Need a lot of feedback for my SP mod!

[Dusty]

So, I'm still working on my SP mod. I need feedback however on ideas that I have been mulling over for a while, as in: what's good, what's bad, what's practical/impractical, necessary/unnecessary, and help for brainstorming and further developing the more ambiguous ideas.

 

 

1.) How to do Bonus Missions...? (these load from a separate menu hence being "Bonus Missions", assuming they are not added to the main SP campaign)

- Edit to have objectives with entity-modding the bsp files?
- Add custom character, saber, and difficulty selection to appropriate missions (Imp. Outpost, Sith Valley, all would have difficulty)
X - Have players be able to choose a "power level" (i.e. Jedi Master, Jedi Knight, Apprentice, etc.)  - I decided against this, as it's extra work and the player can just use cheats if they want to change this

 

 

2.) SP campaign alterations:
edits to Raven's levels -
- Randomly add a few alt-fire NPCs to Tier 2 missions, and add even more to Tier 3 missions?
- maybe change some reborn NPCs to Reborn Masters in some spots?
- t2_dpred: put two stormtroopers outside your cell, one holding a key that unlocks the door to the gun room and to get outside; this would force the player to use melee to bust out
- korriban: improve the atmosphere slightly, make it a little darker and more tense (maybe storminess, thunder and lightning?), change the two reborn guarding Tavion, either one or both to Reborn Masters?

 

- should we add any missions to JA's SP campaign? (I'm moving towards no)
- Suitable missions (that I know of and plan on having in the mod in some form):
Tier 1/2/3: Operation Spaceport, Onderon Base, Double Cross on Nar Shaddaa
Tier 3: ISD Extractor (the Academy wouldn't send a padawan to take out a star destroyer lol)

 

Tier Upgrades -
get to choose special skills when you pass a tier of missions; my ideas so far:

Tier 1 → 2 (pick 3) -

Force Affinity (1): +20 FP

Force Sensitivity (1): +1 Force Power point

Saber Technique (1, 1): (you can pick either one, or both)

- Attack: breakparrybonus +1

- Defense: parrybonus +1

 

Tier 2 → 3  (pick 4) -

Force Affinity (2): +20 FP, +25 FP

Force Sensitivity (1): +1 Force Power point

Force Focus (1): Faster FP regeneration (100 ms → 80 ms)

Saber Technique (1, 1, (1/1)):

- Attack: BPB +1, Lock Bonus +1

- Defense: PB +1, Disarm Bonus +1

- Light style (single-only): Learn Tavion Style

- Max Chain increase (staff & duals only): Unlimited chain

Saber Finesse (1): 10% speed increase to saber moves

 

- Skill increases from the previous tier would have to be chosen first before advancing

- i.e. you need to get the lower level of a skill first before you can get the next level

 

 

3.) Random Stuff:

- In the Fluf mod by JaedenRuiner, he makes you pay force points for leveling core force powers, but he gives you Force points based on Mission performance, i.e. you get points for finding all the secret areas of a level, and if your "favorite weapon" is your lightsaber.

- with the inventory menu, I was thinking the player could take a maximum of 4 items with them into a mission, they can pick up to 3 inventory items or weapons, i.e. 2 inventory item sets, and 1 weapon, and so on, for a maximum of 3 things

- I kind of wanted the game to point out being lightside/darkside more, I have defeated enemies grunt when you attack them, perhaps we could make a counter for attacking fallen enemies? Then I could put both that and the "head attacks" counter in red that you see after missions to kind of look more dark side-ish as opposed to arm and leg attacks which are more merciful

- Melee; thought maybe this would progress with each tier? You start off with punches and kicks, then get katas, then maybe your katas get strong enough to work on enemies like Reborn sometimes? I think players if they are given katas, it shouldn't work on reborn as this is an unfair ability that they don't have, and originally only Kyle was able to use these...
 

 

4.) Force power alterations

 

- might want to remove Force Sense making weapons fire always accurate... doesn't really make sense (very punny huh?)...
- Might want to alter Force Absorb and Protect's shaders to look less gooey and thick at higher levels, and allow them to let you regen force at half speed to where ever the 30 FP initial drain puts you at, plus maybe make them a hair weaker (
- Maybe make Force Heal 3 take a hair less FP than Heal 2 (because the healing rate is very low you know on Jedi Knight and up but it drains like 80 FP)
- Perhaps remove the random auto-sniper shot dodge? And instead let having Force Speed 2 and up or Force Sense 2 and up let you dodge shots? But how should this work? Does Force Speed need to be active or Sense? Both? Do you need to have your crosshair on the sniper? Ideally I'd want some kind of balance between being a cool ability and not just giving the player a free pass on avoiding sniper shots...
- Force Speed 3 is very unwieldy IMO... Too fast...
- Have an effect for blocking Force Lightning with your Saber?

 

 

EDIT: I summon @@Circa, @@redsaurus, @@therfiles, @@katanamaru

[DarthDementous]

Perhaps for adding extra objectives and hwhat not you could always look into decompiling the singleplayer .bsp into a .map readable by GTKRadiant. That is if you are one of the few with a working copy of GTKRadiant . Hell I could even do it for you and send you back the files - up to you really.

[Dusty]

^Well, decompiling the bsp files will break a lot of things in the map. What I would use that for, is on the couple maps I want to add some new NPCs, I would use that to find the proper coordinates.

 

Other than that though everything should be possible by ent-modding I think. I can just probably attach scripts to triggers that change the objectives no? The objectives aren't even a huge deal, but it'd be a nice little detail you know?

[katanamaru]

The only downside to modifying the .sab files it this isn't going to mesh with some of the user made sabers. I've known this for a while and was trying to think up a solution to this before posting, but I haven't been able to.

All the mission stuff and force power bonuses sound good. 

 

I've made some npc changes to my own game. I gave most of the saber users heal 3 so they could heal like I could. I make sure none of the main saber wielding opponents have rage 1 since that leaves them with 1 hp. 

[Dusty]

I mean, considering for SP adding hilts is more involved, and less of a drag and drop process, that gives me more dominion over what hilts and therefore .sab files people are allowed to use 

 

The dark rage thing for NPCs is a good idea. As for Heal 3, the only downside to that is that, since some NPCs have like 500 HP it'll take them a while to heal lol.

[NumberWan]

I just remembered how one can add a new NPC or an object into KOTOR maps. There was an armband, which could show the coordinates while in game. Then using the coordinates, you made script which added the character or object.

 

In JA I've never done anything like that, but while making a map in Radiant I did come across a few things resembling the process mentioned above. Besides the obvious - simply putting an entity in your map - it's possible to change the parameters of the existing objects via scripts, like recoloring objects, changing NPCs' skin, or even a model, team, weapons, abilities. Moving the NPC is also possible via a script - the often used ref_tags in JA and JO maps serve many purposes, including cinematic cameras or path points for trains. Set_origin command in scripts allows certain existing NPCs be moved from one area of the map to another without them walking. Coordinates also work for certain cases, and can be used in the parameters of some of the entities.

[GPChannel]

So you'll create bonus muissions

*missions

[Dusty]

Any map mods I'm planning on doing with ent-modding. Nothing hardcore, too lazy for that anyway even if it was doable through decompiling without breaking the map

 

I won't be making any bonus missions, at least, not yet. Only adding awesome ones made by other people.

 

@@katanamaru:

Like I said, I can be dictator over what sabers people are allowed to use without cheats in SP (not that making .sab files is that difficult...) but I did think of a more comprehensive solution.

 

Perhaps for the player we could use save game cvars that control the 4 saber attributes (parrybonus, breakparrybonus, etc.), and then for NPCs just use custom sabers with modded stats...

[Asgarath83]

1.) How to do Bonus Missions...?

First way: You can edit the end_level script and end entity for loading different map at second of the choice of player. Yu can get an example of that in the map project of Escape from Yavin 4 the lost map mod in the map with the darth maul duel. .

Second Way: you can edit ui code for add new extra mission in the Tier menu. 

 

2.) SP campaign alterations:
edits to Raven's levels -
- Randomly add a few alt-fire NPCs to Tier 2 missions, and add even more to Tier 3 missions?

 

Good idea, i agree Should be really fun.

- maybe change some reborn NPCs to Reborn Masters in some spots?

Maybe in the last map. use spawnscript for setting their power for customization or making more weaks of the default reborn master into the first maps of the game. a reborn master skin inside the t1_sour of tatooine instead of the cultist_saber shoul be great.  put they as final boss in the first maps of game, specially on tier 1 and 2.

- t2_dpred: put two stormtroopers outside your cell, one holding a key that unlocks the door to the gun room and to get outside; this would force the player to use melee to bust out

 

It's okay. I ever hated how is easy to escape in T2_dpred.  the unique hard part is the fight with rax and his concussion stouker.

- korriban: improve the atmosphere slightly, make it a little darker and more tense (maybe storminess, thunder and lightning?), change the two reborn guarding Tavion, either one or both to Reborn Masters?

Yes, off course for the dark side power of scepter of ragnos and the resurretion rite, should be great! yu can also make it with night version of the 2 maps.

 

- should we add any missions to JA's SP campaign? (I'm moving towards no)

mmm, some part of the JA Sp campaign are incomplete story.

You should add some mission, yes.

here some suggestion:

t1_sour: a base of the smuggler that follow the cult of ragnos inside taooine desert.

t1_fatal: a mission about the enclave of the terrorist cell of the bomb into the vulcano and into the train of t1_rail, maybe at the end of tier1 is unlockable.

hoth: a map for connect hoth2 to hoth3 ambientation, maybe with a loong labyrint of ice caves full of Wamps. there are too low wampas into the game. i wanna more! LOL.

T2_rancor: kill the Hutt in his lair, that capture the elders.

T2_rogue: a mission about the factory of assassin droid, full of every kind of saber, assassin, sentry, probe and mark1 deadly droids. .

Vjun2 is too short as level. is possible to make a lot more long?

T3_hevil: discover where coming from the Noghris.

t3_bounty: another madness duel against boba fett should be great LOL.

t3_stamp: the mutant rancor is an interessing empty part of the history, yu can add a quest about an enclave with mutant and biological weapon and monsters created by ragnos cultists for theirs plans with an imperial mad scientist at command and MANY monster mutated..

Korriban: a part with the Luke team landed in the other part of the valley that rejoin to you. 

- Add luke that fight with you into the last level.

- Use Jan and Lando as teammate in the bonus mission.  

- Suitable missions (that I know of and plan on having in the mod in some form):
Tier 1/2/3: Operation Spaceport, Onderon Base, Double Cross on Nar Shaddaa
Tier 3: ISD Extractor (the Academy wouldn't send a padawan to take out a star destroyer lol)

i suppose is the same we see around korriban orbit, right?  

 

Tier Upgrades -
get to choose special skills when you pass a tier of missions; my ideas so far:

Tier 1 → 2 (pick 3) -

Force Affinity (1): +20 FP

Force Sensitivity (1): +1 Force Power point

Saber Technique (1, 1): (you can pick either one, or both)

- Attack: breakparrybonus +1

- Defense: parrybonus +1

Tier 2 → 3  (pick 4) -

Force Affinity (2): +20 FP, +25 FP

Force Sensitivity (1): +1 Force Power point

Force Focus (1): Faster FP regeneration (100 ms → 80 ms)

Saber Technique (1, 1, (1/1)):

- Attack: BPB +1, Lock Bonus +1

- Defense: PB +1, Disarm Bonus +1

- Light style (single-only): Learn Tavion Style

- Max Chain increase (staff & duals only): Unlimited chain

Saber Finesse (1): 10% speed increase to saber moves

 

You need also to balance the skills of enemy for compensate their saber combat abilities.

 

-3.) Random Stuff:

- In the Fluf mod by JaedenRuiner, he makes you pay force points for leveling core force powers, but he gives you Force points based on Mission performance, i.e. you get points for finding all the secret areas of a level, and if your "favorite weapon" is your lightsaber.

 

it's a good idea secret area are good for something.

Into the debriefing menu of hoth, vjun and taspir (missing a debriefing screen) yu need to specity the global secvret area of all hoth, vjun and taspir level, because i see at the end of hoth 3 you see the secret area only of hoth3 map, and not of the hoth2, too.

 

- with the inventory menu, I was thinking the player could take a maximum of 4 items with them into a mission, they can pick up to 3 inventory items or weapons, i.e. 2 inventory item sets, and 1 weapon, and so on, for a maximum of 3 things.

if yu put limitation about weapons porting, you need to set a method about discard an unuseful weapons for replace with another picked up by a dead enemy. O.o if not, it's impossible to change weapons.

 

- I kind of wanted the game to point out being lightside/darkside more, I have defeated enemies grunt when you attack them, perhaps we could make a counter for attacking fallen enemies? Then I could put both that and the "head attacks" counter in red that you see after missions to kind of look more dark side-ish as opposed to arm and leg attacks which are more merciful

 

It's a nice idea.

 

- Melee; thought maybe this would progress with each tier? You start off with punches and kicks, then get katas,

Yes. should be fun to punch and slam a stormtrooper XD

You can make also as melee kata the saber_staff kick kata? in the tier3 the jedi can fight with ... chuck norris kick styles LOL.

 

4.) Force power alterations

 

- might want to remove Force Sense making weapons fire always accurate... doesn't really make sense (very punny huh?)...

auto aim of the weapons? Mmm... too easy. :\ Not i not agree.

- Might want to alter Force Absorb and Protect's shaders to look less gooey and thick at higher levels, and allow them to let you regen force at half speed to where ever the 30 FP initial drain puts you at, plus maybe make them a hair weaker (

I never liked the green aura of protect. >.< :\

- Maybe make Force Heal 3 take a hair less FP than Heal 2 (because the healing rate is very low you know on Jedi Knight and up but it drains like 80 FP)

Force Drain restore live more efficiently of force heal at level 3. the dark side is not more powerful of light sight, i think you need to fix the consume of FP of heal 3. burn too much. you can make a restrictuon like force rage about the healing. is possible to heal jedi only every ... seconds, so one cannot abuse about the heal and cannot use much in combat. same restriction for the drain.

- Perhaps remove the random auto-sniper shot dodge? And instead let having Force Speed 2 and up or Force Sense 2 and up let you dodge shots?

 

Yes, allow the shot dodge ONLY if someone using FP_SEE or FP_SPEED or both power.

i thik is possible with 2 ways_

FP_SEE + sniper into the crosshair. the jedi NEED to face him and focus about his move for avoid his attack. 

FP_SPEED (only with level 3), active.

 

- Force Speed 3 is very unwieldy IMO... Too fast...

If you slow it, check player can however overpass the machines of taspir2 level inside the factory with the stamps and the forcefields. .

- Have an effect for blocking Force Lightning with your Saber?

mmm, yes, a some kind of glowing electring radial sparks by the impact point for half second. Yu beed to be careful about that for not overcharge effect or making a effect that burn player side. dynamic light glow are nasty for eye stress.

 

 

 

[Dusty]

2.) SP campaign alterations:

edits to Raven's levels -

- Randomly add a few alt-fire NPCs to Tier 2 missions, and add even more to Tier 3 missions?

 

Good idea, i agree Should be really fun.

 

I saw your long list there. I don't think I have the kind of firepower to do most of those things, but they are interesting ideas! As far as Raven's SP levels go, I can't realistically do those kind of modifications though even if I know how, as we don't have the .map files so we'd have to decompile the maps (which really screws them up I hear). As for NPCs and stuff those are just entities which can be modded without decompiling.

 

As for the 2 reborn masters outside the tomb of Ragnos, that would be fun, I'm just hoping that fight wouldn't be even harder than the final boss fight itself lol.

 

You need also to balance the skills of enemy for compensate their saber combat abilities.

 

One thing I was going to go for in the mod was to make close combat slightly more important. Force speed, rage, and Strong style wouldn't make your attacks completely unbreakable and you'd have to get more upclose and personal with NPCs, which are pretty difficult fights. Also they would get little buffs to their more non-cheap abilities or something I'd imagine. It's a delicate balance but that's what feedback is for.

 

I made a video showcasing the codeless version of saber combat but it seems Youtube deleted it. I'll have to re-upload it.

 

-3.) Random Stuff:

- In the Fluf mod by JaedenRuiner, he makes you pay force points for leveling core force powers, but he gives you Force points based on Mission performance, i.e. you get points for finding all the secret areas of a level, and if your "favorite weapon" is your lightsaber.

 

it's a good idea secret area are good for something.

Into the debriefing menu of hoth, vjun and taspir (missing a debriefing screen) yu need to specity the global secvret area of all hoth, vjun and taspir level, because i see at the end of hoth 3 you see the secret area only of hoth3 map, and not of the hoth2, too.

 

- with the inventory menu, I was thinking the player could take a maximum of 4 items with them into a mission, they can pick up to 3 inventory items or weapons, i.e. 2 inventory item sets, and 1 weapon, and so on, for a maximum of 3 things.

if yu put limitation about weapons porting, you need to set a method about discard an unuseful weapons for replace with another picked up by a dead enemy. O.o if not, it's impossible to change weapons.

 

- I kind of wanted the game to point out being lightside/darkside more, I have defeated enemies grunt when you attack them, perhaps we could make a counter for attacking fallen enemies? Then I could put both that and the "head attacks" counter in red that you see after missions to kind of look more dark side-ish as opposed to arm and leg attacks which are more merciful

 

It's a nice idea. 

 

- Melee; thought maybe this would progress with each tier? You start off with punches and kicks, then get katas,

Yes. should be fun to punch and slam a stormtrooper XD

You can make also as melee kata the saber_staff kick kata? in the tier3 the jedi can fight with ... chuck norris kick styles LOL.

 

The 4 items max thing was just how many items you're allowed to bring with you, there wouldn't have been any limit on your actual inventory once you were in the level. I decided against this though, as I think the player should only be able to take items with them besides the saber and blaster pistol, and just have to pickup weapons from enemies.

 

For the Lightside vs. Dark Side I thought of this idea: You earn alignment points. Your alignment affects how much FP force powers cost. There would be 5 levels: Very Dark, Dark, Neutral, Light, Very Light. Very dark would make dark force powers a bit cheaper, and light side powers a bit more expensive, like maybe +40%/-40%, and the lower level would be 20% (not a huge difference but noticeable). You would earn dark side points by attacking defeated enemies, surrendered enemies, and throwing enemies off ledges. Light side points from not killing/defeating surrendered enemies, and I'm not sure what else...

 

As for Melee, I'm not sure what to do. I feel like it would be unfair to let katas work on enemy saberists as normally this ability is restricted to boss kyle, and even if they are allowed to break out sometimes, it's still unfair unless they can do it to you too.

 

4.) Force power alterations

 

For force lightning, I want it to be more clear when your saber is blocking some/all of the damage as it's difficult to tell save hearing pain sounds and your HP draining.

 

As for Force Sense, currently if you have Force sense 2 or above active, it makes weapons fire from normally inaccurate weapons (like the E11) perfectly accurate which doesn't make any sense to me, as it's not Jaden's sloppiness causing the inaccuracy but the nature of the weapon that shots dont fire extremely accurately.

 

Your other force suggestions were good and I will keep them in mind!

[Asgarath83]

I am glad to help you a lot with my suggest, dusty22