sure if the designs are good enough, or what you are looking for. They look more alien than NS2's aliens, but don't quite beat out Giger's classics. In my opinion at least. If you tell me how to get this picture on the forums, you could see for yourself
  • JibrailJibrail Join Date: 2009-04-16 Member: 67200Members
  • BonkersBonkers Join Date: 2013-04-15 Member: 184834Members, Reinforced - Onos, WC 2013 - Shadow
    edited April 2013
    this looks excellent - pretty exciting!

    *edit - got a couple of servers we would be happy to test with also
  • FirewokerFirewoker Join Date: 2013-03-07 Member: 183775Members
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    Ok, here is a link to my first two sketches. http://imgur.com/UzF9Dmo They aren't fully polished and final design. And I have a couple of others, which I haven't quite finished yet.
    Jibrail wrote: »
    use http://imgur.com/ and link in here

    Thanks btw.
  • PogoPPogoP Environment Artist Join Date: 2004-01-31 Member: 25827Members, NS2 Developer, Constellation
    This is such a cool idea! Looking forward to seeing something more from this.
  • draktokdraktok Join Date: 2013-02-18 Member: 183156Members
    edited April 2013
    Hey sparkoflife, there's a photo buttom that you can click in the editing tools right above where you're typing that lets you embed an image - try that with the imgur link (example below)

    UzF9Dmo.jpg
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    draktok wrote: »
    Hey sparkoflife, there's a photo buttom that you can click in the editing tools right above where you're typing that lets you embed an image - try that with the imgur link (example below)

    UzF9Dmo.jpg

    Thanks, i didn't know that. Tell me about the lighting. Do you think it's too dark? I didn't scan it, i just took a photo of it.
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    edited April 2013
    bay5ok8.jpg?1?4389

    Another design. Could be used as Fade replacement. I'm working on an egg and some alien structures like the Hive.
  • MCMLXXXIVMCMLXXXIV Join Date: 2010-04-14 Member: 71400Members
    They look really nice (especially the crab-like monsters)... It'll take some work to get it into the game though with modelling, rigging etc.
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    Thanks. I know, i should have made those structures simpler, but i wanted to take inspiration from Giger.
  • MCMLXXXIVMCMLXXXIV Join Date: 2010-04-14 Member: 71400Members
    The structures themselves are quite good - I think it's just the translation of a 2d drawing to a 3d model... is anyone interested? :]
  • angelousangelous Join Date: 2013-03-18 Member: 184073Members, WC 2013 - Silver
    Wow, great Idea :)

    Please let us (me!!!!) know when you guys are planning on doing some test, I'd love to help with that :)

    Also, I have never coded on LUA, but I'm an avid programmer, not sure I can help with the coding here :-/
  • JibrailJibrail Join Date: 2009-04-16 Member: 67200Members
    edited May 2013
    angelous said:
    Wow, great Idea :)

    Please let us (me!!!!) know when you guys are planning on doing some test, I'd love to help with that :)

    Also, I have never coded on LUA, but I'm an avid programmer, not sure I can help with the coding here :-/


    I would suggest sending MCMLXXXIV a DM or email us here combatns2@gmail.com and see if we can work something out, we had people joining us learning LUA working on minor changes and bug fixes and working their way up to bigger things, so I could see it happen but greeds ( MCMLXXXIV ) is our main programmer and knows more about this than me.

    on a different note here is a video of yesterday's playtest, as you can see there are still some bugs here and there, not all features are implemented yet and work on AI will continue to make them "smarter" but its still tons of fun in its current state and we are very happy with the resaults. Thanks to Mr.P and twostroker from the oldassgamers clan and everyone else who joined us for the playtest, provided a good server and maps to go with them.

    Enjoy the video!
  • AceDudeAceDude Join Date: 2007-08-26 Member: 61994Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts
    Another perspective on the mine explosion:

  • DarkSeraphDarkSeraph Join Date: 2004-06-07 Member: 29174Members
    This is looking great! I'm excited about this mod. So can someone drop buildings, is that what I saw? I'm not sure why that would be necessary in this mod.

    I'm thinking about making a xenoswarm map, but what would be better: use UWE map and retrofit portions of it for xenoswarm, or modify a current graybox I have and detail it later?
  • ShakerShaker Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9582Members, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow
    This looks like its going to be fun.  Great work guys.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Skulkrine laughs at your 'gravity'!
  • CrushaKCrushaK Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
    edited May 2013
    If you were to implement an L4D-ish Versus mode later on…
    =D>

    One team trying to get as far as possible, the other team trying to stop them by becoming "special aliens". The team that gets furthest wins. Crescendo events in arena-like parts of the map create tense moments, an AI director chooses spawn locations for enemies and the amount based on how well the team is doing and by estimating the stress of each player…

    Special Aliens:
    Gorge
    - Increased energy cost of Bile Bomb. The Bomb now acts like Boomer Bile and attracts a whole bunch of Babbler that spawn nearby and swarm at the affected players.
    - Gorge can block paths up ahead with Hydras, Clogs and perhaps Whips (based on a personal supply limit, structures take damage over time once their parent Gorge died).

    Lerk
    - Provides area denial and separates marines with Spores similar to Spitter in L4D2.
    - Puts marines under suppressing fire and forces them to take cover.

    Fade
    - Pure offensive power. If Blink gets a little speed boost for more energy reduction, the Fade can close in before marines notice.
    - Can take one player out of the game for a while by using Vortex, similar to how a Hunter in L4D renders a survivor useless (though with constant DoT).

    Onos
    - Takes the role of the Tank. Only available in specific spots in a map, determined by the mapper.
    - Onos should get a massive HP boost to sustain constant fire of 4 marines for a longer time but a little slowdown unless it charges in, so marines have a chance to dodge it
    - Control over the Onos is given to another player if the Onos is not doing any damage in a certain amount of time. If that player is not doing any damage either, the AI will take over the Onos.
    - A hit with the horn will damage a marine, send him flying for quite a while in the direction and drops him immobile on the ground as if he got Stomped.



    Skulks are just the AI-controlled cannon fodder like normal zombies.
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    How about an ancient underground alien temple map for this, with an alien infestation you need to wipe out
  • DarkSeraphDarkSeraph Join Date: 2004-06-07 Member: 29174Members
    How about an ancient underground alien temple map for this, with an alien infestation you need to wipe out
    The issue here is the complete lack of assets to create this. Someone would have to go about creating every texture, any relevant models, etc. The time required to do all of this is enormous; far too much for one person. Someone was mentioning making a Last Stand map with a mayan theme, so if they create the assets for the tileset you can look forward to more maps using it.
  • SparkOfLifeSparkOfLife Join Date: 2013-04-05 Member: 184655Members
    DarkSeraph wrote: »
    SparkOfLife said:<br />
    How about an ancient underground alien temple map for this, with an alien infestation you need to wipe out<br />
    <br />
    <br />
    The issue here is the complete lack of assets to create this. Someone would have to go about creating every texture, any relevant models, etc. The time required to do all of this is enormous; far too much for one person. Someone was mentioning making a Last Stand map with a mayan theme, so if they create the assets for the tileset you can look forward to more maps using it.

    You could use a lot of mineshaft textures for the rock forms etc..
  • Evil_IceEvil_Ice Join Date: 2004-07-09 Member: 29827Members, Squad Five Blue
    There is some pretty interesting design choices in place for this that will probably make many people that are fans of L4D and other cooperative games very happy, and ties into the NS universe too, so you will have some very cool mechanics and effects, and maybe even a little touch of nostalgia here and there! Hehe...
  • DarkSeraphDarkSeraph Join Date: 2004-06-07 Member: 29174Members
    You could use a lot of mineshaft textures for the rock forms etc..
    I'm gonna actually retrofit mineshaft for xenoswarm. It will take less time and will look better. I'll consider making another xeno map after that.
  • MCMLXXXIVMCMLXXXIV Join Date: 2010-04-14 Member: 71400Members
    I think retrofitting vanilla NS2 maps is a good place to start. The players will be familiar with the environments already and it lets us concentrate on NPC placement and the spawn mechnanics rather than worrying about broken navmeshes etc! Looking forward to seeing the results! Again, if you need any help, hit one of us up on steam. You can find everyone involved with the project via the Xenoswarm steam group.
  • JimWestJimWest Join Date: 2010-01-03 Member: 69865Members, Reinforced - Silver
    If you preorder you get a cyst hat, a gorge plushi and a mini turret chest for free :-)

    image
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