Faction specific objectives

[Rothnang]

Basically lately I've been thinking that one of the big weak points in this game for me is that the game feels exactly the same no matter what faction you play. Sure, the gear is different, so the fighting is a little bit different, but there is nothing about playing as part of a certain faction that informs what you are fighting for, or why you are fighting against the others.

I'd really like it if different factions at times had radically different objectives, and this could also nicely play into the new alerts system.


For example, there are special objectives that concern a conflict between two factions which pop up at random. There is always one faction that has a protect objective, and one faction that has a destroy objective. They would all work the same for the first iteration of faction specific objective, but have a different explanation, and through that give your faction some flavor and background.

The idea here is that an object comes down from orbit, something maybe twice as tall as a drop pod, sets down in a random place of the map, and if it stays alive for 30 minutes your faction wins, and if the faction that opposes that particular event destroys it they win. The third faction doesn't get rewarded either way.

Vanu Sovereignty:

An archaeological survey probe has been sent down to gather data on underground structures. It must be protected until its research is completed. The TR will try to stop this research by destroying the survey probe, to stop the VS from acquiring more technology.

A spy within the New Conglomorate has hidden information inside of a satellite which was then sabotaged to crash on the planet. The satellite must be defended until the information is retrieved. The NC will try to destroy the satellite to stop the security leak.

New Conglomorate:

A large deposit of valuable rare earths has been discovered and a mining probe has been dispatched to gather them up. The VS wants to destroy the probe, because it might damage buried artifacts and archeological finds.

A group of political dissidents has escaped from a TR controlled space station in an escape pod. In order to retrieve them and welcome them into the NC the hatches of the pod must cool down first after reentry. The TR have already dispatched troops to destroy the pod and kill the traitors.

Terran Republic:

A radio mast must be deployed to deliver an address to the citizens of the republic that will rouse their patriotic spirit and let them know where their true loyalties should lie. The NC is trying to destroy the mast and spoil the TRs message of hope and harmony.

A new ground based radar system can help to reveal enemy troop movements. The dish must be protected for some time to gather useful information. The VS are trying to blind the TR by attacking the equipment.




This is just one idea regarding this topic, I might post more lately. Basically the idea here is that these things tell a little story that speak to what your faction does and why and why they are at odds with the other factions. Ideally eventually you might see objectives that are completely different, not just in flavor but also in what they have you do, so that the factions start feeling really unique.

[EvilNinjadude]

You mean, add LORE!? Oh. Um. I don't think the devs are down for lore yet, doing items, mechanics and continents.

Keep this for a little later, when they seriously have to think about what to implement next. Right now I think they've pretty much covered in terms of suggestions.


I for one would really really like to see some sort of implementation of this somewhere down the roadmap.

[Rothnang]

Well, mechanics wise all these scenarios work the same more or less. Some big thing appears, it has to sit there for X number of minutes, one faction is tasked with defending it, the other with destroying it. All you'd need to implement what I just suggested would be the system that makes the things appear, 6 new models, and 12 lines of VO, which announce what's going to the two factions involved for each of the 6 events.

I mean there could be a ton more events like this with different little rules. Maybe there is some kind of item that crash lands and two factions are trying to get it back to their warp gate or something...

[EvilNinjadude]

Originally Posted by Rothnang

I mean there could be a ton more events like this with different little rules. Maybe there is some kind of item that crash lands and two factions are trying to get it back to their warp gate or something...

Capture the single indestructible Trailer MacGuffin? Like that something-something-unit from PS1 that was used to capture Bases?

[Micro]

This would be a awesome! More lore = Win

[Corvo]

I would actually enjoy this.

[Whiteagle]

Originally Posted by Corvo

I would actually enjoy this.

Indeed, and you might not even need new assets to do it!

I mean, there are plenty of Bases that are currently named with an association to a particular Faction but lie within the normal Territory of another, so you could easily have a "Vanu, Retake the Archives" or an "NC, Retake the Arsenal" Alert.

[Corvo]

Originally Posted by Whiteagle

Indeed, and you might not even need new assets to do it!

I mean, there are plenty of Bases that are currently named with an association to a particular Faction but lie within the normal Territory of another, so you could easily have a "Vanu, Retake the Archives" or an "NC, Retake the Arsenal" Alert.

Yeah, all these Faction-named bases made sense before they started rotating the warpgates and it's a little ridiculous now.

They could also implement shorter 30-minute events in between continent-wide alerts like supply drops that need to be defended/destroyed until a convoy (real or imaginary) reaches it to pick it up.

[fierce deity]

I would really enjoy this, especially if each faction specific alert/objective tells a little more of the lore. If the outcome of each alert directly affects what the next alert is, each server will be writing its own lore. There could be two different types: Major and Minor.

Minor alerts would be just the same as current alerts just with faction specific objectives.

Major alerts could be bi-weekly with each game update. Before one of these alerts a cutscene plays that describes the background lore to the upcoming battle. After this each faction would recieve multiple differing objectives. For example the VS might have to capture and hold Vanu Archives until the end of the alert, send an infiltrator to Mesa Comm Station to hack a Command and Controll console, Rescue hostages from Indar Bay Point by capping it, and hold at least one amp station in order to win. Each faction will have a different set of objectives to complete, and whichever completes their objectives first or has the most completed by the end will win exclusively the 10k certs + some bonus they keep until the next alert. Then a cutscene displaying the outcome will play that shows the aftermath and sets up the next major alert. Though I think this will be really cool to see added, It will require a lot of work on the developers side to make it work.

[Sledgecrushr]

Sounds like a very fun little minigame.

[Kail]

Sounds like a mission system to me

[camycamera]

this can tie in beautifully with the alert system they have on currently, or a mission system

and WE WANT LORE.

[Whiteagle]

Originally Posted by Kail

Sounds like a mission system to me

Nah, a Mission System would be something where we could cert into Leadership, then put a "Need X here" marker or blob on the map that grants extra Experiance Points to users of "X" in that area.

So Alerts are automatic, but the Missions would be Player Generated.

[HiroshiChugi]

This needs to be implementsed so badly, we need more lore dagummit! And yes, that's a real word. Anywhozenhowerz, a system like this, as much needed as it is, needs to be put into effect in the test server first to see if it's worth actually implementing in the game or not. Can't say much more as I am running out of time. Internet is down at home, so using the school computers for access.

[EvilNinjadude]

If the mission system gets put in, this is what it'll be like: