A co-op commentary (Project TriOps)

[673130196da41Fironkkuify]

BE SURE TO CHECK UPDATES!

Since I managed to get Hamachi working, I was wondering if anyone was interested in partaking in a co-op commentary or just some general gameplay. 

I'm still thinking on what the challenge will be but there are two spots available (since my buddy's comp had a heart attack lately, I'm not too sure if he'll be able to make it). 

The idea is that we'll just play some games together and see whose got what it takes to make it through something perilous.

Current idea is something I like to call Real Survivor Run.  It gets its basis from the no-cyber module run in which players are only allowed to use skills they acquire from the yearly mission postings for the entire game.  This would strongly emphasize teamwork and actually create a sense of challenge in co-op. (Check UPDATES)

If anyone's interested, the requirements are:

-A microphone, it needs to be a headset.  You can buy one at your local GameStop (or an eletronics store).  Make sure it has a USB jack.
-A voice recorder on your computer  (I would prefer everyone to use the voice recorder that comes with the set-up, since it's simple and is very unlikely to crash).
-Vanilla System Shock 2  with Crion's Impossible mod activated  (any asethetics and weapon mods and all that jazz are perfectly fine as long as they don't disrupt the original game).
-Fraps (best recording equipment for SS2 gameplay)
-Tunngle as the virtual network provider (our means of connection) since it has shown some significant promise and reliability over Hamachi after using the workaround.
-Virtualdub and Xvid codec  (to compress the raw footage from our recording sessions).
-Skype (To keep contact during gameplay and transfer files mainly).  Mumble may also become an option in the future when I get around to seeing how it works.
-A positive attitude  and readiness to take on a challenge
-A willingness to sacrifice some free time for recording sessions on scheduled days
-HAVE FUN

List of candidates:
Speedix
Nu Zalem
Goggles
WhiteLukas
ShephardReborn
Poshspice

Those strongly considered:
Goggles
WhiteLukas
Speedix

Spots available:
- Firon
- Goggles
- WhiteLukas
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UPDATE: The mods that are currently planned for use in this commentary are ADaoB and Crion's Impossible mods

UPDATE: The Real Survivor challenge may be softened up a bit to allow some amount of choice-making to make everyone's gameplay styles more unique.  Basically, I'll just enlist a cap on the different upgrade fields.  This mostly depends on whether 3 or 4 players end up in the final bout.  The cap will be small, probably something as strict as 5 upgrades in Stat upgrades and what not, in order to keep challenge. 

Keep in mind that this is simply a CONSIDERATION, not a final decision.  Multiplayer is easy enough without everyone completing the game in under 24 minutes, blasting the shit out of everything.  In facts, I may even add additional restrictions as I conduct more test playthroughs in the future if I feel the game is still too easy.

UPDATE: Alright, we have a first draft on a modified Real Survivor run, which I'll probably end up renaming to Specific Survivor run.

The new rules at play here, to compensate for the ease of being granted upgrades, is that everyone is forced into a particular role/specific run.  These are gun runner (Marine), psi runner (OSA agent), and smart thinker (Navy).  Any number of sub-classes are possible in these roles.

These are the initial caps on upgrades to each of the specific upgrade fields.  These DO count in the free upgrades one gets from the three years of training.

Technical skills - Only 6 upgrades allowed
Weapon skills - Only 3 upgrades allowed
Psi skills - Only 2 upgrades allowed (tier entries do not count)
Stat skills - Only 10 upgrades allowed

The three classes are, again:

Gun-Runner - Focused in weapon and stat upgrades, easily a basic offensive/defensive role
Psi-Runner - Focused in psi and stat upgrades, allows for much versatility as an offensive/defensive/supportive role
Smart thinker - Focused in tech and stat upgrades, purely supportive

To be more clear on how challenge is maintained in this new run, I'll give an example.  Say you have a smart thinker on your team.  He could be the expert hacker, but not capable of modifying/maintaining the weapons of his comrades.  The smart thinker cannot use any weapons to defend himself directly so he is dependent on his buddies to keep him safe.  But without maintenance, that defense can easily fall apart in the long-run.  This can be compensated by having a second smart thinker in place of a gun or psi-runner.  Other combinations are possible but it all comes down to what the players are good at.

Keep in mind that this is only the FIRST draft.  I feel it could use some revision in case it still makes the game too easy.  If you'd like to share your opinion, I'd like to hear it. -w-

UPDATE: From now on, certain networks will only have their information revealed to certain people while others are meant for those just joining. 

UPDATE: Hamachi is no longer being used for game sessions as we've encountered some connection issues, even between people who were previously able to connect just fine.  We will be using Tunngle from now on.

UPDATE: All spots have been filled, however we are still recruiting in case extras are needed should anything happen to anyone in the final roster.

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Goggles1112's Announcement Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msk5dnmQ-Po

Links for mods

Straylight's ABaoB mod: https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=25.0

Crion's Impossible mod: https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=61

SS2 Mod Manager: https://www.systemshock.org/index.php/topic,527.0.html

[673130196dc43Nu Zalem]

Well when I get the new rig up and going I'd like to participate. However, I'm not exactly certain how this will get off the ground. I am glad you are trying to get something going so that the Shock community can get involved. Why is it that no one has replied yet?  Does no one in the community not want to get involved? One thing I'd like to emphasize is that if this were to get off of the ground all players need to be well coordinated and communicate thoroughly i.e. letting each other know what he/she will specialize in, who gets nanites, who gets ammunition, who gets psi-hypos, etc. Just basically be organized before the game starts and then moving about in an organized manner during the game. That's my only thing I want emphasized, other than that all is well.

Again, I'm interested, but I hope we get more people on board. I'm not sure when you're going to do this though Firon due to me starting work soon and all. I guess we'll find out as time goes on.

[673130196dd61Fironkkuify]

Well there are going to be regular runthroughs of the game - just basic gameplay to see what every one can do.  The final decision is a mix of: if they're able to work in a team, have fair knowledge of the game, and are willing to commit to the project.

[673130196de4cCarl Miller]

I'm interested.

[673130196df1dKetsuban]

BTW, I'm Carl Miller

[673130196e217Fironkkuify]

BTW, I'm Carl Miller

Wanna discuss details in a PM?

[673130196e302Ketsuban]

Go right ahead.

[673130196e579Fironkkuify]

Lemme re-explain the premise or order of what I'm trying to do.

Step 1: Check to see if you meet any of the requirements.  If there's any issues, let me know and we can probably figure out some other way to achieve a requirement (such as using another recorder and testing it to see if it can handle the game). 

Step 2: We play games.  Simply put, this is really just a way for me to see how any of you can handle a no-cyber module run in co-op.  It's also just an opprotunity to have some fun. -w-

Step 3: Once everything's all said and done and I've decided on the final four for the commentary, we'll go into scheduling and all that jazz for recording sessions.  These sessions probably won't last too long, most likely one-to-two hours.

-

The run we'll be attempting for the commentary is basically a No-Cyber Module run where players cannot gain any upgrades aside from what they get from the three years of training and O/S upgrade terminals.  It's termed as the Real Survivor run because there will be four of us relying on one another to make it through the more perilous parts of the game which would otherwise be much more manageable with certain levels in skills or weapons. 

The reason why I chose this for our run is because co-op makes System Shock 2 pretty easy, even with Crion's Impossible mod (which we WILL be using).  With this run, the game will be challenging even with there being four Goggles.

-

If there's a lack of interest in the commentary itself, I guess we could just play games.  I'm not sure when I'll just give up on the prospect of a four-player commentary but it will probably be by the end of the year.

I'll be doing the editting and I'll ask any of the people who are serious about joining the commentary a few simple but key questions that are relevant to the final edits.

[673130196e694GinJah]

Looking like a great idea, after getting SS2 working again, its been great to relive this game, so a co op game would be great

[673130196e8f0Fironkkuify]

Looking like a great idea, after getting SS2 working again, its been great to relive this game, so a co op game would be great

I'd recommend signing up on Tunngle or getting Hamachi to work if you'd like to play with me and others at some point. -w-

[673130196ea05GinJah]

Yea any game would be cool in my eyes,
Though a none cyber run though a little to far in front of me i think, but hell never know

As for Hamachi i use it quiet a bit for some other games so i don't have a problem with that side of it

[673130196ec59Fironkkuify]

Yea any game would be cool in my eyes,
Though a none cyber run though a little to far in front of me i think, but hell never know

As for Hamachi i use it quiet a bit for some other games so i don't have a problem with that side of it

I'd recommend signing up for Tunngle as well because there have been cases where people have had issues with Hamachi, yet the multiplayer works with Tunngle.

[673130196ed40Ketsuban]

So, what's become of this?

[673130196ef29Fironkkuify]

So, what's become of this?

Still in progress until the end of the year -w-;

[673130196f22aJML]

I'm in.
Haven't got Hamachi yet, but the tuto of this forum should be nice enough.
I meet all of the requirements, tho I don't yet have Fraps, but I guess thats the least problem, as its download and installation will take about 10 minutes.
I'd love to play a multiplayer game. I love teamgames and know how important it is to work together. That's the reason I play(ed) WoW PvP only, Warcraft 3 Arenas, League of Legends, and other team based games having lots of fun.

Instead of Skype I would recommend "Mumble", a voicechat program like teamspeak - just better. It has an inbound GOOD recorder, that can record all of us talking in different channels, or mono (I'm not quite into this stuff, but I know that this is good, if we want to work with it. Yeah I guess mono will be fine.). A friend would lend us his Mumble server for such things, I am sure about that.

Yeeha, I'm happy now, seeing someone to make shock fans play together and have fun. Nice idea, bro.

Just answer the post, I'll see it. Information for everyone is always good.

[673130196f5c8Fironkkuify]

I'm in.
Haven't got Hamachi yet, but the tuto of this forum should be nice enough.
I meet all of the requirements, tho I don't yet have Fraps, but I guess thats the least problem, as its download and installation will take about 10 minutes.
I'd love to play a multiplayer game. I love teamgames and know how important it is to work together. That's the reason I play(ed) WoW PvP only, Warcraft 3 Arenas, League of Legends, and other team based games having lots of fun.

Instead of Skype I would recommend "Mumble", a voicechat program like teamspeak - just better. It has an inbound GOOD recorder, that can record all of us talking in different channels, or mono (I'm not quite into this stuff, but I know that this is good, if we want to work with it. Yeah I guess mono will be fine.). A friend would lend us his Mumble server for such things, I am sure about that.

Yeeha, I'm happy now, seeing someone to make shock fans play together and have fun. Nice idea, bro.

Just answer the post, I'll see it. Information for everyone is always good.

We can discuss the details in a PM -w-

[673130196f6cfFironkkuify]

Here's an important announcement!

I need to know what days you all will be available this week so that we can start on a playthrough of the Real Survivor Run.  No commentary here, just straight up connecting and playing.

[673130196f7c3JML]

What you mean "this weak. We have Thursday. Well I haven't got time today but tomorrow. Next week I'm pretty much free if say a date early enough.

[673130196f9e1Fironkkuify]

What you mean "this weak. We have Thursday. Well I haven't got time today but tomorrow. Next week I'm pretty much free if say a date early enough.

Probably next week then.

[673130196faeaJML]

Got time now, maybe it's bad in the weekend, next week should be fine tho. What have you planned? Just the run you were planning without a commentary, without being a walkthrough like stuff?

[673130196fbcbFironkkuify]

Aye, just a regular playthrough.

You using Hamachi or Tunngle?  We can discuss details in a PM.

[673130196fcccKetsuban]

I am not available from the 23rd to 27th of December (EST).  Other than that I'm open the rest of the year

[673130196ff54Fironkkuify]

I am not available from the 23rd to 27th of December (EST).  Other than that I'm open the rest of the year

I'd recommend getting on Hamachi or Tunngle regularly then. -w-

[6731301970153Fironkkuify]

Alrighty, been a LOOOOOOOOOONG time since I last updated.

But anyhow, my Hamachi has run into a few snags so connection has been iffy with a few people.  May have to re-install.

Now, down to the facts of this update. 

The co-op commentary will have at least 3 people and at most 4 people and if anyone's still interested, make it apparent right away because there's no point in letting this sit and collect dust.

This is the list of people I've been able to play with in the past and the network provider I used:

Speedix (Hamachi)
Nu Zalem (Hamachi)
Carl Miller (Tunngle)
GinJah (Tunggle)

There may be others that I probably forgot, but I'd recommend giving me details in a PM that state whether or not you have the requirements, if you're willing to put aside an hour or two for recording and gameplay, if you know how to use file transfer sites (like megaupload or fileshare), and what your time zone is compared to Eastern United States time.

If nobody bothers to PM me then this project is technically dead.  Can't be anymore clear than that.