Metanet Forums

hi everyone,
Wow.. our first post on these new forums! And a pretty good one too, we hope: as mentioned on our blog http://www.metanetsoftware.com/blog/?p=597, we'd like to get some initial feedback from all of you re:v1.5.

Right now we're just starting the preliminary planning.. there's a lot to do! So before you start writing about new types of drones or editor features or "super gold", bear in mind that we're not thinking that stuff yet, we're really just trying to figure out the foundation -- file formats, backend database stuff, etc..

Anyway, here is the first batch of polls:

Platform: Browser or Stand-Alone? http://forum.droni.es/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6036
Episode Highscores: Yea or Nay? http://forum.droni.es/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6037
Small Changes: Good or Bad? http://forum.droni.es/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6038


thanks,
Raigan and Mare
p.s - bonus poll: N-related news dissemination http://forum.droni.es/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6039

I've made this a global announcement for you guys.

Developers straight-up asking for feedback? You guys are the best.

Also, super gold made me laugh.

This has to be the best news I have heard in ages. I am so glad that this is finally happening. I can no wait to see what ideas you and Mare have in store. Also I will help in any way I can. You guys are truly unique, never do developers go directly to a fan forums and ask for input. You guys rock.

I thought we'd never hear from you guys again. <3

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat.

SlappyMcGee wrote:I've made this a global announcement for you guys.

awesome, thanks!

Sweet! It's so good to see you guys around. :D

Question: Will all the maps made in N v1.4 still work in v1.5? I'm assuming they will, seeing as it's v1.5 and not v2.0, but since you're toying with ideas of new drones and such, it seems like a valid query.

Time for those polls...

Holy shit.

And thus I take back any and all past posts poking fun at activity. Holy balls I am happy right now. :D

Awesome, voted in all of them :D

This is quite probably the best news I've heard all week.

OneSevenNine wrote:Developers straight-up asking for feedback? You guys are the best.

Also, super gold made me laugh.

You've never seen 'em do this? Shit, son, THIS IS WHY THIS COMMUNITY.

Edit: I'm not sure whether to eat my hat or wonder if recent events sparked this. Either way, good news.

Awesome news, I can't wait! I'm sure this will turn out great, and even if we don't like the final product, we'll still have Nv1.4!
I'll vote on every poll I can find, so this turns out the best it can.

this just made my day.

awesome. awesome!

Wow. Seeing as v1.4 was what brought me here, I can't wait for v1.5. Sure it's been a while, but I'm glad that the both of you are working on it again!

This is a consolidation of recent irc posts on the n-highscores channel. I post this to represent some of the many concerns we have with physics edits for Nv1.5.

<van> those small adjustments are a terrible idea
<remaniac> It would make it a whole new game
<van> and ruining the existing runs and demos is the worst thing
<Raif> which why i voted no :D
<van> i guess we all voted no
<van> but someone who cares only about maps has no point in doing so
<van> that's the problem because there are more mappers than players
<L3X> yeah, small changes makes all the old highscores obselete... :/
<remaniac> I believe all the highscorers will vote no, but there are more mappers that would vote yes
<remaniac> because it will make it easier to play

<van> i love the random parts
<van> like you don't know if the chaingun shots you or not, it's part of the game
<L3X> chainguns arent really random anyway, if you do the same thing twice, it will shoot in exactly the same place. :P

<van> i think that they really need to just ADD features, like in-game chat, speedrun, cheat-protection etc
<el_devo> That would make the experience much more enjoyable

<L3X> just a matter of running the level enough to get used to it. and yeah, zap drones arent random at all. S:
<van> it's not like in 1 demo you die and in other you live...
<Raif> zap drones just come if they are in between grid lines, that isn't random


<L3X> allot of the small things people would consider flaws or bugs add dynamics to the gameplay, taking that away would be... eww
<L3X> but yeah, people have spent allot of time getting oh so many insane runs on the current levels, dont make it all obselete by changing the way stuff works and breaking all the demo's.
<remaniac> thats it pretty much

<el_devo> The thing is, for them to make any fundamental physics changes at all that are worthwhile, they ruin all current demos

<el_devo> I would just make some edits, then release as Nv2.0

<Raif>When is this collision bug happen anyway?
<remaniac> if you're trying to perp jump at high speeds
<van> there are faster ways to get down than changing direction almost always
<remaniac> it's the only time it really comes into play
<L3X> lol van, you've never stuttered when doing a reverse jump off a slope? xD
<el_devo> It happens when you perp jump going fast
<el_devo> All the time
<van> what does 'stuttered' mean?
<remaniac> like stumble
<el_devo> Dust comes up and you can't jump on all the frames
<Raif> it almost never happens to me :/
<van> i guess it happened to me, but i just take it that i messed the perp jump
<van> there is no point in making it easier

<el_devo> imo, if they are going to change it, then it needs to be v2.0
<el_devo> and have new drones, items, doors, etc.
<van> YEA

<van> well i think that the physics model should be the same
<el_devo> definitely
<Raif> you can add enimies without messing with the physics of the game :/
<van> just add speedrun, chat, more levels, numa maps, cheat protection, etc
<el_devo> small bugs arent worth changing
<el_devo> We've gotten used to them
<van> yea and without breaking the demos, raif, too
<van> just the old levels would be without new enemies

<el_devo> If they were updating N every 6 months or something then they could overhaul the physics, but we are too used to the current physics after using them for years

<van> pheidi: "I guess this sorta answers the question I posed over in the actual v1.5 thread about backwards compatibility. I think a lot of players are going to want backwards compatibility, so if the small changes come at the expense of this, it might as well be v2.0. Since v1.5 is the goal, I'd be against changing the physics and glitches. "

<van> as i'm reading, people really have problems with that stuttering
<van> i never considered it a bug...
<Raif> i dont :/
<el_devo> Only the new players have a serious problem I would think
<van> yea
<Raif> no one ever complains about it in here
<el_devo> it happens to me, but it doesn't matter
<remaniac> i have only noticed it as a bug because they mentioned it to be so
<van> you can avoid it with being good and with timing, no point removing it

Having the option to look at replays from either game would be a plus.

Hi. This is awesome!

Edit: Somewhere I read about the possibility of revamping the gameplay, but keeping a "classic N" option. I think that could be neat. Or else, perhaps even better would be the map data itself stating whether to use 1.4 or 1.5's engine/physics/engineIsaidthatalready... Me, as both a player and a mapper I hope the 'bugs' remain. The add paths for the experienced players. I've just come to expect those lovable quirks ;3
At the same time, new tiles or objects would be awesome, because it would add gameplay innovation opportunities, which NUMA/mappers desperately needs more of.

Hm, I totally didn't expect to read this, rather than post in each thread I'll include the lot in here.

I would love it for you guys to take the game further, even if this does pose a risk of breaking things, it happens. Do you expect a Counter-Strike 1.6 map to work straight off the bat with Counter-Strike: Source? Of course not. This is a similar example.

Making everything more accurate and more consistent would be brilliant, meaning you're relying more on your skill and less on your luck that the chaingun didn't hit you.

Standalone application by a MILE. Maybe have it as a free download through Steam and include achievements and Steam Cloud sync through that? That'd keep the high-scores secure, if it's possible to do.

Highscores, I've never been a fan personally, so I voted "Don't Care."

So yes, that is all. Keep up the good work, and I hope this will be a huge hit :D

Lenny wrote:This is quite probably the best news I've heard all week.

QFE

This is great, so good to see you guys on the forums!

*Awesome*

Looking forward to the ride.

This made my day. YEEEAAAAAH!

My suggestions:
- new types of drones, yeah!
- EASY CUSTOM DRONE PATHING, I WOULD LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT
- don't ever fix those lovely glitches <3
- easier modding (not only in nReality), and it should be simple, like, right-click (or something) on drone, menu appears and you change the moving speed or something like that. Would love it.

lsudny wrote:- easier modding (not only in nReality), and it should be simple, like, right-click (or something) on drone, menu appears and you change the moving speed or something like that. Would love it.

Do remember that any mods like that (even just drone speed changes) only work in NReality, and Nreality is completely separate to Mare and Raigan's work. Although, if Unreality and M&R teamed up to make a super-n, that would be pretty awesome too. :3

BluePretzel wrote:Awesome news, I can't wait! I'm sure this will turn out great, and even if we don't like the final product, we'll still have Nv1.4!

Someone has a way with words.