Q1) Will you be introducing new or existing levels?
A1) Several levels from SoC, several from the old builds, and maybe a few others. The Rostok Bar and Wild Territory are guaranteed.
Q2) Will you be bringing cut mutants back?
A2) The Cat and Chimera, yes. The Rat, possibly. Burer, Zombie, and Izlom, not likely.
Q3) Is the mod going to be a freeplay one like your last, or will it have a story?
A3) Both. Freeplay with multiple mini storylines for the different factions, which may or may not affect one another. You can go around and do several storylines at once, and you might need to progress so far in 1 to continue or start another.
Q4) New Weapons?
A4) Yes, 17 at the moment. Large enough to flesh it out, but small enough to offer a modest range of diversity and choice, plus nearly all of them are likely to be found in the black market, and in the Zone as well. Also, there will be an addon patch to enable/disable npc's spawning with new weapons. I am also giving some unique NPC's custom weapons, just like in SoC. Some of them actually are from SoC! And some of the custom weapons might use custom meshes. Haven't fully decided yet.
Q5) Will you also need to eat/sleep in this mod?
A5) Eating to restore hunger - I am seriously considering this idea currently. Sleeping - probably not. I implemented a sleeping feature in my last mod, but it wasn't implemented very well, and I wasn't happy with how it turned out. Mainly underlying issues with the engine, and some of the internal calls needed to implement the sleeping feature.
In short, Hunger: Most likely. Sleeping: Probably not, unless I have a brainwave or discover some new trick to improve it.
Q6) I don't like some parts of the mod. Is there any way for me to change them?
A6) Some features can be altered ingame with a custom options menu, while others will require you to install an addon fix/option. These fixes/options will be included with the mod, or shortly afterwards as a separate pack. It depends on how many such options are included in the pack, as I'll have to make them just before release, when I am no longer change stuff in the mod.
Q7) Are you going to improve the AI and Alife in anyway?
A7) Yes! I've already done an overhaul of the faction 'brain's, so now npcs will travel to and from camps to places of interest and other places, and will head to places with cover to hide from emissions (need to get them to run instead of walk) in addition to taking cover, instead of sitting in the open. I've also removed the silly 'jog right up next to the enemy and sit down for a bit, then attack' feature (Who thought that was a good idea?) as well, so there shouldn't be any of that, and the stupid behaviour and scenario's it created.
On the AI side, you can expect recruitable companions, npc looting, and if I can pull it off - NPC trading. Also smarter use of weapons, NPC's using medkits and bandages, and some other things I can't remember off the top of my head.
Q8) Are you going to include any texture or sound overhauls with this mod?
A8) No, I prefer to let users install their own sound and texture packs. If I did include texture packs, I'd have to locate the corresponding texture pack for SoC and copy the files out of it for the new levels.
If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask. If I get enough questions about a particular topic, I'll add it to here
Sound great! Now only you make a nice big mod with other levels and storylines\freeplay, but you want to include also a menu where you can choose what options activate!
We recently got a great rucksack mod for COP from Alundaio, Something similar would compliment CS greatly. The basic ability to buy and use backpacks, Being able to create a stash where you want when overloaded would be a nice addition.
nice man, but will you improve AI, Alife and Combat behaviour?
+ for additional option menu
+ for mini storylines
+ for letting users ad their own weather mods and etc.
- for short list of cutted mutants
i don't know how it hard to put sleepbag into the game on CS engine, so this feature is the thing which could be canceled or maybe add it optionally by user himself.