This is the general physics model that we use for network play around the office. It's not radically different from the standard model at all--all the weapons still look the same and fire the standard ammo, all the monsters and Bobs have their standard behavior, etc. We've basically just tweaked a lot of the features to suit our ideal gameplay (this, by the way, is a great way to tell when you're playing way, way too much Marathon). If you really want a detailed explanation of how I wasted my time adjusting the physics model, I've detailed the significant differences below. (If you ask my opinion, though, the best thing to do is try it and see if you like it. If you almost like it, get your hands on Michael Hanson's cool editor Alchemist, and do whatever you want to it.)
Here are most of the differences from the standard M2 physics model:
Motion
You'll move noticeably (but not that much) faster, and the turns have been adjusted--it should start a turn a little slower, making it easier to draw a bead, but allow a faster top turn speed. Gravity and standard acceleration remain the same, but you'll cover more ground when you run off a raised area because of the increased top speed. Also, the height of steps that you can run up has been raised a little--it won't make a difference on staircases, really, but it means when you jump across a divide to another ledge, you're a little more likely to make it to the other side, instead of falling down into the gap.
The last movement tweak has to do with backwards speed--your speed running backwards is almost, almost as fast as running forward. This means that you're much more able to spin and start firing back when someone's chasing you, without so much of a penalty. They will, however, gain on you.
Weapons
This is where most of the major tweaks are. The most obvious difference will be the amount of ammo you pick up in a magazine--there are a few more rounds in the pistol, assault rifle, and assault grenade magazines, and you pick up four missiles at a time instead of two. The damage effects of many of the weapons have been tweaked as well. Some are less potent--the missiles leave you about a one-third chance of surviving a direct hit if you're in full health (although the occasional round will obliterate you even if you've got extra shields), and the machine gun rounds do about two-thirds their "normal" damage. (The machine gun itself, though, is more accurate, so it works out about the same. It just makes you feel like a better shot.) The pistol rounds do a bit more damage each, and the fist does a good deal more damage. All the rest of the weapons do the standard amount of damage (except for the flamethrower, which has been toned down a little).
Other weapons modifications include reload times (most of which are snappier) and ammo speed (the missiles are a little crisper, fusion bolts a bit slower than the standard). The last mod is that many more of the weapons can fire under water.
Effects, Monsters, etc.
None of this stuff has been changed.
Original maps I've made and distributed:
5D Arena
Rampfhitheatre
Space Tower
The Once And Pfhuture King
Water Sports
About my "tribute" maps:
I've also recently done several M2 maps that are remakes of some of our favorite Marathon 1.0 net maps. These include:
Another Arena?! (by Mark Brooks)
Billy! (by John Howard)
Circular Death (by Alec Johnston)
Cross Guard (by Kendall Redburn)
Hunter Prey (by Kendall Redburn)
Killing Fields (by Butch Massoni)
Palace (by Kendall Redburn)
All of these maps (and many, many more) are available at the excellent Marathon HyperArchive NW (http://www.ese.ogi.edu/pub/entertainment/marathon/), maintained by Claude Errera.
About our company:
LTI is a software design company with a few new products out--check out the web page for our upcoming product Qin (pronounced "Ching") at:
http://pathfinder.com/twep/products/qin/
as well as for the multimedia version of Bartlett's Book of Familiar Quotations:
