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********** D2X-XL competition mode - call for input ********

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:48 am
by Diedel
I am thinking of adding a multiplayer competition mode to D2X-XL, allowing to restrict available D2X-XL to a certain set by setting a single flag in multiplayer options.

I would like to have propositions about which features to allow and which to inhibit, each with a good rationale.

This option should be distinct from the -pure2D option insofar as it should probably allow certain D2X-XL extensions to be available.

This should not be about what people like or not, but about what really affects gameplay and what doesn't.

Obviously, mouselook and fastpitch will be inhibited.

Weapon effects will be inhibited, too.

What about OpenGL lighting, colored lighting, smoke, shadows?

Colored lighting - potentially makes level darker. No advantage over non D2X-XL here.

Colored gun light - you determine an oponents weapon earlier, but does it make a difference? You can tell laser bolts, spreadfire, plasma, gauss from each other anyway?

Smoke - looks really cool, may make it harder to see. So you can take this as an enhancement requiring additional skill/better tactics, or as a hindrance.

Shadows - that's just eye candy. Personally I thought of inhibiting it.

I think you could shoot for two different directions: No D2X-XL extensions at all (almost like -pureD2, but still allowing the new UI stuff), or allowing some D2X-XL stuff.

I'd like to keep hires models, smoke, OpenGL lighting (with fixed brightness setting), and colored gun light.

No mouselook, fast pitch, shadows, weapon fx, shield spheres, damage explosions, target and damage indicators.

Also no suppression of friendly fire and suicides, no dual missile launch, no fusion bump.

Anything else? Your turn. :)

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:13 am
by DarkFlameWolf
Nope, you're good. Do it.

Re: ********** D2X-XL competition mode - call for input ****

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:22 pm
by Aus-RED-5
Diedel wrote:This should not be about what people like or not, but about what really affects gameplay and what doesn't.
^^ That's what it's all about right there. ^^

Re: ********** D2X-XL competition mode - call for input ****

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:40 pm
by Diedel
Aus-RED-5 wrote:^^ That's what it's all about right there. ^^
Now if you explain this to me ... :?

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:55 pm
by Kyouryuu
What about some limitation on what the viewports can show? I don't remember - maybe that was a flag already - but I remember being able to see opponent ships on the map viewport.

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:07 am
by Diedel
Other players are only shown if the game host allows this, but this is already present in standard Descent 1/2.

I have added radar to the list of features that are suppressed in competition mode though. I had simply forgotten about it yesterday.