Author Topic: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?  (Read 2721 times)

Offline Gallant Dragon

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Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« on: June 05, 2012, 06:35:45 pm »
Anyone else play this?

I know Coppermantis does, he designed a map for it.

If you don't know what this game is, basically you have a team of Rebels who are trying to complete all the objectives on a map, while one player, the Overwatch commander, controls the map.  Depending on the map, he can spawn in Overwatch troopers, manhacks, snipers, set off traps, and in one map he can summon a Strider.

It just got a big update from the dev team, and there's a small but dedicated community.  It also has kickass music!

It's a really good example of an RTS/FPS hybrid done right, at least on the older, more developed maps.  If you do play, which map is your favorite?  I like Citadel, but I have to say that Outbreak is pretty good for a newly-released map.
It's just carriers all the way down!

Offline Coppermantis

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2012, 06:42:49 pm »
My favorite is probably owc_Traverse, another community made map. Most of the non-community maps are incomplete with mostly dev textures. I know Breach has an art pass in the dev version, but the official release may or may not have it. I don't know.

Also, the developers are making a commercial game in the same style on the Unreal Engine! It looks very pretty.

http://www.indiedb.com/games/intruderalert/news/big-exclamation-point
I can already tell this is going to be a roller coaster ride of disappointment.

Offline Gallant Dragon

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2012, 07:21:05 pm »
Breach got full textures on the 1.5.0 official update a couple days ago.  Also part 2, with a Strider!

Oh, yeah.  Intruder Alert! looks like it has a lot of potential, especially since they get to build everything from the ground up instead of trying to rely on the existing combine soldier ai :p
It's just carriers all the way down!

Offline doctorfrog

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2012, 02:02:18 am »
Installed it, loaded it up, browsed for servers.

None populated.

What the heck, let's try this out anyway.

Invalid Steam ID Ticket. Or something. Disconnected.

Hm. So I'll try again in a few days (my copy of HL2 is completely legal and freshly installed from Steam), and if it doesn't work out, uninstall.

Offline Mánagarmr

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2012, 03:53:26 am »
This sounds an awful lot like Nuclear Dawn. Similar?
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Offline Gallant Dragon

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2012, 08:07:08 am »
My favorite is probably owc_Traverse, another community made map.

I dunno, I've yet to win with the Rebels on traverse, that barrel trap on top of the console objective always manages to wipe out half my team if we ever get that far (not very far at all).

Invalid Steam ID Ticket. Or something. Disconnected.

Apparently this is a common problem with source mods.  I used to get it, but if you google the words "invalid steam ID ticket", you'll get about a billion other forum posts with the fixes, something about corrupted Steam files.  Make sure you look for the fix that involves only deleting a few files, not your entire Steam install.

There was a big update just a few days ago, so if you join an empty server you can make it full in a few minutes just by sticking around, at least on the North American servers.

I won't say that this is the most balanced mod ever, because it really depends on the map and the people playing with you, but if the Rebels have a core of fairly competent team players and the Overwatch player is half decent then some pretty epic struggles are to be had.

This sounds an awful lot like Nuclear Dawn. Similar?

Actually, as far as I can tell Nuclear Dawn is a ripoff of another Source mod called Empires.  Except without vehicles.  Nuclear Dawn looks like its about two teams of players, each one with a 'commander' player who directs the actions of the rest of the team and builds structures.

Overwatch doesn't have base building, so if you like that then you're out of luck :p.  In Overwatch the RTS component comes in with the Overwatch commander, although I guess its less like RTS and more like Real Time Dungeon Master...ing.  The map comes with a set of objectives that the Rebels have to complete, and the Overwatch player controls traps and enemy spawning, and gives orders to the spawned minions.  Rounds generally only take between five and fifteen minutes.

It's also free.  Just saying.

Also, Zombiez! http://youtu.be/US_ob4dBMuc
You've got to love a dev team who'll make a video like that.

ANOTHER EDIT:

Half-decent gameplay vid: http://youtu.be/AaVnit7I2nc

Its a testament to the dev team that that particular map was still fun even before it got a full texture pass :p.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2012, 09:12:01 am by Gallant Dragon »
It's just carriers all the way down!

Offline Mánagarmr

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2012, 09:16:23 am »
Aaah, okay, then I understand. Yeah, that's different. I just thought the gameplay sounded similar, but now I see it's not. ND is very competitive with Command+Soldiers vs an enemy team. This sounds more like soliders vs the overlord :P
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Offline Gallant Dragon

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2012, 09:21:58 am »
Basically.  I think that's where the fun comes in.  As Rebels you're co-operating with other players against overwhelming odds (lone wolf it and you die fast), while as Overwatch you get to sadistically spawn manhacks at everyone and drop flaming barrels on them :D
It's just carriers all the way down!

Offline Mánagarmr

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2012, 09:30:09 am »
That actually sounds like heaptons of fun. Kind of like the old days of dungeonhacking in DnD versus a sadistic GM :P
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Offline Gallant Dragon

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2012, 09:39:57 am »
Play it now, while the servers still get regular traffic!
It's just carriers all the way down!

Offline Coppermantis

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2012, 10:32:29 am »
Yea, the issue is total lack of players at most times. However, there used to be weekly playtimes in which the servers tend to fill up. I saw another announcement on Steam the other day, maybe they're doing it again now that the update has come out.


@Doctorfrog: I got the UserID Ticket error once. AndY, the lead dev, suggested a full log out of Steam (via the switch user button) and then log in again. That seemed to work for me, but someone else said it didn't work. It's worth a shot at least. As Gallant says, I think I remember another fix that did involve deleting some files. The Overwatch forums are good, the dev team is pretty quick about responses. There's already a UserID Ticket invalid thread, let me check it.


Edit:

Quote
Quick update regarding this very annoying issue.

There are two possible fixes (attempt Fix #2 only if Fix #1 doesn't solve the problem):
Fix #1
Exit Steam (shut it down completely)
Go to your Steam folder (example: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam")
Find and delete the userdata folder
Restart Steam
Fix #2
Exit Steam (shut it down completely)
Go to your Steam folder (example: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam")
Find and delete all files and folders in there except for the steamapps folder and the Steam.exe file
Restart Steam

If you've tried both and are still having trouble, please let me know!







On a different note, I'd like to see Canals and crossroads with an art pass.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2012, 10:59:33 am by Coppermantis »
I can already tell this is going to be a roller coaster ride of disappointment.

Offline Coppermantis

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Re: Overwatch: a FPS/RTS mod for HL2 - anyone play?
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2012, 12:58:48 am »
The new Overwatch 1.5.0 trailer. RedMatter is another great company, reminds me of Arcen (although the community is much less active unfortunately.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WXG0ccdccrQ

The first map shown is mine  :D
I can already tell this is going to be a roller coaster ride of disappointment.