KF Help me improve loading screen hints

[nd2spd]

The other day I encountered a couple of modifications on the steam workshop that modified KFMod.int, in order to change weapon names in the trader menu and HUD.
I've spent the past few days making my own little tweaks to the file for my own personal taste as I know some of you have done.
As I was doing so I noticed that loading screen hints could be modified. Since, I've set out to 'improve'(subjective) these as best as I can, and I'm wondering if anyone on the forums would have some input.

{UPDATED: 03/10/2013}

Here are my changes:

Spoiler!

• Aim for the head. A headless Specimen is unable to use special abilities, and is weaker to damage.
• Make good use of your Medical-Syringe. Healing yourself uses all the charge, healing others uses half.
• FleshPounds will rage if they maintain eye contact or are damaged a lot within a few seconds. They're weak to explosives.
• The Patriarch can run away and heal up to 3 times. He has a chain-gun, rockets and vicious melee.
• Husks are long-range menaces with fireball launchers. Jump/sidestep to avoid their shots. Highly resistant to fire.
• Scrakes are docile, until raged. Will rage if their health is dropped below a certain point, won't stop once enraged.
• The Scrake's charge attack is deadlier than its stationary attack.
• Crawlers have a habit of appearing in all sorts of strange places.
• Bloats have poisonous bile, and they may explode when killed. Decapitation is the best strategy.
• Low health and carrying a lot negatively affect movement speed. You can run faster by equiping a melee weapon.
• Stalkers remain cloaked until close enough to attack. Listen carefully for them.
• The Trader will only open briefly. Head there prior to wave-end, and plan your shopping beforehand.
• Gorefasts have high damage and lots of body-health. They should be prioritised among trash zeds.
• Clots aren't that dangerous - but they can grapple you and prevent you from getting away.
• A Siren's screams damage HP, ignoring armor - and they'll destroy or disable any explosive within radius.
• Handguns, shotguns, bows and M99 have ballistic penetration. Line up your shots to kill multiple specimens.
• Try not to crowd around the Patriarch as he has a devestating radial attack.

Alternatively here's the simple 'code' line:

KFHints=("Aim for the head. A headless Specimen is unable to use special abilities, and is weaker to damage.","Make good use of your Medical-Syringe. Healing yourself uses all the charge, healing others uses half.","FleshPounds will rage if they maintain eye contact or are damaged a lot within a few seconds. They're weak to explosives.","The Patriarch can run away and heal up to 3 times. He has a chain-gun, rockets and vicious melee.","Husks are long-range menaces with fireball launchers. Jump/sidestep to avoid their shots. Highly resistant to fire.","Scrakes are docile, until raged. Will rage if their health is dropped below a certain point, won't stop once enraged.","The Scrake's charge attack is deadlier than its stationary attack.","Crawlers have a habit of appearing in all sorts of strange places.","Bloats have poisonous bile, and they may explode when killed. Decapitation is the best strategy.","Low health and carrying a lot negatively affect movement speed. You can run faster by equiping a melee weapon.","Stalkers remain cloaked until close enough to attack. Listen carefully for them.","The Trader will only open briefly. Head there prior to wave-end, and plan your shopping beforehand.","Gorefasts have high damage and lots of body-health. They should be prioritised among trash zeds.","Clots aren't that dangerous - but they can grapple you and prevent you from getting away.","A Siren's screams damage HP, ignoring armor - and they'll destroy or disable any explosive within radius.","Handguns, shotguns, bows and M99 have ballistic penetration. Line up your shots to kill multiple specimens.","Try not to crowd around the Patriarch as he has a devestating radial attack.")

Keep in mind that my principles are

• To keep it short and simple, quick to read and understand. Having each hint only display a single line on the loading screen is of obvious benefit.
• Would prefer to have only 1 or 2 hints per specimen.

Let me know what you think of my changes or the idea in general. Please make suggestions, or even post your own KFMod.int if you feel so inclined.

If you're confused as to which file I'm speaking, it's located in 'C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\KillingFloor\System\' by default.
The KFHints part should be around line 825, or use your text editor to perform a search.

 

[DMN666]

When I first started KF (Which was late spring 2012), editing .int files was one of the first things i did. I use to replace the hints with the stupidest things ever (Like obviouis info or quotes). I also rename my perks to dumb names like Berserker to "OP Class" and also did the "Wave is done, head to the trader" message text.

Also note that replacing .int files get replaced during updates (Heads up for Halloween 2013). I made my own "real name" weapons a while back but never uploaded to the Workshop since like I said, it needs to be redownloaded and its stupidly simple to make (like music).
It's to late now since there's already 2 of them

Oh also, you can edit any .int files.

 

[Spartan1388]

Although the current hints are not good enough, i prefer them rather than "sterile" instructions.

The current hints are more like what a real survivor would advise and also somewhat funny.

I would like to see them improved, getting more to the point and being more funny so people will be interested to read them.
Some British idioms would fit perfectly.

 

[nd2spd]

note that replacing .int files get replaced during updates

I'm fully aware. I use JoneSoft Generic Mod Enabler for all my Killing Floor custom content and mods, allowing me to always have the modified files at hand. I would recommend it to most.

Although the current hints are not good enough, i prefer them rather than "sterile" instructions.

I have to personally disagree with you there. When it comes to conveying useful information in a short time I feel it's annoying and silly with regards to the hints.
Feel free to share your ideas or explore that avenue in this thread though, I won't stop you. I won't be reflecting your changes is all.

Thank you both for sharing.

 

[Arblarg]

Fleshpounds are doubly weak to explosives.

Bloats are doubly weak to fire.

Line up your shotgun shots for multiple specimen.

Scrakes are never a problem until you make them one!

Jumping or being higher than a husk can help to avoid their fireball.

Don't run from a scrake once it has you in its grasp, its swing hurts more.

 

[nd2spd]

Hmm, it looks like '1 hint per specimen' will have to be thrown out the KF-Offices window.

With

Line up your shotgun shots for multiple specimen.

Maybe have
"Pistols, shotguns and the crossbow have ballistic penetration. Line up your shots to kill multiple specimens".
Did I miss any weapons?

Bloats are doubly weak to fire.

Is this really worth mentioning? One normally cannot tell, due to high body-health.

Also, with the Husk, I feel I've covered jumping, not sure if it's worth mentioning the 'higher than' situation...

I'll have a good think about how to add the others. Thanks, good ones there.

 

[Jpz38 Hetzer]

Plant pipe bombs and try to lure patty into them.

 

[nd2spd]

I feel using pipes on Patty is too obvious and common to be a useful hint.
Been thinking maybe mentioning how he becomes more resistant to pipe explosions when he experiences them in quick succession.

 

[nd2spd]

I've made a bunch of changes and additions, check spoiler in first post for updates.

 

[Spartan1388]

Hmm, it looks like '1 hint per specimen' will have to be thrown out the KF-Offices window.

I disagree.

Most ZEDs need special hits in my opinion. New player already have trouble with them, and they should understand a couple of things.
Hints are mostly for new people anyway. Experienced players have their own tactics and some levels under their belt.


I would like briefing-like hints with a humorous flavor, when possible. Like these:

<Stalker>
They stalk you cloaked until they are close enough to gut you.
They might try to seduce you, so keep your ears open for these b#####s.
Commandos can make short work of them, no wonder they are equipped with a cloaking field detection devise...

<Clot>
Zombie like speed and similar intelligence, but don't get too comfortable with them. These f#####s are dangerous in great numbers, specially if you let them get too close, so take them down while you can.

 

[nd2spd]

You've put multiple hints for the Stalker, yet you disagree with me throwing the '1 hint per specimen' idea out the window?!
I think you've confused my statement for another meaning.

I've got the first two Stalker ones, and the third is explained in the perk desc. for mando.
Think my clot one suffices to explain what's necessary.

Feel free to share your own KFHints with humourous flavour for others to use.

 

[Spartan1388]

You've put multiple hints for the Stalker, yet you disagree with me throwing the '1 hint per specimen' idea out the window?!
I think you've confused my statement for another meaning.

I've got the first two Stalker ones, and the third is explained in the perk desc. for mando.
Think my clot one suffices to explain what's necessary.

Feel free to share your own KFHints with humourous flavour for others to use.

By "hint" i mean just a loading screen with one hint.
If we are going with small hits, we will need more than one loading screens for each ZEDs.

I presented multiple hints that can be used in one ore more loading screens.

We do not "disagree", we were just a little bit lost in translation from my part... Sorry about that...

 

[Rhenna]

How about:

"New to Killing Floor? Check the difficulty setting in the multi-player server browser before joining a match. "Suicidal" and "Hell On Earth" difficulties are each as tough as their names imply!"

OK, maybe not short and sweet. But, a good bit of advice.

 

[nutterbutter]

Although the current hints are not good enough, i prefer them rather than "sterile" instructions.

The current hints are more like what a real survivor would advise and also somewhat funny.

I would like to see them improved, getting more to the point and being more funny so people will be interested to read them.
Some British idioms would fit perfectly.

I agree 100%. It would be nice if more were added over time.

 

[FluX]

I love how my message was removed by saying only " "Don't die!" ".

 

[nd2spd]

I never saw it.

Will take these into consideration.