NW3 - Pre-Release Survey

[Feralidragon]

Well folks, NW3 is very close to release, and there are some doubts I have in either implementing some stuff or not, since some of these things take a while to implement, and if they end up not being used at all, it's wasted time that could be used for proper beta-testing or make a sooner release.

So, here are a few questions which I would like to get some feedback from who's interested in the mod so I can orient the final developments the best way possible, and here they are:

1 - Menus:
Initially I was going to make menus for every single setting in the pack.... however there's a tiny problem (check NW3 current ini files):

nw3_ini_files.zip

(10.94 KiB) Downloaded 201 times

If you actually check the ini files, then you will see they have tons and tons of different settings. So as you may imagine, it's a no no.

So, I was thinking that only client settings (like crosshair, detail, keybinds, etc) and a few other quick settings (like gameplay or the weapons you want to enable/disable) would be in UT menus (from the Mod menu like NW2) and as for the remaining 95% of the settings, I would cover them up in the documentation and then they could be changed directly in the ini files by the end user/admin (I am going to make documentation regardless if I make menus or not, so...).

So what do you think?
Do you use menus often to change ini settings from mods?
Any setting in the ini files provided you think is a must to be on a UT menu?


2 - ZP/Lag compensation hitscan:
Hitscan weapons are always a bit of a problem in online games due to ping, no matter the game. So solutions for standard weapons like ZP (ZeroPing) were made in an attempt to attenuate that problem.
NW3 has also quite some hitscan weapons: WRE, Bolt Rifle, Super Bolt Rifle, Vulcan and IRPR, and right now they do not have any sort of ZP or lag compensation on them for their shots.

So, I was thinking to add a mix of ZP and lag compensation to them, however this would be completely optional for both the server and the client (although the server is the one which "allows" its usage in the first place, for security of course). But, I don't know how well this will work out and it's possible the development of this may take longer than what I expect.
Hence the question: do you want me to (try to) implement ZP/lag compensation in NW3, or not?


3 - Monster Hunt:
In the original topic I made this question, but no one answered, so let me make it again in another way:
Current MH features planned:
- Health regen
- Ammo regen
- Monsters names + health HUD rendering
- Monsters/teammates radar

The objective is to remove UTJMH from NW3 MH servers, since it creates some problems/bugs if certain NW3 MH features are used.
Anything else needed/wanted?


4 - Settings:
Do you have any suggestions for further settings you would like to tweak for a specific weapon or all weapons globally?
If you have any suggestion for something you would like to tweak later, please do now, because after release, well... it's going to be more difficult (impossible at core level since I don't intend to update the core package itself).


Thanks in advance for your feedback

[UnrealGGecko]

Not of much help but...:
1. Checked the ini files, I was like x10 , so yeah, I agree that only part of all this would be in modmenu.
4. Did you add help messages in the modmenus like I suggested? I remember that the Jailbreak mod had some kind of black floating bubble (like in comics) type of messages, maybe you could do something similar? Sorry if I described this rather poorly.

[UT99.org]

Hence the question: do you want me to (try to) implement ZP/lag compensation in NW3, or not?

ZP/lag compensation YES

[iloveut99]

1- Agree with the mod menu, its reduce the inis and allow less experience users to customize it from the modmenu, plus may be easier.
2- Probably this would be cool, if you intend to do arenas and for example Super Bolt Rifle becomes popular in servers like instagib. (maybe you can release it later as addon, so it doesn't consume your time for the release? Not sure if it's possible or secure)
4- Make arenas of each kind of new weapon?

[Dr.Flay]

Well as you should already know, personally I am usually more comfortable changing the settings from the "advanced options" window.
the size of the zip tells me how much configs to expect. Wow!

I suspect all the server-side stuff would be better there any way, with the ingame settings left for basic On/Off, and frequently needed client settings.
Until having a play with the beta, or when I skim the ini files, there is no way for me to tell yet what I (as a player or mapper) will want to change most.
I am ignoring my experience with the last Nali Weapons pack, and approaching this as a whole new bag of tricks.

I'll look through the ini's and be back

Also iloveuy99's post makes me think. Can you easily add new weapons to this pack? I am assuming so, as most mods have no problem.

[Feralidragon]

Thanks for your input guys.

Then, so far:
1 - Menus to:
- All client settings (not many, most are server-side)
- Some standalone/server settings (such as toggling weapons and changing gameplay profile)

2 - Seems to be a go then. Not sure how it will turn out, but I have my theories, so let's just hope they work out well. If they end up not working as great, the feature can be simply disabled later in the ini.

@iloveut99: Well, it's not possible to do so later on, or better yet, it would "violate" the whole architecture of the mod, where I separate "core functionality" from actual "content", whereas ZP or lag compensation are from "core functionality" as they should be implemented in the main nali weapons class and then used by all different kinds of hitscan weapons, the ones I am going to release now and any others that may be added later.
So it's something I develop now or never.
Will it be used in arenas? I don't know, probably not, but if I don't add ZP then it's a sure thing that they won't be used for that sole reason, if I add, then it broadens the pack possible usage.

But that's my issue: who's truly interested in the mod? MH admins and players? Or also arena players and admins? I have no way to know that until it gets released, thus this small "survey" to know it.
However by the looks of it almost no one is even caring in providing feedback on this issue, meaning that perhaps it's not even worth it.

Someone already mentioned to not do it simply because of potential security issues later on which would render this system useless, but since that's already covered up in what is my theory to keep it as good as ZP and as secure as non-ZP, that shouldn't be a problem.

Anyway, given that I had 3 "yes" answers and just 1 "no", then it's decided, I am going to do it (or try to). Too bad that once again, decisions are made by a minority because the majority decided to not speak up, so more development time either the majority likes it or not....

3 - Only one more thing to do besides that list: the NW2 random reward system.

4 - Well, I guess then this will be best decided by the beta-testers later.
@GEx: I remember the "tips" thing on the menu while hovering the mouse over some setting. I will add it to my todo list. Thanks for the heads up.
@iloveut99: I had "Arenas" in my todo list, but then realized that I have pretty much that functionality already in my replacer mutator. So, for now I won't release it with arenas because they were hardly used in NW2 anyway, but if later someone requests so, all I (or the admin) have to do is to setup a ini or a subclass of the replacer with the defaults set to be an "arena" kinda of mutator.
@Dr. Flay: Yes, any weapon can be added (be it a new NW3 one later or a custom weapon from now). NW3 is even compatible with other weapons (standard or mods), unless they are coded in awkward way.
The only thing custom weapons from other mods and standard weapons aren't compatible with are the weapon modifiers, since it's impossible to give that support to them anyway.

[iloveut99]

@iloveut99: I had "Arenas" in my todo list, but then realized that I have pretty much that functionality already in my replacer mutator. So, for now I won't release it with arenas because they were hardly used in NW2 anyway, but if later someone requests so, all I (or the admin) have to do is to setup a ini or a subclass of the replacer with the defaults set to be an "arena" kinda of mutator.

Well it can also be added by any scripter without difficulty I believe. The problem with ini is that it would be more hard to setup (for beginners) than just add a mutator at the gui. But how I said if someone can add it later don't worry with it, if people feel lack of it the mutators will appear like combogib ones do, or even zp.

[Feralidragon]

Even for beginners a "NW3 Arena" can be released later with menus and all if needed.
Anyway, it's very easy to setup (it does pretty much everything on this matter, adding default weapons with a certain amount of ammo, replacing everything with a single or even multiple weapons, etc). Even some sort of "multi-arena" where you want to make an arena consisting of 2 or more weapons at the same time is possible, and would perhaps bring a new dynamic to the game, idk.

Anyway, quick ini example of an arena (for example, a IRPR Arena):

Code: Select all

DefaultWeaponItems[0]=(bAdd=True,Item="NWIRPRV3.IRPR",AmmoAmount=48,Filters="")
WeaponItems[0]=(bSwap=True,ItemToReplace="Engine.Weapon",NewItem="NWIRPRV3.IRPR",ReplaceSubClasses=True,Filters="")
AmmoItems[0]=(bSwap=True,ItemToReplace="Engine.Ammo",NewItem="NWIRPRV3.IRPRAmmo",ReplaceSubClasses=True,Filters="")

Done. Quite straightforward I think.

[Dr.Flay]

If you use the comment/alternative text in the branch-names etc. they should show-up when ever possible in the "Advanced config" window, nice
I believe there are a few examples in my advanced ini tweaks thread.
A quick skim should refresh you, if you need it.

[Feralidragon]

^ Sound nice. But I wonder if that won't piss off certain people instead, because the mod takes a while to load from the HDD the first time (5 seconds in a good drive, 17 in the average drive, after that is instantaneous), so if I add it to the advanced options, it's possible the entire thing tries to get loaded and freezing the settings during that time, plus it may clutter a bit the advanced options with something which is in the end a weapon pack.

Perhaps only the core settings would make sense to add, but not the content specific settings.