NEW Add-On: Descent 2 Maximum (PC full version)

[ThugsRook]

this Add-On Pack (for D2X-R) will replace COUNTERSTRIKE with MAXIMUM as your default Descent 2 mission. all movies, briefings and cutscene sequences will work while playing MAXIMUM.


DOWNLOAD:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/3vdh7 ... AXIMUM.DXA 1.36mb


INSTALL:
just move the DXA file into your DESCENT2 folder.


REQUIRED FILES:
these files need to be in your DESCENT2 folder...

intro-h.mvl
other-h.mvl
robots-h.mvl

[DarkFlameWolf]

Probably an obvious question, but....why?

[ThugsRook]

just to experience the complete version of the game, as it would be on PC.

i dont build levels, so this is the type of stuff i work on

[Xfing]

This would be useful to get a score registered after the end of the game.

Which reminds me: could you make it so that the game registers your score from Vertigo in the high scores table? It would make any run-through much more satisfying.

[ThugsRook]

^ yes, the high score table works for Maximum in this version.

porting Vertigo as the default game will be difficult, but i do plan on trying.
might try D1 too... recreate the MACplay CD in D2.

youd have to ask Zico about high scores for add-on levels, but it is a VERY good idea.
would be nice if he could register missions named Counterstrike / Maximum / Vertigo / First Strike for the high score table.

[Alter-Fox]

Or just any mission.

[Jeff250]

Are these the levels from here:
viewtopic.php?t=6557

Or from elsewhere?

[ThugsRook]

yes.

i just repackaged them as a complete game mod for the full version.

[Xfing]

Overall, when running Maximum one can notice that it does a much better job with balancing weapons. Giving them out at an appropriate moment. Unlike Counterstrike, which gives you two of the most powerful primary weapons in level 2 and 3...

[Alter-Fox]

Probably because D2 Counterstrike had a demo.

[ThugsRook]

don't ask me to make a MAX demo

[Naphtha]

Overall, when running Maximum one can notice that it does a much better job with balancing weapons. Giving them out at an appropriate moment. Unlike Counterstrike, which gives you two of the most powerful primary weapons in level 2 and 3...

Oh, agreed. The Gauss comes in at the Brimspark levels to help with the Fire Boss, the Helix makes its debut alongside the Ice Spindles in Limefrost Spiral and the minibosses are held off until Baloris Prime, where they can give you the first Phoenix Cannon. My only real complaint is that the Ammo Rack comes in Level 2 in a very piss-easy secret (seriously, the Smart Missile in the level is harder to unlock), and personally I think it's better given out just before the halfway mark of the game.

[Xfing]

As for the ammo rack: agreed, it's a strong powerup. We had to complete the whole freakin' Descent 1 with a cap of 20/10/10/5/5. The rack doubles the carrying capacity, so the amount of ordnance one can carry is slightly too convenient. And the 20 Shakers cap? Wtf??? Shakers are bigger than both Megas and Smarts, there should be no logical reason for you to be able to carry twice as many of them.

BTW holding out until later levels on giving out weaponry can be a great practice indeed. I remember how long it initially took me to beat the lvl 7 Boss, so when I finally did, lvl 8 was like an entire new world to me. And its plasma cannon and smart missile felt like birthday gifts Too bad milestones like this no longer feel like actual accomplishments once you learn to slide

[Alter-Fox]

I mean Descent 2 had a demo of 3 levels, therefore Parallax wanted to show off as much new stuff as they could in 3 levels. So after those three levels you already have a lot of new and powerful stuff that got shown off. You also see in Counterstrike that the first three levels contain a lot more control-panel type puzzles than most of the later maps.

Descent Maximum had no demo so the new stuff didn't need to be shown off in one. Therefore the game had no reason to rush the new and powerful stuff out, and so balance came to be.

I agree... sort of... that withholding the ammo rack for half the game would certainly make the experience different. I doubt it would make it any better or worse though. I think the bigger mistake was giving out the energy -> shield converter before the gauss cannon. Because once you have the converter and the gauss than the best strategy becomes gauss and lack of any other strategy. Giving out the converter late in the game would mean there would still be reasons to use plasma, helix, phoenix, spreadfire, lasers and so forth, and the energy management strategies that come with those. With the converter damage management becomes unnecessary and the gauss loses most of its drawbacks.

[Xfing]

I mean Descent 2 had a demo of 3 levels, therefore Parallax wanted to show off as much new stuff as they could in 3 levels. So after those three levels you already have a lot of new and powerful stuff that got shown off. You also see in Counterstrike that the first three levels contain a lot more control-panel type puzzles than most of the later maps.

Descent Maximum had no demo so the new stuff didn't need to be shown off in one. Therefore the game had no reason to rush the new and powerful stuff out, and so balance came to be.

I agree... sort of... that withholding the ammo rack for half the game would certainly make the experience different. I doubt it would make it any better or worse though. I think the bigger mistake was giving out the energy -> shield converter before the gauss cannon. Because once you have the converter and the gauss than the best strategy becomes gauss and lack of any other strategy. Giving out the converter late in the game would mean there would still be reasons to use plasma, helix, phoenix, spreadfire, lasers and so forth, and the energy management strategies that come with those. With the converter damage management becomes unnecessary and the gauss loses most of its drawbacks.

And what are Gauss' drawbacks? Apart from the necessity to collect ammo? ;3

Well, I know that it's not that good to use Gauss in close quarters. But then on the other hand, the robots that get up close also tend to have plasma shields, so attacking them with energy weapons is as good as suicide anyway. So you'd have to fall back on Vulcan against those lifters.

[Alter-Fox]

The way it bumps robots around, in that millisecond where you adjust your aim that Spider/Lou Guard/Ice Spindle/BPer/Seeker can very easily get off a surprise shot. It happens to me a lot.
But since you can heal you don't need to worry about that.

In my ace playthroughs I actually find myself using plasma more often because it's better at preventing the bots from advancing on me all at once.

[Xfing]

Well, the only weapons I've caught myslef using in D2 are super lasers and gauss. Omega too, occasionally, against those pesky spawn. Helix is good on bosses thanks to its high DPS. But other primaries lie inert in my playstyle. Maybe I should mix things up a bit O_o

[ThugsRook]

using the weapons correctly will definitely get you thru some of the tougher areas.

dispite that, im usually using plasma+conc (or flash)

[Xfing]

using the weapons correctly will definitely get you thru some of the tougher areas.

The problem is that these are rather sparse until Puuma Sphere... D1 could definitely use some of the D2 weapons.

[ThugsRook]

using the weapons correctly will definitely get you thru some of the tougher areas.

D1 could definitely use some of the D2 weapons.

na

the D2 guys always say that.
and the D1 guys say the opposite for D2.

itll never end

[Duper]

Agreed. D1 is D1, D2 is D2 and D3 is D3.

There are times I really enjoy playing without burners; me or anyone else!

[Xfing]

I'm not really a D2 guy, mind you! I just acknowledged that D1 was much more difficult. And harder games are more fun games. I had played D1 for a good ten years before I finally picked up D2. And I haven't completed D2 one tenth as many times as I have D1.

Still, seeing that D1 and D2 are largely mutually compatible, I do think that many additions that D2 made were great. But at the same time, it almost completely discarded the D1 ambience. You could say I'm a D1,5 guy. If D1,5 turns out living up to expectations, it'll definitely be my thing.

[Alter-Fox]

...And harder games are more fun games...

Not always true. I enjoyed the original Doom more than Doom 2. Because the last few levels in Doom 2 were so ridiculously frustrating it took a significant chunk out of the enjoyment I had in the previous levels.
Did you enjoy the original Doom more? I certainly get the impression you did...

...You could say I'm a D1,5 guy. If D1,5 turns out living up to expectations, it'll definitely be my thing.

Now I'm calling you (theatrically, because I said theatrically) out on vanity. :sigh:

[Xfing]

...And harder games are more fun games...

Not always true. I enjoyed the original Doom more than Doom 2. Because the last few levels in Doom 2 were so ridiculously frustrating it took a significant chunk out of the enjoyment I had in the previous levels.
Did you enjoy the original Doom more? I certainly get the impression you did...

Hmmm... I love the original Doom (and DTWiD) as it places greater emphasis on the ambience than on difficulty. And the areas were more distinct and colorful, rather than bleak like in Doom 2. But the sequel also had its merits, it advanced the gameplay greatly, even though the locales did look mostly unremarkable. But my view of Doom 2 might be slightly distorted because of the many megawads I've attempted, which usually look even uglier. Doom 2 might have played better, but Doom 1 was far more memorable. And yeah, I suppose you could say that in the end it was also more enjoyable. DTWiD, at the very least, was the most fun megawad I've ever played. And now I get to beta-test D2TWiD

I'm calling you out on vanity now. :sigh:

Hahaha... you could call it vanity, and in a way you'd be right! But keep in mind that I'll likely design only as much as 10 levels out of 52. It would be bordering on physical impossibility to do any more! So you could also say that it's not my own vanity, but rather my faith in the community's level designing skills

[ThugsRook]

This would be useful to get a score registered after the end of the game.

this sparked an idea in me.
...i can make new DESCENT2.HOG files just to keep high scores.

Xfing: have you suggested the hi-scores thing to Zico yet?

[LightWolf]

I personally prefer Maximum as an add-on mission

[ThugsRook]

file and format have been updated!


insted of it being a "HOG MOD", i was able to convert it into a simple D2X-R Add-On Pack.
all the cinematics and stuff still all work perfectly.

an interesting way of using the Add-On feature for sure


thx goes to...
Ryusei117 for renaming the levels.
Jeff250 for porting them.
Dan Wentz and Parallax for making them.