DXMP Assault Gametype

[synthetic]

Actually, it was rather ignorant of me to start specially bringing out specific coders, but I guess I went that route not to say the modding effort has been entirely useless.

Biggest problem that I can see is that this game has not evolved at all besides getting significant security patches over the course of 10 years. Other than that it's still the same as it was in 2001.

There are no good mods for this game to speak of when we try to be even a bit realistic about it, and when I tried to remember all the maps I've played during my years in this game, I realized there is a big black hole in that spot as well. Chinny has imported some maps that are potentially playable in original dxmp, but generally designed for 0augs I guess, and largely someone else's creation.

I really feel like the modding community is stepping in one place and has done so for the past 13 years. They start off as kids, are fascinated by the code and learn it while making fun little guns and mods, and when they grow up and have some coding skills, they either quit game or spend their effort on something nobody will ever bother to play. :/ If you understand my viewpoint then you know why I've been quite bitter in this thread.

[Alvind]

I completely understand synthetic, I was introduced to DX when I was around 12-13. I am now 25 lol and haven't achieved much DX wise bar a few failed attempts which acted as a learning curve. I am now wiser, more organised, determined to achieve my goals in all aspects of life not just DX.
I fell in with the wrong crowd at school and grew up knocking around down the street getting into bother and whatnot. But armed with my knowledge and personal qualities that I have developed over years is what makes this not just another "attempt" but a task that Will be completed and if that requires learning unscripted then so be it. Coding was never my strong point, I can read it but not write it lol. The maps will be completed by summer (3) of them. And unfortunately if I have to learn unscripted it will be a lot longer.

[ShadowRunner]

There are plenty of good mods, just most could do with updating.

Modders can do plenty of things, but the players are the ones to gripe about it.

Take lockpicks for example. Snow and Smuggler allow use of lockpicks, but Iceworld, Pool and MiniDust don't. That's how much of Deus Ex gets removed by 0-auggers. Those 3 probably get voted more than Snow and Smuggler.

There is a lack of players. This is the problem. I personally think running servers that don't have DX lighting, don't have lockpicks, have maps which are one room, and have insanely experienced players running around expecting beginners to be interested in something which is nothing like SP, this is the problem. No easy kills. And the game is evolved around the fact there are no grenades, so snipers can lead a team into battle wtf.

At the moment it's all about who is cheating and who has the best score, not about team experience, not about Deus Ex, which is about shadows, lockpicks, alternatives to frontal attack, augmentations, sci fi horror etc, not insanely bright single room maps.

I can stand 0-aug when it is like Smuggler, with some alternatives and tactics, but Iceworld is not worth playing anymore.

[synthetic]

Yeah, I am going to take a step in the right direction and try to move my clan to augs entirely, pending on their interest. ATDM and custom auged game types is what made this game special, and all the 0augers just move to Urban Terror or modern paid shooters. To make 0augs somehow playable would be a massive undertaking that will have to make heavy use of augmentations and skill points, otherwise it will not stand a chance against other games.

Proper approach would be to focus on new textures, new models, new maps, and work on smoothing the learning curve even a little bit. Even dejavu figured that much out when he made that mod that kicked skilled players out of his beginner server.
Best approach besides slowly implementing some SP mechanics would be if someone managed to adjust Hejhujka's Hardcore mod augs to dxmp. Ideally it would exist side by side with classic auged game types, just adding the option to automate augs..

Some things Shadowrunner says I agree with 100%, but at the same time it has to be emphasised that nobody will care for hengsha or rpgcity, or altfire, or low-grav, or SG, or even DXAG in its *current* build.
All these mods will always have 10% of the community at best, and if community has 10 players, you will have 1 player. I am not against alternative, fun mods, creative ideas, but it will never compete with a real game that none of your mods are.

[Alvind]

You've had your rant synthetic now I'm going to have mine!

I laugh at guys like you who dawn a negative vibe on communities, always quick to point out flaws or downfalls in this and that. It's guys like you everybody could do without. Putting people down for no obvious beneficial gain to anyone. You sir, are a hater and wether you agree or not, you are!

If you are so quick to notice these things why don't you do something about it rather than sit behind your PC and moan. If you don't like what mods people are trying to produce wether they be perfect or not then don't visit their threads/websites.

Your gob has two movements, open and close, I'd prefer if it was closed and you are not welcome in this thread unless you change otherwise.

[atrey65789]

^^Boom bada bing.


Let's stay on topic.

[Alvind]

Exactly atrey! This isn't a aug vs 0aug thread.
Anyways, back on topic

[THC Mario]

what kind of programing language (and whatnot) would one need to know to create/port mods?

[Alvind]

That would be UScript

[ShadowRunner]

To be fair, Ken is putting forwards opinions that are not necessarily his. Also afaik Ken doesn't edit.

I don't agree with the 10% view, statistics show otherwise. SG and AG had 40 players each night, the servers were full. Same for Cozmo, it was the busiest server at one point. Just there is a discontentment usually and people either attack the server or act an idiot on the server, it goes lame and people go back to Iceworld.

Coding in DX seems to consist of spending time making things that people have already made, preceded by a period of making stuff that doesn't actually work in MP. When you have completed these two phases, you are ready for actually coding something that is original and works!

Mapping is a lot easier. Read Tack's lab which is all about SP, then make a MP map with lots of errors and mistakes. Once you have done this, develop a habit of rushing your maps, not listening to feedback and making maps that in some way are unfinished.
When all three habits are routine, you can call yourself a DX mapper!

[Cozmo]

Everyone's discontent? Check it: Not a mod per-se, but here's an idea I had years ago that everyone would be interested in: a newer engine.

Sounds insane, but think about it. Source, UDK and Unity all have inbuilt MP functionality. And if we could get permission to use the following...

Models - HTDP
UI - http://www.dxalpha.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17138
Textures - New Vision

...Then that's most of the work already done. Maps could be converted too.

There would be no FPS bug, a registration system to keep the fools away from MP altogether, clan systems, included objective based gametypes and an easier learning curve, as well as bots and so on. Would end most of DX's problems, and give it a huge player base if it got proper coverage as a F2P DX-inspired FPS before release.

Yeah, this is why I've been so reluctant to continue working on the current DXMP

[atrey65789]

Cozmo, That would be such a great Idea! If we could do this, that would be great! If I were not working on Mods I would learn C++ and help you..


You should talk to OTP about that, they will love that Idea.

[THC Mario]

That sounds like you would create a new DX on the image of the old one?

[[FGS]Kalman]

That's a nice idea Cozmo, Iwas thinking about it too, but it's system requirements is higher than DX (Shader Model 3.0 for UDK or 2.0 for older versions of UDK, Source and Unity), so some people with older PC can't play it
I ave the latest version of UDK and I can help with the conversion of maps

[synthetic]

Porting to newer engine is absolutely critical for the survivability of the dxmp community, but not a new idea. It has always been stuck behind lack of cooperation. I would personally lend what ever assistance I can and dedicate my free time on helping with that, but I have lost all faith in this community's ability to use their heads. Debating with people who question whether speedhacking is cheat or not, or whether augs are cheats or not, really makes me want to shoot myself, but then I realize that if I give them enough time, they'll go away.

Or let me rephrase that: if you had new engine and people available for the labor, *what* exactly would you port and for whom?