ScrN Balance mutator for Unreal Gold v227i+. Modifies weapons and items for the singleplayer campaign to achieve better balance and improve QoL.
- Dispersion Pistol: more consistent upgrades and faster recharge rate.
- AutoMag: manual reload option; slight damage nerf.
- Stinger: damage buff and total ammo increase.
- ASMD: primary fire can score headshots; total ammo increase.
- Eightball: primary fire QoL improvement and Quake-style rocket jumping.
- Minigun: total ammo increase.
- Flare: longer duration.
Unzip ScrnUBalance.* files into "Unreal Gold/System" directory. Edit ScrnUBalance.ini if needed.
You can disable individual weapon balance by editing the ScrnUBalance.ini config. Simply change the respective option from True to False:
[ScrnUBalance.ScrnUBalanceMut]
bPistol=True
bAutoMag=True
bStinger=True
bASMD=True
bEightBall=True
bMinigun=True
bFlare=TrueWARNING! Changing the config requires a new game to start from the beginning. Changing the config in the middle of the playthrough may lead to undefined behavior!
It is recommended to start a new game with ScrN Balance mutator.
- Select Game / New in the main menu.
- Select the campaign (Unreal or RTNP) and difficulty (skill level).
- Check "Use Mutators"
- Click the Mutators button.
- In the "Configure Mutators" window, make sure that "ScrN Balance" is on the right side of the window - in the "Mutators Used" list. If not, drag it from the left list to the right.
- Close the mutators window and click OK in the "New Game" window to start a new game with ScrN Balance mutator.
You can check if the ScrN Balance is working in the very first room - there is a flare on the upper floor. Pick the flare and and select it in the inventory. Check the console - it should say "Flare SE selected" ("SE" stands for "ScrN Edition"). Also yu may use the flare - SE version lasts for 30 seconds instead of the standard 10.
Despite the recommendation to start a new game with the ScrN Balance mutator, the other option is to upgrade the existing save game.
- Load the save file.
- Type the following command in the console:
summon ScrnUBalance.ScrnUpgrade - An object looking like a VoiceBox will appear on the map. Pick it up.
- Check the console. It should say "The game has been upgraded to ScrN Balance".
- Save the game to a new slot. The new save game(-s) will load ScrN Balance automatically.
- Enjoy the game!
WARNING! Upraged save files cannot be downgraded! It is recommended to backup the original save files before upgrading.
Unlike Quake2's Blaster, which is useful only for lighting dark areas and shooting boxes, Unreal's Dispersion Pistol is supposed to be an actual gun to use in fights, and thanks to its upgrade system, remain useful during the entire game. Unfortunately, it does not work that way, especially on higher difficulties.
The original upgrade mechanics are inconsistent. For instance, lv3 has the highest DPS (even better than lv5) while lv4 has the worst DPS (even worse than lv1). Total Damage (by spending all ammo from full to 0) drops down at levels 2 and 3, improving only at lv5. Dispersion Pistol upgrades feel weak because their are - until lv5, some of the "upgraded" stats are worse than at lv1.
ScrN Balance improves the upgrade system to make Dispersion Pistol better at every level.
| Level | Damage | Ammo/Shot | DPA | Cooldown | DPS | Total Ammo | Total Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 1 | 15 | 0.25 | 60 | 50 | 750 |
| 2 | 25 | 3 | 8 | 0.33 | 75 | 60 | 560 |
| 3 | 40 | 5 | 8 | 0.5 | 80 | 70 | 595 |
| 4 | 55 | 6 | 9 | 1.0 | 55 | 80 | 780 |
| 5 | 75 | 7 | 11 | 1.0 | 75 | 90 | 990 |
| Level | Damage | Ammo/Shot | DPA | Cooldown | DPS | Total Ammo | Total Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 1 | 15 | 0.25 | 60 | 50 | 750 |
| 2 | 28 | 2 | 14 | 0.25 | 112 | 60 | 848 |
| 3 | 39 | 3 | 13 | 0.25 | 156 | 70 | 924 |
| 4 | 48 | 4 | 12 | 0.25 | 192 | 80 | 984 |
| 5 | 55 | 5 | 11 | 0.25 | 220 | 90 | 1010 |
The original Dispersion Pistol recharges way too slowly. Maybe you didn't notice it because the ammo amount is enough to break boxes and barrels for loot, and you don't use it elsewhere. The original recharge rate is 1.1 seconds per ammo for the first 10 rounds, then approximately +1 extra second for every ten rounds. For instance, at 20 ammo, it takes ~2s to recharge one ammo, ~5s to recharge above 50, or ~8s per ammo at lv5 to charge >80. Going from 80 to 90 takes ~1.5 minutes.
The modified charge rate is much faster and simplier:
- 1s per ammo for standard charge (up to 50)
- 2s per ammo for upgraded charge (>50)
- Dispersion Pistol does not recharge while charging (AltFire)
- Dispersion Pistol starts recharging 3 seconds after the last shot.
AutoMag reloads every 20 rounds, and there is no way to force the process. For instance, if you kill an enemy with 15 rounds, there are two options:
- waste the remaining 5 rounds (by shooting into nowhere) to trigger the reload
- keep 5 rounds in the magazine, making reload in the middle of the next fight.
ScrN Balance introduces new console command: reload to manually trigger the reload process. You can bind it to a key, e.g.: set input r reload.
Another option to trigger the reload without an extra key/command is AltFire+Fire combo: pressing the Fire key (LMB) while holding the AltFire (RMB). By doing it fast, you can trigger reload before firing any round, i.e., without wasting any ammo.
The original AutoMag damage (17) is too high comparing to Stinger (14) or ASMD (35). AutoMag does a hitscan (instant) damage while Stinger shots projectiles. The latter are harder to hit, hence, projectiles should do more damage for balance reasons. ASMD primary fire also is a hitscan, but it fires much slower and has 4x less ammo. For instance, on Unreal difficulty, you can kill only 6 Skaarj Scounts with full ASMD ammo, while AutoMag allows up to 12 kills.
ScrN Balance reduces AutoMag damage down to 15.
Stinger projectile damage increased to 16 (up from 14). Alternate fire shoots 6 rounds (up from 5), dealing 96 damage at 100% hit (up from 70), making it a good shotgun alternative until Flak Cannon is found (or to save Flak ammo after that). The original Stinger was next to useless due to AutoMag's being better in any aspect.
(Singleplayer-only) Total ammo count increased to 240 (up from 200)
The primary fire mode of the modified ASMD can score headshots and decapitate enemies like Rifle or Razorjack. ASMD headshots do double damage (70). Total ammo count increased to 80 (up from 50). Both ASMD changes apply only to singleplayer. In deathmatch (if anybody still plays it), the modified ASMD acts the same as the original.
- Primary acts like a proper rocket launcher from Quake or UT2004+. Pressing fire (LMB) instantly fires a rocket - there are no more annoying delays due to firing on button release. Thanks to that, you can do rocket-jumps with Eightball now.
- Alternate fire (RMB) loads multiple rockets now - like in UT2004+.
- However, it is still possible to launch grenades by AltFire+Fire combo: pressing the Fire key (LMB) while holding the AltFire (RMB).
(Singleplayer-only) Total ammo count increased to 300 (up from 200)
Flare duration increased to 30 seconds (up from 10).
Since VoiceBox is useless in singleplayer (enemies do not react to that), it has been replaced with an extra Amplifier.