Duel Modifications - UPDATE: Brutal Duel v1a!

[King Dumb]

This topic is where my Duel-related modifications will go. Currently there are two: Brutal Duel and Duel Item Patch.

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Brutal Duel

Current Version: BrutalDuel-v1a.pk3

Brutal Duel is a modification that alters how health acts in the game, intended to make the dueling experience more fun for more players. With Brutal Duel loaded, you'll notice quite a few changes when you pick up some health:

-Health pickups now restore health gradually rather than instantly. Health is recovered at around 8 health per second.
-Large Health capsules now only restore 30 health, rather than 40.
-If you are damaged while health is recovering, the recovery will stop.
-You cannot pick up additional health if your health is currently recovering from a previous pickup.

Additionally, a new HUD item at the bottom of the screen will keep track of the following:
-After you have healed 200 health in one life (not counting over-healing), the health you recover from pickups will be half of the original value (rounded up).
-After you have healed 400 health in one life (not counting over-healing), the health you recover will be 25% of the original value (rounded up).
-After you have healed 600 health in one life (not counting over-healing), you will be unable to pick up health.
-Death resets this health counter. Additionally, fragging the opponent will deduct 300 from this count (but never taking it below 0).

Also note that Plant Barrier is removed from the game when Brutal Duel is loaded.

Download: http://static.best-ever.org/wads/brutalduel-v1a.pk3

Brutal Duel - Classes Version

Current Version: v1b

Changelog:

(click to show/hide)

!- Plant man no longer drops Plant Barrier.
!- Pickups that normally healed 10 HP flat to Robot Masters (like Tango Roll) now act like Small Health pickups.
-- Carry no longer traps people.

This is almost the same as the other version, except specifically tailored to classes. The differences from the other version:
-The thresholds for regeneration decrease have been changed from 200, 400, and 600 to 200, 250, and 300, respectively.
-Scoring a frag will remove 100 from your Heal Count, unless this count is at 300, in which case it will remove 50.
-Plant Man no longer regenerates passively, nor does he drop Plant Barrier.
-Pickups that normally healed 10 HP flat to Robot Masters now act like Small Health Pickups.
-Carry no longer traps people (at least I don't think so).
-Roll no longer has a healing item.

Download: http://static.best-ever.org/wads/brutal ... es-v1b.pk3

Duel Item Patch

Current Version: DuelItemPatch-v4a-2.pk3

Changelog:

(click to show/hide)

v4a-2:
-- Treble Boost replaced with Rush Coil
-- Super Adaptor replaced with Item2
-- Rush Jet replaced with Item1
-- Reggae removed
-- Skull Barrier removed
-- Plant Barrier now causes you to receive x1.3 damage while the shield is up

v4a-1:
-- Treble Boost added to removal list

v3b-2:
-- Laser Buster added to removal list

All this does is remove items from Duel mode without making the game crash. You must load this file after every other file for it to work properly. Currently it removes the following actors (reasons given):

Eddie - Can provide weapons that break maps (ie, Leaf Shield on some maps), generally introduces too much luck.
Arrow Buster - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
Laser Buster - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
M-Tank - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
E-Tank - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
Party Ball - Introduces too much luck.
Beat Support - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
Time Stopper - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first, or is otherwise pointless and simply used to annoy.
Proto Upgrade - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
Super Adaptor - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
Treble Sentry - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.
Exit Unit - Introduces too much luck.
Treble Boost - Devolves gameplay to who can get it first.

This pk3 was formerly known as 2manDMitemremoval, but seeing as its purpose has slightly changed, I've renamed it.

Download: http://www.best-ever.org/download?file= ... -v4a-4.pk3

I suppose if there is overwhelming outcry to add/remove something to the above list I'll do so.

[fortegigasgospel]

You forgot to remove health pickups, because it devolves to a game of who can get it first and literally "oh no I took one hit from a metal blade, better go heal" and instead of skill its who can horde the most Health pickups before everybody waiting gets bored.

I'd rather take my chances with luck being implemented because a real skillful playing can adapt to the situation properly as apposed to a game that literally takes forever because half the match is them running around trying to find each other after healing any damage they took.

HP pickups in duels basically ends in the only way to win is to simply bum rush the other player and not let them get away to heal. Which isn't skill. Skill is using the terrain to your advantage and trying to actually use tactics to avoid getting hit while also trying to hit the other.

[Orange juice :l]

Removing health pickups would totally slaughter Duel, and I don't see why nobody sees this. Would you rather have people sit in their corners firing dive missiles for 10 minutes at a time or would you rather have them constantly rushing each other? The fact that you can heal off that damage makes rushing feasible.

Now, if pickups gave you health over time that was removed upon taking damage, then we'd see some progress on the whole "fight on health" issue.

[Ivory]

I would also mention that it would be like LMS without the random weapon selection.

[JoshAdams88]

You forgot to remove health pickups, because it devolves to a game of who can get it first and literally "oh no I took one hit from a metal blade, better go heal" and instead of skill its who can horde the most Health pickups before everybody waiting gets bored.

I'd rather take my chances with luck being implemented because a real skillful playing can adapt to the situation properly as apposed to a game that literally takes forever because half the match is them running around trying to find each other after healing any damage they took.

HP pickups in duels basically ends in the only way to win is to simply bum rush the other player and not let them get away to heal. Which isn't skill. Skill is using the terrain to your advantage and trying to actually use tactics to avoid getting hit while also trying to hit the other.

Play a game of Duel with someone around your skill level then tell us what you think of health pickups. It's easy to catch someone who's running for health if you're not stupid. If you can't burst someone down in time before they run for more health, you don't deserve to be on the winning end.

[CutmanMike]

There'd be less hit and run on those tight maps, and some maps have certain spots where you can just chug health back to full. If you get low health you'd be more interested in doing as much damage to your opponent before you drop, rather than than fleeing for items. Seems no one is even willing to try it.

[Shade Guy]

I'd be interested in a patch removing some health from duel...Like ?-Box mode, except you know, without the ?-boxes. The problem is that health placement in a map is generally intended for anywhere between 8-24 players, when there are only 2 players in duel; being able to heal is alright on its own.

[JoshAdams88]

I'd just like to see faster gameplay in general coughduel32cough

[CutmanMike]

Try without the health then. More fighty time less cowardly running time.

[Knux]

The problem is that health placement in a map is generally intended for anywhere between 8-24 players, when there are only 2 players in duel

I don't mean to take anything out of context, but this is a very interesting fact here. Am I the only one that thinks this could help warrant (but NOT completely assure) the creation of a Duel pack or, maybe better yet, Duel maps for the core? As much as I don't like Duel, I think it's an interesting idea. Even better if all the Duel folks who know their stuff got together for it.

...In fact, it could be necessary that these people gather, as their insight is key.

[Mendez]

If I remember correctly, SSW was busy making a map pack for duel. It's unknown when he'll release it, but my best estimate is two weeks after I release AMP-MP 2. In other words, never.
As for this item patch, I would suggest blacklisting Laser Buster as well, since it's really easy to charge it up and do lethal damage. I'm sure OB and Jman can vouch for me on that, since we fought on MM3GEM with that weapon.

[King Dumb]

Expect to see some experimentation here soon.

As for Laser Buster, personally I've never seen it dominating a Duel. Unless some more people can get behind blacklisting it, I don't have a good reason to add it to this. But again, I'm open to the possibility.

[King Dumb]

Bump for update! Brutal Duel! Changes to health mechanics!

Also, new version of DuelItemPatch that removes Laser Buster.

NINJA EDIT: New Classes-made version of Brutal Duel. See front page.

[King Dumb]

Double post to point out a new version of BrutalDuel-Classes is available on the front page. Changelog is also there.

[King Dumb]

BUMP for new Duel Item Removal.

This new version adds only one thing, Treble Boost removed. Feel free to host the earlier version if you think this is too hasty, but I am confident a Treble Boost-inclusive duel environment would be less diverse in gameplay.