This plugin operates identically to the beta4 version. It is, in fact, simple.

Some facts:

The following assumes that all events occur within the same round. This plugin resets at the beginning of every round.

Without the resbalance plugin (default NS behavior) :

1. Until mp_latejointime passes (mp_latejointime is set to 1 minute and 30 seconds on our server), all players joining the alien team FOR THE FIRST TIME (including those players who "join" the alien team when the round begins) are GIVEN, by the game, 25 resources. Players joining AFTER mp_latejointime has passed are given NO resources, but start at zero (0) and must accumulate resources per gameplay's opportunities (resource nodes, RFK, etc).

2. A player LEAVING the alien team does not affect the resources count of any other player. No resources are distributed to teammates: the resources are LOST to the team unless and until that player returns to the alien team, at which time Point #3 comes into play. (This can be very damning to the aliens at times, which is what inspired me to create this plugin).

3. When a player comes BACK to the alien team, he is given the resources he had when he LEFT the alien team (regardless of why he left in the first place).


So, without the plugin, the resources belong exclusively to the INDIVIDUAL, even if the individual departs the TEAM, for whatever reason.



Now... WITH the resbalance plugin (modified NS behavior) :

1. THIS IS UNCHANGED FROM POINT #1 ABOVE. THE PLUGIN CHANGES NOTHING.

2. BEFORE MP_LATEJOINTIME PASSES, THIS IS UNCHANGED FROM POINT #2 ABOVE. THE PLUGIN CHANGES NOTHING.

HOWEVER, AFTER MP_LATEJOINTIME PASSES, THE PLUGIN CHANGES GAMEPLAY:

AFTER MP_LATEJOINTIME PASSES, a player leaving the alien team results in that player's resources being evenly and immediately distributed to the players remaining on the alien team. The resources no longer belong to the departing player: they have been given to his team to use in his absense.

Note: The mp_latejointime restriction is there to discourage exploitation. Without it, the aliens could systematically leave/re-join the alien team early in the round to give one member of their team an abnormally-high resources count.

3. THIS IS UNCHANGED FROM POINT #3 ABOVE. THE PLUGIN CHANGES NOTHING, but there is a VERY IMPORTANT CAVEAT: the number of resources a player has when he leaves AFTER mp_latejointime has passed is zero (0), as the resources were given to his team when he left. This means, in effect, that players returning to the alien team after a post-mp_latejointime departure will have no resources when they re-join the alien team.


So, WITH the plugin, the resources belong to the individual only UNTIL he leaves the team, at which point they belong to the TEAM.