The Soldier Z - WIP - Update 13 11/14/2021 Options

[Brohnesorge]

So update time. Not quite the MK23 update, but that'll be coming with something else as well. This update is a lot of small tweaks and QoL stuff.

Code: Select all

Gameplay
-Added VFX options!
-Added magazine dropping!
-Tweaked firing timing on all weapons.

M9A3
-Greatly reduced jam chance.

Ruger Super Blackhawk
-Changed reload style. You fully unload before reloading now.
-Unloading and reloading speed increased.

Sawn Off
-Now starts with a handful of shells.
-Reloading and ammo switching speed increased.
-Tweaked spread.

M870 Marine Magnum
-Cleaned up Pumping and Reloading sprites.
-Now has slot priority over the SPAS
-Tightened spread slightly.
-Increased reload speed slightly.
-Increased switching speed.

Steyr AUG
-Tweaked reload animation.
-Increased switching speed.

SPAS-12
-New sprites!
-Greatly reduced jam chance.

M72A4 LAW
-Increased prep speed.
-Greatly increased missile damage.

Sorcerer
-Fixed Scatter Mode causing your charge to go below 0, giving infinite ammo.

Snipper
-Made bolt pulling easier.

Anyway, next update might be a while, but it will be pretty big. I recently learned how to use a pretty simple modeling program, so I plan on redoing all of the sprites using models of the real guns! There might be a mini update before I'm done that adds the MK23 just so I don't go a year without an update...nervously looks over at HoD: Baron. It will also include an overhaul of the SPAS, as I've recently learned somethings about its function, and how fucking worthless fletchettes actually are, to warrant such a move. It's handling will be updated, and flechette shells will be replaces with slugs.

Anyway, have fun and keep me posted!

[GamingMarine]

Getting this error upon startup.

Script error, "SoldierZ.pk3:zscript/newhud.zsc" line 18:
Unknown font 'DBIGFONT'

Execution could not continue.

1 errors while parsing DECORATE scripts

[OfficialYeen]

Awesome! Models sound pretty sick, and I'm looking forward to seeing this updated with them. Until then, thanks for this update! Tweaks go a long way when it comes to game feel in general, and I'm sure I'll be playing this for most of the night!

[OfficialYeen]

Okay, thoughts on the update:

• The pump shotgun is great. The new firing sound, tighter choke and smoother pump animation make it feel very satisfying.
• The revolver is much less frustrating to reload now, so I feel like I'm going to be able to use it more often in more densely-populated areas.
• The SPAS's new sprite is okay. No complaints.
• Most importantly, the VFX options oh my god thank you. A group of exploding barrels could easily reduce my FPS to less than five frames, so my dinosaur laptop loves this feature.

This is that Good Shit™, yo. Great quality of life update.

[Someone64]

Only found 3 issues. The first is that you can't pick up HK23Es when you're already holding one. This is inconsistent with the behavior of other weapons. So if I want to use an HK23E but I don't have a box of ammo and my current one is empty, I have to drop it and pick up another one instead of just salvaging another one's ammo like what happens with the rest of the weapons. Sure, dropping one IS more efficient than reloading but what if I have a grenade in it I don't wanna use yet? There's seemingly no way to unload it so I have to go find a use for it before dropping the whole gun to pick up another one. The second issue is REALLY minor. With the SPAS, when you try to reload the last shell without pumping it does the start of the reloading animation without proceeding. The M870 doesn't do this, making it inconsistent. Lastly, cancelling the revolver reload with alt-fire causes monsters to go alert and the animation before starting an interrupted revolver reload is a bit broken as it starts with a split second of the unloading part even though you no longer need to unload.

Been really enjoying the feel of this mod in general, though. Manually pumping shotguns and pulling the revolver hammer is really satisfying. I'd really love it if there was a way to skillfully fan the revolver even faster with extreme inaccuracy or just difficulty in fanning. Maybe allow us to hold alt-fire to hold out the hand over the hammer WHILE firing so when we release alt-fire the gun will be immediately ready for another shot?

Lastly, ammo balance with the BFG and plasma gun can be an issue if a map insists on giving you a BFG with only small cell ammo or only a plasma gun and big cell ammo.

[Wivicer]

Getting this error upon startup.

Script error, "SoldierZ.pk3:zscript/newhud.zsc" line 18:
Unknown font 'DBIGFONT'

Execution could not continue.

1 errors while parsing DECORATE scripts

I got the same issue using the latest devbuild. It works with 3.7.2 though.

[Brohnesorge]

Stick with stable releases. With all the crazy refactors and overhauls going on in the past few months, dev builds are extremely unstable and break for weird reasons. Switch back to 3.7.2 and see if that fixes your bugs. If not, let me know.

Anyway feed back

stuff

HK23E is intended to a maximum pain in the ass to use, as a trade off to being an extremely powerful and versatile weapon. Not being able to recover extra mags from dropped guns is intentional, but I guess I didn't think about the grenade. I'll mull over this one, because you are right it is really inconsistent and honestly, I'm not a fan of some of the inconsistent stuff that keeps popping up in my mods.

SPAS reload thing I will fix when it gets overhauled and re-sprited. Call it a quirk of one weapon being made more recently than the other.

Also, Revolver fanning IS a thing. Hold down the fire button, then mash alt-fire. It's a little wonky, but it's there. Animation stuff I will look into and fix.

Honestly, the cell thing and other stuff makes the BFG a big pain in the ass. It doesn't help that it's essentially unfinished. I'm going to start looking into solutions for this issue, cause it does bug the hell out of me. Maybe making it drop both a BFG cell and a Sorcerer cell will do the trick. And finishing the BFG. Eventually.

Other than that, I'm glad to hear everyone is having a good time with the update!

[Someone64]

Oh wow... I played through 12 maps of Doom II without dying with nothing but the revolver and a lot of patience and didn't figure that out... To be fair, though, you're right. The fanning doesn't always work and it's very specific about when it can work. Immediately after reloading when the hammer isn't cocked, holding fire and pressing-alt fire won't let me do it. I have to alt-fire then fire once, hold, then mash alt-fire. Sometimes, it doesn't work when I just hold fire at the wrong time or something and idk why. I do quite love the revolver of this mod, though and all the other manual gun manipulation stuff as it makes the guns REALLY gratifying to use and I hope that's expanded upon. It's one of the things I really loved about HD but I don't always feel like playing HD so I'm really glad this exists. (Also, I just fucking LOVE revolvers in video games and the one in this mod feels really damn good.)

[Kostov]

Stick with stable releases. With all the crazy refactors and overhauls going on in the past few months, dev builds are extremely unstable and break for weird reasons. Switch back to 3.7.2 and see if that fixes your bugs. If not, let me know.

This is easily enough fixed by using BIGFONT instead of DBIGFONT, without the D. If you need to differentiate between Doom and Strife’s BIGFONTs, it’s best to make use of lump filtering.

As for future versions, if you want a BIGFONT that has support for uppercase letters, you can use BIGUPPER (but that’s a risky choice without doing any prior testing).

[Pakku]

It this due to me using delta touch or is this a bug?

[Brohnesorge]

That looks more like a sprite name conflict. Are you running any other mods?

It might be a Delta Touch thing, too but I don't have a phone with Delta Touch anymore so I can't test.

[Pakku]

That looks more like a sprite name conflict. Are you running any other mods?

It might be a Delta Touch thing, too but I don't have a phone with Delta Touch anymore so I can't test.

Well im not running other mods, so this i probably a delta touch thing, thanks for letting me know

[-Ghost-]

Any more updates for this? Just started playing the WIP branch, seems fairly stable so far. I like the sprite and sound changes.

[Brohnesorge]

The weapon facelift project has been coming along slowly; I haven't abadoned the mod by any means, but I have been focusing on HOD Baron and HOD Revenant...then went into a hiatus from Doom cause IRL stuff. I'm slowly creeping back and Soldier Z is in my sights. I'm going to have some time off from work soon and I hope to use that time to get an update or two out.

[-Ghost-]

Good to hear! More items and gear would be great, maybe a little more weapon variety as well.