Natural Selection 2 is the sequel to the popular Half-Life mod Natural Selection. It is built on our own engine and will be distributed through Valve's Steam platform.
We just submitted the new build of the NS2 alpha to Valve! Check out the changelog:
Technical
Changed collision detection to use the Havok engine
Optimized trace ray and sweep capsule tests
Fixed bug where keys could get stuck down after a frame hitch
Fixed bug where players could not be removed from the scoreboard after they left the game
Fixed bug where bots would not be properly removed from the server
Fixed crash on exit when trying to run the game without Steam running
Fixed bug where particle systems weren't properly occlusion culled
Fixed hardware cursors not being properly released on shutdown
Fixed bugs with the occlusion culling system not properly determining if something is visible
Changed the "Couldn't Connect" error message to be more descriptive
Added net_messages console command to log network messages received
Added r_gui console command to enable/disable drawing the GUI
Added the ability to include PROFILE markers in script code
Added support for Lua GUIs on models (i.e. ammo display on the Rifle)
Gameplay
Completely re-did marine, alien and "shared" (waypoints, chat, death messages, etc.) interfaces in Lua (was in flash). You should see noticeable frame-rate improvements.
Added very basic bots for load testing ("dev 1" at server, "addbots #" or "removebots #"
Armory "buy" menu fully client-side now so it's much more responsive
Hydras now build smoothly
MACs and Drifters now cost energy to produce (further eliminating spam and overly simplistic defense)
Sentries turn off completely without power
Power nodes have almost-dead and dead electricity/sparking effects
Reduced number of network messages and footstep sounds dramatically
Networking optimizations
Power nodes work on level change
Structure flinch animations fixed
Changing weapons as marine is now faster and more reponsive
Added basic pathing for bots (when commanding)
Fixed MAC welding effects
Skulk leap now requires research (on the Whip, coming soon)
Fixed "doubling up" of some sounds
Also, here's the changelog from the previous version which we released previously (Build 153):
Technical
Fixed the net_lag console command
Fixed the player limit on servers
Fixed bug where the server could send two updates with the same time
Fixed bug where attempting to connect to a nonexistent server would not properly fail
Fixed issue where time would not advance uniformly on the client causing motion to appear jerky
Fixed bug where disconnecting and then reconnecting to a server could put the game in an incorrect state
Fixed bug where clients sometimes couldn't move when when connected to a server
Added support for extrapolation past the last update from the server
Added a timeout for authenticating with the Steam servers
Added displaying the average server tick rate with the net_stats console command
Gameplay
Fixed problem where infinite MACs and Drifters could be built and cause problems (now limited to 25 units in an area)
Fixed power node in tram marine expansion
Power nodes can be repaired properly again
Fixed extractor multiple upgrade bugs
Fixed hive sight drawing incorrectly
Fixed sentry accuracy problems
Fixed lowered server CPU performance when using sentries
Fixed problem with power nodes on map reset
Fixed missing text tooltips for commander UIs
Fixed build harvester problem from gestate menu
Fixed death message weirdness
Fixed ns2_junction minimap
Changed power nodes to pulse red when out of power (makes it more obvious)
Oh, how I wished I had pre-ordered the special edition. But I can patiently wait for Beta next to my standard pre-order.
I can't even play the alpha but I get happy whenever a new build is released... keep chuggin', please! You've got my support.
Well, they're indie. They can't afford to release a buggy game that has to be fixed by the community.
The biggest you get, the more titles you push out, the lower the quality becomes, but the higher the profit.
Hence why you see all types of Indie devs releasing amazingly detailed games with little bugs; it's their baby, they not only WANT it to do well, they NEED it to do well, or they're going to have trouble with the bills.
Bigger studios like EA, or BioWare can afford to release bug ridden games, because they have their names out there.
Well... as long as being bugridden doesn't keep them from selling millions of copies they can afford it. The majority of the mainstream retail gaming industry is all about selling copies, and only about selling copies. It's kind of a vicious cycle. They can get tons of mainstream customers by making big budget, low creativity games, but on the other hand the bigger the budget the more money they need to make to recoup their costs, the more generic and mass appealing they have to make the game. And of course they have to make a bunch more money to appease their shareholders so they can get more money so they can get more money so they....
This is true, even Half-Life gets an update once or twice a year, and that's a game from 1998. Valve's abit of an odd ball in the industry though, but that's what makes them great.
Valve is prety awsome but they always seem to put something out that isnt as good as they could have made it, The stuff is awsome but it could have been elite awsome. They always seemed to be one or two steps behind their real true limits but alass, they seem to have finally cought up with the selves with their creativity with the new Engine and Portal 2 showing some of that off.
Oh, how I wished I had pre-ordered the special edition. But I can patiently wait for Beta next to my standard pre-order.
I can't even play the alpha but I get happy whenever a new build is released... keep chuggin', please! You've got my support.
Hey look! A game development team that actually takes the time to fix a bunch of bugs instead of 3 at a time!
Kudos for making use of the beta phase. lol
Well, they're indie. They can't afford to release a buggy game that has to be fixed by the community.
The biggest you get, the more titles you push out, the lower the quality becomes, but the higher the profit.
Hence why you see all types of Indie devs releasing amazingly detailed games with little bugs; it's their baby, they not only WANT it to do well, they NEED it to do well, or they're going to have trouble with the bills.
Bigger studios like EA, or BioWare can afford to release bug ridden games, because they have their names out there.
Well... as long as being bugridden doesn't keep them from selling millions of copies they can afford it. The majority of the mainstream retail gaming industry is all about selling copies, and only about selling copies. It's kind of a vicious cycle. They can get tons of mainstream customers by making big budget, low creativity games, but on the other hand the bigger the budget the more money they need to make to recoup their costs, the more generic and mass appealing they have to make the game. And of course they have to make a bunch more money to appease their shareholders so they can get more money so they can get more money so they....
I would like to point out that valve never stops updating their games :P
This is true, even Half-Life gets an update once or twice a year, and that's a game from 1998. Valve's abit of an odd ball in the industry though, but that's what makes them great.
Valve is prety awsome but they always seem to put something out that isnt as good as they could have made it, The stuff is awsome but it could have been elite awsome. They always seemed to be one or two steps behind their real true limits but alass, they seem to have finally cought up with the selves with their creativity with the new Engine and Portal 2 showing some of that off.