Surge

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

A game type I tried to scrape some people together for in ut2k4. Never even got close.

Similar to INV in that it occurs in waves. Surge however is more tactical.

Waves emanate from nodes, the nodes must be captured to stem the flow from them. Only certain nodes can be attacked, like ONS the nodes that can be attacked change depending what nodes you have access to. All nodes spawn monsters. Monsters can drop portal chargers to allow buddies that spawn elsewhere to move to the action. Those also can be destroyed. All players die in a wave and you lose. Waves are at timed intervals and monsters carry over from wave to wave. Too many monsters on the field (monster to player ratio) and it's game over.

Object is to destroy the nodes and move across the map to a 'hive' and destroy that.

Destroying the hive would give access to anew area of the map and create/activate a teleport volume in said area to teleport all players to the next map.

I intend to try again to get some people together on this project in UT3.

[Madmanxan]

sounds interesting....will you use the same monsters as in UE1?

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

UT3 is much better looking (understatement of the year) so the old INV monsters would be a bit of an insult. Unreal the awakening monsters would be better. I was thinking also about the possibility of making it have a teams combat option were you could pick your side. That to go along with the AI driven monster based standard gameplay. So it would be Surge and Surge Teams.

I guess epic might not appreciate the cross franchising of assets so that would mean no Unreal Awakening monsters, but definitely something better quality then the UE1 monsters. I like things to be fun to play but also look great.

My moto: Fun, Quality, Quantity, and realism. In that order.

[Kronos]

Sounds like a very interesting mod, sounds much more tactical, and more fun then just pure invasion.

PS: I've been working on recreating some unreal/invasion monsters, for my own secret UT3 mod that I havent given any details of.

Heres an example:http://img366.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skaarjpupaeqf6.jpg

[Mr.UglyPants]

Sounds awesome, good take on Invasion.

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

Basically once UT3 rolls, I will be looking to put together a team to work on this. But if any1 wishes to jump in on the project I am accepting volunteers.

I am looking to do anything and everything that can be done b4 hand so it could come out quickly In beta form.

I myself am a mapper (I do modeling and texturing for my maps as well). I do absolutely no coding or animation, I can do so sound work, and I am decent at concept art for not being a pro at it.

To that end I have been working in UT2k4 to make maps for the project. All in DM as all I am doing for most maps is checking scale and how well assets go together and look in game.

I realize the lighting is screwed up in these maps (as is allot of other stuff) I haven't done anything substantial with things that I think I would need to totally redo for UT3. These testbed/wip's are all about the textures and SM.

Current maps:
DM-[GU]-ShriekingForest

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/ShriekingForest/ss1.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/ShriekingForest/ss2.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/ShriekingForest/ss3.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/ShriekingForest/ss4.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/ShriekingForest/ss5.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/ShriekingForest/ss6.jpg

DM-[GU]-Azlroc

This map is nowhere near done. obviously

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/Azlroc/catacombs1-UE2.5.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/Azlroc/catacombs2-UE2.5.jpg

DM-[GU]-DuranceOfHate
No screens uploaded yet. And yes that is a reference to the Diablo II area by the same name. But the map is a very liberal adaption.

DM-[GU]-SewersOfKarast
Second verse, same as the first, a little louder, and a little worse. Except I have some Screens from this 1.

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/Shot00416.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/Shot00417.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/Shot00418.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/Shot00422.jpg

DM-[GU]-TotD aka Temple of the Damned
This map and all it's assets are on HD that died, so unless I can get the data recovered somehow it's SOL. Pity really because it looked allot better then it did in the last SS I got of it. I had made custom textures for most stuff, all bsp had been re-textured and looked way better. More assets had been added. More bsp. I was planning on releasing this one for 2k4 so I fleshed out the lighting and was in the process of working on the sounds when the HD died.

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/TOTD/

Some of the better Screen Shots...

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/TOTD/Shot00015.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/TOTD/Shot00019.jpg

http://www.morbiditydesigns.com/screen/TOTD/Shot00022.jpg


Basically once UT3 has been out a little bit I intend to pimp the project everywhere I can to try and get a team built.

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

In ut2k4 it would use ONS maps and convert...that was the theory at least.

I was also thinking of trying to make a systemic mod that would be a FPA/RPG. Hence the RPG-ish themed maps. In the mod the spawn points would be replaced with fissures in the map geometry which monsters would spew from and totems would be the placeable teleport beacons.

It occurs to me that the game type would require it's own maps for UT3 unless WAR maps would work. Who knows yet.

[Wail of Suicide]

Although I like the idea of capturing control points to stop monsters from spawning, I'm not sure that mechanic would work all that well with the rest of your idea (which sounds like MonsterHunt/RPG).

"Waves" and "Control Points" sound better for an Invasion style gametype that utilizes existing DM maps.

Singleplayer styled maps, with set objectives and progression through the level into a final area do not strike me as needing "waves" or "control point" mechanics. These sorts of things could be set, on a level-per-level basis, but don't strike me as being integral elements of gameplay.

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

Although I like the idea of capturing control points to stop monsters from spawning, I'm not sure that mechanic would work all that well with the rest of your idea (which sounds like MonsterHunt/RPG).

"Waves" and "Control Points" sound better for an Invasion style gametype that utilizes existing DM maps.

Singleplayer styled maps, with set objectives and progression through the level into a final area do not strike me as needing "waves" or "control point" mechanics. These sorts of things could be set, on a level-per-level basis, but don't strike me as being integral elements of gameplay.

I think you have misinterpreted some of what I said. Which is probably easy to do as I tend to write oddly.

The problem with using DM maps is you would still need to mod each one. Unless you made the spawn nodes spawn at way points and then you run into a whole differant set of problems.

Some notes:
No singleplayer in any of this.

The design of the game type was to make a more entaining logical form of INV.

The design of the mod was to create a tactical squad/team based warfare scenario.

[Wail of Suicide]

Elmur_fud;25002720']I think you have misinterpreted some of what I said. Which is probably easy to do as I tend to write oddly.

The problem with using DM maps is you would still need to mod each one. Unless you made the spawn nodes spawn at way points and then you run into a whole differant set of problems.

Some notes:
No singleplayer in any of this.

The design of the game type was to make a more entaining logical form of INV.

The design of the mod was to create a tactical squad/team based warfare scenario.

I actually understand what you're getting at. By "singleplayer styled maps" I mean maps that are intended to have some sort of linear progression to them as objectives are completed.

This is oppposed to multiplayer maps, which tend to have multiple paths overlapping in many directions, all focused on bringing you back into the same areas.



Object is to destroy the nodes and move across the map to a 'hive' and destroy that.

Destroying the hive would give access to anew area of the map and create/activate a teleport volume in said area to teleport all players to the next map.

Object is to [complete objectives] and move across the map to a [final area] and [complete the objectives].

Don't get me wrong, the idea of having "nodes" from which monsters spawn, which can be captured and shut down is not a bad one. It certainly seems like it would be useful in standardizing Surge gametype maps, and providing some framework for mappers. At the same time, I can think of a lot of situations where I may create a singleplayer-styled map and not want to be tied in to the concept of "nodes" and "waves" of monsters, but rather simply base the players' success on reaching the final objective in a map and completing it (whatever that objective may be, and however they can reach it).

[karmatized]

yo [GU]Elmur_fud whats up hows gu been, been a while since i seen any of you around. Is cabron still around, if so tell em karma says whats up. And i got some maps in dev just waiting for his server

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

yo [GU]Elmur_fud whats up hows gu been, been a while since i seen any of you around. Is cabron still around, if so tell em karma says whats up. And i got some maps in dev just waiting for his server

Are you thinking of gorilla unit cause they are [gu] I am www.gamerzunlimited.com which is [GU]. [GU] hasn't been doing any UT for over a year now but will be again for UT3.

I ask because I don't know anyone by the name cabron.

[karmatized]

yeah gorilla unit, my bad, oh well. my old peeps seem to have dried up

[[GU]Elmur_fud]

yeah gorilla unit, my bad, oh well. my old peeps seem to have dried up

NP. I saw a couple [gu] people on a UT2K4 INV server about a month ago, they were asking me about my tag. But sorry I don't remember there names.



Don't get me wrong, the idea of having "nodes" from which monsters spawn, which can be captured and shut down is not a bad one. It certainly seems like it would be useful in standardizing Surge gametype maps, and providing some framework for mappers. At the same time, I can think of a lot of situations where I may create a singleplayer-styled map and not want to be tied in to the concept of "nodes" and "waves" of monsters, but rather simply base the players' success on reaching the final objective in a map and completing it (whatever that objective may be, and however they can reach it).

Well I don't see that as being the majority of the maps as that would make it extremely easy or difficult depending on the variables. That is the sort of thing I intended for boss fights. Or for start off maps.

It still seems to me that the best fit would be a already present map base such as ONS for ut2k4 rather then a custom map base which would limit the amount of maps and would probably kill the gametype if not hamper it's popularity. IMHO that was the downfall of some of the other game types not enough maps and people got board of playing the same map over and over, were as INV could use and DM map (I have seen it use others also). Hence why it is still extremely popular.

As far as map making goes if it was to use a unique map prefix I would like to see it programmed so that when mapping you add a node like you would say a weapon base and then set 'events' were the 'event name' tied it to other nodes, drawing a path between much like the jump path line on ut2k4 from a jump spot to it's destination.

Thereby making it much easier to map.

----------
A bit more detail....
Surviving a wave doesn't do anything towards winning. There are no set amount of waves to win like in INV (though one could set a max b4 loss). Destroying the nodes allow you to progress across the map. You must survive the waves whilst destroying the nodes.

Monsters spawned from nodes further back from the front line have stat bonuses but must travel forwards to teleport from a node at a reasonable distance from the front line. In doing so thus they become weaker, the further from there point of origin they travel the weaker they become.

So the skilled looking for a challenge can penetrate into enemy territory and work behind the lines. While the less skilled (or lower ranked if rpg is on the server *afterthought*) would be best suited to the front lines. By the same token human players get a bonus from spawning at destroyed nodes (maybe call them deployment stations or minibases) this bonus is greater the farther back you spawn, but diminishes with the distance, like the affect on the monsters.

Minimally this prevents camping of rearward spawns but primarily is strategic. Spawning in a well thought out place by coordinating with teammates already in combat will allow you to enter the action with a stats bonus.

Drawbacks are if to many people are doing this the front line nodes are left unprotected and can be easily taken. (AI should be set up knowing this).

Surge is set up around a small tactical force combating a large surge of enemies so overpowering a single equal or lower level enemy is easy. Average monster to player ratio should be about 5 to1. This is only a estimate for illustration it would need testing to come up with good rate for the default but should be a adjustable variable.

In ons this setup has multiple paths:


-X-
--X--X--
--X--X--X--X--
--X--X--
-X-

If you cut off a node it will eventually die.

Conceptually in surge that node would die instantly but would still need to be destroyed to keep it from coming back to life if the gain was lost.

Nodes drain energy from the earth that energy flows back to the hive in streams fueling it and protecting it. Making it futile to attack the hive directly without a good number of nodes gone or a line of captured nodes there too. The energy trails provide a visual reference to the direction of the hive.

It is also potentially possible to have multiple hives with multiple exits on large enough maps.

[Ancient]

That actually sounds similar to an invasion type mod I used to have for UT04. I can't remember the name of it for the life of me though. It tranformed any map by spawning floating gates all over the map, and creatures would spawn a certain intervals out of them (small critters spawned fast, big ones slower, etc.) Winning was about destroying the gates and not just surviving the waves. Plus critters spawned directly from the gates and not just directly behind you like vanilla Invasion, which was much more fun than having constant surprise butseks from rabid warlords. The random nature of where the gate spawned in the maps really helped each match feel very different and challenging, especially if you left a small gate unmolested for too long, you would come back and find an army of gasbags or something.
Does anyone remember the old UT99 mod Tallyho? It was sort of the precurser to Invasion in UT2003. The scoring was so fun, since it took into account distance from your kill and other crazy multipliers like giving you VIP targets to take down for big points. I especially like that you could either help or hurt the other players, but killing too many players made you a criminal and put a large point bounty on your head for the other player to collect. Oh and the redeemer-proof-pants were great too. I'd love you see if you could incorporate some sort of betrayal, or competative system, into the your gametype as well. Either way I think you have a solid idea shaping up here.