IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING MODS!!

IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
edited December 2017 in NS2 General Discussion
Valve has suddenly updated their API for Workshop mods, and as such **ALL MODS WILL NOT BE WORKING** for the time being. (including our mod backup server feature, if there is any update to the mod since this change)
A decent sized segment of the ModServices part of the NS2 engine has to be rewritten and will require another day of testing before release. We're rolling this fix into build 320 - which was originally scheduled to be released tomorrow morning (PST).

This is currently our #1 priority as of right now and we are doing our best to release this fix and the patch ASAP.
We will update you here when we have more information.
Thank you for your understanding, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
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Comments

  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Wtf Valve? Right before christmas break?

    What is wrong with you?
  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    edited December 2017
    Well, was there a heads-up relayed to steam partners beforehand?
    I find it hard to imagine that they've just updated it out of the blue...

    Anywho, thanks for the quick response!

    EDIT: This little hiccup emphasizes that the vanilla game is kind of unplayable.
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    .trixX. wrote: »
    EDIT: This little hiccup emphasizes that the vanilla game is kind of unplayable.
    What makes it unplayable?

  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    edited December 2017
    What I miss from the vanilla game:
    Proper shuffle
    Ghoul's balance mod

    These two features guarantee help so that games are playable (balanced)
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    .trixX. wrote: »
    What I miss from the vanilla game:
    Proper shuffle
    Ghoul's balance mod

    These two features guarantee that games are playable (balanced)

    Your own fancy crosshairs?
  • HandschuhHandschuh Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44338Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Community Developer
    edited December 2017
    Mouse wrote: »
    .trixX. wrote: »
    EDIT: This little hiccup emphasizes that the vanilla game is kind of unplayable.
    What makes it unplayable?

    Aren't there enough threads and posts why ns2 is unfun without ns2+?
  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    .trixX. wrote: »
    What I miss from the vanilla game:
    Proper shuffle
    Ghoul's balance mod

    These two features guarantee that games are playable (balanced)

    Your own fancy crosshairs?
    rt2038ol2zj0.jpg
  • pSyk0mAnpSyk0mAn Nerdish by Nature Germany Join Date: 2003-08-07 Member: 19166Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Community Developer
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.
  • IeptBarakatIeptBarakat The most difficult name to speak ingame. Join Date: 2009-07-10 Member: 68107Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    Yeah, but the competitive mindset dictates the only two things I should see is collidable surfaces and gameplay entities.
  • cooliticcoolitic Right behind you Join Date: 2013-04-02 Member: 184609Members
    edited December 2017
    Wait what, NS2+ removes entities??? Was that toggleable or...?

    Also, you can have competitive with visually-obscuring entities. I never understood since when did simplifying things == competitive, pro players should learn how to deal with more variables in their gameplay.
  • AeglosAeglos Join Date: 2010-04-06 Member: 71189Members
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    What was stopping you from having Biodome look great before? Oh, wait.
    Handschuh wrote: »
    Mouse wrote: »
    .trixX. wrote: »
    EDIT: This little hiccup emphasizes that the vanilla game is kind of unplayable.
    What makes it unplayable?

    Aren't there enough threads and posts why ns2 is unfun without ns2+?

    It is only unfun when you already use NS2+. I suspect many people have never explored the options there.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Y'all just wanna play in full bright box rooms :trollface:
  • NintendowsNintendows Join Date: 2016-11-07 Member: 223716Members, Squad Five Blue
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    Y'all just wanna play in full bright box rooms :trollface:

    What's sad is some people might agree with you. I'm all for people enjoying a game the way they want, but geez at some point why not just replace all the player models with cubes of various sizes ?
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited December 2017
    Well TBH, the biggest visual difference between NS and NS2 obviously is graphical fidelity. But there is something to be said for less is more.
    - clunkier Spark engine vs GoldSrc


    In NS1.04+ (NS 2.0)

    - You'd have the most detailed maps available for the GoldSrc engine
    - Even these maps, while detailed, still were quite bare compared to NS2
    - Visual clutter is quite the trend in NS2 and I'm not just talking about all the visual obscuring stuff, but map clutter and sounds



    The way our brains used to fill out the world in NS, is now negated by the fact that NS2 is a lot more detailed. I for one still think that cleaner maps do tend to play better on high level play, mostly cause you don't get confused with random doodads in the map and it is indeed a pure PvP environment.

    On the other hand, the casual player wants their immersion and this is where more detail does it's thing. Although I still believe some of the maps in NS looked a lot better than their NS2 counterpart, as their newer counterpart are only visually more detailed, but in terms of gameplay and gameflow are quite lacking compared to the classics from NS. Not even mentioning that even without all the detail, the NS maps felt way more immersive, perhaps tied to the fact that your brain had to fill in the details, which is a weird brain thing we do, but might also suck us into the game more...


    There is a reason, besides engine choking, why NS1.04 and earlier had much more cinematic and detailed maps, which were changed in later version of NS to strike that perfect balance between detail, clutter and visual clarity, having your own brain fill in the gaps in the details.

    Oh an of course there's something to be said for Spark (any engine really) spewing out more FPS with less stuff... Heck pro-gamers usually turn down all graphics to gain FPS, making the game look like poop, but less obscuring and FPS happy.
  • BingoWingsBingoWings UK Join Date: 2014-02-22 Member: 194253Members
    coolitic wrote: »
    Wait what, NS2+ removes entities??? Was that toggleable or...?

    Also, you can have competitive with visually-obscuring entities. I never understood since when did simplifying things == competitive, pro players should learn how to deal with more variables in their gameplay.

    Watch this: You can remove certain things that would otherwise obscure your view. It's verging on a cheat really.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited December 2017
    BingoWings wrote: »
    coolitic wrote: »
    Wait what, NS2+ removes entities??? Was that toggleable or...?

    Also, you can have competitive with visually-obscuring entities. I never understood since when did simplifying things == competitive, pro players should learn how to deal with more variables in their gameplay.

    Watch this: You can remove certain things that would otherwise obscure your view. It's verging on a cheat really.

    Shouldn't that kinda stuff be set by the server... Reminds me of the condoned ancient clientside RivaTurner gamma-brightness tweaks
  • HandschuhHandschuh Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44338Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Community Developer
    edited December 2017
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    Yeah, but the competitive mindset dictates the only two things I should see is collidable surfaces and gameplay entities.

    Not just that, you don't want your fps to drop unnecessarily in your matches..
  • SEKBlackhawkSEKBlackhawk Germany Join Date: 2013-12-22 Member: 190625Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    If it is possible by any means, do the workshopbackup first. With this, we could use this until you had time to update and test the main engine's feature...
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Handschuh wrote: »
    Mouse wrote: »
    .trixX. wrote: »
    EDIT: This little hiccup emphasizes that the vanilla game is kind of unplayable.
    What makes it unplayable?

    Aren't there enough threads and posts why ns2 is unfun without ns2+?

    Never :tongue:
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    Visual clutter is quite the trend in NS2 and I'm not just talking about all the visual obscuring stuff, but map clutter and sounds

    The way our brains used to fill out the world in NS, is now negated by the fact that NS2 is a lot more detailed. I for one still think that cleaner maps do tend to play better on high level play, mostly cause you don't get confused with random doodads in the map and it is indeed a pure PvP environment.

    On the other hand, the casual player wants their immersion and this is where more detail does it's thing. Although I still believe some of the maps in NS looked a lot better than their NS2 counterpart, as their newer counterpart are only visually more detailed, but in terms of gameplay and gameflow are quite lacking compared to the classics from NS. Not even mentioning that even without all the detail, the NS maps felt way more immersive, perhaps tied to the fact that your brain had to fill in the details, which is a weird brain thing we do, but might also suck us into the game more...

    There is a reason, besides engine choking, why NS1.04 and earlier had much more cinematic and detailed maps, which were changed in later version of NS to strike that perfect balance between detail, clutter and visual clarity, having your own brain fill in the gaps in the details.
    I feel like some of the official NS2 maps have too much visual detail. ns2_eclipse is the main one that comes to mind. It's full of a large number of similar props that have no real purpose beyond increasing the number of polys rendered. There also isn't real theme to the map beyond generic sci-fi, it's raining and there's a laser.

    But it's a difficult balance to find, with ns2_fusion I'm trying to create a relatively simple, consistent theme that doesn't intrude upon the play space. It's odd trying to detail it.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited December 2017
    Yep, that is indeed an optimization that could be done. And I do believe that in GoldSrc, we were kinda forced to create more unique areas that stood out by adding more detail on those areas, while keeping the polies low in other areas as to not overload the engine with clip/bsp data. Remember the 800-1000 wpoly render limit :D In NS2 it kinda looks like absolutely everything from hallways to main "memorable" areas are just crammed full of details because we got the polies to spare.

    However, it also makes for less actual memorable areas because we are constantly in the same detail overload.
  • SEKBlackhawkSEKBlackhawk Germany Join Date: 2013-12-22 Member: 190625Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    It's fun if you think about it: Our systems get better and better, and every other game pushed the texture limits into the sky. But NS is downstriped from everything only to get the last possible FPS/Overview etc out of it.....
  • BingoWingsBingoWings UK Join Date: 2014-02-22 Member: 194253Members
    It's fun if you think about it: Our systems get better and better, and every other game pushed the texture limits into the sky. But NS is downstriped from everything only to get the last possible FPS/Overview etc out of it.....

    Game was released five years ago and I never had any problems what so ever on my old computer, which was scraping around minimum specs. I think as a rule, if your computer is less than twice the power of your phone, it's not the game that needs to change ;)

    Previous posters are right though, any alteration that affects the competitiveness of the gameplay should be universal. Not user set in a menu of a mod that I don't know how many people realise is there.
  • HandschuhHandschuh Join Date: 2005-03-08 Member: 44338Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Community Developer
    edited December 2017
    Nintendows wrote: »
    Handschuh wrote: »
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    Yeah, but the competitive mindset dictates the only two things I should see is collidable surfaces and gameplay entities.

    Not just that, you don't want your fps to drop unnecessarily in your matches..

    On the other side of the coin, it would also be fair to force players to have the same settings regarding shadows, particles, or props, the way CS:GO and other competitive games force certain graphic settings in competitive matches.
    As long as the requirements in ns2 to have somewhat stable fps are so insanely high... especially in the lategame it is currently more unfair to force any "higher" settings in any way...

    It's so much easier in a groupfight in lategame to keep your head up high if your fps aren't dropping like hell.
    So yeah in theory, I agree, but practically it won't work unless you give others with a highend-pc an unfair advantage

    Feels like everyone who hit the agree button on your post never really thought it through

    You might not have noticed, but the community is already small enough
  • NintendowsNintendows Join Date: 2016-11-07 Member: 223716Members, Squad Five Blue
    Handschuh wrote: »
    Nintendows wrote: »
    Handschuh wrote: »
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    Yeah, but the competitive mindset dictates the only two things I should see is collidable surfaces and gameplay entities.

    Not just that, you don't want your fps to drop unnecessarily in your matches..

    On the other side of the coin, it would also be fair to force players to have the same settings regarding shadows, particles, or props, the way CS:GO and other competitive games force certain graphic settings in competitive matches.
    As long as the requirements in ns2 to have somewhat stable fps are so insanely high... especially in the lategame it is currently more unfair to force any "higher" settings in any way...

    It's so much easier in a groupfight in lategame to keep your head up high if your fps aren't dropping like hell.
    So yeah in theory, I agree, but practically it won't work unless you give others with a highend-pc an unfair advantage

    Feels like everyone who hit the agree button on your post never really thought it through

    You might not have noticed, but the community is already small enough

    I think you misread what I wrote. I just want a standardization - even if the game looks like NS1, at least whatever I'm looking at is the same thing another player is looking at.
  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    edited December 2017
    Mouse wrote: »
    There also isn't real theme to the map beyond generic sci-fi, it's raining and there's a laser.

    RETRACT THY HERETIC WORDS YE SCOUNDREL!

    Alterra Corporation (our church and employer, may it profit for eons to come) worked hard to establish a research colony on this monsoon planet. The site has abundant gas deposits, so it's perfect for the inertial confinement reactor (the one you casually referred to as "laser").
    I do appreciate your discreteness of not disclosing the main reason for the site though: the teleportation system being developed there :trollface:
  • AeglosAeglos Join Date: 2010-04-06 Member: 71189Members
    Nintendows wrote: »
    Handschuh wrote: »
    Nintendows wrote: »
    Handschuh wrote: »
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    Yeah, but the competitive mindset dictates the only two things I should see is collidable surfaces and gameplay entities.

    Not just that, you don't want your fps to drop unnecessarily in your matches..

    On the other side of the coin, it would also be fair to force players to have the same settings regarding shadows, particles, or props, the way CS:GO and other competitive games force certain graphic settings in competitive matches.
    As long as the requirements in ns2 to have somewhat stable fps are so insanely high... especially in the lategame it is currently more unfair to force any "higher" settings in any way...

    It's so much easier in a groupfight in lategame to keep your head up high if your fps aren't dropping like hell.
    So yeah in theory, I agree, but practically it won't work unless you give others with a highend-pc an unfair advantage

    Feels like everyone who hit the agree button on your post never really thought it through

    You might not have noticed, but the community is already small enough

    I think you misread what I wrote. I just want a standardization - even if the game looks like NS1, at least whatever I'm looking at is the same thing another player is looking at.

    You would want to disable the bubbly infestation first then. :)
  • MoFo1MoFo1 United States Join Date: 2014-07-25 Member: 197612Members
    coolitic wrote: »
    Wait what, NS2+ removes entities??? Was that toggleable or...?

    Also, you can have competitive with visually-obscuring entities. I never understood since when did simplifying things == competitive, pro players should learn how to deal with more variables in their gameplay.

    Pfft are you kidding? Competitive players ideal comp game would be all gray non-textured maps with bright pink character models..

    Nothing should ever interfere with being able to see the target.. remember all the "competitive killbox" maps games used to have? lol
  • BingoWingsBingoWings UK Join Date: 2014-02-22 Member: 194253Members
    Handschuh wrote: »
    Nintendows wrote: »
    Handschuh wrote: »
    pSyk0mAn wrote: »
    Biodome looks actually great again.
    It's ridiculous how much stuff is removed by NS2+..even plants in seeding, which completely block view around the res node area.

    Yeah, but the competitive mindset dictates the only two things I should see is collidable surfaces and gameplay entities.

    Not just that, you don't want your fps to drop unnecessarily in your matches..

    On the other side of the coin, it would also be fair to force players to have the same settings regarding shadows, particles, or props, the way CS:GO and other competitive games force certain graphic settings in competitive matches.
    As long as the requirements in ns2 to have somewhat stable fps are so insanely high... especially in the lategame it is currently more unfair to force any "higher" settings in any way...

    It's so much easier in a groupfight in lategame to keep your head up high if your fps aren't dropping like hell.
    So yeah in theory, I agree, but practically it won't work unless you give others with a highend-pc an unfair advantage

    Feels like everyone who hit the agree button on your post never really thought it through

    You might not have noticed, but the community is already small enough

    What hardware specs do you have, which is causing that problem?

    I used to have 2.4ghz quad core, 4gb ram and 2gb graphics card (still use that today). I've never had any problems with FPS. Plus these settings in NS2+, get rid of things that are permanent on the map throughout the round like holograms and the gas effect around empty res nodes. If you are saying that these issues are caused in late game, am I right in thinking the problem is actually caused by character models and maybe a setting to make these low resolution could satisfy those with hardware problems, without affecting the gameplay?
  • ItsAFeatureItsAFeature Join Date: 2017-11-27 Member: 234139Members
    Forcing settings, does nothing but screw players. Options are a thing because people like choice.

    You want to force shadows, ambient occlusion or other horribly implemented rendering extras that tank performance? All that does is give the advantage to those people with the hardware to run it, except even with the hardware to run said features the rendering times in NS2 become horrifically inconsistent and input lag goes through the roof.

    Force low settings for everyone, sure most competitive players already play low settings and certain values are forced in compmod. But what if someone wants higher quality textures, what if someone wants to play with their viewmodels on? You're taking choice away from people.

    This is a shooter that grew from NS1 because competitive kept it alive, competitive brought many mods and importantly fixes to vanilla, to start taking features away from the players this games devs and casuals already shunned would result in the game dying even faster.
    Although maybe casuals will actually be able to win without a challenge, ignorance is bliss.

    People who think this game performs well are living a lie. It struggles 5 years after release to perform at a consistent rate, the devs consistently rewrite code in the name of performance, which rarely seems to do anything. People who play at a higher level are more aware of the problems performance issues cause and performance between successful competitive shooters and NS2 is night and day.
    Resolution isnt the issue, this game is CPU bound to hell and back, late game entity counts hog cpu resources and destory render times and adding more things for the cpu to think about doesnt help at all.

    This is the reason NS2+ exists.

    Except conveniently the only people complaining about all the performance benefits and entity removing features are those who are casual players and not the competitive ones. Even if you forced half those entities back into view on a pub, you're still going to lose vs a better player, these features help those players have a more consistent gameplay through framerate and visuals when playing against other people who are just as good where a tiny little plant that blocks 20% of the view doesnt make a difference in their ability to see you, just their ability to keep consistent performance when you remove 200 pointless assets throughout a level.
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