[Obsolete] SS2 Community Patch (SCP) Beta 4

[673fb977888b3voodoo47]

it's actually "they stand near the medbed, while the rumbler tries to squeeze itself through the opening, so they run".

also, you know nothing about the elasticity of a rumbler.

[673fb97788a57JML]

Rubbler

[673fb97788f4bunn_atropos]

it's NO WHERE BIG ENOUGH for a HUGE RUMBLER to fit through the existing small ceiling opening, even if its thighs are buttered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDqsgbtpDLk

[673fb977890b0ZylonBane]

I think System Shocked is convinced that using twice as many words as necessary makes him sound smarter.

[673fb97789236Da9L]

Fantastic job once again ! I have a few questions though:

I noticed that when entering station.mis on the first year, the shuttle exits the shuttle bay, but makes no sound at all. That was a little wierd, and didn't seem right?

Also, this might be out of SCP's scope, but it has always bothered me, that when triggering an alarm, you can simply deactivate it by opening a security console. Was this ever intended ? Because it seems kind of strange honestly, a little too easy to stop alarms. Maybe SCP could "fix" this ?

[673fb977894fdJML]

[...]
Also, this might be out of SCP's scope, but it has always bothered me, that when triggering an alarm, you can simply deactivate it by opening a security console. Was this ever intended ? Because it seems kind of strange honestly, a little too easy to stop alarms. Maybe SCP could "fix" this ?

This also surprised me a lot when I found out about it and I first thought it was a bug. I'm pretty sure it's out of SCP's scope, but you could try kindly asking for that minimod, as I suspect it's just a small edit to disable that "feature".

[673fb977898ddZylonBane]

You guys might want to RTFM.

HelpText9:"The onboard security system is controlled by Xerxes, the ship's computer.  If a security camera spots you, it will sound the alarm and security forces will rush to find you.  A camera that has not yet spotted you will display a green light - as it becomes alert to your presence, the light will change from green to yellow and then to red.  You should make sure to either destroy security cameras before they turn red, or hack into security computers to temporarily disable them.  If the alarm does go off, you can terminate it by using a security computer."

If cameras are the eyes of the security network, security computers are the brains and, luckily for you, they aren’t the brightest of brains. Using a security computer de-activates any currently active alarms, while successfully hacking into a security computer disables security, rendering you temporarily invisible to cameras (and computerised gun turrets).

As for the shuttle, it doesn't make any sound because it's using its grav thrusters to exit the shuttle bay instead of its main engines (which you can see light up if you watch it long enough).

[673fb977899ecvoodoo47]

yes, but it definitely doesn't make as much noise when compared to what can we hear when playing the actual cutscene, and I agree it would be nice if it did. especially the pssch-liftoff thing.

[673fb97789e2bJDoran]

You guys might want to RTFM.
...

Yes, but just because the cancel-the-emergency mechanics are mentioned in text doesn't mean either that they're necessarily good mechanics, or that it's what the games' developers would have implemented if they'd had had more time and/or resources. And such a potential security weakness does seem out of place, especially on something as advanced as a space-craft.

But on the other hand, changing this mechanic is probably out of the purview of the SCP's stated aims. Still, it's an interesting topic of discussion, and maybe a good alternative can be suggested that won't change the game-play enough to put it outside of the SCP project. Maybe putting a diffculty hack rating on the shutdown system that increases further into the game, or you can only use the shutdown if you have an officer level keycard (maybe cards are also specific to certain areas of the ship?), or perhaps you need to enter a code (digits or letters) and the shutdown system is hackproof, so you need to find the codes (in personal messages, or in the possession of a corpse, etc) if you want to use the shutdown.

Probably too non-original SS2 for the SCP, but it could make a good, small third party mod.

[673fb9778a195JML]

[...]
Maybe putting a diffculty hack rating on the shutdown system that increases further into the game, or you can only use the shutdown if you have an officer level keycard (maybe cards are also specific to certain areas of the ship?), or perhaps you need to enter a code (digits or letters) and the shutdown system is hackproof, so you need to find the codes (in personal messages, or in the possession of a corpse, etc) if you want to use the shutdown.
[...]

Or frobbing to disable the alarm only works with Hacking <= 1. Thats something I'd like to see as a minimod tbh

[673fb9778a2dcvoodoo47]

they were probably trying to emulate a relatively common thing - in case of a false alert, a security person would turn it off via a nearby terminal. with the security person being dead, turning it off would indeed be child's play - as long as you know where the terminal is, so it forces the player to pay attention and remember stuff, and that's a good thing.

I see this as an ok mechanic, not really needing tweaks, however no objections against a potential hacking only minimod.

[673fb9778a3d3ZylonBane]

Such a change would probably be part of a larger security upgrade mod that adds hackable cameras and makes destroying cameras set off the alarm.

[673fb9778a4cbvoodoo47]

yeah, pretty sure many SS2 veterans would appreciate a mod that would make the security systems an actual threat.

I really should start looking into squirrel some time next year (almost sure new scripts will be required to make this happen properly).

[673fb9778a67bJDoran]

A more realistic security system, with realistically placed cameras (where they would be placed by security conscious designers, in real life) and proper in-game security related mechanics could be a really good addition to the game, especially for the enjoyment of the more hardcore SS2 fans, who already know every facet of the game and who want a new challenge.

Maybe there could be objectives/side plots where you could say isolate an areas' security systems circuits, and hack them so that all of the turrets would attack on sight anyone who you yourself deemed an enemy, and the cameras would somehow call assistance when they saw your enemies. I don't mean like just hacking one turret or camera, I mean all of the security in a given area. Early on in the game, it might be the only practical way to get past a group of enemies (before you are decently armed or supplied with ammo), for example. Or you could define a part of the map as very well protected for whatever plot/ships' layout reasons, and the only practical way to get through it without the many close by turrets killing you in seconds is to hack the turret's group A.I. and set it to see you as a non-target. And part of the game mechanics could be that any such hack only lasts for a short time, before the hack gets over-ridden by the main computer circuitry.

[673fb9778a767ZylonBane]

I wish you the best of luck with your mod.

[673fb9778abb2RoSoDude]

yeah, pretty sure many SS2 veterans would appreciate a mod that would make the security systems an actual threat.

Isn't this uh... exactly why TF started Secmod? Hence the name? Heh.

Well, I do support the idea anyway, as I've said before with respect to alarming cameras. Though being required to hack a security terminal to set it off is actually the idea that I'm least sure about, as it makes hacking that much more important as a skill. If the alarm is more prone to triggering, but you can still deactivate it at a security console, then the alert status (and rush of hostile enemies) becomes a bigger part of gameplay without feeling like "fail state" that prompts some to reload.

[673fb9778ad29System Shocked]

You Devs currently have an entire year between releases of your next SCP release, which is plenty of time for you to sort through all the previously submitted issues. How much time is spent on reviewing and grinding through ALL of the previously reported issues to ensure that the past and the newest release of the next SCP release encompasses all of the fixes that it should incorporate? Basically, are you Devs scrounging and roving through ALL of the most recently previously submitted SS2 issues???

I've been highly scrutinizing the past reported issues submitted towards SCP Beta1, SCP Beta2, SCP Beta3 and SCP Beta4 and discovered that many issues have yet to be acknowledged/identified/recognized and most importantly resolved. WHY IS THAT?. Finally, fix whatever issues can still be fixed and any other related issues.

[673fb9778ae07voodoo47]

I've already given you an answer in the Engineering SCP topic.

[673fb9778b0a1System Shocked]

I've already given you an answer in the Engineering SCP topic.

A link would be appreciated, thank you.

The existing ceiling opening that Rebecca, Tommy and the Rumbler drop down through doesn't encompass an entire ceiling tile, it's only the central portion of the ceiling tile is cutout and missing. If the entire ceiling tile is removed, this would solve the issue that the existing size of the ceiling opening isn't large enough for a Rumbler to fit through and be more believable/realistic. 

[673fb9778b1a9ZylonBane]

Ceiling Rumbler is watching you fail.

[673fb9778b3a4System Shocked]

Throughout the SS2 game, there are many instances that exhibit some sort of an instance of a failing defective light concept of some type. My experience is that the early parts of the game don't exhibit the same visual defective lights that should exist throughout the rest of the game, that should correct/match corrections to consider regarding the trek in the long extended shuttle tunnel and the areas towards the escape shuttle and cargo bays:
- For the LOOONNNGGG ENTIRE length of the tram shuttle tunnel, it doesn't exhibit a SINGLE instance of a defective/sparking/partially defective light, that should exist compared to other levels reported in earlier SCP Beta4 issues of any type or evidence of crew members/enemies that might have jumped down onto the electrocuted train tracks that would cause their immediate death and their smocking bodies. Easily add some dire observations. At the very least show some typical defective/blinking/sparking/smoking tram tunnel lights.
- ALL of the triple ramps leading upwards toward the upper corridors towards the Shuttle Bays also exhibit no interrupted lighting defects and beyond, including the main corridor that leads to the upper grav tubes to the upper shuttle control rooms? ALL lights are pristine without a single individual defect of any kind !? Every neighboring corridor lighting instance is also absolutely PERFECT !? HUH!? How about a defective light of some kind reflected? Also, ALL of the corridors leading towards and within the cargo bays have no defective intermittent/lighting effects, AGAIN, HUH !?
- Both area Cargo Bays have no lights that display some type of defective lights of any kind. At the very least, lights in the cargo bays need to be raised up so that they don't interfere with any usual upper daily cargo movement transactions.

[673fb9778b976voodoo47]

reworking areas completely is out of scope, unless it's something that's really, really blatantly out of place (like Bronson's last stand, which carries no marks of a desperate battle in vanilla). I really don't see any heavy fighting happening in the tram corridor (and other random places). to make it simple, a very, very good reason needs to exist for us to rework some place (in)significantly. a log mentioning destruction would qualify, you having an opinion, not so much.

ceiling opening that Rebecca, Tommy drop down

why in the world would they drop down from the ceiling? they are just there, possibly trying to disable the camera to get to the healing bed, when the rumbler starts to crash its way through the vent, making them run.

-sometimes, we legitimately miss stuff. like that medsci1 fan ambient that didn't get fixed because you didn't fill in the mapname properly.
-sometimes, things clip into things intentionally, like a bench that is partially stuck in a wall to make it more narrow. doing something like that is a legitimate thing, and if it looks intentional, I'll leave it be.
-yes, I did misunderstand a few of your reports. blame it on your own inability to express yourself in a clear, easy to understand way.

might as well add "if I'm unsure about something, I leave it alone".


I'm also totally renaming that first command2 rumbler into Ceiling Rumbler for the next SCP release.

[673fb9778bae7System Shocked]

My point is that lights do fail after a certain number of hours, as found elsewhere. Have a handful of lights burnt out and some blinking ones indicating that they are about to fail, throughout the many areas that I mentioned. It can only improve the aesthetics/immersion and eye candy.

[673fb9778bc22voodoo47]

thank you for your opinion. the answer is still no.

I'd suggest you get into dml minimods - things like adding wall damage, gore and blood, or disabling lights is fairly easy to do.