Jump to content
Vertex

Major Glowstick Change?

Recommended Posts

I was thinking about making a major change to glowsticks to massively improve client performance and to increase the amount of realism within the Morbus gamemode. Holding a glowstick in your hand would no longer light up the area, unless you actually "use" the glowstick by throwing it.

 

With our inventory increases and a separate slot, players should have lots to throw and don't have to worry about other throwables. And this would greatly decrease the amount of dynamic lights on the map at even given time, thus boosting overall client frame rates.

 

Player with glowstick in their hand

http://fastdl.us.xenogamers.com/screenshots/glowstick_hand.jpg

 

The normal effect when they throw the glowstick.

http://fastdl.us.xenogamers.com/screenshots/glowstick_throw.jpg

 

Any feedback?

@DoctorGringo @APArtHistory @Makr6e6 @CharDraesia

 

p.s I've also made a performance improvement for throwing glowsticks. The dynamic light will only create once. (instead of 60 times/second)

Edited by Vertex (see edit history)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Increasing glowstick inventories again after doing this may be a reasonable move.

Regular + Stickys: From 6 to 8

Gravity Sticks: From 4 to 6

 

Increasing their lifetime from 90 to 120 seconds may be useful aswell.

Edited by Vertex (see edit history)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Holding a glowstick in your hand would no longer light up the area

I was thinking about making a major change to glowsticks to massively improve client performance and to increase the amount of realism within the Morbus gamemode.

That wouldn't make it more realistic, but it would make the glow stick mechanic more interesting, and players would have to be more careful with the use of the glowsticks. Would also make the lights going off and your flashlight running out have a bit more impact, which imo, is a good thing. Have to keep in mind this would be a huge nerf to the glowsticks, and less players would likely use them as a result. I'm not against the change though, just have to see how the players feel if you try it out.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think this would be a fine change. Newbie players go about itemizing for a lights out situation (when the lights havent even been touched yet!) and will often get glowsticks, even dropping medkits (which are far better!) for glowsticks. I think making so that it doesn't give off light would make itemization more interesting, and the flashlight a more meaningful thing.

 

I think if you wanted to make it interesting/add more depth, there is this odd glitch that happens where if you drop a glowstick at the right timing/frame in your jump, you get propelled forwards. This is easier with the grav glowsticks. Increase the number of grav sticks to 6-8, and this would give good human players something to abuse to give them more movement.

Edited by Guest (see edit history)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How would making it so instead of holding 1 dynamic light you have to throw 4/5 of them down to go anywhere give better client performance? I dont know about the code myself but do they constantly make new dynamic lights instead of just moving with the ent?

 

I think a better idea if possible is you light one in your hand and it stay on in your hand for that set time and can then be thrown for the remainder of it duration if your idea is to balance the item better.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The think code of recreating the dynamic light each client and server update (over 60 times per second) couldn't be rewritten otherwise while holding in-hand. Unlike the when a new entity is created by throwing a glowstick object, the dynamic light only has to be drawn once on initialize. So it is therefore significantly more demanding to allow in-hand holding, than actually throwing the object and boosting inventories.

 

It just so happened that removing the lighting effect in-hand also improves game balance. (killing two birds with one stone)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now