Versus mode

[BenLubar]

On the beta, we can now control the actions of some aliens. This is a long way from an actual Left 4 Dead style Versus mode, but it's a start.

What we still need:

Alien Control

• Drone
  • [x] Walking
  • [ ] Attacking (currently very jittery)
  • [ ] Jumping
  • [ ] Door bash?
• Ranger
  • [x] Walking
  • [x] Attacking
• Shieldbug
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Defending
• Buzzer
  • [ ] Flying
  • [ ] Attacking
• Boomer
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Inflating
• Parasite
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• Harvester
  • [x] Walking (may want to revisit animations; foot positioning is weird)
  • [x] Attacking
• Xenomite
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• Mortarbug
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• Shaman
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Healing
• Queen
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (there are a lot of these)
• Headcrab
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• Fast Headcrab
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• Poison Headcrab
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• Zombie
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
• Fast Zombie
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
• Zombie Torso
  • [ ] "Walking" (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
• Fast Zombie Torso
  • [ ] "Walking" (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
• Poison Zombie
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Throwing
• Antlion
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Jumping
• Antlion Worker
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Spitting
  • [ ] Jumping
• Antlion Guard/Guardian
  • [ ] Walking (may work; needs test)
  • [ ] Attacking
• [ ] Colonist
• [ ] HL2 Combine NPCs?

RTS Controls

As long as we have the ability to manipulate units, why not allow manipulating more than one?

• [ ] TODO: plan this part

UI

Aliens shouldn't use the marine HUD.

• [ ] TODO: plan this part

Versus Mode

Once we have all of the controls working, we can set up a versus mode.

• [ ] Create equivalent of L4D's nav mesh flow.
• [ ] Bot marines need to be able to complete all official missions on their own to allow singleplayer.
• [ ] Design spawning logic that feels good for both teams.
• [ ] Add ladder equivalent/NPC clip/etc as needed; player-controlled aliens should not be able to soft-lock in any official mission.
• [ ] Lobby logic for two teams (can use code from Team Deathmatch; may want to redesign lobby UI entirely).

This project is extremely big, and will probably take over a year to implement. Until it is fully ready, we need to make sure that it does not affect the experience of players not on the beta branch.

[qq578023708]

This idea is very good, and I had the same idea earlier. Some differences are that it is not directly manipulating aliens, but can manipulate various alien spawning points in the game. The number of all types of aliens is limited, and players can combine and place them. Therefore, the possible scenario is a pile of shield insects blocking the door?

[BenLubar]

An RTS control scheme is definitely something that would be very interesting to give to challenges as an option.

I remember a multiplayer Half-Life 2 mod that was called Overwatch where they did this for the Combine.