Distension Beta Suggestions/Bugfix thread

[gdugwyler]

Progress bar covering up things: Damn, it's always seeming to cover up something. I moved it down because it was obscuring the super, but now it's just moved on to something else! Will try to make it work so that all of the normal icons there are not obscured.

Radar: I understand it's harder for those who have been playing many years to make good use of the radar; this was considered when the change was made. It's keeping with the philosophy of the game I had when first imagining it several years ago, however: holding to traditional principles (of both SS and TW) where they have unequivocally succeeded, and freely changing that which is mired in tradition without necessarily being the best way to do it. I'm not saying that this arrangement is better; however, in my personal opinion -- and I realize this is not the opinion of the majority of people as far as most things in the world go -- if something is different, even if it's slightly worse it's still better than the monotony of that which is the same. With that formula in mind, the chances of "success" in my eyes when changing something fairly trivial such as the color of enemies on radar is quite high. Furthermore, another goal has been to reward the adaptive and quick-thinking, and perhaps also level the playing field between new players and old players: both of which are pursued by this approach. Regarding the flag, though, I'll change that: you're right that it's too hard to see when you have it.

Sidebars: Ali is sending some sidebars she used for the VDay map, with the gridlines behind edited out. The colors are washed out ("desaturated") because they are normally quite garish and vulgar, quite unfitting to the nature of the arena. They'll probably still be toned down, but not quite to the level they are now, as the grids are the main problem. I'll turn the portal graphic back to normal, though, as well as the super icon. Today I'll be adding a SUPER graphic for when the player receives super. Maybe something that appears around the ship if I'm feeling frisky.

Fonts: Going to continue to work on them today. The gradient will be toned down as suggested. I'm not totally satisfied with the cyan arena/zone message color. Suggestions for colors that would match the overall scheme are welcome.

Optional graphics: Someone suggested that I make these graphics optional. If there were an easy way to make them "opt-out" -- default to on but allowing the player to remove them -- I would do it. However, the only option is "opt-in," downloading from a site or the like and installing manually, meaning the vast majority of the people (95%) would not play with them. (Further, they'd have to change them any time they went to another arena, etc.) Sorry to those that object, but that's just not my vision. All that I can say is that some of the options you can turn off in the initial menu, and the font you can change if you wish -- I'll include instructions for how to do that in the public release, though I think it will turn out acceptable enough for the majority of insipid social conformists and tradition-adherents that in the end this will not be necessary.

[2kill]

I just noticed this when I started terring recently and was surprised I had not seen anyone point it out. It is very difficult to see the port timer as a result.

Are 2kill and I the only ones to have this issue? Or has it been brought up before and we missed it?

I think its a result of the new LVZ files... not sure but think so

and the fonts I think they were good this test had no problems reading good job I like new ideas

keep up the good work dug

2kill

[meddi]

on a unrelated note to the fonts, the terr's counter for the port was sitting in the bottom of the progress bar making it hard to read the time left.

I just noticed this when I started terring recently and was surprised I had not seen anyone point it out. It is very difficult to see the port timer as a result.

Are 2kill and I the only ones to have this issue? Or has it been brought up before and we missed it?

[Mjollnir]

On that note, i like that wormhole (is fun and interesting during free play).

The red dot for enemy on radar is a good addition too; however, i think you should have more contrast/colour on the names. Is very hard for me to distinguish between the enemy and teammates without looking on radar (because the 'red-ish-pink' looks similar to the 'silver-grey').

Also, chat is very hard to see/read, and it hurts my eyes...

I like the old radar better because of being extremely used to it. I really don't see a reason for changing the colour of the enemies on the radar. They should stay the same because it is not possible to manually override that change. It is also hard to see the blinking of a captured flag on the radar.

The chat font would probably be okay (except for the blue text) if I wasn't so used to the old font. Also, the enemy name tags being red was distracting. Anyway, I will probably be using the old font by overriding stuff in the graphics folder.

Thirdly I want to talk about the dimness of the weapons and specials pictures (the ones that show if you have yellow bullets or a portal or a rocket etc..). I can't make out what colour my bullets/bombs are anymore and it is harder to see the specials. A portal that was set was also hard to see if I remember correctly. It seems the colours are really faded out somehow.

Dug: I appreciate all the work you have done but personally I like the old colours better. I know that you will be working on them so who knows how well they will turn out next time.

[2kill]

I like what your trying to do with the font... but I think the blue was to be lighted to make it more readable. now I think you said that the enemy ships are the same coulor as the pub chat? thats unfortant cause it would have been nice for the ships to be red and the pubchat something else <shrugs shoulders> oh well. so something like the attachment or whatever you think up

on a unrelated note to the fonts, the terr's counter for the port was sitting in the bottom of the progress bar making it hard to read the time left.

2kill

[Edit: since the attachment is taking longer then I think it should I have uploaded it to http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/3199/chatoh2.png ]

[Aquatiq]

it's brutal if your computer is in a place that gets hit by direct sunlight or something, or your monitor just plain doesn't display color well. i literally tried to fly into a base full of enemies without shooting at them, wondering why they were shooting at me

[AcidBomber]

no pink enemy, please leave the chat alone, nothing to improve there...

On that note, i like that wormhole (is fun and interesting during free play).

The red dot for enemy on radar is a good addition too; however, i think you should have more contrast/colour on the names. Is very hard for me to distinguish between the enemy and teammates without looking on radar (because the 'red-ish-pink' looks similar to the 'silver-grey').

Also, chat is very hard to see/read, and it hurts my eyes...

[Fluffz]

no pink enemy, please leave the chat alone, nothing to improve there...

[AcidBomber]

I dont like that discount thing.
It would be vastly unfair for the pilots on the opposing team.
Just think, level 30 ship wb vs another level 30 wb would have differences in the amount of upgrades.

Bad idea. <_<

[Mjollnir]

Fuck, I'm ashamed for not remembering this, but

dont you put stationary flags on the map with tiles and moving flags with settings. I'm pretty sure, but you can't say where exactly they spawn tho' you have to say how far from center they spawn

If that is true, is there a command for finding the exact coords of the flag? That way it would be easy to just make the distance huge (so it would be outside the map box) and warp the player on top of it.

[duel pasta]

I don't think you can use a stationary flag and a moving flag at the same time. I hope I am wrong though..

Fuck, I'm ashamed for not remembering this, but

dont you put stationary flags on the map with tiles and moving flags with settings. I'm pretty sure, but you can't say where exactly they spawn tho' you have to say how far from center they spawn

[Mjollnir]

You can use a flag so you can scrap problem 3

I don't think you can use a stationary flag and a moving flag at the same time. I hope I am wrong though..

[duel pasta]

You can use a flag so you can scrap problem 3

[Mjollnir]

Thors are WB's rank 50 ability. It's not fair to us if it could be prized.

Almost all of them are some ship's abilities but if they were very high level abilities it shouldn't be that bad.

[Dack Falu]

EDIT: Other high level abilities could be prizing a brick, a thor, (bouncing bullets) or warping people to certain locations. The last one is probably an OPs ability already?

Thors are WB's rank 50 ability. It's not fair to us if it could be prized.