Warborn
2011-02-23, 07:42 AM
Command Rank sucked and was badly implemented and I want to write about how it could be redone. First, remove command rank entirely. Second, add in win conditions to the game. Wins result in rewards for winning side characters, and a reset of the game world (but not characters).
With that in mind, player-run Empire Command (EC) can be added in. Players can be voted for, with individual players perhaps being unable to be a part of the EC in consecutive campaigns (campaign being the game world prior to reset). How many players would occupy the EC is subject to balance. Probably between 10 and 20. EC members will function similar to CR5's, but without the stupid Rambo abilities, instead being able to designate specific places as being Empire-wide objectives, broadcast to the entire Empire, and otherwise have tools to direct and control their Empire's campaign.
From here, we can expand it. Bases can be converted from exclusively having combat bonuses to also being related to infrastructure. Research could be made a part of the game, with campaigns starting out with each side limited in its weapons, equipment and vehicle options, and research directed by EC and supplied through specific research bases allowing new things to be unlocked. With the acquisition and holding of more research facilities, unlocks happen more quickly, while sabotaging enemy research bases will hamper their own research.
Furthermore, someone wrote in another thread that vehicles were too expendable. Well, the possibility also exists for production facilities, factories of some sort, which are responsible for producing more advanced equipment and which similarly produce stuff at a ratio determined by EC. If the TR has an outfit like KAAOS running around, they may elevate the production of aircraft at the expense of other vehicles. The net result could be either numerical values for how many of each vehicle the Empire has available to field in the war, or it could affect load times.
Complimenting this feature could be a broader use for ANTs. Factories could rely on a steady stream of energy or other resources collected from out in the environment somewhere, and shipped back to the base to produce tanks and aircraft and whatever other advanced tech stuff for the broader Empire to use. This would create a need for ANTs beyond what exists currently, and would give more varied gameplay in that players would be strong incentives to both defend their ANTs, and prevent enemy ANTs from reaching their factories. Actually, these resource vehicles ought to be called something else, as they'd need to be much more durable and, likely, larger. Perhaps even large, sunderer-style vehicles with limited armed passenger slots, to better characterize it as a sort of armed convoy vehicle.
As well, I think the economy aspect could be expanded upon further. Player currency I'm not sure about, but the Empire having an excess of economic flow could give benefits to vehicles or equipment in some respect. If, for example, an Empire is particularly successful in getting its ANTs or whatever to its factory, then all vehicles on the continent could begin to develop slight bonuses to its offensive/defensive capabilities, reflecting the magnitude of the resource excess.
Naturally there'd have to be limits on how often these convoys could be sent out to harvest resources, and they'd need to be broadcast to enemies to ensure that the greatest possibility for a fight exists, but with some tweaking it'd be doable.
So, there. Infrastructure buildings, a controlled, varied flow of new items and vehicles to give more variety to the game (where each campaign your EC might opt for different priorities and achieve them at different speeds depending on your battlefield success), a command structure which isn't just a bunch of people who ground out CR5, and different sort of sub-games in having mobile defense/attack objectives.
With that in mind, player-run Empire Command (EC) can be added in. Players can be voted for, with individual players perhaps being unable to be a part of the EC in consecutive campaigns (campaign being the game world prior to reset). How many players would occupy the EC is subject to balance. Probably between 10 and 20. EC members will function similar to CR5's, but without the stupid Rambo abilities, instead being able to designate specific places as being Empire-wide objectives, broadcast to the entire Empire, and otherwise have tools to direct and control their Empire's campaign.
From here, we can expand it. Bases can be converted from exclusively having combat bonuses to also being related to infrastructure. Research could be made a part of the game, with campaigns starting out with each side limited in its weapons, equipment and vehicle options, and research directed by EC and supplied through specific research bases allowing new things to be unlocked. With the acquisition and holding of more research facilities, unlocks happen more quickly, while sabotaging enemy research bases will hamper their own research.
Furthermore, someone wrote in another thread that vehicles were too expendable. Well, the possibility also exists for production facilities, factories of some sort, which are responsible for producing more advanced equipment and which similarly produce stuff at a ratio determined by EC. If the TR has an outfit like KAAOS running around, they may elevate the production of aircraft at the expense of other vehicles. The net result could be either numerical values for how many of each vehicle the Empire has available to field in the war, or it could affect load times.
Complimenting this feature could be a broader use for ANTs. Factories could rely on a steady stream of energy or other resources collected from out in the environment somewhere, and shipped back to the base to produce tanks and aircraft and whatever other advanced tech stuff for the broader Empire to use. This would create a need for ANTs beyond what exists currently, and would give more varied gameplay in that players would be strong incentives to both defend their ANTs, and prevent enemy ANTs from reaching their factories. Actually, these resource vehicles ought to be called something else, as they'd need to be much more durable and, likely, larger. Perhaps even large, sunderer-style vehicles with limited armed passenger slots, to better characterize it as a sort of armed convoy vehicle.
As well, I think the economy aspect could be expanded upon further. Player currency I'm not sure about, but the Empire having an excess of economic flow could give benefits to vehicles or equipment in some respect. If, for example, an Empire is particularly successful in getting its ANTs or whatever to its factory, then all vehicles on the continent could begin to develop slight bonuses to its offensive/defensive capabilities, reflecting the magnitude of the resource excess.
Naturally there'd have to be limits on how often these convoys could be sent out to harvest resources, and they'd need to be broadcast to enemies to ensure that the greatest possibility for a fight exists, but with some tweaking it'd be doable.
So, there. Infrastructure buildings, a controlled, varied flow of new items and vehicles to give more variety to the game (where each campaign your EC might opt for different priorities and achieve them at different speeds depending on your battlefield success), a command structure which isn't just a bunch of people who ground out CR5, and different sort of sub-games in having mobile defense/attack objectives.