What Should I Work on Next? (2012 Edition)

[jitspoe]

I think most of us can agree that I should focus on things that will increase the player base since the active player count is dwindling a bit.

The top 3 open feature votes are currently:
Demo Playback Controls
Clan "Logos" on Jerseys
Better Bot AI

While being able to rewind demos would be really useful, I don't think it's going to help bring new players to the game.  I doubt clan logos is going to do much to bring in and keep players, either.  From the uninstall surveys, there have been a LOT of people uninstalling because there are no bots or single player support.  While there actually are bots, they aren't very interesting to play with.

The other thing that's big on the uninstall survey is the fact that a number of people can't get the game to run at all.  I'm thinking it's mostly due to OpenGL issues with Windows 7.

Of course the other big thing is graphics.  I get a lot of complaints about that, and people have been pushing for me to finish the HR4 pack.

I think another thing that would be really useful for getting new players into the game is a tutorial map.

Personally, I think my focus should be on one of these 4 things:
- Improved bots
- Tutorial map
- HR4 textures
- Investigate Windows7 compatibility issues

[ViciouZ]

Maybe prioritise them this way (most important first):

• Win7 fixes - if you can't even run the game it's a fair indicator you won't stick around. And Win7 is pretty much the dominant OS nowadays.
• HR4 textures, because having a half finished legit pack and several dodgy packs hanging around is not a great state to be in
• Tutorial map, because they often help singleplayer people get the confidence to bother trying multiplayer
• Better bots, for those who still don't want to play MP
• Rework the GUI - more text on screen, a singleplayer q3-style 'campaign' menu for the new bots, a first time run screen like in Wolf:ET, which will let people know that they can actually run the game fullscreen and in higher res. A surprising number of people I have introduced to this game did not realise this and were irritated with the window size.

[joonas]

I've been meaning to ask you about this!

My personal list:

1.Completely fix doublejumps
2.Make flowing and warping lava have the exact same color/brightness
3.Make sure jump mod records are always accurate
4.Jump mod
5.Demo playback controls
6.HR4 textures
7.Dual core support
8.Fix teleporting into each other

A more logical list:

1.Fix compatibility issues
2.Completely fix doublejumps (would be lower if not for b33-b35)
3.HR4 textures
4.Improved bots
5.Demo playback controls
6.Accurate jump mod records
7.Jump mod
8.Dual core support


I'm not sold on a tutorial map being necessary. My fear is that a tutorial might make the gameplay feel less natural by forcing people into certain molds.

[Rick]

1. Single Player (Improved Bots)
2. Compatibility Issues
3. New map format
4. HR4 Textures

[rafalluz]

By priority IMO:

1. Integration of external server browser to make in-game one have similar functionality:
Quickly implemented sorting helps quite a bit, but it still isn't what most other games provide. Lack of other ways of sorting (mostly to find servers by name) and searching on the fly is one thing, but password protection/GLS setting are pretty crucial informations to have.

2. Visual improvements:
Besides HR4 pack, there should be more:
-anti aliasing (on certain maps jaggies are not only visible but really annoying),
-bloom (gives great effects if not overused)
-better quality weapon models
-various minor effects (colored smoke grenades, CO2 escaping from muzzle, etc)

3. Tutorial - good idea, if you reuse shaztrain map, that should not take too long.

4. Bot AI - personally, I don't think many people play with bots as it is, but I play other game (Xonotic) that catches currently a lot of hell for bot AI, and it has much better AI than this one. There should be navigational data (waypoints) provided in the map, and bots should at least follow those. It will get trickier for flag modes, because bots should not follow those nodes randomly, but approach flags consistently. I don't think accuracy is much of an issue, but it would be good if bots could bunnyhop efficiently.

As providing waypoints is mappers' responsibility, and some may have left this game long ago, it would be ideal to be able to add waypoints in-game.

5. Jump mod - definitely very good idea, but probably would be best to work over previous ones first.

Playback/jerseys are certainly good thing to have, but are rather minor stuff compared to listed aspects. Actually, jerseys fall very much in visual improvements.

EDIT: I do not have Win 7, but if people can't get to run game at all, that would be biggest of them all.

[yossarianuk]

I have a (hopefully simple) request...

Can you fix the issue with the Linux client where you have to repeatedly press TAB to see the score?

i.e if I press TAB is toggle score on/score off really quickly...

Its a minor thing I know but annoying none the less.

Cheers

[eXitus]

- Win7 fixes
- HR4 pack
- Better ingame server list
- Bot AI
- Tutorial map

[ic3y]

- Jump Mod
- Stats site (like battlelog, etc. http://dplogin.com/forums/index.php?topic=15494.0)

[SuperMAn]

I think these are the most important things this game needs:


1.  Better in-game AI  (Multiple different skill level bots) - Easily the best way to keep more players in my opinion.  Including a setting to keep a server at a minimum number of players.  So if there are 6 players and one leaves a bot auto joins so it stays 3v3.  This will also make the game look more active in general because there won't be 30 servers with 0 people in them all the time.


2.  Better in-game server browser / console (filters, sorting, mouse integration)   -  I think this one really speaks for itself.  How nice would it be to have a valve styled console, where you can use your mouse to copy and paste.  This won't necessarily help with retaining players but it would be a HUGE game improvement that is 100% beneficial.

3. HR4 Textures included in Game download, or some type of HR4 texture pack that is easy to find and install.   Also the default textures should be HR4.  You should not have to enable HR4 textures with a command.  It should be enabled by default.  Those with performance issues can always disable it.

4.  I like the idea of a tutorial map, but I think it should be taken one step further than just a map being created.  Should be something that pops up when you run the game for the first time asking if you want to do the tutorial.  It should also be included on the main menu.







Joonas:  There is nothing wrong with double jumps.

Yossarianuk:  I think you might have the wrong command bound to tab.  It should be set to +score I think.
 Edit**  Jitspoe corrected me below  
bind tab scores

[jitspoe]

I have a (hopefully simple) request...

Can you fix the issue with the Linux client where you have to repeatedly press TAB to see the score?

i.e if I press TAB is toggle score on/score off really quickly...

Its a minor thing I know but annoying none the less.

Cheers

I believe that's due to the key auto-repeats in Linux.  I'm not sure how to fix this.  If you know of a way, let me know.  Alternatively, you can bind tab to "scores" and I think it will toggle.

[Malware]

You should consider adding new mods like Man Hunt Mode or Zombie mod (perhaps like one from cs) or changing the look of game menu, serverbrowser.... Make it more modern.

[T3RR0R15T]

Maybe prioritise them this way (most important first):

• Win7 fixes - if you can't even run the game it's a fair indicator you won't stick around. And Win7 is pretty much the dominant OS nowadays.
• HR4 textures, because having a half finished legit pack and several dodgy packs hanging around is not a great state to be in
• Tutorial map, because they often help singleplayer people get the confidence to bother trying multiplayer
• Better bots, for those who still don't want to play MP
• Rework the GUI - more text on screen, a singleplayer q3-style 'campaign' menu for the new bots, a first time run screen like in Wolf:ET, which will let people know that they can actually run the game fullscreen and in higher res. A surprising number of people I have introduced to this game did not realise this and were irritated with the window size.
  

+1

[pvtjimmy]

Maybe prioritise them this way (most important first):

• Win7 fixes - if you can't even run the game it's a fair indicator you won't stick around. And Win7 is pretty much the dominant OS nowadays.
• HR4 textures, because having a half finished legit pack and several dodgy packs hanging around is not a great state to be in
• Tutorial map, because they often help singleplayer people get the confidence to bother trying multiplayer

this.

[Morphin]

I am the same opinion like terror and jimmy.

[Foxhound]

I agree with Superman, Bot AI means single player mode, which means potential horde mode.

Also, the bots as they are now are useless for any sort of practice, they run around untill they bump into something then they turn, they dont jump over anything, and if they spot you, you're most likely dead in an instant with their aimbot. I remember making like 50 acebots and watching them.. they climb into a massive tree.

Like Super said

1.  Better in-game AI  (Multiple different skill level bots) - Easily the best way to keep more players in my opinion."

I would only like to see official HR4 textures if they are FORCED so that it would be much harder to modify maps and not get caught. Because now people use their own textures anyway so whats the point if they are not forced.



Also, I like his tutorial idea about pop ups like "I noticed you haven't been strafe jumping, try pressing spacebar and the direction keys to gain speed. Watch this video "link" to learn more" or revert to tutorial on main page... something like that.

[jitspoe]

Also, I like his tutorial idea about pop ups like "I noticed you haven't been strafe jumping, try pressing spacebar and the direction keys to gain speed. Watch this video "link" to learn more" or revert to tutorial on main page... something like that.

[Riddick]

im running windows 7 and dp works fine for me...

[omni]

im running windows 7 and dp works fine for me...

And me

[rafalluz]

How about making a thread to investigate the issue separately?

[SuperMAn]

Also, I like his tutorial idea about pop ups like "I noticed you haven't been strafe jumping, try pressing spacebar and the direction keys to gain speed. Watch this video "link" to learn more" or revert to tutorial on main page... something like that.

So he would have to create a system which monitors how you are playing.  Waaay too much work.  In my opinion the tutorial should be like most other games. 
When you start the game for the first time it asks you if you want to do the tutorial.  There should be multiple levels to the tutorial.  It should show an example of something and then ask you to replicate it.  There should also be an on screen keyboard during the example phase to show players which keys they should be pressing. 

Example:
Level 1 - Basic movement 

* Introduction (welcome to lvl 1 tutorial etc...)
* First task Moving forward ( shows demo of player walking forward to a marker )  Then it says, Now you try! You walk to marker to advance to task 2
* Second task  ( shows demo of player walking backwards to a marker )  Walk backwards to the marker to advance to task 3
* Third task  ( shows demo of player using A and D to walk left then right, collecting 2 markers) Player does the same
Congrats, advance on to tutorial 2 - Basic shooting

etc......

I think you get my idea by now =)