Playing AvP2 Again - Thoughts & Comments

[Corporal Hicks]

So I've been replaying AvP2. Just finished the Marine campaign and I'd forgotten just how much I enjoyed this game. I'm very fond of all the notes and datapads spread throughout the levels. There's some fantastic information in there which leads into the other campaigns nicely too (Eisenberg's father researching synthetic limbs and etc).

It's really making me want to learn to use the SDK and make some SP levels. 

[Stalker]

Strange coincidence, I just started playing again yesterday after not touching it for several months.

I've gotten about halfway through the predator campaign on hard difficulty so far. I'm still loving it just as much as the first time I played it.

I think one of the things that makes AvP 2 so truly special to this day is that it was made before the AvP films, meaning that its only influences were Predator 1/2 & the Alien Quadrilogy. With only the classic material in the game, uncorrupted by the shit we've seen in some of the more recent films, it really is a great nostalgia trip every time.

[Le Celticant]

There's something in AVP2 that can last forever.
I think it's due to the story, it's full of information and very complete for every species.
Also the fact that you always play in new environment no matter the species, Monolith made in sort that the 3 character join at one point but they never see each other again and they progress in different path.
Also, the datapad contain rich informations and expand you a bit the universe around the story.
Every character is great and they all have their own personality.
Eisenberg remind me a bit Gediman but the character has been worked more.
Rykov definitely became at the end the ultimate species and Predator came here for him in first reason, it's not truly an 'Aliens Vs. Predator' it's more a unique kind of 'Aliens & Predator Universe' where they both progress but don't need to chase each other (of course they are there to give some fight for the game but you understand that the Predator didn't came here for the Alien.).
Harrison is developed greatly aswell with its camarade 'Tomiko'. You learn more and more when you progress the whole in a Cameron's Atmosphere colony with Hive, jungle, cavern, lake, mountains, etc.

Wonderful game it is, so sad the engine doesn't follow (especially the lighting).

Give it a try Corporal Hicks! DEdit is for sure a pain to use for developers, it is a very old editor with a lack of content but your imagination can allow you whatever you want if you figured out how.
I recommend you this tutorial for starter, still online after all the year: http://www.planetavp.com/modmaker/index.html
Here also you can find some cool things if you know where to search: http://www.lithfaq.com/
And if you wanna know more, just PM me 

[Corporal Hicks]

Thing is I've never done anything like it before. Would it be hard to pick up?

[Le Celticant]

Modding = Patience, that's the key.
I started when I was 13 (6 years ago) and had trouble for a start.
But in the end I think it's better to learn this Devil editor without knowledge from other editor because it's truly unlike the other.
So you'll have to take it from A to Z but in less than a month you can make some pretty convincing result.
It's experimentation, just try what you want, can, and progress. Most of the time you've to learn from yourself or you can call help but it's not that hard!
It just need time but I beat that you can in less than 4 month make some amazing SP maps!

Maybe I should create a tutorial page on this forum

[Corporal Hicks]

That might be an idea! I can sticky it.

How hard is doing the enemy and friendly AI?

[Le Celticant]

Rofl, probably do a right click on the screen, choose 'add object' and select 'AI'.
Wasn't that hard 
What is it hard is to set this sucking thing.
AI got an advantage that bot doesn't have: They can be script! and this is great.
Then it depends how complicate is the script to give a feeling of realism.

AVP2 script from monolith are mainly poor.
They just use a trigger with the message 'msg AIAlien0 ON' and they set in the proprieties of the AI 'trigger player' which of course result to the poor script of the AI simply attacking the prey as a dumb big elephant.
But you can script a whole sequence like a Predator jumping from spot, using plasma, taking the guy in the net, they you have to cut it off, at this moment the Predator goes down, ready to kill you and Bam! An alien take him down, they both fall in some hole, another alien is crawling at you, you wake up, take the gun, aim at time or he bite you.
You can do something truly amazing but most of the SP maker doesn't do that because it's a very advance scripting and the only weapon to use is patience.

But make an AI attacking a player in a map is very easy.
What is advance is to make them wallwalk, jump, patrol, etc.

[chupacabras acheronsis]

i cant get past the "blank empty grey void" in the mapper. i did learn how to skin, and if i was amore resourceful and as you very well said it, patient, i would be making tons of skins. 

[x-M-x]

You should learn man, making skins is awesome and fun because it brings a whole new thing to AVP2 ! i've got a few more in the works! the one thats really liked a lot is the 'Pilot Drone' i made check it out man.

Links in sig.

[Xhan]

Filefront working properly again? After rig changeover is complete the Mod from Hell will be ready to upload, but last I checked Break was still having hosting issues.

[Kimarhi]

I love the second AvP game and consider it the best AvP.

The only thing I would change is the game's juvenile presentation, and the lack (or overuse of the same death animations) of ragdoll physics.  Wish it would've game out a year or two later.

The original AvP is still the most tense, but I had actual fun playing the second game.

Still tops in my book.

[Corporal Hicks]

I'm just playing through the Predator campaign now. I enjoy how they aren't forcing the honor system onto the game and I'm liking the briefings but it does feel a little too much like the marine.

I'll definitely turn my eye towards doing some mapping. I've got several ideas I want to turn into SP campaigns. Just gotta get some stuff out of the way.

[MadassAlex]

Eh, I think AvP2 has some very strong merits in terms of its narrative and the way the campaign feels well-linked, but it really struggles in some gameplay aspects.

The Predator campaign is great, for instance, until you start fighting Aliens in numbers. There's no middle ground; you can spam the plasma caster or you can die trying to use less-efficient weapons. AvP'99's Predator campaign was much more tense, challenging and fun because sometimes you had to take the fight to the Aliens in less than ideal conditions. In AvP2, using anything that isn't the plasma caster is asking for a pounding.

There's no stealth element to playing the Alien. While the Alien campaign itself is otherwise great, it sometimes fails to capture the feeling of being an Alien because you're not cleverly manipulating your ability to wall-crawl or avoid notice. You're a buzzsaw on legs that strikes at the nearest enemy as fast as possible.

Can't really fault the Marine campaign, though.

I'd love to see the campaign moved over to another system, or at least parts of it. It's a shame that mod tools for AvP2010 are a highly unlikely proposition, because I imagine the storytelling and consistency of AvP2 linked with the gameplay and presentation of AvP2010 would be brilliant.

[x-M-x]

Filefront working properly again? After rig changeover is complete the Mod from Hell will be ready to upload, but last I checked Break was still having hosting issues.

lol don't ask man..... just loads has been happing thats all im saying lol.

[Kimarhi]

There are almost always two routes in the Alien campaign if you can find them.  One stealthy, the other buzzsaw. 

You can go through much of the pod section in the Alien campaign with killing only a handful of people if you correctly identify the route and time the guards patrols.

Metal Gear Alien.

Of course, I mostly just play the buzzsaw route because its much quicker.