LOUD AI & Game Speed Improvement Project

[MandeR]

Yes -- the LOUD installer actually includes Hamachi. It's in the bin folder.

[Sprouto]

How do I add 1 friend and try to play this mod in multiplayer.
Is it possible via Hamachi or Tunngle? Direct ip?

LOUD supports all the standard options, Direct IP, LAN and works well over LogmeIn Hamachi. Other services like Tuungle and Evolve work just as well. We have a large Hamachi service that has lots of available slots, so that you can play with not just your friends, but other LOUD users, or even with our friendly team members!

MandeR - as we get most of the 'fluff' out of the way with getting more people involved installing, playing and enjoying LOUD, it is our intention to go back and revisit some of the effects we toned down in favor of performance. What would be nice is to start detailing which ones, in detail, people consider the most valuable. Ideally, if you have some comments on this subject, or any topic, please come and join the discussion, and share some of your experiences with us on our Discord server - it's a great place to leave us quick text messages about whatever concerns our players. https://discord.gg/nwR2whN

[Saxxon]

Do the maps need to be specially modded for LOUD or can you use regular ones? I noted when I put it in the MEX points were reduced for balance, but the number of maps greatly reduced as well (I've a lot of custom ones downloaded).

In regards to people playing vs AI instead of PvP - I'd love to play many of the games I do with others, but often times I am using mods in regular play that FAF won't score, and thus most people won't play. Also, playing various maps and long games gets less ergonomic for playing with others the longer the game goes. I'll play a game on a huge map vs numerous AIs and its an all nighter. Only people that might hang with you on something like that are at a LAN party.

[Sprouto]

You can use any map with AI markers with LOUD. Some will simply not work very well - and some will have terrain issues that LOUD may not understand - it's hit and miss - and it's why we don't just have all the maps. You just have to try and see.

I believe that if you have a user map directory - not the standard maps folder - then those maps will persist between LOUD updates - the same with your extra mods as well. Otherwise the updater will move them to the unsupported folders.

[Saxxon]

It doesn't appear that maps or mods from the user profile are pulled in, ie under Documents/My Games/etc.

I pulled in Hanna Oasis (SCMP_28) but the observed issue is that LOUD disperses the MEX points on spawn, which puts one or more of them into the water and not buildable. Maybe add a water build options for some or all buildings (several mods do that, IE BrewLAN's Waterlag mod). If that's the only issue some standard maps have it would give access to more of them.

Another option would be a pre-game UI setting to not alter the spawn locations of MEX, thus not moving them into water on maps where they spawn nearby.

[Sprouto]

Thanks Saxxon - I'll have to try that for myself and see what's going on.

One of the reasons we include re-marked maps with LOUD is related to some of the issues you've mentioned. Since the LOUD AI requires a minimum open area in which to lay down his base, we shift any mass points in that area out to a certain radius. As you've noted - on small maps - resource points might end up in unusual places, like underwater.

Now, in LOUD, we already have many buildings enabled for underwater use - mass extractors, T2 and T3 power, hydrocarbons, nukes and anti-nukes, and many others, enabled for surface building on the water, or on the seabed - and LOUD knows how to use them and how to deal with them. In fact, many of the included LOUD maps already have underwater resource positions as part of their normal layout.

One of the most requested items is more, smaller maps - which while we intend to provide, we have until very recently, kept our focus upon those maps which best demonstrate the strengths of the overall project. At present, LOUD is not a very decent small map opponent - he's getting better - and he will certainly get better still - so please don't stop telling us which map(s) you'd like to see brought into the package. Obviously, if the AI is not your concern, then any map will do, and I'll look into why the game is not pulling maps in from your user directory - as it should.

[Thaedius]

Ok I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong here, but I've installed the LOUD mod from the launcher, but when I'm playing I don't have access to building experementals or nukes? I've not got any mods selected and the unit manager has nothing selected in it. I can build t3 artillery, but when select the 'no game enders' that goes, but when I unselect it, I have t3 arty but still no nukes or t4? Am I being blindingly stupid here?

[Sprouto]

Not at all - we have to take the blame for being unclear. In LOUD - ALL nukes, nuke defense and experimentals have been moved to the T4 level - and as such - are only available to a SubCommander or a fully upgraded Commander. You're not the first to ask this question. Our apologies.

[Thaedius]

Thanks for the quick reply. What counts as a fully upgraded commander? I usually upgrade his arm to enhance production by two levels, but he was still unable to build any t4 items.

[Sprouto]

We've grown so accustomed to the Black Ops Commanders that it's easy to forget that the T4 upgrade is not available to the stock ACU. We'll find a way to address that in the near future.