Gameplay: Resource Fields - Random Spots for Conflict

Zekeen · 2012-03-27, 02:15 PM

Hello again my fellow vets and recruits. Yes, it is I again, with yet another strange thought in my head that has to come out!

Now this idea comes straight from Command and Conquer, something I think could be used to help mess up the flow of battle into a more chaotic mess than an easily followable line. This also adds a new side to the game for just a bit more fun.

The idea is this - Occasionally have resource pockets, in the form of raised up rocks, pop up in a certain area that allows players with sort of simple mining vehicles to come tear them out and load them back to base for an area resource bonus.

This is basically the idea of Tiberium fields in Command and Conquer. Imagine if a pocket of ores rose up some where, you'd be scrambling with your faction to take it and keep the enemy back. If fighting became a stalemate, you'd have people trying to rush in trucks to scoop up the ore and rush out without being destroyed, so that the field could be swept clean without having to completely win the battle. Ore pockets behind enemy lines would get bombarded by bombers and might even have trucks coming in through back routes to snatch it away.

This would all be random occurances, and probably not consistent, in order to keep their value and priority up, as well as make it a nice bonus. It would be an event with a bonus, and allow you to get a portion without all of it at times. It'd be a more common event, keeping the battles active and giving a little bit of the sensation of winning.

Now, for this idea, a sort of "mining truck" would have to be created. I think it would be best for a one, or even two man, large armored truck. Possibly with even an upgrade system to increase speed, armor, or a better passenger gun, which in normal cases will be a light chain gun on the top. It will be a cargo truck with the under part of the front housing a large grinder, a sort of metal spiked horizontal pillar. Instead of having some sort of mining process, this truck mines by simply driving over the ore chunks in the field, which normally block the paths of any other vehicles (even tanks). The trucks won't be too fast though, preventing them from just swooping in and taking over the entire field. Larger ore chunks will have to be pushed into by the trucks, which will be tearing it down until it is completely devoured by it. After a truck is filled to the brim, it has to rush it's load back to a base in order to unload it for the empire. Any resources inside a loaded truck are lost on it's destruction.

Some other ideas on this to go along side it for balancing issues-

Maybe have ores takes damage, so you can ruin an enemy ore field by bombing runs. The other side is your side might grief your field while there are no enemies around, but if it took a lot of damage, it would take co-odinated bombing strikes to really reduce a field's value, not some moron and his friend in a single liberator. The damage miners would take would also cause them to be affected by the griefing system.

Perhaps a system where ores only appear in bordering areas between fortifications. This could make sense if you think of the activity and explosion being the cause for the ground to erode into the ores.

These fields could help promote the combat outside of fortifications a little. They'd have to be designed in certain areas, but several could be made and who knows, maybe multiple at a time in some cases.

I know this idea is rather out there, but who knows, it could fit or be loved... or be incredibly hated, but I felt the need to get it out there. What do all you guys think? If this got a lot of support, I'd draw out some concepts.

Talek Krell · 2012-03-27, 05:03 PM

The idea is to have randomised resource pockets that can be collected without actually being captured? I like the concept, since it would provide a change of pace, but I wonder if being a mining operation is really helping it that much? Tweaking the specifics could allow the core idea to function without requiring a special vehicle for one specific use. Maybe every once in a while an outpost could spawn a collection of "artifacts" and the empires have to try and relocate them to a more secure location.

Zekeen · 2012-03-28, 12:17 AM

The need for special vehicles gives rise to the idea that you have to defend them. If it's grab and go for anyone it just becomes chaotic. The idea of escorting a vehicle too and from in order to receive an empire bonus creates a higher need for strategy. Teamwork is what needs to continually be promoted in Planetside. Though I do agree that some artifact grabs would be nice. Maybe as EXP bonuses?

Sirisian · 2012-03-28, 12:24 AM

Here.

Talek Krell · 2012-03-28, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Sirisian

Here.

Different game mode Sirisian. That's King of the Hill, he's thinking more Capture the Flag.

Zekeen · 2012-03-28, 02:56 PM

Well, his idea is very similar, what it seems a lot of us want is a random event point of conflict, it's just the execution of my idea is different.

And it's not capture the flag, it's MASS capture the flag! If there were hundreds of flags to grab. Just my little insane idea.

NewSith · 2012-03-28, 05:51 PM

There's a thread about something of that sort. It basically suggests resources to be obtainable and delivered via the automated ant-like harvester. I so much want that RTS feature or your idea in the game. PS2 imo needs some more rts elements in it to be even more successful.

Zekeen · 2012-03-29, 10:48 PM

well, the long term goal has them working on AI. That would actually add AI as a non game changing element. Imagine, targets of opportunity. But I think it'd be fun having to drive a lightly armed cargo/mining truck in these in order to serve your empire. Just a bit more strategy.

ThirdCross · 2012-03-30, 12:06 AM

Love it, this along with randomly changing hex resource counts would help make each time you log-on feel different.

Sirisian · 2012-03-30, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Talek Krell

Different game mode Sirisian. That's King of the Hill, he's thinking more Capture the Flag.

I realize that. I came a similar conclusion a while back when I was thinking of having it originally force people to mine with a special vehicle like an ANT. Then I realized introducing such a "boring" non-combat vehicle into an FPS would be a waste of time. In order to keep people in the game just letting them stand in a decently sized circular region and set up deployables to defend it like a micro base seemed like a better design. (While I like RTS stuff, I'm not a fan of mining vehicles in PS2).

Zekeen · 2012-03-30, 10:18 AM

Did I just hear "'boring' non combat vehicle"? I guess you never really did much support in PS1. Those "boring" vehicles are generally driven by completely insane individuals who make them not so boring.

First off, we're talking about a few individuals from each side going for the resources. There won't be a cool down on the resource pick up, it's going to be a quick drive over, think like a vacuum cleaner. My idea for the vehicle is a large Sunderer like armored truck, with a grinder on the front for the rocks (with bonus against speed loss of running infantry over), and with a light gatling gun for the passenger, armed as well as a harrasser. You don't need 500 people in these mining trucks, or maybe I should give a word to make it less boring, let's say ROCK SHREDDING TRUCKS (or infantry shredding trucks for common lingo). They runs over rocks, the rocks are shredded and sucked up, they go back to base. We're talking battles where less than 10 will be using these trucks. It's a tactical choice, but with so many people you have a lesser need for volunteers because those who enjoy "running the flag" appear in a certain percentage, with 1,000 people around, you might have even an excess who enjoy the "boring vehicle".

The Galaxy, Sunderer, and Lodestar were very "boring" vehicles in PS1. And that's a GOOD thing, because they are the most needed. So, when I worked on learning the galaxy and enjoying it, I became a bit obsessed.

So, a bit boring isn't quite so true, but the real fact is, if it's boring to a lot of people, GOOD. Could you imagine having 300 people in trucks trying to get the rock, while the other side has 290 people in tanks and other anti armor gear? Too many cooks in the kitchen.

But, since it's a bit boring, let me add this idea for it. Let's make this ROCK SHREDDING TRUCK a bit more appealing. While very slow, but nicely armored, let's give it the ability to deal heavy damage to armored vehicles by RAMMING THEM with it's forward rock grinder. Now we can customize and enjoy our rock shredding tank crushing truck. It is no longer "boring".