What do you want to see in the next LPmenu?

[Lamron]

I am working on version two of the LPmember menu. I have added another rotation type (CQB) and more weapon restriction modes. (Sniper, Bolt Rifle, Shotgun, Mortar, and Handgun only modes as of now. Considering grenade mode just for fun.)

What other options would you like to see on the menu? Since I have to send it out to everyone, I want to try not to change it very often.

[desmo2]

Mortar?!? Hmm...haven't seen that one yet!

I have no suggestions. I am pretty friggin happy with what you have done already.

[RedRock]

?night vision mode w/knife (throwing/hand)/garrotte

[Lamron]

?night vision mode w/knife (throwing/hand)/garrotte

[glow=red,2,300]WOW, not quite the answer I expected. lol[/glow]

[RedRock]

I know Lamron said additional choices (such as Mortar Rifle only) will be added for member-selected options for the v2 menu, so that's worth looking forward to, and I can't think of other similar suggestions in that vein, other than A) the night map and knives I previously suggested, and also B) I suggest the pump shotgun hold 3 shots when reloaded (rather than 2) to make it more realistic, and C) the 22 pistol should do more damage with each hit to make it more realistic, too--22's make smaller holes in organs and blood vessels than 30-06's, 9's, or 45's, but they cause a lot of bleeding from big red and big blue structures. (I know, I know, these aren't menu changes per se, but I thought I'd say it now rather than start a new posting thread).

However, I am finding it cumbersome to make some play/map changes via the current menu that I would like to point out. For example, if we want to switch from current play settings of FFA, Sniper only, Stock map to, say, Team, Custom map, and All Weapons, it takes 3 different long steps--go to spectator, summon the change menu, select Team, then wait for the change to take effect with the current map restarting as Team, then go to spectator, repeat the process for Weapons, wait for that to load, then repeat for the new map, wait for that, and then start playing.

Soooooo, how about v2 of Menu allowing or even requiring a checkbox list of choices to be selected BEFORE ANY changes occur (if no changes to map, map rotation, weapons, etc., those choices will be pre-checked and and so that won't slow down the process), and perhaps also with a Summary of play settings and Yes/Cancel radio buttons CONFIRMATION before the selected changes occur?

Similarly, how about an "change expiration" box? That is, if we want "handgun only" to run 1 game only, have that as a box to fill in the "1" (can do from pulldown menu with 1, 2, 3, or 4, too), so that after that game, we'll default to the default weapons, which I assume is All Weapons, to avoid having to switch again (or doing next, say, a huge map with peashooters only until the switch is mercifully made). And also, I do worry we leave the server sometimes set on choices that non-members coming into the next U.S.A. day (night in France), for example, have to live with, so I try if I'm the last member in the game to set it to stock/stock/ffa before I leave.

Likewise, a "next choice" box for each setting (up to about 4 games in the future) might be nice, say, if you know you want to do "destroyed village sniper only" and then go to "toy soldiers handguns" and then river town mortar rifles" and then "xfire shotguns" and then back to default.

And, when first entering a game, could the console flash each player with current settings so we know immediately what's up? (Any informal playing agreements currently in existence among the current players in any particular game--for example, no grenades and no gas to be used--should be messaged to other incoming players ASAP by current players, of course, but this might also be programmable by a member at the outset of the game as a "welcoming message"--imagine, for example, "Welcome to Lamron's Playground, pick up your Sniper Scope, choose a Team, and No Running for this game." with a default of "Welcome to Lamron's Playground, currently running Free for All, All Weapons, and No Restrictions.")

I also wonder if we shouldn't have members vote (within 20 seconds, say) for a simple majority for switches just so that everyone (even those who don't hear teamspeak discussions about proposed changes) knows what's perhaps about to happen. I am finding members switching without any warning to different maps or weapons than currently being used. or even after a discussion, switching to something that it seems to me was not what was agreed upon.

I realize this means a lot of programming/planning/testing time on the part of Lamron, so if these are desirable or give rise to other desirable derivatives, maybe they could be v3 or v6, etc. implementations instead.

Regardless, I do suggest, as soon as possible, the multi-choice change setup with a Summary/Yes/Cancel screen.

Comments? And thank you players for the fun and putting up with my mediocre play and wordiness, and Lamron for the server and mods.

[desmo2]

So, Red, any other ideas or did you blow them all in one post? ;D

As far as map changes go, it was supposed to be understood by members when the last menu change was made to poll participating players before changing the map. The old version brought up a vote, the current version did away with that. If that is not happening, perhaps a reminder to members would be in order...Please make sure a map change or game style change is desired by the majority before making the change.

A notice of the current game style for joining players is a good idea. I don't know how easy that would be to implement, and I'd hate to see Lamron have to take on so much work that the server is more of a chore than a place to play. However, he did ask for input... ;D

Redrock also presents a good point...if members change the server to anything other than stock map rotation and all weapons, the last member to leave needs to remember to change it back so public players can join in.

BTW, I haven't been on in the evenings lately, and I haven't gotten the chance to play with many of you. I miss you guys!

[Lamron]

Some good suggestions, some can be used, some may not be possible. Let's me see if I can answer these all in order:

(Night vision and knives)
Not possible server side. These kind of mods require the client to have the right files. Public players would not be able to play at all without them.


(Shotgun / silenced pistol realism)
Some of my earlier weapon mod versions aimed for realism, but sometimes realism doesn't make for good game play. Those limitations are needed to make sure one weapon doesn't have a clear advantage. With 100% realism no one would ever use anything other than the BAR (most powerful machine gun) or the PPSH (fast ROF+ big drum).


(Multiple menu options and checkboxes)
The check box function can not be used client side because script running isn't possible on the client computer. I will gladly give the technical explination for why that is a problem if anybody wants it, but for now I'll just say it can't be done. So prepicking options won't be available, but I CAN make it so you can change multiple items without having to leave the menu. Hopefully this will make it less cumbersome to use. I'm putting that on the list of things to do in V2.


(Change expiration box)
Very difficult to make it selectable, but I can set it one way or the other. Right now, options carry over to the next map. Or, I could make everything go back to default at the begining of the next map. Then you would have to select it again if you wanted it on the new map. Which way would you guys like it?

(Leaving server with options ON)
Already addressed. If the server is empty for 10 minutes, it resets EVERYTHING back to default and restarts the stock map rotation. So the server won't sit empty because its stuck on custom maps, private mode, etc.

(Status announcement upon joining)
Good idea. I have considered this but haven't gotten around to it. The script to do this isn't difficult, just time-consuming to set up properly. I will work on making it so that a few seconds after joining the new player will get a message detailing what options are currently in effect.

Informal playing agreements would have to be announced by chat, and are NOT ENFORCEABLE. Only menu selectable options are enforced by the server script, so if you want to play some other way, ALL players must agree. There is no other fair way to handle this issue. If there is some arrangement / limitation that people would like, let me know and I'll try to add it to the menu so it can be a script enforced option.

(Menu use without discussion)
This is something I won't put up with. Giving players these kinds of menu options and server control is unique (as far as I know) to Lamron's Playground. If people can't handle this like adults and come to a group decision (while including non-TeamSpeak players) then I have three choices:

1) Those players will lose membership and menu access.

2) Write a difficult, but not impossible polling routine that checks to see if the decision is unanimous. I consider this a waste of my time to develop babysitting scripts, so if it becomes too much of a problem I may just go to option 3.

3) Eliminate the menu. Then we'll be like most other servers, where you play the way I want it, and nothing else. I would rather it didn't come to this.


Thank you for all the suggestions. I do try to impliment as many requests as are practical, and I welcome the new ideas.

[Lamron]

[glow=red,2,300]UPDATE[/glow]

(Status announcement upon joining) = DONE

All players now get a current server status message when they first join the game and at the beginning of each map.

(Multiple menu options) = DONE

You can now select as many different options as you want without having to leave the menu. Exception: changing the map does close the menu. This should make it faster and easier to use. Also entering the menu is quicker now. You should be to enter the menu in less than three seconds.

(Change expiration box) = IN PROGRESS

The only option that really makes sense to automatically change is the weapon restrictions. I am considering making weapons default to ALL at the beginning of each map. What do you think?

------------------------------------------------------------

Changing FFA/TDM, High Jump, or Public/Private no longer requires a map reload. Changes happen immediately, and all scores reset when any of these are changed.

[glow=green,2,300]==== Comming in V2 ====[/glow]

Weapon options:
ALL
Handgun
Bolt Rifles
Sniper Rifles
Mortar Rifles
Shotgun without Mustard Gas
Shotgun with Mustard Gas

Map Rotation options:
Stock
Custom
CQB (mix of stock and custom small maps)

There will be a new button that simply prints on screen a list of all server rules. This will be useful to remind public players and give them fair warning before they get kicked. Selecting this option will be anonymous, and the message will appear to be a regular timed announcement.

AND.... Custom Skins! If all the custom skins are ready to go by the time V2 is done, I will include them all in one file. If not, I will send out the LPmenu V2, and put the skins in a seperate file for later.

[desmo2]

All work and no play makes Lamron a dull boy
All work and no play makes Lamron a dull boy
All work and no play makes Lamron a dull boy



The improvements are great and appreciated. The Rules pop-up is a very good idea. Just remember to get your butt in the fray every once in a while amidst all the work!

[RedRock]

Suggestion: I know when we get attacked or hit or killed, we see the name of our attacker near our health bar (at least, I do on my Mac version of the game), and we get the message such as "RedRock was sniped by Fuzzy_Bear," but would it be feasible and desirable to display the health status of our attacker or killer at the time of the attack or kill?

Maybe during an attack would be an unfair advantage or take up too much computational time/bandwidth, but it would be interesting at least after a kill: "RedRock was sniped by Fuzzy_Bear (12)," as this might at least tell us if we hit the attacker significantly or at all before our death.

I know Quake3: Urban Territory does that, and I know many times I've asked other players in the Playground if I even hit them at all before they killed me. Perhaps others have wondered, too.

[Lamron]

That would be kind of cool, but the attacker info is handled by the game engine and not by script, so I can't access that info at all. I don't have any way to tell who your killer is.





[glow=red,2,300]LPmenu V2 is now in use. Please use the V2 thread for any new comments on it.[/glow]