Team SS2 MP Mod

[Penfold]

Been working on a mod. I'd like to play test it for balance before releasing it, but I don't have the time.

Team SS2 MP Mod Beta v0.01 (click to download).

Here's a description:

This multiplayer mod should promote teamwork and class play. There would be 4 classes, a Psi-Op, Technician, Energy Weapons specialist and Heavy Weapons specialist. This time around "there's no going back" at the branch selection means something. Each class has one skill that no other class type can have, Psi, Hack, Energy weapon and Heavy weapon, respectively. Standard and exotic skills can be learned by anyone, but with the difficulty, it's best to have each person specialize to help the team in surving.

As each player will have a weakness, teamwork is rewarded with survival. Staying together as a team also pays off as everyone can fill in their teamates weaknesses. The Technician would likely be the best to specialize (as in invest significant CMs into) in standard weapons, but everyone will also want a standard weapon for crisis situations.

Note that to balance out the standard weapons specialists lack of weakness, Armor Piercing bullets are in much shoter supply and do less damage. This is to prevent the Standard weapon specialist (not an exclusive class) from having an unbalanced ammount of firepower relative to his teammates.

Many settings are around the impossible difficutly level. Notable exceptions are the nanite costs will be reduced (need play testing to see how much wihout going too much).

The game mod is also designed to be more nerve-wracking. Multiplayer isn't solo, so this has got to be put back in, IMHO. It also makes team members have to back eachother up. For this reason nearly all enemies have twice the hitpoints. Some less than twice, some more. Also, weapon capacities and reload times are now more realistic. Shotgun loading takes a while, and almost all weapons have had reload times notably increased. Shotguns now hold 6 (or 9 depending on gameplay) rounds. The shotguns are a bit stronger than usual, and there will be more ammo for them. Likely 2 rounds in each (functional, but terrible) hybrid shotgun. Pistols will start off with 7 round clips and mod to 14. Assault rifles will start out with 15 and mod to 30. Assault rifle will be just as strong, bullet per bullet as a pistol fired by someone of same skill. Only advantage: faster fire and longer lating clips. Still notable, but not overkill as it was unmodded. It will also be much less effective against armored targets, as AP rounds are scarce and weaker.

Shard's effectiveness is notably reduced, and the laser rapier is slightly stronger than it.

Upgrade costs will be substatially higher than impossible (might make different mod files for 2/3/4 players), though replicator costs will be cut much lower than usual. (for all the ammo that will be needed). Note that it hasn't been fully tested yet, but seems as though the claims above can be done.

To become a player of a one of the 4 classes, you need to select to research the relevant skill at the very beginning of the game before being on the Von Braun. A Psi-Op must get +2 psi. A Technician must get +1 Hack. A Heavy Weapons Specialist must get +1 Heavy. An Energy Weapons Specialist must get +1 Energy. These are exclusive classes, though anyone can upgrade in other skills. Note that a strength of 3 is the maximum permanent STR stat, and that the medium armor has been modified to only require STR 3.

Please post any suggestions, comments, bugs, etc.

[Penfold]

Anyone know a way to modify the enemy respawn rates in multiplayer?

[zonk]

sounds interesting!

ETA?

[enter]

just check the link man.

[zonk]

hehe yah noticed that, meant to ask when final version is due..

gonna try the beta some day, hafta see when tho..

[Penfold]

I'll have to rely on feedback about gameplay before making a version "final". I was hoping to play-test myself to fine tune before release, but that would really delay it. With Rebirth out, even if it's not finely tuned (seeing as people can swap their sshock2.game file mid saved-game) I figured I should just release it and make adjustments based on feedback.

[Penfold]

(The breifing for Team SS2 MP Mod)


Welcome to the branch selection and familiarization breifing, Soldier. As a member of your squad, chosing who enters which branch of the military is vital to your squads success, and therefore each soldier's training should be a group decision by the squad. Though trained in different branches, the squads will act as a team, and will be strongest with diversification. Take note, soldier:

The following information needs to be considered by each and every one of your squad. So listen up. I trust you to decide amongst yourselves which role suits which soldier. Know thyself soldier, and listen to your squad.

In case you haven't read the breifings on the lastest augmentations, I'll breif you on the important bits.

The human mind assisted only by PSI amp and simple cyberupgrades isn't even capable of the OSA designation PSI level 1. To reach level 1 or higher requires a very complex augmentation involving massive surgery which, simply put, connect the Psi augmentation to the perception and spatialization sections of the brain. The process from preparing the soldier for surgery all the way to teaching the soldier how to fully (for lack of a better word) interface with the augmentation can take up to a year. This process cannot therefore be duplicated in the field, and is not available at the multi-use cyber upgrade units that will be available in the feild. Any soldier who wants to be able to excell in the Psionic disciplines needs to undergo this surgery and bypass any alternative year long courses.

The unassisted human mind also isn't capable of even basic hacking of todays computer systems, not even the Navy designation Hack level 1. The human mind needs a very high power CPU connected to the brain via the Cybernetic
Hacking Augmentation. This process involves surgery similar to the Psionic augmentation, though it connects to the problem-solving section of the brain. Certain virtually instantateous problem-solving aspects of the mind, when coupled with the CPU for delagating the lower-level mathematical functions produces the ability to hack to incredible degrees. The preperation, surgery and training take up to a year, and after that allow the soldier to be capable of in the field upgrades from navy designation Hack 1 (which is included in augmentation) up to level 6. These upgrades are minor additions to the Hack augmentation, acquiring the augmentation itself is unavailable in the feild.

Experiments are underway involving Hack and PSI levels above desigation 6, though are currently not producing results conducive to field work. Experiments involving the installation of both the PSI and Hack augmentation in monkeys has not yet produced stable enough results for human testing, and unfortunately isn't progressing fast at all.

"Heavy" weapons aren't a few kilos heavier than standard weapons as they used to be. These days, they use several components (in-weapon and in-ammo) of small in size though extremely massive to improve aim and damage and in some cases these components are required just for the unit to function (such as the Stasis Field generator). These weapons require massive cybernetic upgrades (involving gyroscopes and electromagnetic inertial dampening fields) in the arms and shoulders to allow for a soldier to carry the weight and absorbt the weapons incredible recoil. Simpler cybernetic gear also support and assist the back and legs. The stabilization/dampening components, however, are sensitive to and can easily be damaged by any use of energy based weapons used within a decimeter of the equipment.

As most of the sensative equipment is installed in the forearm, energy weapons cannot be used by Heavy Weapons Cyber-equipped Marines. Explosive-propelled standard weapons, however are not problematic in this regard, and can be used.

The augmention installed for Energy based weapons is much simpler than the one for Heavy weapons, however, it isn't yet a simple enough process that can be handled in the field, especially being that it's time-intensive. The process of making the forearm safe to be so close to high energy weapons takes away some of the arms dextarity and strength.

The year of training is mostly spent as PT getting soldier to acheive the dexterity he had before. The long term and even short term effects of using Energy based weapons without this augmentation are severe. I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that you will not want to use energy weapons without it, and will be under direct order not to allow yourself or others to use such weapons without the augmentation installed.

Note that the same amount of time spent on the firing range of a standard weapons course actually produces more weapon handling and aiming improvement than energy and heavy weapons skills, and at considerably less cost to the UNN. The downside of course, is that this does not produce a soldier capable of Heavy or Energy weapons handling.

Because of the cost and limited supply of heavy or enery weapons for standard missions, most Marines go through standard +2 weapons training. However, with you possibly being part of small special forces squad for the UNN, I highly recommend one or two of you taking advantage of the high technology arm augmentations. After all, you can upgrade your standard weapons skills in the field.



(after the training, before the Von Braun placement)

Thank you soldiers for volunteering for this mission. Unfortunately, we have little time before we still have the oportunity to place you covertly. As you know, the circumstances behind the death of one of our anti-TriOptimum UNN officials are extremely suspect even though investigation of the incident isn't resulting in anything concrete. Suffice it to say we don't trust TriOptimum at all, and don't like the ammount of power involved in their having the only functional FTL drive ship. You will be secretly placed in cryostasis on board the Von Braun, not the RickenBaker, just in case any TriOptimum bastards aboard try to pull a fast one on the UNN. Only two covert UNN agents aboard the Van Braun will know of your existance, and only 1 officer aboard the Rickenbaker. The identification of these agents is classified even to you, as a precaution to ensure the identities of these 3 agents remain secret should they not require your services. If all goes well, you will wake up sometime after the mission is complete as soon as we're able to extract you without TriOptimum knowledge. If all doesn't go well... let's just hope that one of the three who know you exist raise the wall you'll be concealed behind and let you out to make right whatever is wrong. Remember that whoever lets you out and contacts you is an agent: follow their orders but do NOT compromise their association with the UNN.

I wish I could breif you soldiers further, but we don't have time. We need you in Shuttle 1 of shuttle bay 2 now. I said "now" so MOVE!

[enter]

Thats right, because its based on user feedback there cannot be an exact release date for the non-beta. I do wonder if it would be possible to make it so that the cyber modules arent shared between players. It would create just the needed tension in the group because its way too easy on multiplayer.

[Penfold]

I've compensated for this by increasing the cost of everything CM wise. So, even though you get two to four times as many modules (total) as a team rather than as a single player, it takes you longer individually to spend them thus you're better off specializing. With the CM costs so high, a jack of all trades is a master or none. Well, there is now jack of all trades in this mod, but you get the drift.

[manneokoko]

Hello

Ive just got SS2, and me and my buddy are gonna play it Coop. Neither of us has playd it before.. but i want to maximaize the experience.
Do you recomend this mod for 2 players or will it be too difficult?

[manneokoko]

Also, can i use this mod if i already installed straylight mod? i noticed straylight mod contained more than a gam file.