Implement old alien vision mod on all servers
Mellow1123
Join Date: 2013-03-03 Member: 183615Members
Join Date: 2013-03-03 Member: 183615Members
Im a dedicated ns1/ns2 player with more than 2000 hours logged playing the ns franchise playing both pub and competitively ( http://www.ensl.org/users/5087 ). I find the current state of the game unplayable with the lack of a proper alien vision.
I can see why UWE wanted to remove the old alien vision as it would make biodome unplayable with all the windows and that they are trying to imitate ns1's implementation of alien vision. However, ns2's gameplay and graphical layout is too different to ns1 to make this alien vision implementation even remotely viable. The old alien vision is highly needed for aliens fast paced melee combat gameplay. I suggest to UWE to instead start reimplementing the old alien vision with a tweak to easily be able to identify windows/glass.
I dont support UWE's argument of explaining that they want aliens to see all the beutiful textures. If one wants to do that (in 251) you have the option to play without alien vision. As well, that reason should be on low priority in a multiplayer game where no gameplay value is found in seeing beutiful textures.
I'd like to call out to the community meanwhile to develop a mod imitating the old ns2 alien vision and implementing it on as many servers as possible (preferable every server except the UWE ones). If we would be able to do that I hope that UWE would understand at some point what the community wants with regards to that.
I can see why UWE wanted to remove the old alien vision as it would make biodome unplayable with all the windows and that they are trying to imitate ns1's implementation of alien vision. However, ns2's gameplay and graphical layout is too different to ns1 to make this alien vision implementation even remotely viable. The old alien vision is highly needed for aliens fast paced melee combat gameplay. I suggest to UWE to instead start reimplementing the old alien vision with a tweak to easily be able to identify windows/glass.
I dont support UWE's argument of explaining that they want aliens to see all the beutiful textures. If one wants to do that (in 251) you have the option to play without alien vision. As well, that reason should be on low priority in a multiplayer game where no gameplay value is found in seeing beutiful textures.
I'd like to call out to the community meanwhile to develop a mod imitating the old ns2 alien vision and implementing it on as many servers as possible (preferable every server except the UWE ones). If we would be able to do that I hope that UWE would understand at some point what the community wants with regards to that.
Comments
I'm also an ns1/2 player and am also a pub and comp player. I find the new normal alien sight an unholy mess that doesn't fit with the fast-paced nature of the game.
We get to see your lovely textures (which are really very lovely) when we play as marines. Please, let us actually see what's going on when we play as aliens.
Biodome would have been problematic with the old AV because of glasses...
In that case, though, a simple solution would have been to outline glass frames in red or some other strong colour.
TBH I'd solve this issue by adding the DarkVision shader to the default ignore list for all servers. Use whatever alien vision you want from the workshop.
P.S. Saying you are a vet of ns1 doesn't make your idea have any more merit.
1. Get an old Monitor that is only capable of displaying black and orange and try to wire it to your pc.
2. Go and help playtesting new maps that are all in greyscale textures!
</sarcasm>
Flashlight mode/Alien vision needs to be the way it is or similar.
Basically, just up the visibility/highlighting in regular vision. You'll be able to show off your arty stuff while at the same time making a ton of people happy they don't have to play a low contrast shooter. "Gaining advantages" aside, this is exactly why players used alien vision all the time. The fast paced gameplay of the skulk simply isn't meant for low contrast gameplay (any amount of "guess where the marine is" simply isn't fun and is detrimental to quality gameplay) and purely from a logical perspective, should aliens have vision problems? Granted, regular vision is better now then before the big change, but it could be even better. Just go all out and make properly highlighted marines rather than a slightly faded highlight.
Having written all that, I would like something like this, only it's a 2nd alien vision option. So you have regular vision, which doesn't even highlight anything, or highlights them very faintly, then alien vision (as you have it now), and the one i've described (like the minimal vision). One is for fighting in the light by way of keeping track of and spotting marines whilst also showing off the pretty maps (like what you've got but higher contrast), and one is for fighting in the dark (the nightvision mode).
Basically both light and dark combat needs high contrast for aliens. Currently dark combat is in a good spot. Light combat aint bad but could be better.
What i really hate about the new one is that when power is off in eastwing for example then there is still light in the hallway which hurts my eyes. Also when someone umbra's you it get much harder to see since it's so bright.
I really hope there are a lot of old alien visions servers a.s.a.p.
Also this is a really interesting video by UWE where they experiment with the alien vision:
Also, alien vision could also be a upgrade (shade hive).