Killer App Mod v1.2 Preview

[Daddyo]

Cool, what was the effect of that last disc?

[TronFAQ]

Well, in the Xbox version of the game, that Disc Charger/Absorber was used to grab powerups from a distance in Multiplayer. But, other than that, it behaved the same way as the standard Disc. It also couldn't be used in Single Player on the Xbox.

For the mod, I've had to repurpose how it behaves. The PC version of the game won't support grabbing powerups by throwing a disc at them. I'm still working out exactly how it should function.

In Single Player, the Disc Charger stuns opponents. They freeze in place for a short time. It also does electrocution damage. So it's a bit like the Rod Primitive, except you can strike enemies from a distance instead of having to get up close. But it does less damage than the PRod.

In Multiplayer Derez, right now it also does electrocution damage. But instead of freezing opponents in place, it slows them down. Whether I'm going to leave it that way isn't certain yet. People might get annoyed by the slowdown part. Maybe if the Disc Charger wasn't available right away at map load, and could only be used later: it would prevent people from using it too much.

[TronFAQ]

So I'm doing a little poll, here. Would a new type of Disc in Tron 2.0 Derez Multiplayer, that can slow down opponents for a short time, be something that you'd find cool? Or annoying?

I'm still working out exactly how the new Disc Charger weapon should behave in Multiplayer. In Single Player, it shocks opponents and causes them to completely freeze up for a short time. They can't move at all.

For Multiplayer, having someone freeze in place would be stupid. But how about slowing down?

http://strawpoll.me/1421874" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The link above is to a poll. The four answers are:

1. The new Disc causing you to slow down is kind of cool.
2. The new Disc slowing you down is a bad idea.
3. If the new Disc was only available much later after a map loads, so people could only use it for a short time, slowing down might be okay.
4. Doesn't matter to me, either way is fine.

[Load81]

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea. I like the the option for it to pop up some time after the map loads. Should be fun, unless you are hit by one.

[TronFAQ]

More details here: http://tronfaq.blogspot.com/2014/04/tro ... g-new.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TronFAQ]

[Kain-Xavier]

Qtracker support is excellent news!

[TronFAQ]

[shadedmagus]

Greetings, programs!

I've got to say, this mod is really cool. I've owned Tron 2.0 since it came out, but I only recently reinstalled it and put Killer App on it, and I have to say it's awesome what you've been able to do with little to no official support. The widescreen and windowed support, the animations carried over from XBOX Killer App - phenomenal!

I wanted to check and see if there was any progress on v1.2, and I wanted to tell you about an issue that you may not have received any reports about (I haven't read through all the forum yet, just found it recently - more on that).

I love, LOVE the music in this game, but the soundtracks that have been made and put out there don't do it justice, I feel. The shorter one puts all the main stage music out there (rather brilliantly in a couple of cases), but there aren't any cinematic cuts. The one with more files appears to have forgotten the Unauthorized User tracks completely - oops!

So I set out to make my own. Thanks for keeping the old Tron FAQ up, so that I could follow the instructions to record the music as the LTDMTest app plays it. (One thing you might want to add as you port the steps over to the new wiki - for Windows 7/8?/10? , open Control Panel, go to Sounds, and on the Recording tab, right-click the white space and check Show Disabled Devices to see the Stereo Mix device.)

In the course of checking the sound files, I had cause to uninstall and reinstall both Killer App and Tron 2.0, to make sure one of the tracks was playing the way it should have (the shorter soundtrack rearranged it, and my memory decided to accept that as the original). After having used Killer App partway through my playthrough, I decided to play without it for a bit before I reinstalled it, to see what I could notice as changes. And I did find something, but it wasn't something I expected to find.

I'm not sure what's causing it, but the music engine does not appear to be as stable when Killer App is installed as not. There are certain places where the music will just stop playing until a transition happens - in Unauthorized User after the tutorials, when you go for the first archive bin with emails; in the Light Cycle Staging Pit, and some others. Also, the music will stop playing after 5-10 minutes or so without a transition - or maybe it's so many cycles through the current intensity track - whereas the unmodded game seems able to keep playing for much longer than that.

I don't mean to criticize, especially as it looks like you may have taken a break possibly due to discouragement. I just wanted to report what I found, and offer any assistance I can in helping you track down the cause. I know there are some problems in KAv1.1a that you're working on fixing/figured out, and I'd like to see that work come to fruition and be the definitive version it should be.

If there's anything I might be able to do to help, please let me know.

[TronFAQ]

Welcome to the LDSO forum, shadedmagus!

I've got to say, this mod is really cool. I've owned Tron 2.0 since it came out, but I only recently reinstalled it and put Killer App on it, and I have to say it's awesome what you've been able to do with little to no official support. The widescreen and windowed support, the animations carried over from XBOX Killer App - phenomenal!

Thanks! Appreciate the kind words.

The next version of the mod will be even better.

I love, LOVE the music in this game, but the soundtracks that have been made and put out there don't do it justice, I feel. The shorter one puts all the main stage music out there (rather brilliantly in a couple of cases), but there aren't any cinematic cuts. The one with more files appears to have forgotten the Unauthorized User tracks completely - oops!

So I set out to make my own. Thanks for keeping the old Tron FAQ up, so that I could follow the instructions to record the music as the LTDMTest app plays it. (One thing you might want to add as you port the steps over to the new wiki - for Windows 7/8?/10? , open Control Panel, go to Sounds, and on the Recording tab, right-click the white space and check Show Disabled Devices to see the Stereo Mix device.)

Yes, a lot of the fan-made soundtracks out there are incomplete or not very good. There's also one that claims to be the first, which is not true. LDSO was first, before anybody, in 2005!

http://www.ldso.net/tronwiki/doku.php?i ... soundtrack" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Glad you found the tutorial helpful! I might eventually update that tutorial. But I don't see much point in it, because I've made the soundtrack available.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1003#p9415" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In the course of checking the sound files, I had cause to uninstall and reinstall both Killer App and Tron 2.0, to make sure one of the tracks was playing the way it should have (the shorter soundtrack rearranged it, and my memory decided to accept that as the original). After having used Killer App partway through my playthrough, I decided to play without it for a bit before I reinstalled it, to see what I could notice as changes. And I did find something, but it wasn't something I expected to find.

I'm not sure what's causing it, but the music engine does not appear to be as stable when Killer App is installed as not. There are certain places where the music will just stop playing until a transition happens - in Unauthorized User after the tutorials, when you go for the first archive bin with emails; in the Light Cycle Staging Pit, and some others. Also, the music will stop playing after 5-10 minutes or so without a transition - or maybe it's so many cycles through the current intensity track - whereas the unmodded game seems able to keep playing for much longer than that.

Over the months - and even years - of testing, I've found that the music will always cut out. It's a bug that's been there from the beginning. It's possible I've done something in the mod to aggravate that situation, but in my observations it happens completely at random on any version of the game. Modded or not. I'll take another look at it, though.

Thanks for the feedback! Believe me, we're always grateful for constructive criticism and people willing to help. In the many years we've been working on projects like Killer App and User Error, we've been lucky to get a fraction of one-percent helpful feedback.

The download count on ModDB for Killer App is currently almost 2,000 since the last version was released, and I've only received 4 messages of feedback that have actually helped to improve the next version. We can't fix/improve things that trouble you, if folks out there don't let us know!

[shadedmagus]

Wow, those new weapons look epic! I'm glad that it looks like they've been tuned to not be overpowered - and the blast cannon looks like it'll have a use similar to the Corrode subroutine in keeping those pesky Datawraiths in sight, which is a good thing.

You are right about the music - since I made my post, I went further in the unmodded game, and while it doesn't suddenly stop if you step into certain zones on a map, it does cut out a lot sooner than I remember. It appears to only loop 4-5 times before it stops, and I have to F5/F9 to get it going again.

I don't have much experience modding Tron 2.0, but if there are any tasks you would rather offload, I can see if they're within my reach.

[TronFAQ]

Wow, those new weapons look epic! I'm glad that it looks like they've been tuned to not be overpowered - and the blast cannon looks like it'll have a use similar to the Corrode subroutine in keeping those pesky Datawraiths in sight, which is a good thing.

Oh yeah, the added weapons in the Xbox version of the game are ridiculously overpowered. I had to adjust their specs when adding them to the mod. Particularly since you'll also be able to use them in Single Player, which is something you couldn't do in the Xbox version. (Though the new weapons can only be accessed in the mod through a cheat, in Single Player.)

For example, I cut the damage on the Rod Rifles, to 1/3 of the original amount. And it still rips through enemies. You can kill almost any opponent in about 5 seconds of sustained hits. And that's without additional damage subroutines stacking on top of that.

For the Ball Storm, I didn't adjust the damage but I did increase its energy use. On the Xbox, you could spam these things all over the place in Multiplayer. I felt it to be totally unfair to other players, that whoever grabs Ball Storm first, can then blow everyone else to hell by tossing out a dozen of these things everywhere. Now, you can only use it twice before needing to recharge your energy.

I don't have much experience modding Tron 2.0, but if there are any tasks you would rather offload, I can see if they're within my reach.

Thank you for the offer. I'll have to take a look at the "to do list", and see what I could potentially offload.

[TronFAQ]

I've been asked to list the changes to the Derez multiplayer mode in v1.2 of the mod, of which there are many. This list is not finalized, and may still change. I'll be asking people to test a beta of v1.2 when it's ready, and the changes to Derez are something I'll definitely be looking for feedback on.

• Changes to the Mod
  
  CHANGED
• The dynamic (animated) loading screens for multiplayer Derez have been redone, to look better.
• A previously inaccessible section of the Derez map DM-03 can now be reached, expanding the play area of the map.
• In addition, minor fixes have been made to the DM-03 map. (Geometry errors, not being able to fall through the opening between the energy bridge and wall, missing sound effects, etc.)
• Players now respawn in safe areas on the DM-01, DM-02, and DM-03 maps, without starting weapons, in multiplayer Derez (much like the spectator lobbies in Disc Arena), to avoid spawn kills.
• Players now receive 300 health and energy when they teleport from a spawn area to the main map in Derez, instead of remaining at the default 100.
• Four new weapons have been added to multiplayer Derez — the Disc Charger, Rod Rifles, Ball Storm, and Burst Cannon. All of these are recreations of the weapons added to the multiplayer in TRON 2.0: Killer App on the Xbox. The Disc Charger stuns opponents with an electrical charge and slows them down. Rod Rifles are a powerful, rapid-fire weapon that quickly tears opponents to pieces. The Ball Storm is a bomb that creates massive explosions, causing damage within a large radius. The Burst Cannon is weak as an offensive weapon but effective as a defense, temporarily blinding opponents.
• Multiplayer Derez characters now hold each half of the Rod Primitive in both hands, for v1.2 of the mod. Previous versions had characters only holding one half in the right hand.
• The positioning of all weapons, when being held by characters in multiplayer Derez, has been re-adjusted to look better.
• New Disc Primitive, Rod Primitive, Disc Charger, Rod Rifles, Ball Storm, Burst Cannon, Viral Shield, Power Surge, Read-Only, and Reinstall Derez powerups have been added. Power Surge gives a player unlimited energy for 30 seconds. Read-Only makes a player invulnerable for 30 seconds. Reinstall provides the benefits of both Power Surge and Read-Only at once. (Power Surge, Read-Only, and Reinstall are based on the same powerups added to TRON 2.0: Killer App on the Xbox.)
• If a player picks up a Power Surge, Read-Only, or Reinstall powerup, a 30 second countdown timer will appear on the screen of all players in the Derez match, naming the player with the powerup, and that player will have an icon floating above their head while the powerup is in effect.
• There is now only one Derez Armor powerup that gives you all the armor at once in the DM-01, DM-02, and DM-03 maps, instead of multiple powerups each providing a piece of armor. However, players who wish to make custom maps can still use the individual armor powerups if they want. (This is the same change made in TRON 2.0: Killer App on the Xbox.)
• Derez powerups have been further enhanced, to look better than in previous versions of the mod. In addition to being 3-D, their appearance is now more accurate. Also, the particles that appear in a circle around the powerup, now float upward to form a double-helix pattern that can be seen from a distance. Making it easier to find powerups. (This is another change based on what was seen in TRON 2.0: Killer App on the Xbox.)
• Changes have been introduced to allow easier creation of Capture the Flag (CTF) style maps, and character classes (Regular, Heavy, Sniper, Corruptor, Scout), for fans wishing to create custom Multiplayer Derez maps.

There are screenshots for many of these things, over on the LDSO DeviantArt page.

http://redrain85.deviantart.com/gallery ... er-App-Mod" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mrzozelow]

I've been pretty busy lately, but I'd be happy to help beta test if you need it.

[TronFAQ]

I've been pretty busy lately, but I'd be happy to help beta test if you need it.

Great. I'll absolutely be inviting a number of people from the community, asking for feedback on all the changes in Single Player and Multiplayer. Derez is seeing the most changes out of any mode in the game. Single Player has some minor changes (bug fixes), Light Cycles also sees some minor changes (again, mainly bug fixes), while Disc Arena essentially has none.