Hacx 2.0 IWAD [r61]

[Xaser]

-- Hacx 2.0 IWAD --

Build r61, updated 7-23-12
- DOWNLOAD from Ionline
- View Changelog
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This here is the latest build of the 2.0 IWAD. These builds are a work in progress and don't reflect the final product, but they will be updated periodically with the newest stuff for everyone to play and work with. Any Hacx 2.0 development should be based on this IWAD, not the 1.2 IWAD, which has been deprecated entirely since build r30 (texture names are different now, among many other changes).

-- Major Recent Changes --
- Near-complete MAP06 (Digi-Ota) revamp. Huge thanks to Cage for bringing Hong Kong to life!
- New weapon bobbing styles & raise sounds, for extra polish.
- Altfire now works as a "quick-kick" key, for maximum asskicking action!
- Loads of ambient sounds added. MAP03 (Lava Annex) now uses them extensively as an early demonstration of sorts.
- A bastardload of awesome new textures, as always.

Full changelog is linked above, so as to avoid future clogging of the thread.
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That is all. For now, comment and discuss at will.

[Player118]

I have a few questions.

1. What are the current difficulties in getting it finished? I've expected it would've been finished less than a year. (I apologize if I'm a bit off on the time.)
2. What kind of changes should I expect from a finished version aside from several episodes of maps? Like weapon behavior and changes to monsters?
3. Hacx was built somewhere in the 1990's, but I'm surprised some of the mappers are taking it further in design. Any limits to map design? Rules?
4. I suppose everyone say's "When-it's-done" now days. But it would be nice if somebody could give me a rough estimation on the completion date, I'm eager to see what the finished version will play like.
5. I saw some extra graphics where added to the 1.2 version, will there be more additions like that? I think it's cool.

And thanks for the current work on the team and you. I look forward to more.

[Xaser]

Welp. I'm bad at replying, aren't I? Didn't see this one in 5 months...

Either way, a new IWAD build is up, featuring a slew of new textures, new MAP06, and loads of other stuff (see first post).

[NeuralStunner]

Loving it! Below I will once again demonstrate my strange attraction to lists:

Stuff that is awesome:

• AltFire kick, naturally. Having an always-ready melee attack is a somewhat addictive mechanic.
• Since AltAttack used to be the uzi's "on-demand" reload, I was happy that the dedicated Reload key now serves that function.
• Ready sounds for weapons. It adds a bit more feedback to cycling through your weapons.

Stuff that is amusing:

• When alt-kicking with the Nuker, it looks like the gun sprouts a foot.
• While trying to think of a suitable tagline for 2.0, I thought of "Twitch 'N Respawn".

Stuff that I'm unsure about:

• Are the major destruction weapons ('Zooka, Nuker) supposed to be slower to select? I suppose that's okay but it's a touch jarring.
• In 1.x the Uzi actually could fire single bullets. Now it fires in volleys of two, while the Pistol shoots two all the time. This makes ammo counts a bit misleading. Not saying it has to change (I don't have a good alternative) but it's something to think about.
• I've always found it weird getting snagged on invisible actors when walking past unbroken windows. But I'm not sure what other alternatives you have. Switching to line actions would mean a lot of pesky map editing.

Stuff that could still be improved:

• Since you can always kick now, I think the Microtel should no longer select the Kick weapon.
• I think the Antigun's up sound is more fitting to the 'Zooka, I can probably whip up a new one for The Stick™.
• The Uzi's up sound seems a bit off, perhaps it's the heavy reverb? I'd suggest the "clip goes in sound" (if you don't think it'd be potentially confusing).
• Really need a new selection of quit sounds. Possibly even some dedicated to that purpose. Or a single "shutting down" type of sound.

Note that this is general gameplay-related stuff. Map stuffs will come later hopefully!

[Xaser]

Thanks for the feedbackness!

When alt-kicking with the Nuker, it looks like the gun sprouts a foot.

Yeah, I really need to redo the kick frames for the Nuker. After hours of work on the full set, I just said "to hell with it" at that point.

Are the major destruction weapons ('Zooka, Nuker) supposed to be slower to select? I suppose that's okay but it's a touch jarring.

That's the intention. Is it that weird?

In 1.x the Uzi actually could fire single bullets. Now it fires in volleys of two, while the Pistol shoots two all the time. This makes ammo counts a bit misleading. Not saying it has to change (I don't have a good alternative) but it's something to think about.

The uzi always fired in multiples of two, just like Doom's chaingun. Changing the ammo amounts would make things more misleading because then you'd have people wondering why two shots from the uzi only consumes a single bullet.

I've always found it weird getting snagged on invisible actors when walking past unbroken windows.

The only 'solid' windows in the wad so far are in MAP01 and MAP06, since you can jump through them. Windows in the original Hacx (and throughout the rest of the wad, too) were always non-solid, precisely to make it easier to move around them. Dunno why you say "always found it weird" when solid windows are a very new thing.

The Uzi's up sound seems a bit off, perhaps it's the heavy reverb? I'd suggest the "clip goes in sound" (if you don't think it'd be potentially confusing).

The sound could go with some better mixing, I guess, but I'm not the one who'll be able to do it. I definitely don't want to use the regular reload sound, precisely because the sound is already used elsewhere.

[cybdmn]

That's the intention. Is it that weird?

Why not, remember this thing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wve94AlQCGw

[NeuralStunner]

LOL NUKER FOOT

Yeah, I really need to redo the kick frames for the Nuker. After hours of work on the full set, I just said "to hell with it" at that point.

I think all it really needs is for the gun to move far enough that you can see Danny's leg.

BIG GUNS MOVE SLOW

That's the intention. Is it that weird?

It might be from working on my own mods, where weapons select equally fast. Part of it is sort of an illusion: if the weapon seems more ponderous, it will seem handicapped. (There's also the almost certainly false sense that they pass slower during weapon cycling.)

Also I forgot to mention that I'm appreciative of the faster switching in the first place.

GUNS SHOOT AMMO WEIRD

The uzi always fired in multiples of two, just like Doom's chaingun. Changing the ammo amounts would make things more misleading because then you'd have people wondering why two shots from the uzi only consumes a single bullet.

Yeah, wasn't saying it should change, but it's a bit amusing when weapons always consume >1 ammo per trigger-pull. (Unless they have even or odd usage in different circumstances, like Heretic's Hellstaff.)

ME STUCK ON WINDOWS

The only 'solid' windows in the wad so far are in MAP01 and MAP06, since you can jump through them. Windows in the original Hacx (and throughout the rest of the wad, too) were always non-solid, precisely to make it easier to move around them. Dunno why you say "always found it weird" when solid windows are a very new thing.

I'm not that familiar with the 1.x maps, actually. Although I can imagine the problem of dashing off a desk through a "solid" window.

UZI SOUND WEIRD

The sound could go with some better mixing, I guess, but I'm not the one who'll be able to do it. I definitely don't want to use the regular reload sound, precisely because the sound is already used elsewhere.

Much of the problem is the reverb, though it sounds pretty deep/bass as well. I'll put some thought into what I can record/modify for it.

[Gez]

Let's talk about ammo.

The original Hacx TC was constrained by its dehackedness, but this is no longer the case. I think a number of ammo drops from certain monsters would make sense: the monstructs use chainguns at close range and something similar to photon torpedoes at long range; the mechamaniacs use cannons that seem similar to the antigun stick.

Dunno if it's because the pistol fires two bullets at once and the uzi spreads around like it's roleplaying being a Strife weapon, but I seem to get a lot less mileage out of 400 rounds in Hacx than out of 400 bullets in Doom. Maybe increase the max ammo count to 300/600?

[TheUnbeholden]

Very nice. You guys should put this up on ModDB, not necessarily the beta just a page to gather viewers and followers. and show off videos/images.

[Xaser]

It could be worth branching out and putting it up a few places. It's technically its own game, too, so maybe some indie game sites (looking at RPS in particular) could be worth looking at for promotional stuffs once things start to solidify.

[Matt534Dog]

Is there any reason why the Double-Uzis were taken out of the latest beta? I always thought those were badass!

[Xaser]

They're still there, but they're flagged not to be given via the general "give weapons" cheat because they kept getting in the way of me playtesting a map for some reason. That'll probably be removed for the final release, though its status will still be limited to a DM/cheat-only weapon for various reasons (can't really explain away why picking up two regular uzi pickups doesn't let you dual wield; allowing that would kill balance).

For now, typing "Give HacxDualUzis" at the console still works.

[Matt534Dog]

I thought it would be a balance issue, as I replayed [r58] and quickly found that they were the cheapest thing in the game! Having them as DM-only weapons seems like a nice compromise, though. Speaking of DM, will there be any DM-exclusive maps?

[Xaser]

There will. There's actually two DM maps in place right now as MAP33 and MAP34, though towards the end of the project, I hope to have these revised a bit and commission a few expert DM mappers to contribute if possible. Haven't done too much on that front just yet because there hasn't been any serious deathmatch playtesting. Hopefully at some point.

[TheUnbeholden]

I reckon the kicks should make a sound when you kick the environment, and the 007 microtel could use something more to it. Like replacing your kick with a roundhouse, and allow you to do a flying kick. It runs out to fast, perhaps allow us to keep it till the end of the map? The forcefield we should be able to turn it on and off, and it should drain slower then it does now (make it drain faster when you get hit), that would make more sense. Just some food for thought
The big stick's sound is a bit to fast, I think it needs a crisper sound and repeat a tad slower than it does now. I don't like how the player holds the cryogun on the left, its something I've never seen in a game and makes me feel a bit weird.. if anyone knows what I mean.
also I think its long overdue for a jump and crouch button.