Curious how the SCP is coming along!

[662b3972a4dd3Dizzy]

 I am pretty new here, after I beat SS2 the first time I decided to try some mods. I used ADaoB and thought the changes were really nice, and it did a good job of balancing the game out a bit more. I heard there is an update coming that is kind of like a community patch. I did not know what forum to ask this in, but out of curiosity... How far along is it?!? 

 

[662b3972a5030ZylonBane]

SCP is different from ADaOB in that it doesn't try to rebalance the game. It takes more of a purist bugfix/polishing approach.

[662b3972a5270Dizzy]

Ahh so, instead of balance patch... it's equivalent to a full blown bug fix patch.

Correct me if I am wrong, this patch should not change anything game-wise.

     Whatever it is, I approve! You have my support.

[662b3972a5563voodoo47]

it changes a lot of things, but there are no changes to the game mechanics, the game should still feel like, and play like the vanilla version - the goal is to have a bugfix mod/patch that can be recommended to a first time player with a straight face.

just think of it as of a patch that LGS would release, should they've been given enough time to polish their game as they see fit.


also, I'm officially changing coming soon™ into coming very soon™.

[662b3972a56d9icemann]

ooo

[662b3972a5c6fJoin2]

it changes a lot of things, but there are no changes to the game mechanics

Oh? So you restored the Hybrid's inventories? 
Or is this no gameplay changes over ADoaB?

[662b3972a5fa2ZylonBane]

Oh? So you restored the Hybrid's inventories?

No.

[662b3972a6252voodoo47]

Oh? So you restored the Hybrid's inventories?

-_-

[662b3972a6500Join2]

Shame.

Hmm. Stupid question really considering what I already know about ADoaB/SCP and from our previous discussion.

SCP fork it is, one day. It will be the second mod I build on top of somebody else's. It's the way forward, expanding on the mods that make a game objectively better (bug fixes and whatnot).

-_-

[662b3972a6607voodoo47]

guess you will just have to live without being able to unload that one slug from all those broken shotguns until then.

[662b3972a673cJoin2]

I'll manage.

Also, it's unload x number of slugs from half of the encountered Hybrids on average. I agree it's tedious to unload every time but a 50/50 chance would be perfecting the mechanic.

Heh, let's not waste our time discussing this again...but my opinion is > 

[662b3972a6819voodoo47]

no doubt.

[662b3972a6915ZylonBane]

Coming soon-- SCP: Rain Man Edition

[662b3972a6cb8Join2]

Coming soon-- SCP: Rain Man Edition

And it will live up to the title by winning awards too.

Will not be coming anytime soon though.

Hmm, wait. Were you referring to the film or the "urban" definition:

Rain man: A nerd; one who may be smart or particularly knowledgeable in some areas but socially or otherwise developmentally retarded

You struggle socially, ZB. Possibly just textual torrettes, you cannot help but insult 50% of posters you address on average regardless if it is justifiable or not. Heh.

Yes, I just insulted you, but take it as friendly banter. Remember, no childish feuds here.

[662b3972a6dc4Dizzy]

Ahhh ok, thanks for the info guys!   

[662b3972a70dcZylonBane]

Hmm, wait. Were you reffering to the film or the "urban" definition:

Rain Main: Nickname of a character in the movie Rain Man, who obsesses over meaningless repetitive actions to the point that he throws screaming tantrums when denied them.

[662b3972a7444Join2]

Rain Main: Nickname of a character in the movie Rain Man, who obsesses over meaningless repetitive actions to the point that he throws screaming tantrums when denied them.

Whoops. It seems I have a tendency to insult people I sorta like after failing to analyze their posts properly. You seem to be a lot nicer and reasonable of late too.

I am the new Shock community boogyman now.

In all seriousness I can only apologize....sorry.

Meaningless actions? No, you're wrong and I explained why before.

Also, there have been no tantrums. Not even close. If you look back at our previous discussion I attempted to debate with and convice you why this mechanic should stay....and I failed, apparently.
Not a problem.

[662b3972a7597Dizzy]

Are tensions high? If so, I have never noticed.

People should just support each other, that is what a community should be.
If someone wants a change in the game, then they should make that change themselves.

   

[662b3972a778bKolya]

I'm looking forward to it! Some before/after screenshots would be nice in the meantime, with a small info what you did in the place shown. And perhaps some general stats, like how many bugs of which type you fixed, etc. Get the hypemachine running!

[662b3972a7990voodoo47]

there were hundreds, if not thousands of fixes to texture alignments, object locations, sound propagation areas, etc. the short wip readme:

Code: [Select]

==================
Shock Community Patch
==================
 
Shock Community Patch (SCP) is a general bugfix mod/patch for System Shock2. It picks up right where ADaoB has left, fixing even more anomalies, disrepanciens and oughtright bugs, and also making use of some of the new features that have been added by the NewDark engine update. And, unlike ADaoB, it tries to stay as close to the original gameplay as possible, only fixing what was broken, and not changing the game mechanics. Therefore, it can be recommended to both veterans and first-time players alike. Short list of improvements, fixes and features:
 
-many fixes and tweaks to textures, level geometry, objects, sounds, physics and more
-previously broken gamesys functionality restored
-levels have been relit using 32-bit lighting ("soft" shadows from the SS2 NewDark demo)
-improved particle systems (sparks, smoke, water drops)
-improved animated lights
-stays true to the vanilla gameplay (no changes to the core game mechanics)
 
This patch is meant to be used together with the latest NewDark version of the SHTUP mod, which fixes and improves many object textures. While you can use SCP without SHTUP, this is not recommended, as some texture fixes are SHTUP exclusive. Other resource mods (world texture, mesh, sound etc) are optional.

[662b3972a7b47Briareos H]

Wait, what's this discussion about inventories, do you mean you can't loot hybrids anymore?
Besides that detail, I can't wait for the patch but... I'll miss this feature.

[662b3972a7cbeKolya]

You can still loot hybrids and have to. Their 1-2 shot ammunition will now be found inside their inventory instead of their shotgun. This keeps you from having to place the shotgun in your (probably too full) inventory and unloading it there. A THOUSAND TIMES.
This was one of the most universally hailed changes in ADaoB and also made it into SCP, despite vocal objections from one or two fundamentalists. A discussion that we have fortunately left behind us, to focus instead on the concentrated awesomeness that will be SCP.

[662b3972a7db4Briareos H]

That's super cool.

[662b3972a7f3bvoodoo47]

purists cannot be pleased. but then again, anomaly/bugfix/discrepancy mods such as SCP are not meant for purists, but for people who just want to play nicely, smoothly, and enjoy the game as much as possible.

as I've said a couple of times on TTLG, a purist should play the game unmodded on 1GHz p3 cpu based machine with win98se, a 3Dfx Voodoo2, and a 4:3 CRT monitor. that's the way one can enjoy all the original anomalies, disrepancies, and outright bugs to the fullest - no pun intended, a trip to the past can be highly educative, but lets face it, most players are not looking for that.