Dr Strange
15-04-05, 13:33
Now, from what I've read the previous Ask the Devs round was informative. A good read. Nice to see content being worked on and the such.
But alot of us, at least I think alot of us, are more interested in the game's engine/coding discussion. And as such I think this should be a round of Ask the Dev's for future submittance to the devs. Other than patch notes (not to flame but few and far between) and the occasional update from Nid, theres not alot of engine discussion. And I think with the International Release coming up (soon?) we can agree questions do need to be asked?
So, ask questions of anything engine related. Game physics, mechanics, engine bugs, etc They've already covered content and such so thats out of the way for now. I'll get the ball rolling with the more obvious ones, or at least ones I feel are important;
Q: Given the state of the current netcode for Neocron 2, is there anything being worked on to prevent the following ingame: "50/50" synchronizations, "black" synchronizations, and "synching" into another players character?
That's a given right there. Many times when I've rolled a character, I honestly get a 50/50 in the MC5 newbie area. I realize there will be a more network usage when IR happens and more players start coming in, but when already have these problems now. It's not gonna look to keen when that new player rolls his character and starts at MC5 to see the constant "Synchronizing" text and a character who can't move other than looking around.
Q: Has there been any headway made on the front of eliminating "Fatal Runtime Error"'s?
Again obvious. I know in previous patches they are eliminating some, server side. And if I decided to link a handful of threads it can be proven that people with top of the line systems can get alot of "FRE"'s and some don't. Some with low end systems get alot of "FRE"'s and some don't. It's still happening to people and even happens to the game's on GM's. Remember the above example of a new player synching? Imagine going to exit the first room the MC5 newbie area and "FRE"ing... I also realize the game has millions apon millions of lines of code and debuging that is painstakingly long, but I also realize it's something that needs to be done.
Q: Has there been any work on tweaking the netcode ingame, in terms of player interpolation? i.e. one player viewing another playing walking through the air, or a mob being visible for one player but not another one?
While not game breaking, very much annoying. Many a times a small party of 3 people has to relog to simply fix the "lag" between them when say, the party's PPU or some needed specific character appears floating in the corner of a ceiling and not able to be targeted (heals, buffs etc). Or a mob that is magically killing you but you can't see it, it's not there but some other player can see it, target it and damage it/kill it.
Q: Is there any work being done on the "C++ Error"s that are very similar to the "Fatal Runtime Error"s?
Same as said about "FRE"'s, causes the same thing basically, not as common but still there.
Some game mechanic questons now;
Q: While a possible Vehicle Theme week has been discussed, is there any work being done to recode how some vehicles recieve damage from slight "bumping" of another object? Have vehicles been worked on so when say, flying a vehicle and synchronizing doesn't cause it to just crash when you finish synchronizing? In corilation with the netcode, has any work been done on vehicles so that multiple people can synchronize through a zone ok?
Ok, this was more of a personal question since I love the vehicles. But I think we can agree they need a complete rework. Spawn a glider, it slowly slides down a hill, taps a cactus and explodes. Load up an APC to drive people places and watch as 4 people lag out of the game, fatal or get synched into the middle of a sector.
Q: Is there any work being done to rebalance weapon damage?
If I remember right Lupus said the Crossbow pistol wasn't overpowered in the #/% damage it did, just the type of damage(s). Ok, that needs a possible rework, some say. And if I remember right, one rifle is still bugged where you don't see the beam of it. Not huge bugs but something that's been around a while.
Q: Another possibel theme week discussed was Soullight. Anything new on this front?
Without dipping into just a flame fest of ally killers this or that, I think most can agree this aspect of the game needs a rework as well. Or at least a simple remodeling of it.
Q: Are there anything new to be done with the current HUD setup for the RPO's and GUI? If a new HUD/GUI/RPO isn't being designed will players get an option to use the original HUD/GUI/RPO? If not can players obtain permission to create their own HUD/GUI/RPO that many other MMORPGS allow these days?
A big personal one here on my part. I cannot stand the current HUD setup. I never played NC1 and even it's default hud looked better. Add to the fact you had the customized NLP huds that were player designed and all sleek and refined, you can see how its such a pain.
Q: Is there going to be any work done, or consideration, for certain aspects of the game that seem to "require" DirectX 9+?
While I realize some things will absolutely need DX9, somethings don't really. Case in point, the PE models. Just about every clothing combonation ends up with the missing torso, bugged face for DX7 users. While I agree people should upgrade with the times, something as simple as the default clothing that works on 3 out of 4 classes seems rather small that should be DX7 compatible.
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That's all I can think of personally. Please, add any game play, game mechanic or game engine questions you think should be pubically answered. Remember game content has already been covered.
As always I need to toss out the obvious disclaimers:
In the event of this thread being locked prematurely due to its questioning nature it was due to a mod/admin making that choice. All questions (thus far) have been asked in a polite, non flaming, non trolling form and simply need honest answers in return. And as always questions I ask outright, or seem more involved in are of my own opinion, not that of my friends, my clan or anyone related to me and as such any negative response should be directed at myself and not anyone or anything related to me (in a pm please if nesscary, dont get this closed)
Now, discuss people ;)
But alot of us, at least I think alot of us, are more interested in the game's engine/coding discussion. And as such I think this should be a round of Ask the Dev's for future submittance to the devs. Other than patch notes (not to flame but few and far between) and the occasional update from Nid, theres not alot of engine discussion. And I think with the International Release coming up (soon?) we can agree questions do need to be asked?
So, ask questions of anything engine related. Game physics, mechanics, engine bugs, etc They've already covered content and such so thats out of the way for now. I'll get the ball rolling with the more obvious ones, or at least ones I feel are important;
Q: Given the state of the current netcode for Neocron 2, is there anything being worked on to prevent the following ingame: "50/50" synchronizations, "black" synchronizations, and "synching" into another players character?
That's a given right there. Many times when I've rolled a character, I honestly get a 50/50 in the MC5 newbie area. I realize there will be a more network usage when IR happens and more players start coming in, but when already have these problems now. It's not gonna look to keen when that new player rolls his character and starts at MC5 to see the constant "Synchronizing" text and a character who can't move other than looking around.
Q: Has there been any headway made on the front of eliminating "Fatal Runtime Error"'s?
Again obvious. I know in previous patches they are eliminating some, server side. And if I decided to link a handful of threads it can be proven that people with top of the line systems can get alot of "FRE"'s and some don't. Some with low end systems get alot of "FRE"'s and some don't. It's still happening to people and even happens to the game's on GM's. Remember the above example of a new player synching? Imagine going to exit the first room the MC5 newbie area and "FRE"ing... I also realize the game has millions apon millions of lines of code and debuging that is painstakingly long, but I also realize it's something that needs to be done.
Q: Has there been any work on tweaking the netcode ingame, in terms of player interpolation? i.e. one player viewing another playing walking through the air, or a mob being visible for one player but not another one?
While not game breaking, very much annoying. Many a times a small party of 3 people has to relog to simply fix the "lag" between them when say, the party's PPU or some needed specific character appears floating in the corner of a ceiling and not able to be targeted (heals, buffs etc). Or a mob that is magically killing you but you can't see it, it's not there but some other player can see it, target it and damage it/kill it.
Q: Is there any work being done on the "C++ Error"s that are very similar to the "Fatal Runtime Error"s?
Same as said about "FRE"'s, causes the same thing basically, not as common but still there.
Some game mechanic questons now;
Q: While a possible Vehicle Theme week has been discussed, is there any work being done to recode how some vehicles recieve damage from slight "bumping" of another object? Have vehicles been worked on so when say, flying a vehicle and synchronizing doesn't cause it to just crash when you finish synchronizing? In corilation with the netcode, has any work been done on vehicles so that multiple people can synchronize through a zone ok?
Ok, this was more of a personal question since I love the vehicles. But I think we can agree they need a complete rework. Spawn a glider, it slowly slides down a hill, taps a cactus and explodes. Load up an APC to drive people places and watch as 4 people lag out of the game, fatal or get synched into the middle of a sector.
Q: Is there any work being done to rebalance weapon damage?
If I remember right Lupus said the Crossbow pistol wasn't overpowered in the #/% damage it did, just the type of damage(s). Ok, that needs a possible rework, some say. And if I remember right, one rifle is still bugged where you don't see the beam of it. Not huge bugs but something that's been around a while.
Q: Another possibel theme week discussed was Soullight. Anything new on this front?
Without dipping into just a flame fest of ally killers this or that, I think most can agree this aspect of the game needs a rework as well. Or at least a simple remodeling of it.
Q: Are there anything new to be done with the current HUD setup for the RPO's and GUI? If a new HUD/GUI/RPO isn't being designed will players get an option to use the original HUD/GUI/RPO? If not can players obtain permission to create their own HUD/GUI/RPO that many other MMORPGS allow these days?
A big personal one here on my part. I cannot stand the current HUD setup. I never played NC1 and even it's default hud looked better. Add to the fact you had the customized NLP huds that were player designed and all sleek and refined, you can see how its such a pain.
Q: Is there going to be any work done, or consideration, for certain aspects of the game that seem to "require" DirectX 9+?
While I realize some things will absolutely need DX9, somethings don't really. Case in point, the PE models. Just about every clothing combonation ends up with the missing torso, bugged face for DX7 users. While I agree people should upgrade with the times, something as simple as the default clothing that works on 3 out of 4 classes seems rather small that should be DX7 compatible.
---
That's all I can think of personally. Please, add any game play, game mechanic or game engine questions you think should be pubically answered. Remember game content has already been covered.
As always I need to toss out the obvious disclaimers:
In the event of this thread being locked prematurely due to its questioning nature it was due to a mod/admin making that choice. All questions (thus far) have been asked in a polite, non flaming, non trolling form and simply need honest answers in return. And as always questions I ask outright, or seem more involved in are of my own opinion, not that of my friends, my clan or anyone related to me and as such any negative response should be directed at myself and not anyone or anything related to me (in a pm please if nesscary, dont get this closed)
Now, discuss people ;)