Monsterball thoughts....

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:19 pm

What are your thoughts on monsterball?

Comments/problems:
1) I think the collision defaults are way too sensitive....the mercury missle sends that ball uncontrollably into the other room in a split second

2) Half the time, missle/laser collisions don't even register (lasers mostly have this problem). Bumping the ball with the ships gets it moving again, but only for a short time
3) What makes currently made levels monsterball-compatible? does the level need capture-the-flag support or something?

Suggestions:
1) there needs to be some sort of curve system put into place....for example, shooting the ball at the top would curve the monsterball downwards instead of straight
2) a better looking monsterball....when is model support going to be offered???

3) Ties into #2: maybe show some spin when the ball is shot at. Quite impossible right now with the 2D models, but having 3D model would make this a whole lot easier

I like playing with myself

TechPro · Post by **TechPro** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:57 pm

1) I agree that some weapons seem to knock it around too much... but that happened in D3... that is part of the \"charm\" of Monsterball... but some weapons don't seem to have enough effect (to my thinking).

2) From what I've seen... the ball seems like it may be bigger or nearly the same size as an average D2 tunnel/cube. Since many, many, many levels are made from the nearly default cube size... this become a problem because the ball can start rebounding over and over because it's confined to a small space.

Perhaps the ball should be a little smaller? Maybe a variable setting to set the ball size?

Other than that... Monsterball for D2 is WAY COOL !!

Aus-RED-5 · Post by **Aus-RED-5** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:44 pm

TechPro wrote:1)Since many, many, many levels are made from the nearly default cube size... this become a problem because the ball can start rebounding over and over because it's confined to a small space.

This is why you are only ment to play lvls that are made for MB.

D3's MB is a LARGE ball. Same should be for D2 as well.

I suggest you guys make some lvls for MB game like I am at the moment.

kirby wrote:2) a better looking monsterball....when is model support going to be offered???

Has been suggested already. Diedel wants a hires version insted of using the D3 MB.oof.
So if someone is willing and able?
GO FOR IT!

Diedel · Post by **Diedel** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 12:38 am

D2X Monsterball still needs tweaking. You can adjust the impact force of all weapons and the ship in the multiplayer Monsterball options dialog. In case you don't have it yet, get D2X-XL 1.7.2, because I have fixed a few issues with object collision. Once we have found good impact force settings, I will make them the new default values.

And yeah, the ball may still be a tad too large. Maybe I'll make ball size adjustable, too.

It is pretty large though. Currently it has almost standard cube size. Monsterball levels have to be spacious to allow the ball to move around, and the ships to move around the ball. It doesn't make any sense to play Monsterball in some regular, and maybe even old, level. The only one suitable I can think of right now is a CTF+ level for D2X-XL made by Sirius a while ago (which reminds me of finding and adding it to my level spotlight ...

)

Diedel · Post by **Diedel** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:01 am

I think I may have a nice idea about an additional monsterball feature: Making the ball sticky for one team. When the ball is sticky, all ships of that team that touch the ball are glued to it and will move helplessly wherever the ball moves, making them easy prey for the other team.

Stickiness could be achieved by hitting the ball with a certain weapon - I thought of a smart missile. While the ball is sticky for one team, hitting it with another smart missile has no effect on stickiness any more.

This feature would be optional, and the sticky time would be adjustable.

I have to say that I like this idea.

A similar feature could be thought of by making the ball damage one team's ships when they touch it (Mega missile?)

Whaddyathink?

Aus-RED-5 · Post by **Aus-RED-5** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:33 am

I like plain and simple MB game.

I know you like the idea, but I guess what you really need to think about is how many would really play this option?

Confusing options and how to play the game make some people not play them at all.

I think simple is the best way to go for now.

But thats my view of it.

Diedel · Post by **Diedel** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:48 am

Well, after thinking a little about the coding implications of my idea, I am rather reluctant to add it ...

Although I think it would be fun.

Anyway, I can understand if people don't play Entropy because they find the rules too complicated (though they aren't, and they don't know what they miss), but Monsterball? This is so straightforward ...