Trickster's massive thread of "fixes" needed for empires (Bugs, models and Gameplay)

This is basically a huge thread with various things that I believe to need fixing. These range from bugs, to model issues, to actual features that should be added. I'll try and organise them together, and I may add newer ones later below. Seeing as the dev team currently has so many coders, these are done with an emphasis on not needing artists where possible.

Bugs

1) NF walls are lower than BE walls. A newly built BE walls is often difficult or impossible to jump onto due to the height. They also can't be shot over. The base height needs to be brought down to the level of NF walls.

2) Corpses often being able to go through displacements or brushes. Using seismic nades you can push any corpse half into a displacement or brush, and revive him. He will then be able to go onto the other side. A prime example of this is crossroads, whereby doing that outside the main, you can walk to the enemy main base inside the map, completely invulnerable from the outside. I've never noticed this issue in CS:S, so I doubt it's unfixable.

3) Spawn bug. Not sure if this is fixed in 2.25, but it's seriously a pain in the ass when you have to reselect your spawn half the time.

4) Ghost walls. Not sure if this still happens with engineer, but I know it still happens with commanders, when you get a strip of walls across the map. This is also a pain in the ass. But like 3), this is less important than the first 2.

5) Refinery player multiplier. This will take a bit of explaining, so just trust me when I say it's broken if you have a case of tl;dr with it.

Currently, at 0-12 players (This is both teams added together afaik, not spec, but not individual teams), the refineries will do what the mapper intended. Double refs etc. At 12-23 however, it adds one, rather than doubling. This means:

0-11: Single ref = 1/second, Double ref = 2/second
12-23: Single ref = 2/second, Double ref = 3/second.

As you can see, this will only scale up further and further. Holding the north on Mvalley, as well as A4/F4 against a team with the main bases and the dam SHOULD be even. But in actual fact, the people at the north are getting an extra 420 resources per minute.

To fix this, change the formula. Assume X is the value the mapper entered, and N is the sector. With 0-11 being sector 1, 12-23 being sector 2, 24-35 being sector 3. Amount of resources given on that refinery is R.

R = N*X

Simply put, you don't double it for every sector, but simply add the original amount on top as it goes up.

With this system, the double ref goes 2, 4, 6, and the single ref goes 1, 2, 3, keeping everything correct.

6) Actually have flags scale with players. Currently they don't. This needs to be fixed rather than having to use hack jobs to make the flags spawn refs outside of the map etc.

7) Fix commander clipping into things. Idk what you could do, give him noclip or something. But it's a serious problem now, especially when trying to move via the minimap.

8) Vehicle crosshair "attaching" itself to things. Especially walls and the middle on coast. It's a fucking pain in the ass and I have no idea why it does it.

9) Vehicle prediction. Driving with 200+ ping is nigh on impossible in a tank, but as infantry it's fine.

 

Annoying model issues

1) The jeeps. I see no reason not to use the roll-bar free jeep models. They were even done with the new LoDs by Siro. I know that it's a hack for not actually removing that part of the model, but that doesn't have a hitbox anyway, so it makes little difference. It's a quick and easy way to put everyone on the same page, rather than some having an advantage over others due to it.

2) The NF barbed wire. Again, this was fixed by Cyberkiller, but not everyone uses it. They serve no purpose, and his simple reskin should be made official so everyone is on the same page.

3) This BE RPG shield. This one will actually require a bit of a remodel, but I doubt it'd be that difficult. Someone like Pwnedyoass could probably do it in an hour. Get rid of the giant shield and attack a little screen on the side of it, which won't stick out any further than the cylinder of the RPG launcher itself. Link the screen with the code for showing ammo used in the calculators, BEAR, BECAR and Scout rifle. At the moment, a lot of people use an RPG with the shield cut out. Whilst this works, it gives an advantage over other people, and looks pretty bad.

4) Again, getting a little bit more complicated, but a mortar animation of some form would be nice. Anything, even if it means the model is shown upside down in third person (like the mortar is used) but no animation, just something to show that the person you are against is either going to try and RPG you in the face (a genuine thread in 2.25 with the improved RPG speed) or attempt to arc an explosive mortar at you.

5) GUI. Yes, I know, zomg GUI code etc. But really, how difficult would it be to use NESQUIKO's for the time being? Or at the very least, add some code to toggle a different GUI for all 3 sides (spec included), and have NESQUIKO's as is for spec and options menu etc, and have it tinted blue for BE, red for NF. I bet NESQUIKO could re-tint all his stuff in a day tops, and he'd be more than willing. The default GUI is just really bad for blocking your screen. I realised this when I tested the 2.25 version with it, and how much the scoreboard blocked my screen up. The NESQUIKO GUI has also saved me in the VF many times when some cunt with melee has come in, and I've seen him. Which I wouldn't have done with the stock GUI.

6) Mines. Currently, NF mine blends in far better on most maps, with the BE mine being the shadow faggotry mine. This has to be fixed. Make the BE mine lighter, a more greyish colour. Make the NF mine darker. This would need little more than a filter applied over the texture in photoshop. Job done, and both mines are closer in their brightness. Even if people start to mistake the mines, it's not the end of the world. Better than it is currently. They're both still going to be easy to hide in shadows, and if the community thinks that's still going to be an issue, it's easy to change the material properties of them to fullbright, so they ignore shadows. It's a bad way of doing it, but the mine imbalance is ridiculous currently.

7) Ironsights. Literally no-one knows where their bullets actually hit in relation to the ironsights, besides the NFAR. A simple reskin could fix this, or hell, have it written in the description. Just something to indicate it.

 

Feature changes:

1) Scout rifle. Just sort it out. Either decide on making it useful, making it have a purpose, or remove it. It's currently a giant newbie trap.

2) Balance the individual skills. Powers such as revive are always going to be better than something like speed, but there are other more important issues. For example, Stamina and regen. Neither of them have a good enough effect to be useful. A simple buff of making regen faster, making stamina actually use less stamina at a time, rather than recharging faster, would do wonders. Other skills such as damage increase just need a change of the value, nothing more. None of the skills need changing any more than just a simple percentage change.

3) Mine detection. Yes, it's fucking useless. After reading threads, I think I'm going to agree with Dubee and say something like CoD:MW2's sitrep (explosives glow brightly, and can be seen through walls. The wall part isn't necessary though if it's too much work) would be the most suitable.

4) Balance some of the squad powers. Damage and armour are both useless. Charge is less good than it should be for the price of 3 points. Taking this from the other thread in which I suggested them:

Charge = Infinite sprint
Make it instead: Infinite stamina (not including dig in to avoid people HMG popping out, so infinite sprint and jump) as well as a 50% damage reduction, lasting for 30 seconds but without a recharge time. Cost: 4

Armour = 20% damage reduction
Make it instead: God mode but with a visual representation of that the people concerned are in god mode, have it last 5 seconds, have it have a recharge time of say 20. Cost: 5

Damage = 20% damage increase
Make it instead: All weapons reload at 3x of the speed, with ammo replenishment for every weapon you have at double their new reload speed. RPG takes 3 seconds to reload stock. With the power, it is reduced to 1 second. You should receive a new RPG every 2 seconds for the time period of the power. And yes, this does mean you could switch between RPG/mortar constantly to never lose ammo, which isn't even an issue. This should replenish all your weapons simultaneously. Whilst this will work for rifles and stuff, the true use of this will be explosive weapons such as grenades, RPG/mortar, mines and short range weapons such as the machine pistol and shotgun pistol. It may need a recharge time to prevent it being overpowered, maybe 20-30 seconds. Cost: 4

5) Allow mic whilst dead. You can already use chat, I see no reason for not being able to use mic. Clans can use vent anyway, so just allow it.

6) Squad kick. Allow people to vote out their squad leader, allow the commander to kick people from squads. Finally, allow the squad leader to select a person to take his place, rather than having to kick people from the squad. Few people know that the order in which you must kick people is actually from the squad menu, not the list on your left. In other words, I might be bottom of the list on the left, but 2nd in the GUI. Meaning the squad leader only has to leave and rejoin. Or vice versa in which he has to kick everyone.

7) Commander giving squad orders. Not sure if this is fixed, but currently it only gives it to the leader. That's bad, but easy to fix. Also, have squad orders not overwrite commander orders, but work alongside.

8) Slow down the RPG in 2.25. It's insane, seriously. It moves at like 100000mph, and can be used to instakill infantry most of the time. I know it needed a speed buff, but either link it to upg/adv RPG with the increases, or at least make sure it never gets close to the speed it's at now.

9) Move upg/adv RPG to mechanical. Easy fix, needs doing. Don't even need to justify this.

10) Turrets. Make them take damage from bullets and melee like cameras. This might sound stupid at first, but it honestly isn't so bad. It would take a while to melee a turret to death, and it has to be balanced so that melee does less damage than ANY form of explosive, but at the moment, turrets can create total lockdown just on their own. Unless a team is working and placing their turrets in pairs to cover eachother (from people sitting on top), then they deserve to lose those turrets. As much as sitting on top meleeing takes time, it's no different to building things, and as long as engy tool/rpg/mortar/grenades are faster than this, it's a way to prevent this horrible aspect of gameplay.

 

One small request. If you insist on quoting sections of this and putting your own comments or amendments below it, don't just quote an entire section where half of your comment is "agree" or something. Only quote the ones you actually wish to amend. I'd rather not have this a giant wall of text which if you didn't follow the thread from the start, it's unreadable. Much like the "Chris0132 gameplay thread".

 

/me blinks several times

Trickster isn't trolling... The planets are way out of alignment...


Response to feature changes

I agree with 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

4: Damage is OP. Armor is kind of useless.

9: It's a missile. Why shouldn't it be in chem?

10: No. That's what grens are for.

 

I've never had issues with any ironsights.

 

4. Damage squad power is OP? Lolwut? It's completely useless. In application and effect.

9. Because it's not for vehicles. The other trees don't have a counterpart (in b4 turrets, that would just suck in mech because it'd get researched all the time. We want to encourage RPG to be researched) and hence it should be moved there.

10. 1 class that can take out turrets effectively...woo...

 

Grens cant effectively kill turrets.
They can carry about 30 shots.
They take about 4 seconds between shots.
They take 3 shots to kill one enemy turret.
By default they spawn with about 7 shots.

 

Hence the melee/bullets addition would be nice for them. I was referring to engineers in my post, I should probably have stated that. I assumed Recon mistyped when he said Gren. He can't be THAT retarded.

 

if you can run up to a turret you should be able to kill it

then again sabotage was kinda this function

 

I agree with you on the bugs

Not the models though. If hes crouched hes gonna pop you with a mowtar if hes standing RPG. Of course in the future it needs to change but I see no reason to rush it or the others.

Features I agree with everything except squad power changes.. I say get rid of scout rifle and I agree the RPG is insanely fast but a better fix would be to make it do almost no damage to people like it does to buildings.

The bullets hurting turrets is a tricky one too though. Because its basically the only thing that can stop a riflemen from going john rambo. I think they should take a lot bullets to kill. Can you put a bullet resistance on them? Needs testing.

 

re: features

1) A required "Special Weaponry" Skill which keeps the scout rifle (and maybe HMG) hidden until selected would allow a slight buff so that it's at least half as good as it was in 2.12 while discouraging players using it in combination with hide at the beginning of rounds.

2) I like ScardyBob's idea of a "weight" system with skills, as long as I can get revive from the start.

4) squad powers

Charge
Logistically speaking, charge is already very useful in getting to the front lines in the first place, but I think it just needs infinite movement stamina, but without your damage reduction. I like the direction of what you're suggesting, but the skills shouldn't be like proteins in the human body: having like a million folds such that their geometry is three dimensional. Take for example: squad heal. The ideal skill. It helps players across a broad spectrum without having to know the context of the battle they're in. It doesn't require insane coordination.

Armor
I like this, but I would like to negate bullet physpush on invulnerable players. To indicate this to surrounding players, instead of the blood particles and blood decals, you should see like sparks when you shoot metallic surfaces and such accompanied with an icon above their heads like a shield with a lightning bolt across it or something.

Damage
I like quick reloads, but I would like it if it just gave me a bulk of ammunition each time used. We already have an instant heal. We need an instant restock. Restock would be useful to all members of a squad immediately, but quick reloads would definitely help in a pinch, especially with heavy vehicles. It's hard to say.

5) This. As it stands, inability to hear dead guys' mics does not read with new players at all. This isn't counterstrike where having a dead "spectator" communicate with the living team. I would like it though if 0 HP was equated to being "downed" where you're immobile, as a ragdoll, and can still call for a medic and whatever.

6) I'd also like a "promote to squad leader" (if you are current squad leader) / "vote to be squad leader" (when you're nominating a player for your squadleader) in the squad manage menu. Seems less cumbersome than kick and you'll know who your squad leader will be at least.

7) Attack and move orders should be on the screen simultaneously. Squad attack orders should stack with commander ones.

8) That RPG is hilarious, but it could be toned down, I agree.

9) This. It isn't too much of a stretch to say that you're upgrading the launching mechanisms of the RPG or whatever (surely you can justify this as nothing else in the game makes sense, background-wise). This would definitely narrow the gap with infantry and armor.

10) I like this. Maybe if this weakens turrets too much, allow them to take damage by melee if they've been concussioned or sabotaged.

 

Yeah ofc, a lot of bullets. It should be more efficient to melee it. Bullets should be better to finish off if it's near dead. I actually quite like RPG killing infantry, it's good for taking out camping HMG people. It's just the speed that's over the top. It is really fast in 2.25, like insanely fast. And it has 100% tracking to your mouse, which is another problem.

Ofc I wouldn't say all should be done at once, but they should all be on a to-do list by 2.26. I mean all you need to do is make it so the mortar is held sideways, that should make it fairly obvious. As in the scope/shield is on the bottom, rather than sideways.

EDIT: Gonna reply to Ounin's suggestions, standby.

Finally, to your post below this. I > you as squad leader. Kthx.

 

^ ^speaking as the premier infantry squad leader

 

I find it way too easy and the only fun thing about it is knowing some HMG whore died.

 

re: features


4) squad powers

Charge
Logistically speaking, charge is already very useful in getting to the front lines in the first place, but I think it just needs infinite movement stamina, but without your damage reduction. I like the direction of what you're suggesting, but the skills shouldn't be like proteins in the human body: having like a million folds such that their geometry is three dimensional. Take for example: squad heal. The ideal skill. It helps players across a broad spectrum without having to know the context of the battle they're in. It doesn't require insane coordination.

Charge should just simply encourage people to charge. People are still a bit wary to run out into open fire, especially against a HMG. The damage reduction would just help encourage this.

I could imagine seeing damage reduction in the future, just not immediately. I do agree with assessing it around when 2.26 is in development.

Armor
I like this, but I would like to negate bullet physpush on invulnerable players. To indicate this to surrounding players, instead of the blood particles and blood decals, you should see like sparks when you shoot metallic surfaces and such accompanied with an icon above their heads like a shield with a lightning bolt across it or something.

Sure, but I hate the idea of artificial icons to the enemy team. It should be on their person, not an icon. If it needs an icon, we're doing it wrong.

Just appeasing what's been said. However, that's what I would want for the little active squad skill card on the left, below the squad roster. For all other players witnessing the skill in use, I would just like bullets bouncing off people like they're superman.

Damage
I like quick reloads, but I would like it if it just gave me a bulk of ammunition each time used. We already have an instant heal. We need an instant restock. Restock would be useful to all members of a squad immediately, but quick reloads would definitely help in a pinch, especially with heavy vehicles. It's hard to say.

Maybe, but I'm still wary of an instant ammo boost. Bulk ammunition as a power on it's own would only get used by the squad leader or a ninja who needed it.

Well, as it stands, that's how squad instant heals are used sometimes. I'm notorious for burning through squad heals for my own personal use. It's only so useful since the vehicles are so hardy in this version. Otherwise, ammo would be an issue. As I see it, instant restock primarily lets squads hit the ground running.



I haven't witnessed your squad leading on the field, so I can't really make a judgement call on your prowess. However, you are pretty good in the CV, as topdown squad micro-ing leader.

 

Yeah, but that's probably a problem with instant heal as well. Maybe that needs redesigning a bit.

In some ways, a problem with squad powers is that they are mapwide and not affected by the amount of players in your radius. It's certainly a difficult thing to work with, working out powers that aren't just used by the squad leader and do benefit the squad itself. I think the idea of the gradual addition of ammo would allow you to use more ammo than you could actually hold. Even with ammo upgrade and like 9 RPGs or whatever it is, you could pump out more of those over 20-30 seconds. Not to say it couldn't be fixed by just having it ignore the ammo limit, but I just think ammo replenishment over the 20-30 seconds is more versatile.

 

The issue with that is that it isn't nearly as satisfying for players. There's a large deal of instant gratification with full heals and restocking and such. Contextually, ammo restoration is more beneficial to more people (those that just respawn, and such), but I have an annuity and I need cash now.

 

There's nothing wrong with icons.
You already have targets, camera, radar and commander.

There's not many other ways to indicate such a squad power anyway, we could have an ubercharge skin (like that's going to fit in with the style), make them glow (same deal) or a number of other visual things which fit just as well as a big icon.

The fact of the matter is, unless you have some genius idea, a shield icon is the best thing for such a skill, it's quick, obvious and it'll be easy to do.