[UPDATED 10/03/2012] RSL's Polaris, X-Marines

[Doomer_1996]

As i said in another thread, you did a lovely job with Polaris
I also had some issues with the frozen hell knight's targetting system...but i just fired some nitrocubes and bam, problem solved

[Ethril]

Polaris is pretty cool (don't hurt me) but I have a few suggestions.

-Make it so taking damage from fire-based attacks (imp shots, lava floors, etc.) drops the cryogauge a little. "OH GOD I'M FREEZING TO DEATH AND ON FIRE HOW DOES THAT EVEN WORK"
-Have the "danger" level be 201 and up, rather than 200.
-Maybe increase the Stake Gun's rate of fire a little?
-Since the Stake Gun can only reload even multiples of 50 shots, the enemy ice troopers dropping 25 coolant ammo is kind of annoying. Maybe change the stake gun so that it can take 25 at a time? Either keep the 50-shot loads but have them be 2 separate chunks of 25 (kind of like the shotgun), or reduce the clip size to 25 and increase the reload speed.
-The shovel would be a lot more practical if you could keep it held back indefinitely. It would make for effective hit-and-run tactics.

But, uh, you know, um, whatever you wanna do is fine.

[rsl]

Hi all, and sorry for the lack of replies / updates - unfortunately, my home connection is unavailable ATM, so everything has become a bit more difficult...

Anyway, this is to let you know that updated versions of "Polaris" and "X-Marines" are available from their respective download links (see opening post).
With these upgraded versions, I tried to take into account most of the comments/suggestion I was given in the thread. A quick summary on major highlights:

POLARIS

- vitrified foes can no longer be trespassed by the Vitrificator stream (makes Vitrificator less overpowered).
- bosses can now be slightly affected by cryogenics-based attacks.
- improved cold servant A.I.: now it is finally able to seek for alternate targets if the one currently tracked disappears from sight.
- improved power handgun and dispersion shotgun zombie sounds.
- fixed Stake Gun reload, improved weapon power and rate: now the weapon is much more satisfying to use!
- Dispersion Shotgun reload can now be interrupted to quickly fire the first two shells.
- improved Flaregun effectiveness - also, on-ground flares now last longer.
- added alternate fire modes to a number of weapons.
- made semi-mechanical monsters drop thermal patches, too!

...and many more, but most of all...

- added new fire modes to Mine Discharger and Blizzard, introducing the new, depleted-coolant-based "Cold Motion" damage type: when a monster is hit by an attack of this kind, if it's not frozen instantly, it gets irreversibly affected by hypothermia and enters "cold motion": movement speed, attack speed and damage, health all get halved.

X-MARINES

- better diversified and rebalanced the two classes.
- adjusted bullet ammo sprite scaling. (thanks terranova).

...and more...

@Ethril: thanks for your feedback! The Stake Gun improvement you proposed should already be included in this upgrade. As for your other suggestions, they are surely welcome and interesting - I'll surely take them into account for the next version

[Tapwave]

Hoopdayt

Yay, now i just need for Winter's fury to come out.

(thanks terranova).

[Steve1664]

Works like a charm so far. Well done my good sir! I got my first experience with the Blizzard blaster. . . frighteningly awesome stuff!

[rsl]

Works like a charm so far. Well done my good sir! I got my first experience with the Blizzard blaster. . . frighteningly awesome stuff!

Thanks a lot! By the way, I have prepared a third (and hopefully final) update of the mod, by taking into account also the latest suggestions from Ethril. I should be able to upload it soon... (as soon as my home connection is working again!! )

Oh, and what do you think of the new "Cold Motion" mines? While the effect might seem awkward at first, it should be quite effective in quickly nerfing entire hordes...

[ArchXeno]

Am I the only one who actually enjoys X-Marines?

[PillowBlaster]

Finally got a moment to at least drop a comment. Great stuff!

A small suggestion, really small imo, but nifty. Could you make cryophobia drop slowly, or stall if you stand next to some heat source? For instance, torches or burning barrels? (Decorations have finally some use!)

[rsl]

@ArchXeno: thanks! I hope you're not the only one... Also, the last uploaded version should be better balanced for cooperative play. Whoever might try the mod with this gamemode, write me about your impressions!

@Magban724: thank you! Also, your suggestion about "warming decorations" seems pretty... Cool. Upon suggestion by Ethril, I already implemented a similar effect for terrains and traditional heat-based damage sources (imp fireballs, mancubus flames, etc.) but I really missed these. Gotta add them!

[rsl]

"Polaris" updated again on IDGames - this time, I included Magban724's suggestion on heat sources. See first post for download.

Could you make cryophobia drop slowly, or stall if you stand next to some heat source? For instance, torches or burning barrels? (Decorations have finally some use!)

A small update for sure, but just so that you know...

[darkhaven3]

The concept of Polaris seems pretty cool, but the ripped resources frankly are turning me off completely from downloading it. Comes off as very "typical R667 mod" to me. Kind of the same thing with X-Marines. The concept looks cool, but I'd rather not download more rips.

[Zero X. Diamond]

Have fun not playing the vast majority of mods, then. Gonna venture a guess that most modders aren't also in the graphic design field considering I can name exactly three people who have made Doom mods with completely original graphics.

[darkhaven3]

When a majority of the "new content" in a mod is the same graphics I've seen umpteen times already, I have little incentive to download it. Just because that happens to be most mods on ZDF these days doesn't mean that most mods in every community are like that.

[rsl]

The concept of Polaris seems pretty cool, but the ripped resources frankly are turning me off completely from downloading it. Comes off as very "typical R667 mod" to me. Kind of the same thing with X-Marines. The concept looks cool, but I'd rather not download more rips.

I understand your point - it would probably be a lot more appealing to see one whole roster of completely original sprites.
However, I wouldn't say that here you can only find "already-seen" stuff (aside from the fact that it merely derives from once-commercial or already-seen content). As a matter of fact, I tried to customize the animations and appearance of each weapon as much as I could see fit - these arsenals (especially the Polaris one) shouldn't look like anything you've seen in already published mods (to my knowledge, at least ). This should be even more true with respect to Realm667 content.

[wildweasel]

I still think it's the gameplay that should be drawing people to these mods, since (especially Polaris) it's actually pretty creative for a weapon replacement mod.