Legacy:Uncommon

My main site is Uncommonplace; this page will be more of a summary of my mods and technical details and stuff. Now and then I'll write about how I've done stuff like carrying multiple flags.

Rather than doing a developer journal, I will refer everyone to my blog where I talk about game development as well as other stuff that I'm working on.

And speaking of wikis and other stuff that I'm working on, I've set up a wiki for Volley, a plugin-based client/server application with chat rooms and file sharing and so forth.

I've set up a bugs database on my site. Regular accounts can report bugs, but if you want to be a beta tester let me know and I'll update the privileges on your account. Assuming I like you ;)

UT2003/04 Mods

Game types

Flag Domination 

Capture the Flag crossed with (Double) Domination, with extra twists. I'm still trying to find a talented mapper that can help me show off this mod's potential. I think the conversions I've been doing can only go so far, and a talented mapper I ain't. See Mapping for Flag Domination for details. Version 3 includes Vehicle Flag Domination which plays on Onslaught maps; that involved some interesting adventures that I may write about some day.

Bombing Spree 

Bombing run with more balls. The interesting element here was developing an algorithm for choosing additional ball spawning points – finding path nodes that were close to the midpoint between the two goals, and having to take into account whether the map's own ball spawn was off-center (as it is in BR-Canyon).

The port to UT2004 went pretty well. The new game rules GUI system is really good; perhaps I'll do a page on it.

BR4 

Working off the 4-team code created by OverloadUT, and using stuff I already did for Bombing Spree, I'm making this 4-team Bombing Run game type. Mappers please see Mapping For BR4.

Mutators

Verbage 

Replace the verb in the "You killed"/"You were killed by" messages with a randomized, customizable selection. Works with UT2004 out of the box.

Vivid Vehicles 

Changes the vehicle skins from orange and green to more vivid red and blue. Cicadas are a bit problematic, and there are reported problems with Scorpions and Paladin shields.

Shock Skymines 

Enables the shock rifle to trigger a skymine chain reaction, instead of just a single combo. Eventually I should add bot support...

Instant DeRez 

The DeRez effect starts immediately when a player dies. Basically a placeholder until I figure out a good way to port Disintegration. I personally find it very useful to have the instant visual feedback, in addition to the reduced gore/violence. Without it I keep shooting at corpses without realizing it. I tried to make the final release compatible with both UT2003 and UT2004, but I had to choose between that and the vehicle fix because the Vehicle class is so different between the two games.

Vehicle Expiration (unreleased) 

Locked vehicles around a power node are either unlocked or blown up when the power node is destroyed. I always thought it was kinda lame that they just disappeared, without so much as an accompanying visual effect. The current difficulty with this is getting it to trigger when a power node is destroyed because it was isolated.

Flag Watcher (unreleased) 

Provides the flag watching feature found in Mind Reader. It was much easier to implement in UT2003 since a flag actually does follow its holder, where in UT it's just an illusion.

Ideas

Playthings 

A non-lethal weapons mod. None of the team game rules actually require killing your opponents (except of course TDM), so why not get more creative?

Triple Domination 

Bring back the third domination point, while keeping the Double Domination style scoring.

Power Domination 

Turn Onslaught power nodes into domination points... of a sort.

UT Mods

Game types

CTF4 

Capture the Flag with 4 teams, and a variety of scoring options. OverloadUT is making the UT2004 version.

Flag Domination 

Capture the Flag crossed with Domination. This was the first mod I started, and I got a lot of help by examining another mod called Scavenger Hunt.

Apprehension 

Like playing CTF on DM maps. Inspired by a thread on the UT Booty forums.

Bazooka Tag 

Adapted from the Marathon game.

Mutators

Flag Effects 

Each flag has special gifts and curses. A UT2003 version is under development; I believe I've found a way to do it without requiring special support from a game type, which means it will work in regular CTF and not just my own mods. Essentially the only thing that came out of an attempt to merge CTF4, CTF+ and MCTF.

Disintegration 

No blood, just sparklies.

Mind Reader 

See into the shallows of a bot's mind.

Lifespan 

Extended life for blades, grenades, and goop. This is one of those things that's made really easy by SpawnNotify, which I sometimes miss in UT2003.

Instadead 

Goofing off with the shock rifle.

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Tarquin: Hello. Welcome to the Unreal Wiki :)

Wormbo: Hi and welcome to the Wiki. :)

El Muerte TDS: Wiki and welcome to the Hi. ;)

Uncommon: Thanks! Man... this can get addictive!

GRAF1K: Hey Uncommon, its not every day someone as well known as yourself comes along here. :) Where can I grab the Disintegration mut?

Uncommon: Um... maybe my web site? :)

GRAF1K: /me smacks himself in the forehead.

GRAFIK: I'm very interested in Instant DeRez. Release it already! ;)

Uncommon: Done!

Graphik: Excellent. :tup: Exactly what I was hoping for.