Gameplay: Superweapons super clash

[Phisionary]

Hi everyone, first post. Not a PS vet, but totally psyched for the PS2 beta. I love speculation, and I think the MMOFPS concept in general could go in so many incredible directions from here on. And please keep in mind I'm trying to not be limited by what PS1 was, and instead focus on what PS2 might possibly become.

I did some searching, and didn't find anything quite like this idea:

So, I was thinking that with the scale of PS2, maybe we're thinking too small is some regards. I love the idea of PS2 having a wide variety of mission types. I got this image in my head of a unit from the RTS game 'Supreme Commander.' One of the 'experimental' tech units is this giant dish, which is a flying aircraft carrier and can hold around 100 aircraft, iirc.

So my thinking is, that could be some incredible gameplay in a PS2 type environment.

If you'll excuse this new recruit for pledging Vanu for beta, but some similar and faction appropriate scenario could be created for each side, I'm thinking. The scenario I was thinking about would work as thus:

Firstly, there would be some strategic capture point on the continent map, like 'spaceport', 'heavy vehicle factory', 'research facility', or somesuch. Perhaps there could be several ancillary facilities as prerequisite to this particular scenario.

Let's say a few well-coordinated VS outfits have waited for an opportune moment, and have managed to take the main and secondary facilities. This starts the construction of a VS superweapon, a 'carrier dish.' If they are able to defend the facilities for a certain period of time, construction on the dish will finish. Enemy forces could take back the points, destroy the dish, whatever, to prevent success.

If the dish completes, if takes off and is on the move. It provides a moving spawn and galaxy marshal point, aircraft spawn, and fighter repair bays. VS on the continent would have a new priority mission available. 'Dish Defense' Maybe it has 10 reparable turrets, but a couple of weak points that enemy fighters could abuse. Scythe pilots could queue up in the hangers, fight as interceptors, and defend incoming enemy galaxy drops onto the dish.

If the VS are able to defend until reaching an enemy point, another new mission, 'Dish Assault,' and the dish could spawn, say, 50-100 aircraft in short order (picture waves of 12 scythes at a time coming out of the bays), maybe support a half-dozen galaxy drops. Defenses would scramble, and the battle between a base and a huge floating mothership would commence. If the mission succeeds, the base can be captured, and the juggernaut moves onward.

I think it could be really fun concept if done properly, and seems well within the scale of PS2. Perhaps a continent would have to be designed with this game mechanic in mind; perhaps each side would have it's own 'superweapon' mission. A TR aircraft carrier to circle the map, or NC mobile tank factory that could roll across it maybe. Lots of possibilities.

Thanks for reading. Merits, flaws? Discuss please.

[Zekeen]

Take a look at the air cruisers idea. The one that NEVER dies, it has some heavy die hard bumping fans in it.

PS1 vets are still a bit hesitant with any super weapon. Last time one was added, the game almost killed over. Their problem was they made it a one man army murdering machine. I'm sure large scale, rare, multi person required super weapons are being thought up. I do like using the idea of it requiring to be built and defending until then to deploy.

Also like the Supreme Commander reference, that was one hell of a good Total Annihilation remake!

[Phisionary]

Yeah, I see it does have some similarities to the air cruisers concept, but some differences as well.

Some concepts describe group buying power, like an outfit all together buys a cruiser. I'm ambivalent about game mechanics that exclude individual players. I'm more into the idea of it being like a scripted mission, you don't need trained crews to carry out the dish attack (though you might to initiate it in the first place). It's a rallying cry, and hopefully would provide some appropriately modest attack advantage. More like a travelling base than a spawn-able super-vehicle. Once it's in motion, the mission attracts the rest of the grunts to get into the action.

My favorite image from supcom was that carrier dish, with this almost endless streams of little fighters coming out and forming a cloud over an enemy base. Never seemed to work that well for me in a real game, but seeing that happen in PS2, with a giant UFO blocking out the sun as it cruises over an amp station, in full scale... that would be epic.

[Pinkie Pie]

i really like this idea, altough i think that all three factions should have something like this, not just one. either something just like this, or an equivalent to it. it also seen a biiiiiiiiit op, so maybe scale it down a teeny tiny bit with the capacity.
but i like it!
+support.