So I thought there was talk about making an NS2 server awhile back. Are there still plans for this and if so, do we know when it's expected to go live?

HAHAHAHA

Nice one Doc.

I imagine it depends on if the current build is more stable than the previous two. Previous builds were pegging 1.5GB+ system Memory usage, and quite a large percentage of your CPU if you weren't running a big multicore monster.

For reference, TF2, which is a memory hog of a server game, still only uses about 480MB of ram.

Ns1? 50mb.

I thought ns1 was relentless on severs for being a hl1 mod

Eh, I've seen NS take 512mb of memory on a Windows install with only six players. This Linux version is much less optimal, so I shudder to think what it does there. The CPU usage is pretty impressive too.

I can only name one mod DS with more memory and CPU overhead than NS1, but I'd rather not name it, as I had a hand in it, and it r not nearly so good. >_>
_________________
"Insanity in individuals is something rare -- but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule." -Nietzsche
Thothie

Howdy all,

I'm still up for running NS2. Although purchased a couple years back, the server is still a beast and pretty much does nothing all day except run basic websites and try to run NS/TFC/PVK/etc etc... Some of those mods haven't been updated in a long time (serverside) and goes into weird zombie states so needlessly pegs the processes that (I think) are running. Kill those, and we should be good go.

P.S. Hi!

PINKNESS

He lives!

His pinkness came out thanks to the fact he ran out of cheetos

I honestly beginning to think this game will never be as polished in gameplay as the first one. There are just too many glaring issues with hit detection and lag prediction. I don't think they'll ever be able to get over them and deliver a polished hit detectable experience, but hey at least the dynamic lighting looks pretty.

like I said it's still pre alpha


all the hit detection lag came when they released the game and were like

UH OH WE ONLY TESTED ON LAN

ISSUES OLOLO

You know its technically in late beta right?

It's definitely not pre-alpha quality, or even alpha quality. If you didn't know that "exo suits," jetpacks, and onos were going to be released into the game in the future, then this game could easily pass for a beta of a finished albeit unpolished game.

I'm not a game developer, but i think there's a reason small developers don't tend to make their own engines for shooters. The hardest thing to nail down in a shooter is the shooting mechanic itself. I don't know the exact algorithms involved with lag prediction/compensation and hit detection, but I can guess by the relatively small number of gaming engines out there used for multiplayer fps, it's probably a beast of an algorithm.

I just don't think that such a small company with a very limited number of resources has the ability to create a solid fps engine devoid of of these issues. Most third party developers either use an existing engine, or tackle a different genre of game. I'm not saying it can't be done, but at this point in time I don't have much faith. If they go live with an unpolished, buggy, laggy, game they're going to shoot themselves in the foot, and if they wait too long to release it, the game will look too dated to achieve mass appeal (especially since they're talking about releasing it on the 360).

pre alpha

It's really not an alpha, unpolished and alpha do not mean the same thing. Alpha suggests the game is still in early stages of development and that it's largely unfinished. Such is not the case with NS2 at the moment, the game is near finished, they're just hammering out bugs, playing with balance, and adding the last bits of endgame content.

Alpha also suggests they'll be able to fix all of the issues that currently exist. I have my doubts that's the case. I have a feeling they've doomed NS2 to video game mediocrity.

The terms get played with a lot, but Alpha means an internal pre-release, and usually indicates that the core engine is not functional. Beta means you have basic functionality, but it needs polish. NS is officially in Public Beta, which is about as close to done as you can get.

From what little I've seen of it (can hardly get the thing to run), I suspect the engine might be better used in an RPG/MORPG - something with lots of pretty graphics, but not a lot of FPS/precision ping dependant action.

Meanwhile, judging by C4k3's videos, NS1 has turned into All2Fort, so I guess this is our only hope.
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"He who sees no evil, and hears no evil, and speaks no evil, can do no good."
Thothie