better no maps than more bad ones.
ouch! 

thanks for the video link, it is interesting.

What about it makes you angry? That AI is programmed to make the player feel awesome as compared to KILLING THE SHIT out of them?

Isn't this basic level design 101? The job of encounter design isn't to kill the player but to pose a manageable challenge? 

his first suggestions are basically just making the AI less interesting for the player in exchange for an ego-boost. Fuck ego-boost. 

- doesnt chase the player: this is not bad if it's done SOME of the time. "No one gets the drop on Batman, after all" is definitely NOT OKAY, because it just makes things boring.

- lets the player cheat: no, I want an emergent simulation pls. Enemies not hitting me when I'm in cover, enemies not turning around when im sneaking up? Fucking boring.

- tells you what it's thinking: yeah, so everything has yellow ?-triangles over its head, and act stupid, so even the dumbest players get it. In return, AI will never surprise you.

- is predictable: see above. I want to be required to apply complex strategies, not "turn off generator to slowly (and boringly) lure every enemy into my crosshair". That's not even a strategy. The scariest AI moments I remember consist of some really surprising behavior after a bunch of interactions with that same AI.

- can interact with game systems: yes.

- reacts to the player: err, yes.

- has its own goals: yes.

- isn't just about enemies: well, yes. 

I see. You got some good points there.

I believe the batman games are probably made for a teenage target audience, which might explain the "batman-is-all-powerful" thing. Boring, yes. Agreed. Probably made for children.

Regarding the predictability, I believe he was saying that they need to behave predictably to the point where the player can understand the fundamental gameplay mechanics and develop some repertoire of basic tactics (like in Quake). I agree that it's boring when they are always predictable, though. Maybe some 60% of the time would be good, depending on what kind of game it is?

When the methods outlined in the video are applied heavy handedly and in a dumb way, like yellow triangles as you say, the result will certainly be mediocre. I think they still have some merit though.

Interesting discussion. I've been thinking about AI quite a bit recently. I'm doing a patrol-based AI where different types of enemies will behave in different ways - some may defend their position, some may hunt you down quite mercilessly. I believe variety in behaviours is important, and is one way to make a game more interesting. This is where the Quake-type monsters are quite inspiring, even though they're relatively dumb. 

http://www.loopix-project.com/

There are two packs of low poly textured tree and plant models on the site. They are freeware. 

It is the same site I made a compilation of for qmle. Not all were usefull as they exceeded the limits. Here are nine them fit for quake.

Great collection, maybe with some inspiration they can all be converted.
Thanks for sharing! 

Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry for the long silence but my mother died from a double whammy of The Great Old Krabz last January (as if Lady Death thought just one wasn't sure enough) and I've been swamped in administrative bovine faeces. Seriously, I have no idea how these things are handled in other countries but in the Land of Cheese and Winey, it's a shit-ton o'drag! Plus I had no interwebz for a few months, so...

Anyway, it's good to be roaming the dark halls of Quake again. To the probable relief of some, I won't be as chatty as I've been in the past for reasons of active job-seeking. I have no clue when I'll be able to release Aaa (the metal/lava map that was supposed to be featured in QUMP) or my ZinCity map, or even the polished version of the Noir Jam for that matter, but I'll be sure to keep you posted when I have news to share. Sorry for the delay.

On another note, my first move upon coming back here was of course to check the releases. Considering how the release rate had rocketed up in late 2016, I was expecting a shitload of new maps to sink my teeth in but was a bit disappointed to see that it seemingly went back to normal. Oh well, I guess there's already enough maps out there to last a lifetime or two...

Shub bless y'all! 

What happened? 

I am sorry to hear about your mother, I hope time is doing its job of mending wounds.

Glad to see you did not vanish for good, here are some releases that may be interesting to you:

-AD 1.5 was released with new maps and tools to play with.

-Retrojam 6 (Egyptian theme) released with very large participation

-Explorejam 2 was released

-Numerous individual map releases from new mappers (Check quaddicted and func news release threads.)

-There is a large map to be released for AD from Sock/Giftmacher.

I am sure there are other releases but you can search for those as well!

Cheers 

Thanks buddy. I'm OK, I can stomach pretty much anything, emotionally speaking.

When I mentioned the rocketed-up release rate, I was indeed talking about AD 1.5, RJ6 (and 5) and XJ2 plus the few standalones. The slowdown came after these. And I did say that I had checked the releases: I counted only 9 single map releases since I left, plus your mini-episode. Compare that to the slew of new maps that came in the months prior. BTW, you were working on a new map, weren't you? Howzit going?

About the Sock/Giftmacher map, I may have misunderstood but I seem to remember Sock saying that he would release it as a standalone instead of the initial idea of an expansion for AD. 

anybody working to fix that? 

Sorry to hear of your mother's passing. But glad to see you are back. I lost my mom in '97 and didn't really deal with until about 7 years later so take care of yourself and find someone to talk to when you are down.

Anyway. I am working on a map that should be released pretty soon. Will be a quick 10 minute map created at an "intermediate" skill level. Balancing gameplay is so challenging!

I have some screens here: http://imgur.com/a/YxGs8

I think the Episode Jam is sucking up all the time of the more accomplished FUNCers here. Also QUMP is in the works and should be out soon. So people are mapping away and we'll see some releases soon. There are quite a few noobs as well so we're seeing some "interesting" maps coming through lately. 

Quakeone Down 3 Days

You mean the warm, fuzzy "feels" here at func are not enough for you?!?

:P 

I read func all the time, maybe as much as I participate at quakeone. I however, do not have 5 years and 5000ish posts here.

lucky y'all... :p

Seriously though, I was just hoping Baker or somebody might have an ETA when quakeone will be back up. 

Nice screenies. Me likey the rampant darkness.

I've read about that episode jam. It's Tronyn's project, right? I didn't find any thread for it here, where can I get some info? 

Looking good man. Liking the style! The only thing that sticks out to me is that the lighting looks really flat in the center two screenshots using the grey brick texture compared to all the rest.

Looking forward to the release/ 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pOvZYeX_ThrAkVxgCEkCwuQPrQeSASGSmmqwyrqya6k/edit#gid=0 

@Mugwump

Thx. These screens are kinda outdated but still paying attention to the contrast. Constantly tweaking the lighting.

The episode jam is being organized on Discord but that's about all I know.

@Daz Hmmm i think you mean this shot? http://imgur.com/g5YcbjZ

These are really outdated shots. But if that's the shot you are referring to, I am using tyrutis-ericw tools "surface light" feature to get a glowing look similar to Minas Morgol.

thanks guys 

#29208 Yeah, like I said, 9 Q1SPs + Bloughsie's mini-ep... Forgot about SM178 but I did play it before I fell off the grid.

#29091 Hmmm... You must love me in secret, OTP! Still thinking about me 3 months after my vanishing, awww... How cute! FYI, the political definition kinda suits me but my own was more along the lines of the Burroughs/Cronenberg one. 

wOOt!! 

 

Also, fuck your hostility. 

is empty and full of info STILL!