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.

I am currently looking for a job. My resume is [here], and my [web site] as a whole shows off my skill set pretty well. Most of my experience is in Mac programming and C++, and I'm about to finish a Master's Degree in computer science.

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. Older stuff can be found in the [forums] section of my site where I often post notes about the progress on my various mods.

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.

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.

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