EXU2: Batshit Insane - Demo 2 [Lock me please!]

[TheIronKnuckle]

i'm wonderin.... would it be possible at some point for you to make this mod run as if it were 7 bullets or nali chronicles? You know, with it's own frontend and all? I would probably play the multiplayer stuff a whole lot more if it wasn't based on mutators, so if it had it's own frontend and mutator list... well, i would appreciate that.

[Buff Skeleton]

Actually, doing that would break a lot of multiplayer compatibility with other gametypes. UA and I actually created a prototype with its own .exe, splash screen, and subdirectory in UT (not even maps\EXU\ but EXU\maps\ etc). Problem is, when you do that, the engine still gets confused if you try to link to other things, so for example, playing with EXU2 junk in Carry the Flag would be impossible.

This mod originally was meant to be a Monsterspawn/mutator-enabled multiplayer mod, too - Batshit Insane came later as an idea for a SP campaign based on the multiplayer gear - so I really don't want to mess any of that up. Using mutators and .int files opens up a ton of flexibility with other maps and gametypes and things, too, so that all is going to remain the way it is.

It's still organized well enough, though, that you won't have a mess. I make a point of prefixing whatever I can with EXU2-, so the mutators and maps and things are easy to locate for uninstallation, and of course there's the whole Files List that tells you exactly what EXU2 uses. The SP is handled through a map pack class in Oldskool, so it's not like EXU1 where there was just a giant list of maps to choose from. You just load it, click start, and go; you don't even need to choose a difficulty level. You do that in-game from the intro map!

[UB_]

Selecting difficulties from the Intro map... You should put sadistic Translator messages before all of the four difficulty ways, to hint the player of what he's going to fight.

[TheIronKnuckle]

Actually, doing that would break a lot of multiplayer compatibility with other gametypes. UA and I actually created a prototype with its own .exe, splash screen, and subdirectory in UT (not even maps\EXU\ but EXU\maps\ etc). Problem is, when you do that, the engine still gets confused if you try to link to other things, so for example, playing with EXU2 junk in Carry the Flag would be impossible.

This mod originally was meant to be a Monsterspawn/mutator-enabled multiplayer mod, too - Batshit Insane came later as an idea for a SP campaign based on the multiplayer gear - so I really don't want to mess any of that up. Using mutators and .int files opens up a ton of flexibility with other maps and gametypes and things, too, so that all is going to remain the way it is.

It's still organized well enough, though, that you won't have a mess. I make a point of prefixing whatever I can with EXU2-, so the mutators and maps and things are easy to locate for uninstallation, and of course there's the whole Files List that tells you exactly what EXU2 uses. The SP is handled through a map pack class in Oldskool, so it's not like EXU1 where there was just a giant list of maps to choose from. You just load it, click start, and go; you don't even need to choose a difficulty level. You do that in-game from the intro map!

Ok, i see what you're sayign, but I realise that i didn't get myself across properly. I use xmaps, so it assigns mutators and everything for me when i'm playing on UT.exe. But if i play on another exe like 7 bullets, i can make use of a whole new mutator list that does not conflict with the normal UT one or xmaps.

I came across wrong when i said

I would probably play the multiplayer stuff a whole lot more if it wasn't based on mutators

What i meant was, if this mod had it's own exe and ini, then it also has it's own mutator list that won't conflict with the ut.exe one in any way. So that means i could apply the EXU mutators and the monsterspawn mutators and never have to remove them. It's a real convenience thing i suppose.
In any case, seeing as i don't like to change my mutator lists, if EXU came with it's own mutator list i would probably play the multiplayer componant a whole lot more.
Edit: Or maybe if you let me launch a multiplayer game from EXU2's intro map and have it so that the EXU2 mutators are assigned to whatever level i jump to from there? That would actually be a pwnxor option imo.

Selecting difficulties from the Intro map... You should put sadistic Translator messages before all of the four difficulty ways, to hint the player of what he's going to fight.

Great idea! You should have corridoors of doom for each difficulty with warning translator messages lining them all the way to the end. The messages getting more and more sadistic.

[Buff Skeleton]

Great minds think alike!



There are four paths. Easy is pretty plain and not very exciting, medium gets a little more interesting and foreboding, hard has actual hazards you can die in, and Unreal really shows you what you're getting into (especially compared to the other three).


TIK: I use XMaps too, actually; I think you can just add EXU Weapon Modifier, EXU Replace, EXU Health Charger, and EXU: Deemer to LRPC (if you want) to your list with Monsterspawn and it should be fine, unless you have other weapon mutators that would conflict, hence the need for multiple lists. In that case, what I'd do is just copy your whole UT directory (it's 2009; you DO have shit tons of unused hard drive space, right? :p) and then make an EXU-optimized installation and your standard one. You would still be able to mix and match everything since all the stuff is copied over. May not be the best solution, but it still is smoother than manually adding mutators every game if you can't work out an XMaps-based option.

I don't think it's possible for a teleporter to launch mutators, so running multiplayer stuff from the menu map is probably not doable. Also, the menu map is done for the sake of Demo 3, but I have plans for lots of expansions. One of the tutorial sections is actually unfinished, too, so I didn't even include it, but it's not that important. The others are already very very good for getting acquainted with EXU2's gameplay, and especially weapons/items.

Another thing: at the end of Demo 3 (or the full game), it will be possible to return to the menu map and restart the campaign on any difficulty you want with all your gear. However, your health will always reset to 12 no matter what. I added this check since you can pick up kegs in the menu map and starting with 600 health kinda breaks the game.

[TheIronKnuckle]

Ah ok then. That is actually a good insight, i've got tons of GB's just waiting to be used, so i'll just make an EXU optimised install.

But i don't want to duplicate every single map i've got on this thing! that means i would have two identical 20GB installs of UT.

I might be able to solve this though... wasn't there some way to tell UT to search other directories for maps? It's in the ini's somewhere i think. If i do that then i can just point the EXU install to search the normal UT folder for maps, thus saving me from redundant map files.

[Buff Skeleton]

Haha holy crap, 20 gigs, yeah I forget that some people have a lot more maps than I do And yes you can point UnrealTournament.ini from the EXU install to your regular one, I'm pretty sure. Try it out and see if it works.

[TheIronKnuckle]

Actually this is an awesome idea, (assuming it works).

Theoratically i could just have a second unreal tournament install with nothing but the exu files and a duplicated system folder. The ini editing could do the rest for me! Ant this also means i would have two separate installs of xmaps, which would be great because i could go absolutely crazy with the mutators on my exu install! Hurry up and release the new demo so i can try it out already!

[UB_]

Damn!

Great minds think alike!

Great! Thank you for not spoilering the other two messages.

[Shivaxi]

Any idea when this might be getting released? I'm actually intrigued now

[Buff Skeleton]

24-48 hours hopefully, assuming there are no major issues when UA sends me the new HUD code and I implement and test it.

[Shivaxi]

shweet

[Buff Skeleton]

Hey can someone do me a favor and lock this thread? Release is imminent and I definitely think a fresh start is in order!

[jackrabbit]

Locked.








jk But yeah, this thread is getting pretty long...

[Buff Skeleton]

Actually, this should probably remain open just for a bit. UA and I are running into some HUD buggery that is going to put off release until at least tomorrow. Don't worry, though; it's nothing we can't fix! We just need a night's sleep.